This has all been a bit weird. I make aluminum racing MTB's (many years of this) and really had no interest in vintage bicycles. I have made parts for Brough Superior, Vincent and BSA motorcycles in the past and recently a friend dropped off about 100 lbs. of Wentworth spanners, sockets, taps and dies. I wasn't sure I would ever need them.

Just two weeks ago someone dropped off a 51 Schwinn panther in pretty poor shape. I tinkered a bit, took it apart and sent the frame to paint and started peeking in barns and looking a bit for parts. I went to a local used bike seller to try to find some S2 wheels and found several of these brit bikes quite by accident. They are priced around $200.00 each so I started doing some research (here) and Sheldon's sites for info.

It seems that I have found several roadsters, a few sports and something I likely didn't earn, a Raleigh Golden Arrow club racer with a K series hub that would put it around 1930 or so.

I have fallen completely for these bikes, they are amazingly light and still completely functional and beautiful after sitting for many years. The same guy has perhaps 20 vintage brit bikes including a stunning candy red lightweight single speed, at tleast two Rudge (pre Raleigh) and a Phillips (pre Raleigh)

I am not sure I won't get all of them somehow...