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A couple more shots of the gearing ... (Ignore the 5 speed wheel I've chucked in, this was also just to work out if the bike frame was for 26 or 27 inch wheels.)

Cyclo Ace shifter by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Durax Supercourse by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Cyclo Ace changer by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Jim Guard's shop was still trading when I was in Southampton in 84, although I can't remember exactly where it was

Which leads nicely onto another part of the story, thanks mdcc ;-)

Some great info on the Jim Guard shop from an old employee, who worked there towards the end of it's history, about the same time you were in town.

http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=5531.0

"My first ever employment was at Jim Guard Cycles, 124 Macnaghten Road, Southampton. I can still remember the telephone number too - 0703 27179. Happy days - I was 16 and employed on the Youth Training Scheme for the princely sum of £25 per week although I had had a Saturday job here since I was 15. Jim Guard himself was a strange chap, a former time-triallist and well known in local cycling circles, although the shop never managed to compete in prestige to our rivals across town, Rotrax. Jim's most useful bit of advice when repairing or preparing a cycle was to always wipe it with an oily rag to give it a shine."

I'm still looking into finding more about the early years of Jim Guard.

Earlier this year, I started to get the Eroica emails coming through ... I had registered an interest last year, as it sounded right up my street. (I had tried to get in on the Goodwood Revival Tour de France action in 2013 but failed to get a look in.)
But ... I dragged my heels. It was 200 miles away. Bare in mind I have a decrepit 1959 camper that struggles along at 50mph and you'll understand my reticence. Then there were problems with paying ... So I left it. Bang goes my early bird £55.

Fast forward a few more months and several friends are badgering me to join them. I realise the error of my ways and pull my finger out. Tickets bought - 1332 and 1333. £70 for me, and £45 for the nipper. Ouch. Plus the £80 in petrol for the 400 mile round trip ...

Now, I've got a few old hacks kicking around - I put my 1946 Hobbs of Barbican down on the registration form - but I fancied taking this Jim Guard for a spin ... Here starts the overhaul ...

The Cyclo 'Ace' first appears in 1937, but is discontinued by 1955 when the rear derailleur as we know it has long taken over. (The Simplex Tour de France is introduced in '48)

http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Cyclo_Catalogue_373_-_page_21_files/Cyclo%20373%2021-filtered.jpg

The 'Ace' is not the first 'close/medium-ratio three-speed striking-fork derailleur' though, or the most well known, as I found out a Eroica Britannia when more knowledgeable cycle history aficionados would all mention in passing "Oh look, an Osgear!"

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/designs/osgear-hs.html

The system is pretty basic, and was popular at the end of the 30's, and early post war. The sprung arm bolted underneath the bottom bracket taking up the slack in the chain, the fork mounted on the back operated by twin cables shifts the chain between the cogs.
Sounds simple ... I hoped it would work! The seller contacted me to say he had found the original chain, a fairly rusty 'Coventry', and that was then dumped in a can of sump oil and forgotten about for a few weeks.

Progress then stalls over the winter, as I scratch my head over what to do about finding a good pair of wheels. Everything on the bike was top quality for the late 40's, early 50's. I couldn't just chuck any old pair of 26" wheels on it ...

And of course this odd gear system? Lucky just discernable through the rust it was stamped the "Cyclo Ace" ...

Cyclo Ace by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

But what the hell is this funny sprung arm hanging under the bottom bracket? Not helped of course that there wasn't a chain involved ...

Cyclo Ace tensioner by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Jim Guard bottom bracket by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

More googling required ... and this time a mine of information out there on Disraeli Gears >

http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Scanned_material_-_Cyclo_Gear_Company_catalogues.html

Keen to see how it actually worked I chucked on an old 5 speed I had kicking around

[/URL][URL="https://flic.kr/p/hAetmi"]Cyclo Ace Close Ratio gears by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Well, I fancied a locally built lightweight, and for me here in Southampton that meant Rotrax of course. Lovely bikes, not too common, well respected and usually the price reflect that ...
So I was surprised when the usual ebay search turned up an old bike called a 'Jim Guard'. Who the hell is Jim Guard ... ?

A quick google brought up next to nothing, which was intriguing. The bike had a few days to go. It looked complete bar the wheels, and I guessed it was worth £150. I bid £155 ... and I won it for £155, so I guessed I wasn't far off the mark. (A run of being the under bidder on several bike auctions was beginning to get me down)

So what exactly had I bought? The seller was local so I soon found out when I picked it up. It was minus the wheels and chain. I was more than a little miffed to hear the seller had chucked the wheels in the skip because they were rusty ... A quick look at the weird gear system told me finding the right set of hubs could be tricky and or expensive ...

