What's the oldest bike / part you own?

So as I was out and about the other day the nose of my brooks tore off . It was already starting to tear around the rivets and for the last few months the leather had seemed to be disintegrating, no matter how much love and proofide I fed it.

The guy I bought it from 2 years ago said it was from a 1940's Hetchins. I believe him, it genuinely looked that old and the embossed old style logo was barely visible . Perhaps day to day use on my beater was too much. A sad day but it had a good innings .

It got me thinking, what are the oldest bike parts out there that people are still using and enjoying? I know there are some 1930s frames still knocking about , perhaps earlier . What other real vintage components are you rocking ?!

My mkm frame is from '74 I think. I bought it brand new in '75. Now using it as fixed. I have some 50's campag parts passed down from older club rider's when I was a young lad. Cable guides, shifters, some pedals. I also have a zeus rear mech somewhere that must be 50's or very early 1960's. Also, somewhere about, (my wife denies throwing away!); I have a blue cloth campag musette, which must be late 60's.

'71 carlton. I did a triathlon with it last year. Got loads old the older competitors looking wistfully at it. I enjoyed over taking 6 guys who were on bespoke tri bikes!

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/746940-1932-Loop-frame-Raleigh-tourist-(pic-heavy)

1924 Sunbeam

1956 Holdsworth Monsoon

My daily driver is a '76 Raleigh 3-Speed, my all-original Peugeot tandem is '78, my Claud Butler fixed 1956 and my BSA tandem is 1926, still goes like a honky mother.

My 1957 Rudge - Brookes Saddle, swept back bars, pain-in-the-ass to obtain brake cables. Heavy as hell, but goes like hell when you get some momentum going.

Original parts, but got a modern Sturmey Archer 5 speed in the back though, kept breaking the vintage hubs...

My grandpa's pre-war seatpost. The only part of his bike which has remained unchanged.

i got a late 50s triumph roadster, owned from new by my ex's granddad. Before he died he gave it to me in the hope I'd use it more than him. Nice man, nice bike. Did a full refurb on it a couple of years back and its my sunny day cruiser now.

1954 carlton

How do you guys find your older bikes compare to newer ones? I pretty much only ride old bikes just because I don't need lightweight or tech, and if you want a traditional transportation bike with upright position, rack, mudguards, chainguard etc it's much cheaper to get an old Raleigh than the modern equivalent. I used to commute on the 30s Raleigh - I only stopped because I wanted to try a frame mounted front rack and didn't want to mess up the paintwork. Since then my other bikes have been pretty much a quest to refind the comfort of the Raleigh on a bike I don;t mind messing up.

I don't really ride my 54 Carlton all that much as I have other bikes. It mainly spends its life hanging in the garage.