Search results for:

Thank you, yep it came out nicely. Yes H Lloyd for me, I can't remember for sure but I think part of the reason I went for the Gothic script was the scroll was quite far from original examples I'd seen. I requested water slide rather than vinyl. H Lloyd will print your files for you if you have the skills and patience! Good luck with your project.

Just reread my post, I meant seatpost not stem. Ha. Makes more sense.

Ok thanks, I figured it didn't happen often. Guess like a lot of things you just need to trust your luck holds :)

@clubman @jeff80 or anyone else ... all that talk of snapping cranks has kept turning over in my mind. Have you had any other components break?
The only one I've had so far is a 70s alloy stem (a good quality JPR), no injury luckily I had the saddle tightly clenched in my butt. It just sheered off at the top of the seattube, I guess maybe slightly the wrong size.
Anyone ever had any issue using period alloy bars? I few years ago I looked in to it more and found a lot of scare stories on the interweb but no first hand accounts of failures. I remember some post or another saying they would fail slowly and bend, but my seatpost snapping doesn't back that up.

Cheers @clubman sorry only just seen this! Yes indeed, nice target. I have a decent selection of TA rings, maybe just not the legs :)

You know I thought it would go for more ... I doubt there's another nos set out there.

Not refurbishing that one. The other that has already been repainted is at Argos at the moment - they’ve used my original paint one as a template to recreate the paint scheme 🤩

With rechroming the polishing is really important. Even then I’ve found it really hard to get an end result I’m happy with / doesn’t look too rechromed. But the best I’ve used is a local guy to me in Bristol. I can go in and talk to him and explain exactly what I want.

Andrew Gardner
AG Metal Services, Avondale Works, Woodland Way, Kingswood, Bristol,
BS15 1PA
0117 904 6359 0777 432 2285 agmetal.bristol@gmail.com

Forgot this one! Loads of great Hobbs info https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/229926/?offset=700

You are welcome, first time I've been able to help someone identify a frame!

Funnily enough I moved the Clubweight on when I got hold of the other two - which are both Criteriums. If you don't know already the Criterium had a 1 1/8" oversized top-tube, I think from 1948 onwards. I got one that had been overpainted and then another in original paint I had oggled on the interweb for a while showed up on Ebay. Both for something like £150 with delivery and no useful / sellable components.

I feel like the original paint one was a bargain, the other about right. Hard to know though as the original paint Blue Ribband track model on Ebay still hasn't sold for £550, nor the other original paint lugged model for £400.

I think it's quite hard to tell the models apart, as far as I know you could get any model with lugs or lugless. So without lugs, an identifying feature like the oversized top tube or a special paint scheme there's not loads to go on. I wasn't sure on my Clubweight, so checked with Peter Lowry and he was sure :) I think I bought it for < £200 a few years ago but it had a Lytaloy headset and seatpost clamp and that nice badge. Think I sold it for ~ £80 without the headset and clamp, which are both pretty ratty but hard to come by. Sooo I don't think your frame is worth much I'm afraid, but probably good to ride. Worth building up to see if you like it before spending money / time refinishing as you will spend more on it than you'll get back! I liked that a standard colour in the 1952 catalogue was a magenta flam - that's what I had planned :)

I guess the oiler port in the back of the head tube is an after market addition. Don't think I've seen that on any Hobbs in all my oggling.

Bruce's Bike's has an original paint Superbe barn find http://brucesbikes.blogspot.com/2015/09/1948-hobbs-barn-find.html

Here's another lugless thread https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/1948-hobbs-super-course.341552/

Peter Lowry's original paint Super Course is possibly the nicest bike on the internet, if you haven't seen it http://www.hetchins.org/hobbs-01.htm

I'm not sure how long the special paint schemes lasted, I think they were dropped by 1950.

I'll start a build thread on my Criteriums at some point, I've gathered quite a lot of material! Attached are a couple of pics of the one in original paint.

FWIW this is a confirmed Hobbs 1950 Clubweight I had a few years ago.

There’s a 1952 catalogue on Bruce’s Bikes http://brucesbikes.blogspot.com/p/brochures.html?m=1

Peter Lowry is the VCC marque enthusiast and will most likely be able to add more certainty.

Is the top tube 1” diameter? I’d still guess Clubweight.

My vote is still Hobbs, that’s how the frame number was marked on the non-drive side dropout. Here’s pics of mine.