Jim Guard lightweight by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Still, I was seriously chuffed at the machines originality, it looked like it had never been touched since it was built. Original paint, transfers ... and all the equipment looked like it had been there all it's life, great!

Jim Guard down tube transfer. by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Jim Guard by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

So what was left on the bike? A quick run through the parts soon told me I had something of a much higher spec than anticipated ...
Chater Lea 'Tommy Bar' Race Pedals
Durax Supercourse cranks and chainwheel
Reynolds stem and bars (Maes)
Brooks B17 on an alloy stem
GB Hiduminium brakes and levers

IMG_5313 by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Durax Supercourse chainset by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

GB brake Hiduminium levers by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

GB Hiduminium brakes by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Reynolds stem by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

You wouldn't have a quid from me.

I went past you a couple of times and thought about asking what was wrong with your drivetrain, but didn't in case it was supposed to be like that.

Looks like I saved myself some embarrassment there.

I'd never even heard of it before I got the bike a few months ago ... :-/ Of course, I now pretend to be the worlds expert ...

I might do a project thread on here, but I was a bit reluctant as it wasn't from London, or a fixed gear ... Balls, I'll do it anyway ...

Great photos Mike. Pretty sure I saw you and commented on your osgear setup as I went by.

Cheers.
I wish I'd seen this thread before we went, but I had my head down getting the bike ready. Would be good to put a few faces to names! 7ven, sorry if I bored you talking gears ...
Almost took my Hobbs as well, but it needs a little TLC. I've had so much fun getting the Jim Guard on the road I'm going to give the Hobbs the same treatment ;-)
The Cyclo Ace gearing worked really well, which surprised me. I was expecting to have to fettle it all the way round, but it pretty much worked out of the box.
And if I had a quid for everyone who came up and said 'Wow, an Osgear!" ... ;-)

And that reminds me, I quite fancy some of those rubber shockstops you fitted to your Hobbs brake levers ...

Now, after reading all your reports on the Hundred, I need to seriously up my game next year!

Just posted my photos up on Flickr ...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/29051501@N08/sets/72157645370333785/with/14508539155/

Taking the 1920's light roadster out for an evening spin recently at our friends Vintage Nostalgia Show.

Taking the Guv'nor out for a spin by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

(Was actually trying to sell the bike as well, but had a rather optimistic price on it ...)

Your bike looks good and I like the fact that it is still in original condition.
I quite like the idea of the Ace mechanism in terms of being able to quickly adjust the chain changer.
Does it work fine?

Apart from the seller junking the rusty wheels, it's all original. And it also has handlebar tape holding the cables on. I didn't realise this until I read your thread today!
I've chucked a spare set of wheels in for now, (rear is a five speed) and everything works smoothly, so fingers crossed when I build up some vintage rims it all works. Not ridden it yet.

Wow ... Just found this thread, what an amazing project! Love it all, everything!

Those wheels are stunning. I also want to get a set of 26" Alumlites made up for my current project, but not getting my hopes up. I managed to pick up a pair for a fiver at the dump a few weeks ago, but they were 27" ... I love the profile of them though.

The gears on my current project, Cyclo Ace Racing 3-Speed. Interesting to see how they compare to the Osgear.

Cyclo Ace Close Ratio gears by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Took a load of garden cuttings down to our local recycling centre this afternoon. As I was driving out I glanced over at the scrap metal bins, and spotted a pair of bikes wheels that didn't look like they had come of a cheap mass produced mountain bike? Jumped out to have a closer look and couldn't believe my luck - a pair of lightweight Alumlite rims, I think on Airlite bacon slicer hubs, rear fixed wheel. 27 1 1/4"
Don't have a bike for these to go on, but very happy all the same. Especially as they were only a fiver.

They were closing up around me, so didn't manage question what they had come off. They were on 'a rough old raleigh mate' ... And I'm guessing that's at the bottom of one of the scrap bins ...

Anyone know much about Alumlite? Doesn't seem to be much out there on them? I'm guessing late 40's, early 50's.

The bike gods were smiling on me today! by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

upload by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Did I really kill this thread?

