Originally Posted by
Salubrious
The Humbers don't have the duplex fork. To my understanding Raleigh didn't drop the duplex fork until sometime in the 1960s. Did the forks on these bikes get replaced or is that a rod brake thing? All the rod brake machines with the duplex fork I've found so far on Google seem to be pre-war.
Originally Posted by
markk900
Salubrious : scanning the catalogs I see in 1951 a number of models were equipped with “Humber taper round blades with solid ends”, but looking at the 1948, 1952 and 1956 they were back to duplex forks for most if not all models. Also in most of those post war catalogs the rod brake models also had duplex forks.
I haven't any explanation for this, other than the possibility that it was fitted with a more standard single-blade fork either in error as yet another production snafu on this bike. I have no reason to believe the one fitted right now is not the original. It is a flawless match in finish, patina, and fit (no evidence of the steerer having been adjusted).
The closest catalog available that I know of - the '36 (
https://threespeedhub.com/wp-content...og-1936-UK.pdf) advertises the Duplex fork on the Cob Tourist (pages 17-20 by PDF; 16-19 by page number) and only the 24" Junior models run a solid blade fork.
-Kurt