BSA bikes

Mornin' All,
Came across this BSA bike rusting away in a mate's garden. Does anyone know anything about BSA frames? Is it worth a bit of work and getting it on the road? Ta.
PS Check the chain ring pic - noice!
(apologies for the poor mobile quality)

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[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham_Small_Arms_Company[/ame]

They also make tidy leather biker jackets

My dad restores old British Motorbikes so I knew they got the skills on that front, just wondered what their rep was on the cycle front.

That is really pretty

i don't think it's worth it. unless you want a beater. it looks very relaxed indeed.

'scuse my ignorance but what constitutes relaxed geometry (presuming that's what relaxed refers to) and how does it affect the ride? cheers.

The angle of the headtube is low - less than 70 degrees from horizontal. Gives stability but slower steering feel. Similarly the large rake (bend in the forks).
I can't remember the exact technical details, but rake, trail, and headtube angle are the 3 factors.

trail being the length of the chainstays maybe? Shrug. Doesn't look all that bad, but won't be as nippy as a track frame, for sure.

What size is it? I may be interested.

is this for your sturmey archer 3-speed project tim?

Could be......

It ain't up for grabs i'm looking at doing it myself, just testing the advice water.

that bike is lovely. If it works ie wheels go round, frame ok etc... you should go for it. It might not be as fast as a track bike, but you'd own a piece of history. I've got a couple of bsa's. they're classic bikes. look after her and she'll look after you.

I grew up near the site of the BSA factory.

BSA are a lot like raliegh, and were eventually swallowed up by raleigh!

Made motorbikes (famous 'bantam') and a lot of Bicycles up till abouts the late 70's I think.

They were a huge manufacturer of bikes and came up with a lot of the standards used in bikes today, such as the B.S.A bottoms bracket standards which has now become I.S.O

All the post 60's B.S.A's I have seen have taken a tourer/commuter/relaxed 10speed racer kinda shape. All quite similar, and all with large frames, cotter cranks & drop bars.

they probably did more designs, but all thes I have seen looked about the same. So im thinking someone may have added those handlebars.

I have THREE similar bikes, a coventry eagle, a tom bromwich and a B.S.A

They make great comfortable city bikes and are a lot of fun to ride fixed. The steering is a bit sluggish with the standard narrow drops that usually come on them, but with the wide bars which are fitted to yours they are great! and can be ridden in a relaxed upright 'town bike' manner or flip the bars for a path racer feel.

Its not of any great monetary value, very very common. But still an excellent bike.

This is an old thread, i'm not sure why it's been dredged up now. I did get hold of the bike but as yet haven't got round to doing anything with it. Story of my life.

This is really the only kind of BSA worth discussing.

Any bike saved from the scrap heap has got to be worth doing up. BSA are a part of our history. It maybe nice to aquire all these expensive frames and quality bikes but in years to come when the ready supply of lower quality frames has dried up or got too expensive its the loss of lesser bikes like this that will be mourned. IMHO.