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I was trying to put “The Sun” together for a test run following a more-or-less complete strip-down, re-grease and rebuild…but I’ll be damned if I can find the front fork brake stirrup clips! That’s the little jobs shown at the bottom of the picture here:
I last remember seeing them hanging on an old bent spoke above my workbench after being re-enamelled. I must have decided to put them “somewhere safe”!
I’m moving forward with a pair of clips from that now-abandoned 1950’s Superbe in the certain knowledge that as soon as I’ve finished adapting the Raleigh parts to fit, the originals will turn up…I hope!
r:B
So what’s new with the Chiltern? I bought some luggage-carrying capacity in the form of a Steco front rack from Het Zwarte Fietsenplan in Amsterdam – thanks Bart! – and finally fitted some new rubber (a pair of gum wall Schwalbe Delta Cruisers). I added a new, longer gear cable using the original outer skin and refitted the chain guard after re-painting it (badly) and then proceeded to scrape it all off again on this run through the forest…
I’ve changed the handlebars since this photo for a set of lovely swept-back raised bars I found on a scrapped ladies Emmelle and I’m currently awaiting delivery of a longer stem which should help with positioning the front rack.
I’ve also been toying with the idea of backdating the relatively plain crank to one of the older Raleigh style with the heron’s head. It was only while examining the examples I had on hand that I noticed that the later version is not only less well detailed – an eyeless heron and no additional bracing in the voids – but is also facing the other direction!
Sadly, the older version was intended for operation in an oil-bath chain case and they’ve skimped on the chrome plating. I don’t think it could stand up to the Scottish weather without it…a pity!
I’ve also begun to think about illumination…before long it’ll start getting dark just after lunch! This’ll be initially dynamo-powered with supercapacitor standing backup and (hopefully) ultimately a home-brew setup running from dynamo-recharged lithium-polymer batteries.
Like my mudguard badges? :c)
R:B
The Superbe is more or less at a standstill – well, of course it is, it’s in pieces all over the garage! To be honest I’m taking my time with this one as I’m still hoping to source a stainless Westrick rim for the rear wheel. I also need to braze up – or at least solder – a small hole in the rear chain stay and then possibly get the whole frame stripped and primed. I still can’t decide whether to retain what remains of the original paint and just treat the rust and lacquer it…
However, I’ve not been completely idle and have finally been bothered enough to uncover the original serial number – 963142P – which seems to correspond to the date on the Dynohub (5I/I) and plant it firmly in 1951.
And finally, I’ve scraped away the worst of the worst paintjob ever and revealed the last remaining scrap of frame decal…“The All-Steel Bicycle”.
R:B
Chiltern and Transit caught in a tryst!
R:B
BEFORE
I’ve been intending to post some photographs of the £10 Chiltern for a while now and have finally decided not to wait until I refit the chainguard…
AFTER (almost!)
Since this bicycle is intended for daily riding around town, I’ve not invested too much time or money into it. Most of the components are reclaimed or recycled. The mudguards, rear rack and wheel reflectors (I managed to resist using the Unholy Spoke Reflectors) came from my project box. The brake calipers, front wheel and both tyres and tubes are reclaimed from the Traveller. I’ll be replacing the (ahem) 30-year-old Raleigh Record tyres with a pair of Schwalbe puncture-proof white-walls soon… The Zefal pump is new – with an adapter to suit the Woods valves – and cost a measly £3.49.
The dental white grips are actually a Shimano 333 3-speed shifter set I picked up as NOS on Ebuy for less than the price of a new cable. Unfortunately I still need a new cable as the Shimano part is a bit short for this frame. However, they shift nicely and adapting the Shimano 333 cable to fit the Sturmey Archer hub only involved snipping off the cable nipple and clamping on a late model SA adjusting barrel.
The saddle – previously on the Superbe – is actually a little low for comfort but I’ve been too lazy to adjust it yet. I’ve got two vintage leather saddles to choose from and haven’t yet decided which suits the bicycle best. The rear luggage is an ancient reclaimed Carradice Club bag. I need to get some white polish on the leather straps…
Total cost? Excluding paint and other workshop consumables? Probably around £30…
OK…£30 and a pair of jeans that I spilled paraffin over. Anyone really know how to get the smell of paraffin out of clothing? They’ve been machine-washed twice and left hanging out on the drying line for a week through two torrential downpours! They still stink…
R:B
I’ve probably been giving too much thought to the notion of frame art but I believe that, if a bicycle is to be personalised through blood and toil, it should also bear the more exoteric marks of its keeper.
