Pre 1950s rides of LFGSS: old bikes, vintage rats, classic lightweights

Oh and here's a cheeky photo of Jim 'testing' out the 52 Super Lenton in the shop.

I'll start a thread when I start the repairs, will be keeping this one original though......I think.

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Nice vaguely BC-themed socks.

Nice vaguely BC-themed socks.

They really set his skin suit off at Track League.

I have always admired Sheldon Browns Rochet

Then I found this early 1950's Rochet. 650B randonneur / porter / town bike.

Few things needed: longer seatpost(24.5), front rack, and fatter 650B tyres.

How many bikes do you own Mr Skull?

What can i say, i like bikes........ and have a very understanding girlfriend.

Taking the 1920's light roadster out for an evening spin recently at our friends Vintage Nostalgia Show.

Taking the Guv'nor out for a spin by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

(Was actually trying to sell the bike as well, but had a rather optimistic price on it ...)

This is my sunbeam two speed, made between 1914 and 1919 according to serial number. lives at my girlfriends house at the moment, I am restoring a matching one for her birthday which I may post a thread about. When I ride this I am so high up its like riding a horse. The two speed gear system has to be seen to be believed, I will post a pic when I get the chance... it is literally like this though:

^ I've never seen that before. I take it it's just a planetary gear system, like an SA hub based around the BB axel? Also, is the shifting mechanism cable or rod based?

Looks brilliantly bonkers!

you got it man, its a planetary, just like the SA hubs. My girlfriends bike does have a SA hub though, this two speed system was superseded by them. Its actually based in the chain ring itself, if I wanted I could remove that chain ring and put in a regular cottered chain ring, but that wouldn't be half as much fun!

It does actually have a wire cable to shift. Though the brakes are done by rod, its actually alright though, they are very well engineered rod brakes and work fine. The only thing about it is its a pretty slow bike, but leisurely.

Thats some decent engineering to contain all the gearing on the driveside. As you say, it looks a lot of fun!

when you get a chance, pictures would be great.

My 1949 Lenton Sports. Not sure if this belongs in 'rat bikes' instead, because it's a total shitheap! But runs well. Got the rusty but solid frame off ebay for £25 and built the rest up from bits I had lying around. Has a sturmey 4 speed, but 'converted' to three because the hub needs an overhaul. The carradice bag was my grandpa's from the 60s; the front dynamo lamp also his, from the 40s I believe. Sadly the correct wattage bulbs are no longer available so I'm probably going to have to go LED. Apologies for rubbish iphone photos.

^ nice, glad you've put some of your grandads bits on it too.

What's the deal with the rear brake, it looks like it's on backwards?

I've got to do some LED work on a vintage Lucas lamp too, but I've not found a convincing way of doing it yet (besides buying a 'retro' led lamp). Do you have a plan for this one at all?

Yeah I put the rear brake on backwards because otherwise it seemed to foul the sturmey pulley and cable on the other side. The calipers aren't strictly 'period' - think they're from the 70s - so maybe that's why. Or maybe I installed the gear cable in the wrong way... but anyway it all seems to work fine (and Sheldon says it's ok)!

If I can't find the right bulbs - I'll keep searching for a bit - I'll probably splash out on the LED conversion for a SA dynohub. Would be a shame though, because I do like the murky glow of an incandescent bulb.

Ah, I thought it might be down to it fouling something!

I'll check on my Super Lenton tonight how the rear brake is set up as it's on the 'right' way around and doesnt seem to foul the cable. Maybe its the brake cable routing? The front caliper looks like a 70's Weinman and the rear looks a bit newer than that, but as long as it works and is Sheldon approved, who cares :)

Cheers for the link, I'm keen to stay away from a dyno hub though as I dont want to mess with the orginal hubs and rims. Ideally I'll be able to come up with a cunning way to hide modern LED lights in the old lamp housings.

^ Bit late but I did check the SL and the cable isnt fowled by the caliper, but again, if it works who cares! :)

In other news I've just picked up an old Nervex lugged track/path frame, will post more pictures when I'm not a work computer running sodding XP.....

It's stamped with a serial number on the non drive side dropout (and steerer) with a alpha-numerical code starting with AV.

I've checked all the usual sites but I can't find a ref to AV stamped in these locations, anyone got any ideas?

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Serial number.

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As long as the brake block is held correctly, else you can pull the rubber out of the metal cage if the metal surround is only three sided.

Looks like a fun bike to ride around town.

Not an early Masi is it? @Ecobeard

I've no knowledge of continental frames at all, but I reckon it's British as it's a BSA BB. Path/Track frames all seem to be British manufacturers too, but that may just be me being transfixed on one country and a small time period :)

Could be an Allin, but they're just stamped A

Could it be a Viking? Classic Lightweights mention Vikings being stamped there with prefix letters on pre 1961 models.
I've got a 1952/3 Viking track/path that has got V and a number stamped in the same place. I cannot see well from the picture but I think the fork crown on mine is very similar if not the same as yours, though the head lugs are different.
There are some other frame number examples on here that could well put yours as a Viking.
http://classicvikingcycles.com/frame-number-register/

Cheers, interesting site that.

could be a Viking, but looking quickly the Viking models with a 'V' or an 'A' stamped on them are all road models.

I've got the Nervex lug number too, but that will just be for the lug model. hmmm

Full serial is: AV892

The '2' isn't distinguishable on the frame but is on the fork steerer, so I could be that this frame had a 2nd set of forks.

Judging by the dings in it this is entirely possible!!

Yes, they are all road in there but mine has got a V and it's a track, so, still a possibility.
Have you got a side picture of the fork crown?

Here you go

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