1947 Hobbs of Barbican Clubweight Build and many other old builds

Stems: depends on how period correct you want to be.
The GB spearpoint is too recent for the original owner to have bought in 1947.
Below is the writeup in The Bicycle Vol 25 No 641 of June 16, 1948

There was a distrust of alloy bars and stems and this review focuses on the durability of this new material (also the reason for the steel ferrule for your alloy handlebars was that they didn't trust alloy bars without the extra support)
I am unsure when the GB 'girder' style was introduced as in the 1952 Brown Bros catalogue, the spearpoint was referred to as the 'ordinary' and there was the other option of the 'girder' design. However, the girder design in hiduminium was available pre war (see 1939 Brown Bros catalogue p 143) but it was made by Reynolds. I don't think GB was around then as a manufacturer.

Stems: depends on how period correct you want to be.

Thanks for that article it's awesome - Mistrust in new things. Same things happening now with carbon!
I'm looking for something to complement the handlebars really - late 40's/early 50's.
Have you seen anything around for sale for can you suggest some other manufacturer names that I should look out for?

I have a similar alloy GB stem on my Hobbs, which i looked into before buying and im not sure about Browns but Reynolds and GB were both making alloy stems straight after the war and in the case of Reynolds (see below) before the war. There are a huge selection of alloy components in this catalogue including Reynolds own Girder style stems.
There was a great article in a recent VCC magazine concerning this very subject, but i can not find it.

I am interested in seeing the VCC article on stems. [edit found it VCC The Boneshaker 189/37]
The GB girder and spearpoints are found on many 1946 and 1947 Readers bikes at Classic Lightweights without any apparent disapproval.
Use their data base and sort dates in column G and the stems are in column AH.

No photos yet of your brake levers, can we have some soon?

No photos yet of your brake levers, can we have some soon?

I have my eye on some GB Super Hoods but am not in possession of them yet.
This part collection & auction entering is some stressful business.

Superhoods are too recent. Try for straight GB Hiduminiums that came out before the Superhoods. There are a set on ebay, item number 111119213841.
The Superhoods came out in 1951. (see here)

Sorry to gatecrash your thread 7VEN but it is Hobbs related;
57Hawkes, these are the cranks, they are Williams from 1937? im guessing C34 which ran right through to the 1960s, half the weight, 46t replaceable chainring, a lot of club cycles were kitted out in these cranks. there yours for £5. its what i payed for them

Thanks for the cranks, Falcon Vitesse.
Now both cleaned up, as below, and the lesser double stripped of the inner ring and fitted to my Hawkes this afternoon, together with a near-mint surfaces TDC BB.

Did any of you guys spot this unidentified bike?
Very Raceweight fork crown, in fact just like mine.
Someone got a bargain there.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mens-Racing-Bicycle-/290945627507?nma=true&si=a6ym86cpeKRLzX6j%252FpyPQCp8U84%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557#ht_850wt_1170

Looks good and the other Williams crankset is that going on the hobbs

Looks good and the other Williams crankset is that going on the hobbs

It's a strong contender, yes.
Early days for this one, now ranked as 'keeper' project #3.
I really must get in to single figures again...

Ribbed for her pleasure. My NOS 50's ribbed brake cable. 2 meters should do the job.

Yummy. This is my favourite build thread at the moment...

Superhoods are too recent. Try for straight GB Hiduminiums that came out before the Superhoods. There are a set on ebay, item number 111119213841.
The Superhoods came out in 1951. (see here)

Cheers for that. I'm winning both auctions currently. Please no one else from here bid against me :)

Well, the scatter gun auction approach for procuring brake levers worked. I started the weekend owning just one set of calipers. I now own another 2 full sets of earlier GB Hidiminium calipers and levers and a pair of Superhoods. Anyone in the market for GB levers and calipers? Off to the ever growing parts bin they go. I just about have enough parts to build another!

That's how it goes.
Psst... Hobbs frame on Ebay @ £25, last time I looked.

Sold for just under £70, which seems a right deal.

With the period correct levers you can get my reproduction Honking rubbers,

With the period correct levers you can get my reproduction Honking rubbers,

Great work there!
Dare we ask the cost, shipped?

shipping is the problem.
much cheaper shipping if there was a group buy.
$A30 for a pair plus shipping (tba) (includes forum donation)

With the period correct levers you can get my reproduction Honking rubbers,

Wow, they look great.
Don't have any sets available in white do you?!?
Definitely interested and also interested in splitting shipping with others.

I will ask my local manufacturer on the availability of other colours. He did some in yellow and red when we were testing so white shouldn't be an issue. Black is traditional in Shockstop, although I think another manufacturer had a range of colours.
In the shot above is the GB Hiduminium brakes, the GB Maes bars with steel engraved ferrule, the GB spearpoint stem, the Simplex gear lever, the Simplex Type Tour de France dual bottle holder (chromed) with a set of Ottussi bottles, a watch mount and a pocket watch, and the rubber cable ties. Since then I have swapped tyres to the gumwalled Panaracer Paselas, and brake pads to Fibrax Raincheater pads, not because it will ever be ridden in the wet, it is so the brakes work a little better and are quiet on the Dunlop Stainless Special Lightweight rims. These pads are only suitable for steel rims.
All but the brakes and the bottles have come out of England, so I have been propping up the English economy.

Black should be ok. Was going to use white bar tape though.
Decisions decisions

GB Levers no 1 (arrived today):

GB Super Hood (with red anodized pivot).
These appear to have been introduced in 1953. My guess is that they probably would have had anodized adjusters too but these have been lost. Do you have a spare set of adjusters that you no longer need that you'd be willing to part with (don't need to be anodized)? I really like these however these were very much a reactionary purchase to the "shit, I don't have any levers yet so will bid on any I see" conundrum

Anyone up for a LFGSS classic lightweights ride when this is finished?

Hmm, just been discussing doing the DD next year with some other Vintage Reprobates.
That might be a good target to get my newly acquired Hobbs frame built up, 5 geared? Could do SS 48/17, though.
And my folks more or less live there - so an easy homeward option.

Hmm, just been discussing doing the DD next year with some other Vintage Reprobates.
That might be a good target to get my newly acquired Hobbs frame built up, 5 geared? Could do SS 48/17, though.
And my folks more or less live there - so an easy homeward option.

DD would be awesome. 5 speed would be the ticket with one of those hand operated derailleurs. In other news brakesets 2 & 3 arrived arrived today:

GB Levers and calipers no 2:
Late 1940's GB Hiduminium side pull brakes.
There is no quick-release on this model but the adjuster slots into the lever hood. They've been professionally polished and are the leading candidate to grace the steed. Lovely condition.

GB Levers and calipers no 3:
As above, late 1940's GB Hiduminium side pull brakes.
Absolutely filthy and in good need of a bath in the parts washer then a polish.

Clean v. Dirty:

yes, excellent condition and period correct.