I honestly don’t see the point of restoring the Superbe’s original colour – a dark green with gold and red lining. Perhaps if it had been in better initial condition… Nah…I’m leaning strongly towards a plain white frame, perhaps with black head tube and forks, perhaps not.
What I certainly do want is witty and idiosyncratic frame art. Such as this image – strategically situated on the seat tube (where you might expect to find the tubing manufacturers badge), staring upward in mute disbelief:
I’ve started experimenting with Transcryl by Lefranc & Bourgeois. This is a milky white acrylic transfer medium that is painted over a printed image and allowed to dry until completely clear. The paper substrate is then soaked and peeled away, leaving the image on the flexible acrylic. One then uses more of the medium to adhere the image to the target object. It can then be lacquered or varnished. If you have passable French, voici une description photographique merveilleuse…
To be honest, the default Transcryl medium is a bit thick and gloopy and benefits from being very slightly diluted. I have a suspicion the same process might also work with a standard PVA “school glue”.
R:B
The first – and easiest – job I found myself doing was removing the Unholy Spoke Reflectors!
Now, reflectors are a legal requirement around these parts and I’m not one to flout the law. No, really! At least not in a publicly-documented fashion. But these were bizarre, unholy things that were either relics of an unspeakable poultry-worshipping cult or, far more likely, free gifts with a mass-produced breakfast cereal. I don’t know which is the more frightening prospect…
I can almost imagine the deep conversation that went on in their PR department:
“So, we’re committed to doing something for Bike Safety Month. What are our options…”
“What about a free gift…something inexpensive but useful?”
“Like reflectors, maybe?”
“Wheel reflectors…the ones that fit between the spokes!”
“Cool! But what about the corporate branding? We need something instantly identifiable…”
“Yeah….identifiably…corporate”
“Hmmmm… Like maybe…shaped like The Chicken?”
“Chicken-shaped? Chicken-shaped wheel reflectors! Yeah…folks’ll love ‘em!”
“Nice! But surely they’ll be much more expensive than standard reflectors…”
“Then…let’s just…erm…mount cheap single-sided reflectors in a bit of chicken-shaped plastic…”
“Cool…!”
“Cool!”
“Chicken-shaped reflectors…ha ha ha! Next!”
I mean…what, in the name of all that’s hairy, were they thinking‽
R:B
I should have some pictures to show tomorrow but I’ve finally started stripping the paintjob-from-hell from the Superbe. In case you can’t recall, when I acquired it, it looked as if it had been attacked by a maniac armed with a floor mop and a bucket of green household paint.
So far I’ve been concentrating on the small mechanical parts – handlebars, brake furniture, bottom bracket and crank – most of which required considerable care to remove, de-paint and polish up. I’ve now started rust-treating and priming the chainguard, the forks and front mudguard.
Normally I would avoid the use of chemicals but I’ve discovered that the cheap Baufix Paint Remover (Lidl, £3.99) seems to remove the unwanted paint but leaves what remains of the original enamel intact.
I’ve also found that the mudguards, which seemed initially quite friable through corrosion, respond well to treatment with Kurust – to the extent that they are now robust enough that I can strip the old paint and prime the top surface before I reinforce them internally with glassfibre tissue and epoxy.
I’ve not decided what colour to finish the Superbe. Apparently the best available colour match for the original Raleigh Green is Rover Brooklands Green, a British Racing Green clone. Since I’m aiming at a sympathetic “revival” rather than a faithful restoration, I can’t decide whether to re-green her or paint her a crisp white. I don’t want to go for black as the Chiltern is already sitting at that end of the spectrum .
Speaking of which, the Chiltern’s almost ready for the road. Pictures real soon now. I’ve just got to top-coat the chainguard and sort out the gears – although I think the problem is the cable sticking. I’ve ridden her ’round the square a number of times now and…ooooooooh what a comfortable ride!
R:B
