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honker
honking ...when 'honking' (riding out of the saddle)
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Hello all...
Since I've sold the Witcomb and more recently the Sun tandem, and apart from my 1930s Fisher bike who lives in France, I no longer own what I consider being an "old" bike... I don't really have time or space for a new project, but, being a little bored (in a good sense) these few days around Christmas, I've been thinking of a set of cranks I bought be years back in Berlin.
NOS Stronglight steel cottered cranks, with original Stronglight axle...
I looked a like on the internet, but it's hard to figure how old a frame I should match these with... Square taper exist since the 1930s, these cranks are more recent than that, and cheep bike had cottered cranks until recently, and probably still exist in some form.
These cranks were not bottom of the range, they are nicely finished, with nice chrome, demonstable chainrings, 3 thin arm spider rather than the small BCD 5 bolts a la 49D.
I haven't got them with me so can't further tell you about model.
But generally, would that necessarily call for a 1940s / 1950s frame, or could I get away with something more recent? Reason I'm asking is that I have a potential candidate, a French unknown maker frame, steel, very likely to be a custom job, or at least a good spec frame (nice details, campag dropouts, braze on shifters and front derailleur hanger, lugged rear brake bridge, nice pointy lugs with heart shaped cut out, and overall pretty light). Original chrome forks are fucked (or would require new steerer put in) but I have spare chrome French forks, very similar looking, which I believe are motobecane, and look period consistent with the frame, or at least with the original forks... My estimate is that the frame would be from the late 60s, early 70s...
Would that be too late for the cranks?
I have NOS Simplex rear and front derailleurs, although front unfortunately it band-on so would require a little puppy killing of the frame... Then I'd need to source shifters, Mafac centre pulls and levers maybe, and that's an Eroica ready French bike no?
Opinions welcome...
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Photos of the cranks might help identify the period they were made. There were a number of different styles of the steel models.
The Classic Lightweight's Peter Underwood has a set on this 1972 frame -
Thanks...
Not at home now but will post pics of cranks when back.
That bike from classic lightweight looks more like a 1950s bike (to me, but what do I know...) hence my dilemma with marrying the cranks with a potentially non period frame...
Like someone said somewhere in CP today... Boxing day boredom... -
... Actually, this eBay listing I just came across suggest 1970s frame would be ok... While qualifying (unlike what I was hopping for) the budget level of the cranks...
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Looking to repaint a '48 Claud Butler but missing the metal head badge. Any modern replicas available?
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Some come up on eBay, I don't know if they're all exactly the same (ie what you need) but I think they had the 5 Olympic rings by then.
I've seen OLD used, NOS, and newly cast, just keep an eye out. Can't see any on there now.
There is someone searching for a painted headbadge on eBay now though... Not you?
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Beginning of some investigations...
http://www.nkilgariff.com/ClaudButler.htm
This July 1949
"Note the CB 'Continental' ends and the 'Olympic' headbadge. Some 1949 models get a metal badge, others get a head decal."
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@veLLo
Mix it up, it doesn't really matter. Put nice quality components together with love, it'll be a nice ride knowing you. Frame sounds good. Did you see my repaired jack taylor pics page 18? I think the frame (and definitely lots of 50s parts) is older than saddle, cranks & rims, but I'm happy that it works. It's a completely bastardised bike. Rides like a dream. -
Thanks for reply.
Yes I've seen the Jack Taylor, awesome!
Since my post I've decided that I wouldn't insist on using that frame (too recent, probably late 60s, unknown origins - could be Mercier, or one of the Motobecanes with Columbus tubing as I found similarities in internet imagery since) or that crankset either (I've decided it wouldn't belong to the type of project I want) so I'm back with just the desire for an old bike build as a starting point. I got really exited by a Plum Vainqueur on eBay (which had been on here as well previously) but size was just a tat off (would have been almost acceptable had the frame been a bit more special)...
I'll try to sell stuff if I find the time and start from scratch with a frame I really like...
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Why are old chainsets like this fitted with chain rings that are nearly the same size. what exactly is the point.
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Older type front derailleurs (pre 1960) simply didn't offer the same travel in the vertical plane as more modern derailleurs. Many times you see a combination of 46/49 or 47/49 chain rings.
Is there a point to it? Not really, it offers a slight increase in gear range...My first 10-speeds (I am from 1976) came with 42/52 chain rings - again the point being that 10 or 11 teeth was the maximum jump with the components of the day.
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Also, the old 5-6 speed freewheels had pretty big jumps between gears.
Using closely spaced (in size) chainrings allowed for reliable shifting at the front and the gear ratios worked quite well. If you needed a big step in gear ratio (changing down) you changed gear at the rear, if you wanted smaller step, you changed gear at the front. -
After far to many punctures this month already i decided new tyres were in order for the daily commuter.
Continental 27.1 1/4 Gators on Weinmann Stainless rims laced to large flange Bayliss double fixed hubs.
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if you get the wired ones
eg https://www.evanscycles.com/continental-gatorskin-27-1-1-4-tyre-EV145063
they should be good on hookless rims. I run 1 1/4" wide tyres at 70 front, 80 rear. Because they are wider they required less pressure to achieve the same tyre drop -
I've built onto old hookless rims before and blown modern tyres up to decent pressure)-around 90/100 without too much bother. I think all of them have been wire bead so I would think these will be ok. Come to think of it I may even have a Panaracer PT Tourguard folding tyre on one rim with no noticeable issues. The rim is a Weinmann Alesa Alloy. Not sure if this is hookless or not though, can't quite remember.
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Apologies for the slow response,
yes they are hookless and to be honest i hadn't even noticed, they have been fine with a variety of different tyres. i normally run the tyre at about 60 to 80psi. -
FREE FRAME LONDON PICK UP ONLY!
Hello people riding old bikes!
Over the Christmas holidays, due to boredom (in a nice way) my brain elaborated the irrepressible need for a new bike project, something from the 50s... Hours browsing eBay, etc...
Eventually few weeks back I bought a 1950's Claud Butler. Cheap, nice... One of their lugless / filet braze ones...
Seller claimed it's for 26" wheels but I'm not too sure, it looks like it could easily take 700c... Anyway, seller also claimed it only had surface rust... Photos clearly showed rust everywhere, which I liked, and on the assumption it was not deep rust I bought it... Turns out it was a bit deeper than this, which was annoying. Seller offered to reimburse half of the total price incl. postage and I agreed. Idea was to get it sand blasted and properly checked by Winston prior to building / deciding on any further action (original idea was to clear coat only for a ratty look...)
The whole thing was a fantasy, I'll never find the time, I still need to rebuild my Roberts since last year, about to be a dad, etc...
If it's of interest for anyone here, have it as freecycle, London pick up only.
Size is about 59,5 ctc seat tube, I can further qualify dimensions...
PM me if interested...Pics of frame and type of rust I'd get checked if project was going further...
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Big_Block
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Pre 1950s rides of LFGSS: old bikes, vintage rats, classic lightweights
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@luckyskull
Whoah, some work needs to be done there! Did you actually pull it out of the sea? Always loved the Rudge cranks.