That would only mean 496 frames by May though hmm, my Hobbs were in to the 800s by March in 1948. Anyway that’s my guess based on limited details… post a pic!

E2496

I’ll go out on a limb and say it’s a Hobbs Clubweight made in May 1952 🙃

Those Granby cranks are pretty special. I can only imagine it's going to be eye watering to watch though ...

@anidel I'm a little surprised the 1948 Hobbs hasn't gone at that price. With a little bit of tlc that could be very nice. Wonder what the original pedals are :)

If I had more space, more money, less projects already on the go, I'd be in for that track frame.

I’ll beat @SideshowBob to this one …

1948 HOBBS OF BARBICAN Bike in super original condition

There’s some decent Strata pedals on Ebay with a buy it now of £80. A bit toppy but nice pedals.

That’s certainly a tempter.

For the sake of domestic bliss I think I need to leave it for a bit.

This gave me a real snorting laugh out loud. I feel your pain and thank you :)

FYI I wrote up a build list, not sure if there's a format I'm supposed to use but here it is if anyone is interested:
Hatta Swan Super headset.
Nitto track handlebars (closest shape I could find to the period Reynolds TT bend), Nitto Pearl stem, Nitto bar end plugs, shellacked (I'd recommend making the effort to get clear meths ) red Velox Tressostar cloth bar tape.
Nitto Jaguar seatpost.
As mentioned lucky enough to get a limited edition Brooks Swallow 2005 saddle - I think from a sample sale ahead of release from the number underneath. The stitching is reminiscent of period Swallows which is a nice touch.
Phil Wood flip-flop fixed/free track hubs (reminiscent of period Harden ‘bacon slicers’) laced to H Plus Son TB14 rims with Sapim Laser spokes, single Phil Wood 15t track cog and lockring.
Izumi track chain.
Phil Wood bb 102mm ISO Taper - I tried a 108mm initially from internet research on the cranks but was too long. This was a pig to fit, caused the most sweat and tears in the whole build. I screwed in the cups with just fingers without issue and the adjustable cup cross-threaded as I unscrewed it. I ended up stripping a fair bit of depth of some of the bb threads and ruining the cup 😣
T.A. Specialites Carmina cranks with 50t 1/8” chainring. This is the nicest looking modern crankset imo (idea lifted from Alex Singer) and has a nod to Stronglight / T.A. trackie set-ups from bitd. The spider is the double - with a fair bit of digging I found specs that said to use it for a single set-up.
MKS Sylvan pedals, VP clips, nice to have the Brooks toe straps to match the saddle.
SRAM Force brakes (I do slightly regret not getting the 2011 Red model); I'm trying to dredge my memory with what exactly I needed to do to fit the brake - pretty sure I ordered a new longer pivot bolt after some research and swapped that out, all worked very smoothly and I'll update if I find/remember details. SRAM S500 lever [Anodising stripped from the lever with oven cleaner - I thought I was ordering the silver ones but they are discontinued and suppliers pics not updated. Quite a faff but a better result in the end.]; Hudz ‘Bordeaux Gold’ hoods also discontinued I think.

Thanks, hoped you’d like it :)

@user132751 sorry for the radio silence, hectic month moving country :)

It went for the guide price at the auction - the bidding was creeping up and up and I had to have a word with myself, decided I wouldn't go above the guide price and I guess so did everyone else! With hindsight I think it was a bargain.

It's a very fun bike to have as an option for a quick spin (around a reasonably flat circuit). I like that it's all modern components - I don't wince too much when the clips scrape the tarmac!

Thanks for the info and if I ever do need to make room for something else I'll let you know!

And I’m guessing you mean gappy 🙃

Anyway long story short, if that was 22” I’d be bidding. Slightly relieved it’s too big!

Yep not sure about the equipment. Seller said it was his dad’s so maybe put together to sell. The decals are mid to late 50s afaik (that downtube decal 😍) and wood sprints would be earlier wouldn’t they?

Edit: checking the ebay post again, maybe early 50s as seller writes, I don’t know with any certainty to say otherwise. But I have been told that set are good for late 50s by Mercian.

Re selling it, sorry I don’t think so, not yet anyway. Are you the original owner?!

I found it at an auction I went to for some small flange Harden wheels. Didn’t buy the wheels but this frame just felt great when I picked it up. It was next to a period Bates but was much more elegant and just really felt nicely balanced. Maybe that was wishful thinking, maybe because it was built by Ron Cooper the master craftsman towards the end a lifetime of experience :)