First ride impressions from riding a 78 year old Hobbs
#1
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First ride impressions from riding a 78 year old Hobbs
I picked this up in Vancouver, BC last Saturday. A very nice Hobbs bicycle thought to date back to 1937 - a pre-Barbican era. I have been reading up on the Marque since then.
Hobbs of Barbican
and I wonder if it (serial 1559) is earlier than originally thought. There is an example with a higher serial number dated to 1936
Bad weather and a busy schedule put off getting out on this thing until today. I finally rode it for about 20 flat miles today.
Here are my first ride impressions.
The frame measures c-c 60cm x 59.5cm but on the bike it feels ‘smaller” than it measures.
My weight is centered over the bike just as it would on a modern machine with hands on the brake hoods.
The drops are huge and not all that comfortable. I am used to much shallower drops,
The bike handles very nicely - reminiscent of my Merckx it is a true race bike. It carries speed on the flat very well. Standing up and sprinting is not it’s strong suite. The drivetrain makes noise as the frame flexes. This bike is suited for smooth spinning, not sprinting. the bike weighs 23.4 LBs - surprisingly light. The rear dropouts are very thin by modern standards.
Indexed shifting like this takes a bit to get used to. You have to throw the lever a slight bit then back it off and into the indents. If you forget, there’s a nice metallic ring singing to you to remind you to throw it next time.
I was thinking, this bike is best ridden in cleated shoes in order to keep my heel away from the Bowden cable and rear Derailluer.
I like this bike. It is different than anything else I own. The gearing will work for Eroica type rides.
This just may come with me to Cino #10 next September in Montana. :-)
Driveside profile
The hand painted font is on non-driveside only.
Hobbs of Barbican
and I wonder if it (serial 1559) is earlier than originally thought. There is an example with a higher serial number dated to 1936
Bad weather and a busy schedule put off getting out on this thing until today. I finally rode it for about 20 flat miles today.
Here are my first ride impressions.
The frame measures c-c 60cm x 59.5cm but on the bike it feels ‘smaller” than it measures.
My weight is centered over the bike just as it would on a modern machine with hands on the brake hoods.
The drops are huge and not all that comfortable. I am used to much shallower drops,
The bike handles very nicely - reminiscent of my Merckx it is a true race bike. It carries speed on the flat very well. Standing up and sprinting is not it’s strong suite. The drivetrain makes noise as the frame flexes. This bike is suited for smooth spinning, not sprinting. the bike weighs 23.4 LBs - surprisingly light. The rear dropouts are very thin by modern standards.
Indexed shifting like this takes a bit to get used to. You have to throw the lever a slight bit then back it off and into the indents. If you forget, there’s a nice metallic ring singing to you to remind you to throw it next time.
I was thinking, this bike is best ridden in cleated shoes in order to keep my heel away from the Bowden cable and rear Derailluer.
I like this bike. It is different than anything else I own. The gearing will work for Eroica type rides.
This just may come with me to Cino #10 next September in Montana. :-)
Driveside profile
The hand painted font is on non-driveside only.
#2
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Spectacular. Thanks for the ride report. Huge drop on those bars.
Brad
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#3
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Very nice. Look forward to seeing it.
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#5
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Lovely, uncommon bike.
Picked up in my neck of the woods. I don't see anything like that around too often, though.
Curious whether you connected with a local collector, chanced upon a CL listing, or...?
If you're comfortable sharing what you can about the acquisition, that is.
Very cool to see this out on the road. I imagine the PNW in November evokes something of its English origins.
Thanks for posting this Brit gem. All the more lovely to my eye, I'm sure...as that's about my size (which always adds lust-factor).
Picked up in my neck of the woods. I don't see anything like that around too often, though.
Curious whether you connected with a local collector, chanced upon a CL listing, or...?
If you're comfortable sharing what you can about the acquisition, that is.
Very cool to see this out on the road. I imagine the PNW in November evokes something of its English origins.
Thanks for posting this Brit gem. All the more lovely to my eye, I'm sure...as that's about my size (which always adds lust-factor).
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That is a spectacularly cool bike; I especially like the paint work on the lugs and head tube.
I'm curious about the placement of the rear wheel in the dropouts -- it's waaay forward, which I've not seen before. Is that a track thing? A 30's thing?
Thanks for sharing. Epic!
I'm curious about the placement of the rear wheel in the dropouts -- it's waaay forward, which I've not seen before. Is that a track thing? A 30's thing?
Thanks for sharing. Epic!
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A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
#7
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That is a spectacularly cool bike; I especially like the paint work on the lugs and head tube.
I'm curious about the placement of the rear wheel in the dropouts -- it's waaay forward, which I've not seen before. Is that a track thing? A 30's thing?
Thanks for sharing. Epic!
I'm curious about the placement of the rear wheel in the dropouts -- it's waaay forward, which I've not seen before. Is that a track thing? A 30's thing?
Thanks for sharing. Epic!
Last edited by northbend; 11-15-15 at 10:11 PM.
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Yup, that's pretty cool. Original paint? What are the wheels?
It's specific to that type of dropout. Look again; it's really a double dropout, with a horizontal bit st the back (for fixed gear use) and a vertical bit at the front (for use with a derailleur gear and/or chain tensioner).
It's specific to that type of dropout. Look again; it's really a double dropout, with a horizontal bit st the back (for fixed gear use) and a vertical bit at the front (for use with a derailleur gear and/or chain tensioner).
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#10
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Original paint, airlite hubs laced to new Ghisallo rims. Challenge 25mm tubies
#11
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Very nice
#15
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Amazing. covered in awesomesauce.
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Oh my! What a nice old road bicycle. Good for you.
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What??? Only 2 wheels?
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Now that is an impressive bike!
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Neat bike. Couple of questions. How certain are you about the originality of the bars? I don't know much about English bikes but that profile was very popular post war until the early 50s, not prewar.
Also, handles like a Merckx? With that wheelbase and the noodly wheels?
Also, handles like a Merckx? With that wheelbase and the noodly wheels?
#22
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Nice! And in a very useful size too. Thanks for sharing it.
#24
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WOW ! I would certainly like to take that for a steady 20 miler. Better get used to being stared at !
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those bar look like torture to me, Anything less than 44cm kills me and the slope down to the hoods = only the drops and at that height.. boy howdy! I'd put some of those lauterwasser bars on. But man oh man that is a beautiful bike and you found it in Vancouver!?
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