Just got a little project back on the road this weekend.
Found an early Raleigh Lenton last year on ebay with a £50 BIN, and couldn't help myself. It was in deepest darkest Devon so a mate who was local picked it up and stored it for several months until we could hook up. (I collected some ebay stuff for him as well - had I planned it better we could have had an Ipcress File style trade in a car park somewhere ...)

Initially wasn't impressed with what I had acquired. Everything looked pretty much worn out ...This could end up another project that languishes at the back of the shed for several years, never to see the light of day again ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29051501@N08/sets/72157639910985755/with/12108909014/

Raleigh Lenton profile by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Pedals, saddle, chain, were all FUBAR, rear wheel was held on with electrical wire, forks were bent. It didn't look good.

Didn't like the idea of chucking £50 down the drain though, so thought I could at least clean it all up and see what I had under decades of crud.

After a few evenings fettling by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Once the wheels and chain were off, the BB spun freely and smoothly, no play at all. At last, something positive!
Everything got stripped down, cleaned, inspected, and reassembled. Back wheel was in a bad way, with a few snapped spokes, and lots of seized spokes. SA hub looked OK though, and just needed cleaning. The sprocket was worn so much the teeth looked like waves though!
(I'd already replaced the worn sprocket for this photo)

One disassembled and cleaned Sturmey Archer AW three speed hub. For Harry's Raleigh Lenton. by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Brakes were also in bad way, odds and sods of nuts and bolts and screws holding them all together. This was obviously a bike that had been used and abused for most of it's life.

Tonight's job on the Raleigh Lenton ... by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Better by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Then for a few evenings this week I started putting it all back together again. I did have to scratch my head for a bit when I was trying to put a new 26 1 1/4 tyre on the back wheel. Why the hell doesn't it fit? It had been replaced with a 1 3/8 wheel ...
New brake blocks, a fairly new chain, new tyres, an old Brooks, and old set of pedals, and we were good to go. Did about 15 miles around town yesterday on the way to work and back, and it rode great! Didn't notice any problems from the forks being slightly bent. 3 speed was faultless, didn't even need adjustment.

Test riding the Lenton into work today by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

So nice in fact that I was very reluctant today to drop the saddle down and pass it on to it's new owner, who's rapidly outgrowing his little Raleigh Flyer ...

Aitch likes his 'new' bike. by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

I hope he appreciates it! I've already put a bee in his bonnet by banning him from adding any stickers all over it.

Sorry for the long post! But I didn't want to start a project thread on an old Raleigh 3-Speed ...

Wow ... what an epic photo! What I'd give to swap places for one of those guys and see the world on a bike back then ... (1890's?) I've got the pipe and the whiskers already, I'm nearly good to go ...

Anyway, a quick hub update. Thanks for the advice on here by the way. In the end I found a chain whip on ebay (I've no idea why I didn't have one already ...). I thought I'd try brute force and ignorance first, and made a wooden collar for the hub, that fitted between the flanges. I then put a couple of planks either side as well that the fixed cog could bite into. Then I welded the three speed up, as it was so worn it didn't lock any more.
Rather than loose off the three speed, I just unlocked the fixed gear.
Then with that out of the way, and some of the spokes removed, I clamped the hub horizontally by both the flanges, between a couple of planks of wood. By giving the chain whip sharp taps with a hammer the three speed eventually freed itself.

Untitled by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

I didn't recognise the logo on the hub, but after getting the gears off it has revealed itself to be a Gnutti. Not a brand I am aware off, but a good Italian company back in the day.

www.classicrendezvous.com/Italy/Gnutti_main.htm

Thanks, I'll check it out later, looks like everything I need to know is in there. Am I on a hiding to nothing though? How do you respoke a wheel when the gears are in the way of the spoke holes ... ?

I think the safest suggestion I have seen is to relace it in an old rim
some comments on this thread
and here
I am impressed with the colour, composition and lighting of your photo.

Right, got this little problem here. This came off a wreck of a bike I bought at an autojumble for £35. Everything was worn out, and the frame was dinged and dented (nothing special) so I stripped it down. I used the set of Alumlite rims on my Hobbs, the rest got put in the spares bin, including this hub, from an older Cyclo 3-Speed. I'm afraid I didn't think I'd ever use it, hence just cutting the rusted spokes to get the rim off. Now I might have a use for it I'm stumped as to how I remove the gears (3-speed and fixed) without damaging the hub?
Difficult to tell but the spindle doesn't appear to be bent and turns 'ok' ... The ends are aluminium. Not sure of the maker, I don't recognise the worn stamp in the hub. The 3 speed is knackered.

