1947 Hobbs of Barbican Clubweight Build and many other old builds

Unfortunately, progress has ground to a halt but fear not, I was slaying some of the big cols in the Pyranees (highlights being Tourmalet, Hourquette, Aspin, Soulor & Aubisque). Had the best holiday ever basing ourselves in Bagnères-de-Bigorre which was a good out and back distance for the rides. Something really spiritual about climbing mountains on a bike hearing the cow and goat bells ringing out and children shouting 'allez allez' as you go by. My climbing is pretty good (Strava had me in the top 1/3 to 1/4 for the HC climbs - not too bad for a hired bike I'd never ridden before) but my descending is atrocious. Will hopefully have everything I need for final assembly by the end of next week for the HOB!

Good pics there. Hope you had a great time.

Nice 22" fillet brazed Hobbs frame on Ebay now, Lytalloy headset , seat post clamp and a good patina as well.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-22-1950-Hobbs-of-Barbican-Lugless-531-Frame-forks-London-NW9/281167955535?_trksid=p2047675.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D11%26meid%3D1359614694084819701%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D1005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D190897991747%26#ht_1303wt_1170

Another was sold recently with fairly rough paintwork.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/hobbs-of-barbican-frame-1950s-/190897991747?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=9ks9PFjupkUsWczMn1eh%252FtDyrnI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc#ht_156wt_1170

That's got to be worth it for the headset alone!

I LOL at the Blue Riband in the states selling for £3.5K
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rare-Vintage-Circa-1950-Hobbs-Blue-Riband-Lytaloy-cranks-pedals-headset-Airlite-/121128969959?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c33d966e7

Have finally ordered some tyres....

Any Updates or are you leaving it until spring to finish?

I have a Track Blue Riband Frame and Fork that I am collecting parts for as and when I see them at a good price. Ready for next spring????

Any Updates or are you leaving it until spring to finish?

I have a Track Blue Riband Frame and Fork that I am collecting parts for as and when I see them at a good price. Ready for next spring????

Hello Steve,
I had hoped to have it well finished by now but a spell of moving house, lack of money and not having the right parts got in the way.
Good news though, I now have the money to finish her off.
There were some dramas with the tyres. Because they're a very obsolete size 26 1 x 1/4, they were almost impossible to find in Amberwall so I needed to order some from the good ol' US of A (a popular tyre size with old Schwinns I beleive). The US retailer only had one so needed to order another in. They should be on their way until they get caught up in customs and I have to pay some ridiculous charges.
Also ordered a new early 27mm 50's Titan stem and some rare Titan Maes bars. Also managed to order a Reynolds 27.2mm seatpost too. I needed to wait for Hilary Stone to return from l'Eroica before ordering then wait another 10 days before he dained to post them ;)
So, just white cotton bartape and shellac, a seatpost collar and rim tape left to go....
I've been informed that the package from Hilary has arrived today so will get some photos up tomorrow.
Have decided that I'm going to ride it to Norwich via Cambridge on the 15 Dec (anniversary of dads passing to the town where he was born).
Till tomorrow....

Looking forward to seeing this finshed.

There's a chap on this recent post with a Hobbs frame for sale:
http://www.lfgss.com/thread115979.html

Thanks for that (57Hawkes), the Hobbs I have for sale is one originally purchased for my Wife. I also have another that her Father bought new in 1952 for a tour of the Loire Valley in 1953 - I took this bicycle to the Anjou Velo this year as this Hobbs was last in the Loire 60 years earlier - the French folk I spoke to were impressed.

When the frame was restored (it had to be) I had his channel ferry ticket fixed under the laquer - yes, he kept it! This Hobbs has GB spearpoint stem, GB randonneur handlebar, a Bayliss Wiley (NoS) front hub, Sturmey alloy shell 3 speed, Weinmann rims (32/40), Brookes B17 (the original '52 one) and a Reynolds dome top seatpost.

In addition, the Hobbs I have for sale has the super rare - and mint - brass and glass enamel headbadge. Super rare you ask? Look at reader's bikes on Classic Lightweights none of the Hobbs featured has this badge. My '52 has one and I have a mint spare too.

To have a headbadge made (or restored) like this today would cost a few quid! Off to a jumble Sunday, selling quite a few GB brakes, stems, and some rare handlebars (not a trader, just an enthusiast having a thin out).

