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

Yes, looks to be fillet brazed but paint kind of makes it look like lugs

you could be on to something there thanks! my serial no. matches the style & placement on parkes. Now to find one with matching lugs and/or dropouts :)

Like I said, the dropouts would have been specified by the owner because the earlier Parkes bikes were built to order. Lugs weren’t really being fancy cut in the 40s so you got what there was available (happy to be corrected on that though).

Thanks a lot! I guess it's likely is a parkes then. The dropouts are similar to osgear style but not quite the same. Wonder who made them

That Bates (the £1200 'bargain')

The vendor says "it just wants to go faster all the time" - rather surprising considering both cotter pins are in the same way round so the cranks aren't straight! How can you take anything he says seriously?

Gnutti

As a youth I had some Gnutti kit - it was handed down from older club mates because it was rusty - in fact it seemed as though the chrome would fall off as soon as there was a weather forecast of light showers. It was said that in the 1950's the Italians assumed that any Italian product not marked 'export only' was rubbish - even some of the export stuff was just as bad!

Found a rare book today!

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Lung Tonic. That’s what I need.

😂 Some of the adverts in this old stuff are hilarious! Il try dig out some more and share

I just seen this, a Cotterless crankset in the 1899 ctc handbook!

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It’ll never catch on.

Could your mystery frame be a Sun Wasp?
This is very similiar:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sun-Wasp-1940s-Bike-Patina-shop-window-garden-flower-arranging-display-prop/152478974503

That’s interesting, because it’s got seat stays with flat chamfered tops. I’d previously written it off as a Sun, because I’d seen this 1947 Sun Manxman which has scalloped stays.

I also found this thread on here (looking for that link) which I’d forgotten about. Looks very similar and is the same age. Also has the Osgear style dropouts with the tang.

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/353163/

Definite 1950s vibes to this 80s modified number in Romford. I recognise the lugs but can't place them...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254916542635

Step through lugless Claud in Devon with original paint:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164772629341

Cotterless crankset in the 1899 ctc handbook

Looks similar to the TA Critetium from the 1960s
(80 years later, same idea)
Although TA have the point facing the wrong way IMO - stress riser!

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It was said that in the 1950's the Italians assumed that any Italian product not marked 'export only' was rubbish -

Really‽ I just took a 1956 Regina freewheel apart today, wonderful crisp machining and still functioning perfectly. I took the hub apart as well, Campagnolo branded but manufactured by FB. The spindle and cones are beautifully made, some really high tolerance machining. The chrome on the hub centre is gone - I agree the Italian and French chrome was rubbish, but there’s a lot to love about pre Campag components from both countries.

Very possible it's a sun wasp! I think parkes & sun cycles are the same company, parkes being slightly better made from what I have read online. So it would make sense in both names using similar Lugs

Bates - Difficult to get an idea of it from the listing photos. Collection from Reigate.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333937777777

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Hilary Stone has a Southern Cycles / Bill Hurlow with the sames lugs as the Robins, no points on the front of headtube probably due to frame size:
https://www.hilarystone.com/frameset3.html

Hi everyone,
Not sure if this the right place to post this, I saw it was discussed a few months back.

I am looking for an A.J.Hodge bicycle, he was my 3x great uncle and built racing bikes in Luton in the early 20th century.

If anyone knows where I can find one to buy I would be very grateful, I have been searching for one for some years but have had no luck!

This is the only one I’ve seen in person
https://www.shuttleworth.org/collection/1938-a-j-hodge-tandem/

Thanks!

Absolutely is a good thread on which to post. Good luck.
ps maybe you can call yourself AJHodgegreatx3nephew

^... However if you started a thread about AJ Hodge and mention you’re on the hunt, a quick search mentioning Hodge will bring up your thread.

... and make sure your notifications are set to alert you if anyone posts!

Not sure where you can source a frame but there's some nice reminiscences of AJ Hodge here:
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/classic-british-frame-builders-mapped-new-website.247586/page-4

Ages ago ,I think someone here was after a Simplex shifter with a wingnut-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294060835368

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Just noticed that that Hetchins on eBay went for peanuts.

This one?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1952-HETCHINS-Experto-Path-fixed-wheel-unrestored-track-path-bike-BARN-FIND-/254912756349?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286