Leo C. Driscoll

Continue to work on my 1946 Spacelander. Latest project is to convert it to a mountain bike. Current subproject is to test the helium-pressurized frame at 12,000 ft. The objective is to do bunny hops over large boulders or moguls. Here's a pix taken this spring in Copper Mountain.

suntreader

Why bother with helium? Just use the pressurized hydrogen jets that came with it.

You did buy the model with the jets, didn't you?

luker

Go Advanced -> manage attachments. Maximum size is 100K...

coppi

Hello- Old Bicycles ... Well some of mine are

WFHoldsworth "Cyclone" model -- Bought new in March 1951 -- Still immaculate after many many miles

R A Blackwell (London) - Built (to order0 1965

Claud Butler "New Allrounder" Bought new (by a cousin) 1951

R.O.Harrison Built 1941 Inherited from original owner

Hobbs of Barbican Built circa 1950

Bown Built 1936 Inherited from first owner

Higginds "Plus Parfait" model Built circa 1950 and Donated by dauughter of original owner 1986

Maclean "Appollo" Built 1953

G A Built 1945 Iinherited on death of original owner

Holdsworth Built 1947

Claud Butler Built 1952

E F Russ Built 1938

F H Grubb Built 1929 The original owner rode it to a Club Record for 24 hours Time Trial of 381 miles which still stands

The list goes on - but the oldest is probably is a very large roadster - make not known but built about 1900

Thought you might be interested David Chapman-Hicks

giant99

1962 CCM Rambler all original. 28"" wheels.

lotek 

I once drove a Rambler

luker

You must be in England with all of those fine English bikes...I have a Hetchins (going to the painter this month) and a Dunelt, both from the 50's and have some questions about which parts would have been original to the bikes. The Hetchins came with a '70s vintage nuovo record reduced group, weinmann brakes and (probably original) pelissier hubs with unknown rims. The bike had one brazed on downtube shifter that was hacksawed off when the bike was refurbished in the '70's. Would there have been a rod-actuated front derailleur? I have been collecting some vintage gran sport parts to put it closer to right - what kind of brakes might it have had?

daveross

Just got back from a nice ride on my mid-50s Super Elliotts, built in Adelaide. Not as old as Sheldon's ride, but nicer paint! See it at:
https://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/Dave-Ross-bikes

Dave

frameteam2003

I drool over that paint job every thine I see it!---sam

coppi

I wonder if the owners (or others) know the reason for the title "Hobbs of Barbican". If you are interested it was because the cycles were originally built in the central London area known as "The Barbican" Sadly it was badly bombed during the 1939-45 War and so it was then re-located some 20 miles east to Dagenham -- and never returned. Incidently Dagenham has another reason to be in the history books. It is where the Ford Motor Company were first located ---- although that has nothing to do with Hobbs cycles. Incidently my first lightweight was a welded Hobbs which I bought in 1950 -- and was the start of my cycling career. Sadly it only lasted about a year for I rode it into the back of a parked car ---- the driver of which was visiting the local Police Station!!. The frame broke in half as did one of my front teeth! I was just 16. It was replaced with a W F Holdsworth which I still have and restored a few years with correct equipment of the period ---- but that is another story!

stevonutria

what is a death fork? you can email me: stevo@riverrats.net

luker

all forks have the potential to be death forks, stevo. A crack, a failure and the fork leaves the wheel and embeds itself into the asphalt. Probably not death, but often really bad things, ensue for the rider. Most forks do not fail, however. The Viscount aluminum fork was especially noted for a lot of fork failures; thus it got the nickname of death fork. Dunno if there are other death forks; this is the only one that I have any experience with. BTW, I found a Viscount-branded front wheel in my wheel pile the other day; anyone want it?

Berodesign

My heavy duty freighter is a newly renovated "freight bike" from 1933. A swedish brand so it is unknown to you folks. Quite nice though, coaster brake, 20-25 kg weight. HUGE front rack, double kickstand under the front rack.

Carusoswi

Just curious - what benefit does the helium pressurized frame offer? Does that bike float or something. (nice bike, by the way).

Caruso

Carusoswi

The above was my very first post on this forum. Hope I didn't fall for something, but thinking that I just did - perhaps the only helium to be found around these parts is in my head.

At anyrate, my old bike is a 1973 Schwinn LeTour. I confess, I've changed cranks, gearing, and wheels to make it more road worthy (IMO). Can do 50 mph on her - and I can still out coast my kids on a down hill.

Now, to go a bit off topic, the Schwinn has been my only bike since '73, but, I just broke down and bought a new Cannondale Cyclocross Disc (as in disc brakes). That was the weakest feature on my old Schwinn - no stopping power at all.

The brakes on this new bike should be able to throw me through the windshield - not to worry, though, the glass is of the shatter type.

Caruso

luker

now, seal up all the brazing vent holes and pump 'er up with helium. you'll be able to do 50.00012 mph, guaranteed. Don't use hydrogen; while lighter, it is corrosive and very reactive. I missed the post about the helium.

ginger green

85? I have shoes old than that

mswantak

Cripes, my new bike is older than that.

OLDYELLR

Hey coppi, that was my first "real" bike! It was later than 1951, probably '54, but the old memory ain't what it used to be. I can still remember the design of the lugs and those skinny seat stays. That's what attracted me to that bike.

Pogliaghi

1937 Baines "Flying Gate" - nearly finnished.
1939 Torpado - originally raced in Canada.
1967 Pogliaghi Track.
1972 Carlton Pro.
1976 Cinelli SC
1985 Zullo
1995 Stowe EuroPro

RSWman

A 1969 Raleigh RSW-16 3-speed with 16" tires. Done several 200 mile weekend rides on it as well as a double century (once).
A 1969 Gitane Hosteller camping bike.
A 1975 Raleigh International.
My 'new' bike (up til 2008) was a ca. 1985 Cannondale.
A mid-1970 Mercier tandem (made from two Mercier singles and some Reynolds 531 tubing).

Oldpeddaller

Beats mine, but is it a regular ride?

The frame on this is a 1935 Claud Butler Super Velo, repaired and restored and it's been my "go-to" bike since I finished rebuilding it - so easy and smooth to ride. Thanks to Viscount for passing this frame on to me, knowing I'm a Claud Butler nut.


My latest build is a 1966 Claud Butler Olympic Road


and there's a 1953 all=original Claud Butler Silver Jubilee waiting its turn!

Oldpeddaller

Coppi, do you have any pictures of your Freddie H Grubb? This would have been from the era before Claud Butler made them (and then Holdsworth made Claud Butlers, etc. etc.) Sounds like a really historic bike!

mickey85

Oldest to Newest:

196? Western Flyer 3 speed
1972-74 Peugeot UO-8
1979 Raleigh Professional
1994 Univega Activa Trail

And soon to be an early 70's Ladies' Raleigh Sport

nlerner

I did 60 miles on my 1948 Claud Butler a couple of weekends ago:



It has a Sturmey Archer FM rear hub laced to a 700c wheel. Unfortunately, the low gear didn't work, but three gears worked out fine for that ride.

Neal