I like the thread, and I knew Paul at Harry Perry in the 80s!

Jon.

I'd love to see some pics of your bikes Jon!
Excellent story of your dads bike!
I could be interested in the Hobbs you have for sale. Can you please PM me some pics?

Here are the pics of my newly acquired treasures:

Titan Maes bars (I think they're just pre-war). The reason I purchased new bars was that the other GB ones were just too narrow and the drop was too shallow for my tastes.
Made in Belgium nonetheless!

Early 50's Titan stem. Chrome is a bit ratty but meh...

And a Reynolds No.5 domed seatpost.

Also called Dave Marsh and have two lots of white Tressorex cloth herringbone bar tape on the way so I can shellac a la Rik Van Looy's L'Eroica machine!

Happy to,

and you have a nice collection for your build there.
My '52 is in kit form at the moment as I'm about the put it away for the winter, and rebuilding wheels etc. However I'll post a few images over the next few days.
It is easy to get carried away with these builds, I see one guy here is fitting a Chater Lea c/set on his Sportsweight, you'll find the typical c/set actually fitted by Hobbs, and featured in their catalogue, is the Williams (C34). Folk BITD often built their own bikes, buying the frame with chainset fitted, and then the separate components - buying it in"kit form"avoided purchase tax = cheaper bike.
I'll pm you shortly.

Cheers, Jon.

Just received my bar tape from Dave Marsh. Looks really nice (ordered 2 lots so I can double wrap) and I once again wholeheartedly endorse the service I've had from Dave and Catherine. They're like another Hillary Stone of hard to find NOS bits but are actually communicative and pleasant to deal with ;)
I have also, at last, found a seat post collar. It's a Magistroni one (same as the one that falconvitesse has on his Hobbs) and it too is coming from the US. I learnt long ago to purchase stuff regardless of the location as who knows when you'll see another again!
Just waiting on the tyres and the seat-post collar to arrive now and can finally put everything together. Seems like this has been the longest build ever to grace the pages of LFGSS.
Would also like to hear peoples first hand accounts of applying the great beetle secretion that is shellac. Did you mix it up yourself with flakes or buy it premade? How many coats did you use?
Cheers
Pete

Wow! New LFGSS member, and can't believe one of the first threads I spot is on a Hobbs. Just gone through the thread and loved it, proper job!

I have a 1946 Raceweight, that is fairly original, apart from the wheels and the 3 speed with a crossbar changer. One of my favourite bikes. It's got lovely deep drop handlebars typical of the period, with big chunky 'Bates of London' grips. Not sure what the chainset is but the pedals are Allez, brakes the usual GB Hidunimium. It's a joy to ride.

Thanks for sharing your build, from a fellow patina lover.

I've failed to manage to attach any photos, I guess it's because I'm a newbie.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29051501@N08/4165353773/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29051501@N08/4165353279/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29051501@N08/4166110326/

@Mike, you have some very nice vintage bikes in your stable.

Thanks Lucky. I might start a build thread of my own once I've found my way around here. Enjoying the Hobbs love flowing here though. And cheers for the heads up on the facebook HOB page.

Mike,
Welcome to LFGSS!
Great looking machine you have there.
Those bates grips are choice!
Are you based in Lonon?

Thank you. Those grips are something else. I've not seen them on another machine? But I haven't looked that hard either ... ;-)

I'm in Southampton, which is something that has steered me away from here before I think. I've known of LFGSS for a while, but the local nature of the name put me off I think.
I was just getting frustrated that there didn't seem to be a decent forum out there for classic lightweight aficionados? Classic rendezvous and Classic Lightweights are excellent knowledge resources, Retrobike seems more geared towards BMX, and they class 1980 as vintage! Bikeforum is useful but American ...
Anyway, I'm hear now! Unfortunately I'm neither a true fixie rider, or in London, but we'll see how I get on. Reading through these pages has inspired me to turn the flipflop hub on my old BSA around and spend the winter trying to retrain my legs on it ...

1933 BSA Sports by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Here's another Hobbs frame for sale:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161137288115?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_101wt_1170
Those sales I've seen recently seem to top out at £150-ish.

And Mike, I joined this forum because every Google on 'classic lightweights related questions' brought me here, trying to identify this past CP:
http://www.lfgss.com/thread106126.html
I'm thinking of changing the GB stem and bum fluff Concorde bars, if anyone's interested...

