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

Knowing how strong a rider you are and where you live, I'm wonder where your commute goes for you to need gears at all. I suppose there is Tite Hill (going up to Windsor Great Park from Egham), but it's possible to avoid that one with a simple detour!

I’ve actually moved recently and I’m now in Ottershaw. The new commute is 14 miles and goes through Addlestone - Weybridge - Walton - Lower Hampton Road etc. It’s a bit up and down but it’s quite doable fixed. I just fancied sometimes having a slightly easier time!

I don’t think I’ve ever actually ridden up Tite Hill! I don’t go up there all that often but it’s a bit of a blind bend going up the hill and the cars coming up the hill tend to be driving a bit unpleasantly. The times I’ve been up there by bike I think I’ve either gone up Middle Hill (which is quieter) or gone the long way round up the A30.

I can't remember who might need one of these, but if anyone needs one of those narrow shouldered Chater Lea axles I'm sure I have one somewhere

@clubman I take different approaches depending on whether it is a cycle that gets used regularly and put away wet or brought out on sunny Sunday afternoons for ceremonial purposes. The first is whatever works well and doesn’t look too bad. The second is trying to match the original to the maximum extent possible.

After all, any old bike in regular use over decades has had worn components replaced, usually by anachronistic items. Its components reflects its own history. My bike custom-built for PBP99 and used for lots of long brevets since has had almost every component changed over the last quarter century.

If you want to keep using cottered cranks and you can’t find Chater-Lea bottom brackets components anymore, your best option is to sleeve the bottom bracket like the Tandem Club used to do, letting you use easily available BSA-threaded BB cups and cottered axles.