Tommy Simpson's 1965 Track Bike - Shorter Rochford Cycles - Finchley

that's excellent, well done for getting the story. nice work man.

worth checking the seatpost for wraps of speed

Where's FInchley?

Aha.
Think Bromley but North.

Sweet bike, thanks for sharing :)

Beautiful bike, thanks for sharing the pics and story behind it.

Is this bike for sale.

I doubt it very much and if it ever was - £$€

just stunning, allen key cranks bolts can't be from 1965 though.

I doubt that the tyres are 60s either, but that's not really the point, is it?

Probably right about the bolts and tyres but I see no reason to doubt the veracity of the rest of the story.
Beautiful distinctive bike.

just stunning, allen key cranks bolts can't be from 1965 though.

is it a bolt or just a dust cap? the spacing looks to be 151cm so the chainset would be correct for the era.

sorry if i missed something.

I think he mean the chainring bolts?

I think he mean the chainring bolts?

they would have been available in the 60's also.

Probably right about the bolts and tyres but I see no reason to doubt the veracity of the rest of the story.

The only people who could possibly question the provenance of that bike are likely to never have heard of Shorters or Alf Engers, ie people with an incredibly limited knowledge of London cycling history. Shorters are one of the best known bike shops in London - so hardly likely to have a phoney Tom bike.

Yeah the first week I was in there it was just three kids on the shop floor so I was a bit sceptical.

The second time though it was the manager and whilst I was photographing the bike and rubbing my flattened batteries together he phoned his Dad and got the complete story.

The manager in there was really nice, they weren't trying to sell me anything so I believe what I heard.
I don't think there would have been a reason to dress it up and I did tell them I would be showing quite a few people and posting it online which they were fine with.

Alf Engers,

I hate those twats, always going round pretending to be real Alfs

Is it NJS?

i was just making a point about the bolts, thats how i've got my campag pista cranks set up with the allen key crank bolts.

i think the bike is genuine, the frame looks very much like a carlton flyer, the slight wrap overs and the nervex lugs and i know for a fact they made chrome flyers.tommy was an adopted yorkshire man with strong ties the the region so it's possible it could have been made by carlton.

you should send photos to dave marsh and rick powell who both made carlton's and dave runs a fund for the up keep of tommy's shrine/monument.

i was over there on thursday with one of his old team track bikes.

here's my old carlton flyer

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36890951@N07/sets/72157617352444931/

you should send photos to dave marsh and rick powell who both made carlton's and dave runs a fund for the up keep of tommy's shrine/monument.

PM me their contact details, better would be just to point them at this thread, most pics are up, just a few more in that Flickr.

http://www.universalcyclecentre.co.uk/Tsimpson.htm

heres you go