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.

Rory O'Brien - Championship (Les Ephgrave)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176444897684?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-

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Look after it - somebody will want it!

Incidentally, the Chater part no. for a non gear case crank spindle (i.e. for single chainring) is 1007.

Rensch tandem on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/15ZhYHk9X2/

I don't think there's any disagreement between us. My bikes are in your first category - I don't happen to have any that are 'ceremonial' only. I do have a wet weather bike - the rest I prefer to keep dry.

It's worth noting that very few old lightweights advertised for sale have their original components, just like your PBP bike they've been used and had replacements. Back in the day any sensible clubman would have chucked away that original Benelux and replaced it with a Campag as soon as he could afford it! Roadsters are a different proposition since the owners usually weren't enthusiasts

It's pleasing not to go too far away from the original kit, and so I would certainly prefer to use cottered cranks on an old frame like that Saxon. It's good to hear of these methods to overcome problems, but also it's just as well that potential buyers know what they are letting themselves in for.

Hobbs
https://www.facebook.com/share/19JBcPrAni/

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Nice
Looks spendy

Bargain, I think - £300 and in Guildford

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/30503/preview-lot/5963179/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec-la-chaine-simpson-maitres-de-laffiche/

might be of interest to some in here. Tolouse Lautrec clearly was no cyclist

Tolouse Lautrec clearly was no cyclist

If you're questioning the depiction of the drive train, bear in mind that it's a Simpson lever chain, but yeah, I don't think Gladiator tandems are supposed to look like that 🙄 (some triplets hang the third over the back, but I don't know if Gladiator built such designs)

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Amazing story, thank you

There is more of a story to that poster. The two main characters in it hated each other and would never have helped the other in real life.

Evening, can anyone I-d these hubs?
No markings on them at all - front is 32 hole, rear is 40
Cleaned up really well except the chrome in shot on the front body
Came off the Stokes build so am assuming they’re 1950’s?
Will be building back onto the original Weinmann 27 rims :)

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Bayliss Wiley.?

Is also what someone else suggested and yes, looks likely they are
Will have a big on the various databases now, thank you!

I assume this type of hub is a heat and press fit - can they be taken apart using similar methods to allow polishing and re-chroming ?

Oh, I don’t know I’m afraid
I think I’m going to run with the patina, it would be a bit of a shame to overdo the restoration… not to mention the budget lol

Agree, polish out steel body to get rid of rust and wax thoroughly couple of times - it will look much better than now and in line with the rest of the bike and it's parts.

:)

Nice little Mercian in Newcastle (seller has quite a few other potential bargains listed too)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/335762283304?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=zwVe406FSg-&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=rLu3GA3cRRy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

A suggestion for those hubs:

Clean steel centres as well as you can, removing as much flakey chrome as possible.
Apply a coating of phosphoric acid primer
polish ali flanges as well as you can
paint centres matt black.

Note: Painting a round object (as here) it's easier to get a good result than painting a flat panel (the imperfections are less visible)

Also note, matt finish makes imperfections less visible than they would be with a glossier finish. The thinner you use the paint the matter it will dry - adjust according to preference.

Avoid water based paint for this job (and most others!).

This should be a cheap solution - not restoring to original perfection, but getting a reasonably attractive result.

I might just look into that :)