Sun Olympic special wasp
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Sun Olympic special wasp
Hi are any Sun experts out there ? I picked up this bike the weekend and have since found out it's a sun Olympic special wasp can anyone throw any light on this model? How many were built , year they where built and spec please.
Thank you
Thank you
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I'm no Sun expert, but I could tell you more with a photo than without. A lot of bicycle model names were used for a relatively long period, while certain details and components will narrow the date to a couple years.
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Can you post some pics of the derailleurs, brakes calipers, and cranks?
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One possibility is a Carlton Sun. Carlton (Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England) had a second line in the shop - Sun Cycles. That head badge looks familiar but I don't have enough info to be sure. Search on that possibility. I think I see those badges n decals on a green Carlton here:
https://www.flickr.com/groups/568400@N24/pool/
https://www.flickr.com/groups/568400@N24/pool/
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Wow! At the moment, I'm thinking it's earlier than ca 1960 (so, before Carlton took over). But I agree with @cb400ill, we need more photos of components. Also, more photos of frame details, especially the dropouts (where the wheels attach). The seat tube decal seems to say "WORLD PROFESSIONAL PURSUIT CHAMPION" but I suspect this is not a pursuit bike.
Here is a similar one:
https://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/sun-wasp-rest.html
I don't think you have a Williams crank; but if you do, there are date codes on both arms.
Here is a similar one:
https://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/sun-wasp-rest.html
I don't think you have a Williams crank; but if you do, there are date codes on both arms.
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Last edited by rhm; 03-10-16 at 06:43 AM.
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This looks a lot like the 1955 Sun Wasp Champion du Monde on Classic Lightweights. We know it's no older than 1952 as the World Pursuit Championship decal is in reference to Sydney Patterson's win for Sun that year. He repeated in 1953. Reportedly, TI bought Sun in 1958 and from 1964 the frames were manufactured by Carlton and carry a Worksop identifier, so it shouldn't be any newer than that.
There should be a double letter prefix for that serial number. Format is reportedly yLxxx, where y is a letter designating the year and T reportedly indicates 1952/1953. L indicates the lightweight division. xxx is the frame number for the year.
This one looks like it has been rebuilt. The rear derailleur looks like a mid-1970s Huret. The brakes are probably replacements too. At least it still has the original badged stem. Those are reportedly worth a lot of money. Some Sun models used Reynolds 531, so I'd be measuring the seat post diameter to determine the tubing.
See Restoring an original classic: Sun Wasp 'Champion du Monde' 1955
There should be a double letter prefix for that serial number. Format is reportedly yLxxx, where y is a letter designating the year and T reportedly indicates 1952/1953. L indicates the lightweight division. xxx is the frame number for the year.
This one looks like it has been rebuilt. The rear derailleur looks like a mid-1970s Huret. The brakes are probably replacements too. At least it still has the original badged stem. Those are reportedly worth a lot of money. Some Sun models used Reynolds 531, so I'd be measuring the seat post diameter to determine the tubing.
See Restoring an original classic: Sun Wasp 'Champion du Monde' 1955
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I would agree that is early to mid 50's based on the lugs, crank and what looks like 4 speed setup with a single braze on DT shifter.
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Thanks for all the feed back it has been most useful. I have since been in contact with Peter Cowen who is very up on Sun bikes. He says it's a 1955 champion cu de mond wasp. I just hope I can find all the correct gearing and brakes to put it back how it should be.
Thank you all again.
PS does anybody know anything about sports BSA bikes with russ forks ?
Thank you all again.
PS does anybody know anything about sports BSA bikes with russ forks ?
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Fascinating bike, thank you for posting it! I always love seeing pre-boom roadies. Imagine what this one looked like new, with that pearly blue paint and white accents and all the colorful decals
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