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

I knew you’d call me a wuss :)

Not at all!

The first thing to consider with bike equipment is - what do you intend to use the bike for? If you're going to the Alps you need something different from riding along the Bath Road.

Yes, the adaptor makes things more rigid, which is an improvement, but using the Cyclotourist set up, especially with a small inner ring, won't cause serious problems.

Bright lights for winter nights is the article, p36 N0401.

Heh sorry just being a wally. Like I said this build will be quite showy, I've got some rare and nos bits to put on, that although I will enjoy riding, think it will be a high days and holidays bike. It'll have a fixed/free rear wheel and I think that with the Stronglight cranks makes it quite a flexible setup.

It's a 'Criterium' and although I don't think that means it was only intended for those races (more it's just a trendy massed start name) it's not a 'Touriste' or 'Alpine' etc. Also my TdF doesn't have any marking regarding number of speeds, so as I understand it, I can only find out with trial and error. I dunno, will see how I go, but could start life fixed or maybe just a single front ring - I've got a 48t 3/32 Stronglight ring.

Or as you say I could get a smaller inner ring double with the Cyclotouriste setup. Given the small spread of teeth on the TdF though, I think I'd rather do that on another bike, or I'll likely be sacrificing the big end. My 1960 Gillott will probably get a Cyclotouriste chainset, and with the Record derailleurs that should be more suited to hills, and be more of an anytime ride.

I did really appreciate your info about the Professional adapter giving less flex (the named Criterium TA chainring setup is the one with the inner ring bolted to the outer ring but similar bcd to the Professional adapter I think). So if I can get it all working, it seems quite appropriate for the bike. And 50/44 x 14/24 will obviously give it a bit more range (at both ends) than 48 x 14/24.

I replaced a D cell in a StarLite with a 3-AA series converter like this, works well with a 5V LED. PS I may well have some spares kicking around, I can’t remember if I bought one or ten!

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Not seen those before :)
The article was about restoring lamps with the larger battery such as the 800 everready or similar but these also have adaptors already available which I wasn't aware of either https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183764471413

Your Starlight is in amazingly good condition!

I used these on one of those Terrys brackets which were sold as basket clips, but would fit over the handle bars. The Starlight didn't bounce around as much as the heavier twin cell light, and since neither gave any useful illumination of the road, it seemed a better bet. However 'Bobby Dodger' was an accurate description.

Does anyone have a rear mudguard reflector for sale please , I need it to be flat on the rear like the one pictured -

Thanks

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£266 in the end.

I was just looking at those Hobbs mudguards sold for £255. I don’t like mudguards enough but that’s a snip compared to the thousand pound ratty ones last year!

I guess it’s the wingnuts that went for £266? Pretty cool things but I don’t like wingnuts enough either! 🙃

I guess it’s the wingnuts that went for £266?
Yes a lot of money.

The simplex bottle cage went for £171!

Is this a nice Rensch hiding underneath a previous refinishing?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353094996284

Looks like this Champion Du Monde https://m.facebook.com/HilaryStoneCycles/posts/and-finally-a-rensch-champion-du-monde-from-about-1952rensch-champion-du-monde-r/1734990700091780/

Pricey but could be a fun project.

Crazy pricing, these were in much better condition than the 1st lock down guards as well.
I used to hate mudguards, but they are handy if you don't want to ruin your brooks saddle.

I don’t hate them, just every bike I’m working on needs something else more crucial at the moment, like wheels :)

I quite like the green Bluemels Olympic on Ebay at the moment, but think I’ll come back to mudguards later.

I think of them like English mustard. As a young man I didn’t get it, now I can’t get enough 😄

Looks interesting, messaged the seller on the size.
They said -
56.5 cm c-c both top and seat tube. Seat tube c-t 58cm.

I think I’m at the 1 in 1 out stage of bikes, or at least ongoing projects. I think that’s an inch too big for me anyway.

I checked with the seller on the Hobbs Blue Riband on Ebay - it is Bristol so local to me and £40 is a good price even with 2 tubes to be replaced. Anyway, 1952 by my understanding, so another nice project:

Seat tube is 21.5" centre to top, top tube is 22.5" centre to centre.
Frame number is C2314 - I think - it's not super clear through the paint on the dropout.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Hobbs-Blue-Riband-Road-Frame-Needs-Repair-/254848267549

That’s probably an inch too small for me (edit - going on the seattube, which seems a worse measure than top tube imo).

I know that an inch either way isn’t the end of the world, can be solved with more/less seatpost, stem projection, etc. I’d be interested in @clubman’s opinion / experience, or anyone else, ... I know the fashion was for big frames with saddles on the top tube, short projection and now it’s small frame, long projection, weight forward. When was a big frame fashionable? 40s/50s? Has that fluctuated? Seems like it’s just been a move towards smaller frames.

Those Bartali Roi des Grimpeurs levers go for half the BiN price
I sold some years ago to the dude who owns Speedplay and has a private museum.
I felt embarrassed for how much they sold for.

I have a frame I was given by a friend’s dad - he said it was a Rensch and he’d had it from new. Unfortunately he replaced the forks at some point.
I was never 100% on who built it because he seemed a bit ‘forgetful!
But it looks very similar.

https://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=pedalmuseum.intro

If you’ve never seen it.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/speedplaypedals/14137776771/in/album-72157627173945578

I think he bought another pair, the pair I sold had a brass bushing in the pivot - probably a repair

I like the Hobbs but can't see the tube creases mentioned in the listing.

I think some of the history of frame sizes is connected to the seat tube angle and changes to this. Article on the use of "Gallows" seat posts has a mention of this - https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1046007-gallows-style-seatpost-english-roadster-cycles-why-were-they-discontinued.html

I like those levers and you don't often see them. Frame is too big anyway.

Fistful of seatpost
For mid century bikes.

Slightly smaller frames in the 30s I think.

The pedal history section is great.

Innit

I like the Bates BAR that the Hobbs seller has but repairs and amendments put me off.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254856011824