ftwelder

MB? mafac racers, Derkopp hubs and Omelenchuk tubular rims, gommitalia champions holding air. ? 24 lbs huh, figured i would post it first, research tonight.

*EDIT* only the front hub is the Derkopp, the rear is an unknown flipflop stamped "made in france" The frame, just my guess, is either an old japanese or brit frame. It seems to be designed for 27" wheels and has a BB oil port. The BB seems to fit a bit weird with lots of thread showing on the adjustable side. didn't measure but the threads looks like 1.370X24 (BSA) may be it's a junk bike with random nice wheels? still guessing...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/frankth...7624048294958/

zebede

I have no idea... but the bike speaks to me... this is a bike to be riden.. thats all it wants ... it wants to belong to somebody that rides. Have you ever seen the movie THE LITTLE TOASTER THAT COULD.. like the train. It has led a life with a devoted rider but that rider has moved on, now it needs somebody. I hope it's you, but maybe not and thats ok.

Some times I get things that belong to other people. For example one day a friend gave me a crank. The SAME day a totally un-related friend walks up to me and says his crank is broken.. ah haaa! this crank belongs to you, and hand it to him.

Pls forgive me for not answering any of your questions. This all may sound stupid and irreverant but what the hey.

If you lived down the street from me I would say bring that thing into the garage and lets investigate. Lets try to read the history from the scratches, wear and upgrades.. there is obviously a story to be told. I imagine that it is a good story of many happy miles and maybe many more.

Yes I can see that it's just an old ten speed with stamped drop outs.... but somebody loved this bike once.

The above maybe just the results of a good diner and two beers so feel free to ignore.

ftwelder

Well, your thoughts are like mine for sure. I knew when I posted the pics that it would draw some fire and perhaps provide some entertainment.

I had to climb the wall of a barn through a hole in the floor to get to the attic full of bikes. Some hanging, some leaning on others in long rows. Perhaps fifty all told. I was holding a fading, blinking penlight in one hand and a digital camera in the other trying to avoid stepping on the rotting boards when I felt a tug and bikes started falling on top of me. I covered my eyes so my glasses wouldn't get knocked off and when things stopped moving, I noticed that I had hooked a brake lever with my pocket causing the sudden commotion. I noticed the offender had tubulars and a tall flange hub so I said "OK, you are coming with me".

I think there is a story here. When I closed my shop at night I take a quick look around before I shut the lights. This is what my imagination brought me at that moment yesterday evening. Laugh if you will.

A kid in Chicago saved up and bought an old brit sport bike (bb oiler) with the intention of doing some track racing. He was hit by a car and the fork, stem saddle, post and wheels were destroyed. He went to a small shop with bikes parked outside and people smiling. There was a beautiful woman in tight black shorts with strange shoes. She led the boy inside. The story was told, his clothes were torn and he had been crying. He went deeper into the poorly lit shop and spoke to an old man. He was handed a set of wheels and told to see the man at the bike stand. He would leave his bike and return after school to sweep for the summer and with a promise and a handshake he could ride home the following day.

A cyclist or bike shop mechanic wouldn't consider a fork repair that didn't include replacement of damaged components. (The fork had been damaged and repaired. It is knotted and ugly at the bottom, like a broken limb left un-set) A engineer/ fabricator would. An engineer would know that during the process of a fork leg being tapered, the bottom becomes extremely thick. low-carbon steel is ductile and a cheap fork can be repaired in such a way with heat. Specially if it's a kid riding or someone light in weight. A fabricator would know how to adjust his torch to bring the folded leg to a perfect wheatstraw color required to make it work and he would have a fork jig and alignment table to make it perfectly straight like this one appears to be. A man married to a pro track racer who was an engineer and fabricator would and could hand off a set of well worn racing wheels like these also (who besides the man himself would put these wheels on this frame?). This guy would have BB taps and know that 1.370X24 is a perfect match for the new at that time cheap but strong Japanese M36X1 BB and cranks that this bike has. (*still conjecture at this time but good for the story). He could and would make a track aluminum cog for his wife (hub is also 1.370X24, standard BSA BB thread) that would later render these wheels useless waste of space in a crowded car while heading to a far away event.

The next 60 years, not so sure. My part of this story is 100% true, the balance of the story is totally made up BUT the physical evidence is NOT. You tell me.

I think I may just ride it around for a while and see where my life goes next.

wrk101

Every time I see the title of this thread, I think of brown-25, the "space age polymer" on Groove Tube. I guess you have to be the right age to remember that movie.

Sorry.

ftwelder

that is pretty much the look we are going for. I heard of a 90 yr old lady former bike racer that lives locally, I know someone that knows her, perhaps she knows this odd machine.

ftwelder

I think it has the same drops and seat lug as a Hercules renown. see "oldest bikes" thread, post#25

Andrew F

Yes, the seat lug is identical as well as the bb lubricator. My serial numbers are simular but appear to be set with individual dies. The Renoun has the same caps on the hubs as well as it had the same brown/bronze paint which seems to be more of a glaze than paint. The finish was so worn that during it's first cleaning the majority of the glaze came off in the wash! I've been trying to match the frame up, so far I found a 1930's R series that has the same geometry and components, also talks about a special silver under-coat to prevent rust. Must work, mine is rust free! Appraisal, I think I gave the owner $75 mostly out of curiosity.

What is the head tube angle? The Renown is relaxed, about 68 degrees.

photogravity

Well, ftwelder, you are not going to believe this, but the mystery of this bike seems to be solved. The bike frame from is a Hercules Kestrel Club! I'll post a new thread soon about the bike. Here's a picture of the stripped frame and some catalog scans of the Kestrel. This appears to be a late 40's or early 50's model from what I can tell. The Kestrel Club had a unique lug design that didn't match up with any other in the Hercules lineup, so I have a high level of confidence that is what this bike is.

I have to say a huge THANK YOU for this frame. I can't wait to build it up.


Hercules Bicycle Frame - 1950's - 1 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr


Hercules Catalogue 1953 Kestrel Club by Mike Gerrish, on Flickr


Hercules Kestrel Club Model ('531' Tubing) by Abaraphobia, on Flickr

ftwelder

Amazing! I am happy it will get the love it deserves!