My idea was to clamp the hub in the vice, with a couple of bits of soft wood. I don't think it will grip enough to stop it spinning though ...

Bicycle restoration head scratching ... by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Chucked a pair of 26" wheels on the Jim Guard this afternoon to see what it looked like ...

Jim Guard by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

When funds allow, I'll build up a set of Dunlop lightweight rims.

Lauterwassers set off a period machine, they really are the business. Would like to know more about them, there must be an article about Jack out there somewhere, I feel a googlesearch coming on ...
Shocked at the prices they are fetching now as well, you're lucky if you get change from £100 on a good set.

And just for a giggle, a proper vintage lightweight ...

Light Roadster (Unknown maker) by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Not sure on the date on this 'light' roadster. I thought 1920's, but it has chrome plated Phillips North Road(?) bars. I think the general rule is chrome replaces nickel around 1930. It's a monster though. 25" frame? Interesting for a shortarse like me to ride, but good fun.

My 'Guv'nor', unknown maker 1920's light roadster by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

I was also bidding on the Jim Guard, you just beat me. Looking forward to seeing it finished.

I should imagine the super champion and cyclo ace work about the same. but the Ace uses 2 cables?

Yeah, sorry about that ... ! I knew I really wanted it, but I didn't have deep pockets. I made a stab at what I thought it was worth, and added a fiver to be safe, then chipped in at the end. (I have a rule of only bidding once on ebay, if it's not enough then that's the luck of the draw. Bidding up in £1 increments drives me nuts ;-) So I'm guessing that fiver made the difference this time. 9 times out of 10 I'm the underbidder though.

Yes, there are two cables I think. Next time I've got 5 mins I'll get some better photos of it in day light. After seeing 7ven's excellent Hobbs thread and his beautiful photography has given me a good benchmark.
I've read that the Osgear was preferred to the Cyclo Ace?

J-Rok, I love your old Carlton track frame!

Apologies if you've answered this already, or I've missed a link or reply ... this is the Super Champion Osgear isn't it? What's it like? And is it comparable to the Cyclo Ace? I've got that on the Jim Guard I've posted above, but have no experience with these types of gears. I need a three speed freewheel and hub for mine ...

Mike, Yellow Peril looks rad. I'd strip n rebuild and ride it as is with that patina :)

Thanks RoK, not sure what the plan is yet, but you mentioning patina made me laugh. I started a project thread on retrobikes the other week of an old frame I'd picked up locally. I was going to put it up here, but it wasn't a fixie and being a newbie and all I wasn't sure of the rules ... Can you start theads on projects with gears??? (Retrobike is a good forum, but they are rather misguided in their ideas of what makes a bicycle 'vintage' ... 1983? ffs ... That's practically brand new from where I'm sat! :-)

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=277100

Circa 1950 Jim Guard of Southampton. Original paint, pinstripes and transfers. Now this is what I class as Patina, and it will be carefully preserved.
The Yellow Peril is just an old junker, and the paint isn't original or very old and just looks scrappy. I'm not sure what the plan is yet but it wouldn't play on my conscience if I striped it and re-enameled it black.

Jim Guard lightweight by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

GB Hiduminium brakes by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

IMG_5316 by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

I picked this up several years ago. It didn't sell on ebay and I contacted the seller after the auction and did a deal - swapped a pair of 28" tyres for it.

No idea what it is. Been told could be a Hercules. Very lazy 30's frame angles.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29051501@N08/sets/72157631975680366/with/8172516909/

very relaxed frame angles by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Jack Lauterwasser bars by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Jack Lauterwasser bars by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

crank and chainring by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Some serious bike envy going on here! LOVE luckyskulls BSA with the deep drop bars. I posted my BSA up on here recently, it's about the same vintage, has the same Philco front brake but cable operated not rod.
c. 1933. When I stripped it down I found the remains of the original burgundy paint on the fork stem.

1933 BSA Sports by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Lovely looking machine, love those Lauterwasser bars and that curved stem. Looks like it's just jumped out of a Frank Patterson sketch ...

Yep, I have too many bikes. I need to sell this one to help get my latest project off the ground. It would be great to keep them all, but I don't have the space or funds. I keep making the mistake of buying wrecks ...

My 'Guv'nor', unknown maker 1920's light roadster by zombikombi1959, on Flickr