Good to hear you've found Universal Cycle Centre has been useful, 7.

Tyres are here.
Amberwalls in 26 x 1 x 1/4" aka 597mm are pretty much obsolete and really really hard to find. I missed out on some really nice NOS Michelins on eBay (bloody sniping tools) and have been kicking myself ever since.
Don't choose this size people! Go for 27 x 1 1/4" instead.
In the end, I imported some from the USA from the great Taiwanese company that is Cheng Shin.
I'm actually super happy as they don't look overly cheap and there's no massive 'Cheng Shin' emblazoned on them anywhere.
What valves should the tubes have? Woods/Schrader/Presta?

Tyres are here.
Amberwalls in 26 x 1 x 1/4" aka 597mm are pretty much obsolete.......
Don't choose this size people! Go for 27 x 1 1/4" instead.

but this frame would not take 27" wheels no? built for 26"?

What valves should the tubes have? Woods/Schrader/Presta?

i would say Woods. most bikes i have owned from this era have had Woods valves.

7VEN
Are you a VCC member? If not time to join up. 26" x 1/4" tyres are in the classifieds each month. or http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/michelin-world-tour-bike-tyre/rp-prod20463?_$ja=tsid:46412|cgn:Michelin+-+Tyres|cn:Chain+Reaction-UK-PLA-PLA-All-DT-SE|kw:63681UK_Michelin+World+Tour+Bike+Tyre&gclid=CKe4woquw7oCFfMdtAodEikAzw

I am awaiting the postman for delivery of another Blue Riband frameset. If it is Ok with you I will post up pictures when it arrives.

PS I may be tempted to accompany you on part of your ride, I thin k you will be coming past my place if you are heading for Cambridge first.

but this frame would not take 27" wheels no? built for 26"?

The frame would also take 27" wheels too I think. Not 100% sure but there are large clearances at the moment!

i would say Woods. most bikes i have owned from this era have had Woods valves.

Thanks, will track some down.

7VEN
Are you a VCC member? If not time to join up. 26" x 1/4" tyres are in the classifieds each month. or http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/michelin-world-tour-bike-tyre/rp-prod20463?_$ja=tsid:46412|cgn:Michelin+-+Tyres|cn:Chain+Reaction-UK-PLA-PLA-All-DT-SE|kw:63681UK_Michelin+World+Tour+Bike+Tyre&gclid=CKe4woquw7oCFfMdtAodEikAzw

I am awaiting the postman for delivery of another Blue Riband frameset. If it is Ok with you I will post up pictures when it arrives.

PS I may be tempted to accompany you on part of your ride, I thin k you will be coming past my place if you are heading for Cambridge first.

Steve,
I'd be honored to have some company and would welcome anyone else who can stomach all or part of a 200km+ ride.
I haven't joined the VCC yet but will do so today. I did see those Chain Reaction ones but the 26 only comes in a 26 x 1 3/8".

From Classic Lightweights

A. Wheel diameter.
It is my observation that of the frames that we find nowadays MOST of those built before 1950 are built for 26 x 1 ¼” wheels and MOST after were built for 27 x 1 ¼” wheels. I know that 27” wheels were introduced pre-war and am surprised regularly by finding frames built in the very late 1950’s that take 26” wheels. Whichever size they were built for there was invariably clearance for mudguards too. Very few frames were built without mudguard clearances and they would mostly have been pure track frames. These rare items can be identified by having no drillings for any brakes. An observation is that many of the frames built for 26” wheels are now being ridden with 27” wheels (or “sprints” or modern smaller wheels in them), these show a reduced mudguard clearance.

and from the Brown Bros 1952 Catalogue p253 as to what was available a few years later

I would have thought that woods were for 26 x 1 3/8" (ie roadsters) and presta for 26 x 1 1/4" & 27 x 1 1/4" (ie time trial and racing machines)

i would say Woods. most bikes i have owned from this era have had Woods valves.[/QUOTE]

Thanks El Gato,
I've just been down to my storage lockup an you're right!
The rims only have valve holes large enough to accommodate presta valves.
I should have looked before asking the question but didn't have the bike in front of me!

ahh yes, you are right! 1 1/4 are presta. sorry about that.