Classic & Vintage - Can you identify these vintage British made bike accessories?

Just re-discovered these while rummaging through my treasure chest of vintage oddities.
I thought some of you might like to see them and perhaps someone can guess their purpose.
Simple, clever and practical devices. They are made of a cast aluminum alloy.
Cyclo is the manufacturer which produced derailleurs, freewheels and many other clever gadgets.
If no one can guess their function, I'll explain later in the day. :)



These probably date from the 1950s, and you might occasionally use these on your Club Racer.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2304/2234868872_501e96139f_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2406/2234081223_ea8704bba6_o.jpg

Well it's clear they were bolted on to the bike by the marks on the left slot.

I think they're tire levers that bolted onto your axle so you won't lose them. The bend is to ensure they don't contact your spokes.

I'd say that Hocam's spot on.

East Hill

Lamp bracket?

Neal

Spare wheel hangers.

aren't they for carrying an extra wheelset to the races?

(edit) dammit! beat me to it by like 5 seconds (/edit)

I say they are to give additional leverage when loosening or tightening hub wingnuts.

parts to two tubular tire holders?

Convert single-speed frame to take Cyclo dérailleur.

For training wheels? :)

Oh, wait, they're for beating the crap out of your Cycle Benelux derailleurs after struggling and failing to get them adjusted!

Neal

Oh, wait, they're for beating the crap out of your Cycle Benelux derailleurs after struggling and failing to get them adjusted!

Neal

Winner!

:p

East Hill

dbakl and purevl for the win. How else would a cyclist carry their racing wheels to the start of a race?

dbakl and purevl for the win. How else would a cyclist carry their racing wheels to the start of a race?


Yes indeed! You guys got it. BRAVO!

Back in the postwar days (and probably earlier), long before racers became pampered overpaid sissy-boys, it was not uncommon for a local racer to have to pedal himself to regional races under his own power. These holders would just bolt on under locknuts or wingnuts of your commuting wheels with heavier tyres, and were offset to prevent the hubs of the spare race wheels from hitting the spokes of your functioning wheel. You'd want to use heavier wheels for the trip to traverse the rutted rural roads. Road races were often ridden with single-speed or even fixed gears, so the spare rear wheel was not very heavy at all. And, it would be fairly simple to switch from a rear Sturmey-Archer gear hub to a single cog wheel with your chain set for a similar cog size.

The examples I've seen in photos show these mounted on bikes always attached to the front wheel. And mounting the wheels just above the hub would probably be like riding with lightly loaded low-rider panniers. The spares would be positioned forward enough so they would not impact against the down tube during sharp turns, and they were of course high enough not to drag on the ground.

Times have certainly changed. I hear that some parts of the UK even have central heating and air conditioning now! :D

[INDENT]

Times have certainly changed. I hear that some parts of the UK even have central heating and air conditioning now! :D

Although, whenever I visit my relatives, I am always astonished that they do not put food in the refrigerator! I have eaten many a bit of meat that has been out overnight (and not gotten ill, either).

And, you should see the WCs! Much nicer than most I've seen in the states :p .

Ok, time for the next interesting item :D .

East Hill

I visited France years ago, and the cheese always stayed on the top of the fridge!

Yes indeed! You guys got it. BRAVO!

Back in the postwar days (and probably earlier), long before racers became pampered overpaid sissy-boys, it was not uncommon for a local racer to have to pedal himself to regional races under his own power. These holders would just bolt on under locknuts or wingnuts of your commuting wheels with heavier tyres, and were offset to prevent the hubs of the spare race wheels from hitting the spokes of your functioning wheel. You'd want to use heavier wheels for the trip to traverse the rutted rural roads. Road races were often ridden with single-speed or even fixed gears, so the spare rear wheel was not very heavy at all. And, it would be fairly simple to switch from a rear Sturmey-Archer gear hub to a single cog wheel with your chain set for a similar cog size.

The examples I've seen in photos show these mounted on bikes always attached to the front wheel. And mounting the wheels just above the hub would probably be like riding with lightly loaded low-rider panniers. The spares would be positioned forward enough so they would not impact against the down tube during sharp turns, and they were of course high enough not to drag on the ground.

Times have certainly changed. I hear that some parts of the UK even have central heating and air conditioning now! :D

thank you very much for that explanation! I wish I had a use for them! though I guess shipping wheels around every once in a while would be use enough for such a small item. I will keep my eyes open for a set of my own.