More Bikes and Ranting
Hello Everyone,
Towards the end of 1976 I sketched out an idea for a new special commuting bike. The all Campag Bird Brothers bike was really too good for bashing through London and I wanted something a little different. I had been given a Sturmey Archer fixed two speed hub dating from the early fifties, which I took apart and serviced; not to be recommended to anyone of a nervous disposition!. Alec had pretty well ceased framebuiding so I commissioned Ken's builder, whose name escapes me to give it a crack. I wanted as light a frame as possible, 653 had appeared by then, road geometry but with track ends and spacing for the SA hub. Cue raised eyebrows from Ken, plus I wanted it sprayed black, more raised eyebrows and it had to have clearance for mudguards; almost the final straw. When I explained the whole idea though he got quite enthused, that was his way. The end result was a truly excellent machine.
Cinelli bars and stem, Campag brakes, headset, seatpost and Pista chainset and pedals, Brooks Proffessional saddle and the then new Esge mudguards, plus the usual Christophe toe clips and straps. The wheels were rather an interesting combination also; The front was a Campag Record small flange on Super Champion and the SA on the same rim, shod with Barum PBW's a terrific tub. For the Winter I experimented with a SA dynohub also built into a sprint rim with reasonable success. Ken I think was as pleased with the project as I was, he certainly had the Cheshire cat grin when he tried it up the road at Green St Green, he used to ask me to bring it over to the shop sometimes so people could see it and a few variations on a theme appeared, but without the fixed hub.
I rode many miles on that bike, until a crash in Lewisham one Winter evening put it in it's grave. There was a Mk11 built up using a Condor track frame but that proved just a bit too twitchy for long rides.
The famous record breaking Ken Bird tandem was built about the same time as mine; two very interesting machines in the space of a year out of a small shop in Kent - you simply would not see that from most bicycle shops now. I am afraid if it isn't delivered in a box almost ready to go the chances are one is going to have to hunt around. There were a dozen or so shops dotted around South London into Kent who would build anything in those days so it is not even that Clive Stuart and the permutations of the brothers Bird were unique.
If you have a history in cycling it is deeply frustrating working in a modern bike shop. There is hardly any chance to experiment and bikes become units to be shifted. The build quality is truly apalling, even on very expensive frames. Over complicated design paired with manufacturing to a price is a very bad combination. It is pleasing therefore to see a cycling sub-group appear who appreciate good quality traditional track and road bikes, it may all be a bit trendy for some people but I support it wholeheartedly. It also means old codgers like me can find a woolen jersey again without having to scour the planet.
On an end note I have recently bought a new SA fixed hub which I will be building into a bike very soon, can't wait!.
VA