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

Fantastic films , would love a "steering wheel" bike

Eheh they look nice, but that's it I guess :)

I know the seller well, bought few, I think at least 5 or so bikes from his late dad's collection. A vast one. This one was one of his favourite, he is also the author of that article on classiclightweights you linked. Amazing history behind it, there are not many around.

Very nice, but why bother posting some fake story about 'needs to go today' if it is totally invented.

Lovely fixed gear Hetchins.

This is my Hetchins…..vibrant rear triangle, campag super record first gen….

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Very nice indeed

Looks very nice.

Nice :). Are the gold brakes Galli?

Good spot! And gold exaltoo hubs….! Not to everyone’s taste, but they were the original owner’s ’best wheels’ , so I’ve kept it that way…

Thanks for your comment

Evelyn Hamilton (Bike)

The photo in post 5399 shows a very attractive bike - but is it the one actually advertised on Ebay?

I ask because the bike in the photo has a Chater chainset and a Super Champion derailleur, but the text under the Ebay ad states that it has ' a Williams 45 tooth chain ring and a Sturmey hub'. Just wondering.

Rather envious in a good way, that looks superb

Good question and well spotted, The photographs attached to the listing which show these components (one of which I posted here) all have a Chater Lea chainset and Super Champion derailleur.

An error in description or older/earlier photos of an iteration of the bike attached to the listing??

Evelyn Hamilton (The Person)

It's unusual nowadays for me to see a copy of Cycling Weekly but, by chance, I happen to have the issue for 3rd October '24. The photo below is on pages 60 and 61.

I'm almost certain the rider on the far right is Evelyn - it looks very much like her, and she's about the right age (Born 1906, so 24 in 1930) and, unlike the others, she has a proper bike - with sprints and tubs - note tapes. CW didn't notice what they'd got in that pic, or possibly didn't care.

She was a remarkable person, even if we don't believe absolutely everything she claimed. Good looking and photogenic she shines out of all those photos with dowdy looking blokes ( I'm including Claud Butler himself and he was generally a bit larger than life).

She claimed to be a champion cyclist and it's not hard to believe she was good, but just what women's championships were there in the 1930's? The French resistance story is great, if it's true, but if she was awarded the Cross of Lorraine it seems surprising that there is no record.

One thing that does seem to be beyond dispute is that she lived to be ninety nine (the same age as Eileen Sheridan). Evelyn certainly is an intriguing character and I hope all the stories are true, but I really would love to see a little more proof.

Photo wouldn't load with post: second try.

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Evelyn Hamilton bike on eBay -
I've messaged the seller to let them know about how the images and description differ.

I would say that is definitely Evelyn.

The error is/was in the listing, the original list of bikes from his dad's estate had SA/Williams, so must've just copied it in the text.

There were 25 or so on the list, from 1934-1959 era > I did noticed some have had some components changed , perhaps what his dad was fettling with in his later years. Even couple of ones I bough has some parts swapped over.

@clubman the stories of Evelyn are a nice read, but need to be taken with a pinch of salt. A remarkable lady never-the-less.

99 is also the age Eileen Sheridan (local to where I live [Isleworth, London]) died at (last year)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-64663783

I knew about her after I saw her pictured on a bike, hanging on the wall (the photo, not the bike), at the local Isleworth Leisure Centre and Library where my daughters are learning to swim.

There's more about her here: https://bikeretrogrouch.blogspot.com/2018/02/vintage-greats-eileen-sheridan.html

Also looks like she was more than a cyclist:

https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/190291/

Bit of TLC ?
Might be something worthwhile,not easy to tell from the photo - 26" wheels.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305951203120?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-

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Stick-shifting coaster braker lol

Original late 50s Claud Butler
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326361720386?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-

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Bit of TLC?

No, no amount of tlc would help - I'm pretty sure this is a Raleigh originally badged as a Humber. I'm going by the fork crown.

Thanks fella….🤌