1950 Sun Wasp Update
 

I bought this 1950 Sun Wasp as a frameset from Mr. Killroy of our forum a few years ago. He made a post in 2019 to talk about weighing it, here: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-sun-wasp.html

At first, I thought I would restore it, and so left the frame aside while I rode my bikes and took on other projects so that ideas on what to do with the Sun Wasp could be allowed to properly gestate. Stripping for paint? Back to Mercian for the job? A Montreal shop?

Having spent hobby-bike funds on other machines I decided this frame needed to be ridden and that I needed to love it and consider it a keeper before it earned the right of restoration. Originally, this bicycle was a 'Massed Start' model, in early 1950s Britain this means a model meant to emulate continental race model set-ups with derailleurs which were starting to become popular, versus the time-trial events done in the UK up into that decade commonly with fixed-gear and touring hub-gear (Sturmey Archer) equipped machines. I really like hub gears so the first build was with one of those, a 1950 Sturmey FM four-speed, medium ratio hub, with ratios that are quite practical for distance riding at a good clip and for rolling hills too. Period dynamo up front ran modern LED lamps perfectly. Its worn a few different cranksets, as I found the period-correct Williams units, despite being quite nice to look at are too narrow for me.

Old pics of previous setup with hub gear, dynamo, and lights:

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f6b3be49f4.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...23c6127d1e.jpg

April 2025 - fixed wheel fun. I decided to switch things around with a newcomer Peugeot shaking things up, and the dynamo will now power the lamps for my '72 UE-8 commuter project and the FM four-speed will run on the '75 Competition with a Maillard 700 front for a fast credit-card tourer machine. I found a tatty looking set of Super Champion Mod 58 27" wheels with Normandy hubs (fixed/fixed rear). Not the greatest hubs in the world but they work and parts are plentiful, and after opening them up and finding no wear marks on the cones or in the cups, I figure these have a lot of shop wear and tarnish on the rim surfaces themselves but saw little actual use on the road. Now they will see some mileage! Set up now returns nearly 70 gear inches which is great for around here, though I may switch from the 18t to the 17t side from time to time for speedier runs at 73 gear inches.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0b88baad88.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d496b554c3.jpg

It gives a great ride! Quick and light, very responsive. I am pleased I scrounged some rough Bluemel mudguards in white, they look more appropriate than the Planet Bike ones I had on before. I think its slightly more aggressive in its measurements than my Competition built 25 years later but with design origins in the Wasps' era, but I have not measured. I need to find a frame pump that'll fit inside the pegs. The paint is in sad shape, but I really like the patina and continue to rub on Renaissance wax to protect the steel. That is not sustainable though. I'll need to paint it at some point, because these lugs deserve some embellishment. They look like armoured helmets from the middle ages:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9ebdbcb0a3.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...500e61fdb0.jpg

What a beautiful bike. The patina is excellent and I loved the SA setup. You have lovely taste in bikes.

Most excellent, sir! I like both iterations thus far but agree that the white Bluemels are much more appropriate! Thanks very much for sharing as I have only caught a glimpse or two of this one that you've shared over the past years.

Between this and the 1957 Hetchins Experto Crede I sold to obrentharris last year, I must say I think that I'm more pleased to know the frames I imported from merry ol' England were built up and are being ridden by others - in my constant pursuit of new experiences I don't think I would have taken the time to appreciate either as much as you gentlemen are.

Cheers!

-Gregory

Excellent pragnatic-classic build! And a humiliating reminder that I need to do something with the 1950 R.O. Harrison frame hanging on my bedroom wall -- the only project I have that's older than me.

High praise!

Thanks, Gregory. White Bluemels are rather difficult to find. They are found online as either damaged pieces or pristine and with a high price tag. I've squirreled away a really nice white pair of mudguards with a flap for my Competition IGH build. Its an excellent frame and as you know these 24" English frames from the 'Golden Era' of British cycling don't grow on trees.

Thank you, Charles! All of my bikes are older than me, but I think that's the wonderful quality of well-made steel frames - many years after they've been built, they ride just as well as they did when new and they've got stories to tell.

I think I'd like to find a longer GB stem to fix up the position, that'll enable me to find a seat post without as much set-back. Maybe something period-looking.

Stellar build and write up!
 

I’ll scrounge in our quill stem box at the co-op to see if there are any longer GB or GB adjacent stems with the right vibe for this excellent build.

I like it. Every part of it, right down to the wing nuts on the front hub. If it were mine, I would touch up the paint or leave it as is. All my bikes are aquired in ratty condition. The Lambert got touched up rather than painted and from a few feet away took pretty good.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ab608bc14b.png
The origional paint looks to be a lacquer, based on the cracking pattern.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7b22a64b73.png

You can see the touch ups even in this picture, but it is better than it was.

That's very kind of you! I imagine that the shipping cost from California to Ottawa would be out the window, though.

I really like your Lambert. I think the Wasp paint is enamel. The photos hide how rough the Wasp paint is in person, and since it will see spring rainy weather and fall rainy weather rides, I'll need to do something for the exposed steel areas beyond the current wax I'm using. There's a shop in Montreal with a good reputation for painting bikes with some reasonably priced packages. I've already got the decals, I might investigate a strip and spray, with some lug details and while I don't anticipate keeping the original colours, I'd like to do the same seat tube and head tube difference in a cream-white and perhaps a continental blue for the rest of the frame (which I think was an option on these bikes). Might be a next summer thing. As much as I like the patina, I don't want the frame to get into trouble when its survived 75 years. With fresh paint, maybe it'll be around 75 more. Thanks for mentioning the wing nuts - I really like wing nuts, they aren't perfect (nor are these '70s French ones even great quality) compared to quick-release options of the day, but I like the look and for a fixed-gear it harkens back to the 1950s roots of the frame itself. I think if I do a new paint job, I'll find the bike some period English hubs...maybe.

Just going to mention you could paint it yourself.
I used modern enamel brush paint and this was my first paint job.
1961 Holdsworth Cyclone https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...one-build.html

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...68a17dbf5b.jpg

It looks really good, too! I followed your thread on the Holdsworth. I certainly admire yourself and others here on BF who have the time and steady hands to perform that kind of work. I've thought about it but if I have that kind of time these days I try to spend it riding versus tinkering. The little one keeps me busy!

Fair enough, I quite enjoy the process of working out how to paint frames, and I'm now fully retired.
But it's quite fun if you have the time to do it.

There is definitely a big time commitment to paint a bike yourself. It was a year and a half to finish my FW Evans. I have other bikes to ride, so I didn't miss it while it was out of service. The first summer, I cleaned it up and rode it as a "rat rod". Some of my riding buddies wanted me to leave it that way.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...97628dbbdf.jpg
early 1970s FW Evans