My Pashley Guv'nor

I've only been building vintage bikes for a couple of years and in the back of my mind I've always had a soft spot for the Pashley Guv'nor.

I knew it existed, I knew I wanted one, I knew it looked great, but initially I couldn't justify the expense. At first I tried and tried to resist the temptation.....until eventually.....I gave in and bought a Guv'nor 3 speed!

The Guv'nor appeals to me on many levels, but mainly because it captures the essence and charm of old world cycling and incorporates the three things I love about vintage bikes......steel, rubber, and leather.

The Guv'nor has a traditional steel frame design (made from Reynolds 531 tubing) with classical Westwood rims, and runs on Sturmey Archer hubs and gears. I love Sturmey Archer equipment, it's always reliable, stylish, and easy to maintain.

The white Schwalbe tyres capture the essence of a "1930's path racer" and the addition of a Brooks saddle is a great finishing touch. I mention the "1930's path racer" because it is marketed by Pashley in this form and truely is a good reflection of a bicycle from that period.

At this stage I must say that this is a great bike that rides beautifully. The design and thought that has gone into the model is grand and the price point, in my opinion, is really good value for money....great job Pashley!!  

I got my new Guv'nor and rode it for about 100kms or so through the streets of Perth, Western Australia. Comfortable, cruisy, and always turns a few heads. 

Every time I hopped on it, however, I couldn't help but wonder about the stem and handlebar setup. The stem is a Japanese made Nitto Technomic stem......great bit of kit but with a 1990's look, and the handlebars were an inverted North Road style (moustache) handlebar that, although reminiscent of the period, was not a true "path racer" handlebar.

This setup works, is functional, and nice to look at, but I don't think it gives the bike the true style and beauty that it deserves.

I did a bit of research and discovered the "Lauterwasser" path racer handlebar from the 1930's. A good looking steel bar, more racey than the relaxed moustache style bar, that offered more hand placement options when riding.

These bars were named after Jack "Lauterwasser" who was an English long distance racing cyclist and cycling engineer, who won a bronze and silver medal at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. I was keen to get a set and try it on the bike - "google" his name if you must.



1947 Humber with "Lauterwasser" handlebars.

I trawled eBay for some original Lauterwasser handlebars and every time I bid on a some bars I was pipped at the post (as is usually the case).....then I discovered that Soma were manufacturing a copy of the original "Lauterwasser" style handlebars, great work Soma! You can see them at http://store.somafab.com/solahacr.html

I must say that the "Lauterwasser" handlabars have  only been recently produced by Soma and that they were not available to Pashley when Guv'nors were first introduced to the market in 2008. 

I got a set of steel Soma "Lauterwasser" handlebars through http://www.renehersestore.com/ - who were a great help and happy to ship to Perth, Western Australia, at a reasonable cost - it's always hard to find good service but there are exceptions!

I also located a Reynolds branded alloy stem and gave it a good polish with marine grade aluminium paste. A "Reynolds" branded stem was a good addition here; Pashley had gone to a lot of trouble sourcing Reynolds 531 tubing for their Guv'nors, and the two were made for each other!



Reynolds stem, 25.4mm clamp, 22.2mm quill, 80mm length.





Soma "Lauterwasser" bars and the Reynolds stem.



Here is an image of the bars partially fitted.....it was really hard to take the beloved Guv'nor apart, not physically hard, but heart wrenching. It was like tearing a limb off one of my children.... and I hope I never have to do it again!!

.....and other images of the new handlebars and stem fitted on the bike.



Polished Reynolds alloy stem.

 

Lauterwasser markings on the bars...nice touch Soma!

I retained all of the standard Guv'nor fittings and accessories to keep the bike as close to the original as possible. Here are some more images of the result...



...there's the city of Perth in the background, a great place to live all year 'round!





..probably the best image of the bars, just wonderful!





The bars offer more hand positions than the original inverted North Road bars.



These bars won't suit every Guv'nor owner..... but they may be an option for a Guv'nor owner who just wants something a little different. The original specced Guv'nor really is triumphant, but if you're going to tour a little more on your Guv'nor and would like more hand placement options, then these bars might be for you. The beauty of them is that they are in keeping with the period that the Guv'nor has captured, and in my opinion, they look just great!

Soma do make an aluminium version of the "Lauterwasser" handlebars as well, although the steel option is stiffer and is a correct material for the period.

If you are thinking about getting some of these bars you'll certainly need a shorter stem. The Nitto stem that comes on the bike is quite long but you need this length to accomodate the flatter inverted North Road bars. The "Lauterwasser" has a longer reach and this should be offest by a shorter stem.

Perhaps the next Guv'nor model will have the option of having these bars fitted when ordering.....keep cycling and be safe. 

My 1950's Speedwell




My 1950's Speedwell

 

In about October 2009 a bicycle building friend of mine named George, handed me an old Speedwell men's frame that had been sitting in his backyard for years. The frame had been exposed to the elements and was covered with a thin film of rust, although I could tell that the original colour was a ghastly green. Unfortunately there was no serial number on the frame, so dating the bike by this method was not an option. 

Luckily, the previous owner had painted the cranks and bottom bracket with a thick grey paint that provided them with some protection. The headset was rusty but restorable, however the rest of the parts were beyond restoration hope. The rims had rusted out and the hubs had rusted badly with severe corrosion. The mistake I made at this point was not photographing the rusted old frame, an image of which would have been handy for this article.

Anyway I stripped the bike and retained the frame, cranks, bottom bracket, and headset, and pretty much disposed of the rest.  I did note that the original rims measured 28 x 1 3/8 inches and that they were spoked 32 front and 40 rear, and the original rear hub was a reversable fixed / free 18T setup.

I had the frame painted (a similar ghastly green) and fitted some old Speedwell decals, although the decals were not original they did the job of identifying the brand of bike....and I had the cranks and headset re-chromed. Surprisingly, the bottom bracket (marked T.D.C. Made in England) polished up very well after I removed the layers of old grey paint and grease. 

Below are some images of the finished frame that is fitted with the T.D.C bottom bracket and newly chromed headset. 



1950's Speedwell frame, painted with decals.





T.D.C. bottom bracket and oiler port.


  


Newly chromed headset circa 1950's.



When I received the Williams branded cranks back after re-chroming I could see that there was a manufacturers mark on the inside of the chainwheel pictured below..... 



Williams sword trade mark....with "46" and "AW".

After a bit of internet research I learnt that the "46" referred to the number of teeth on the chainwheel (which was right) and that the "AW" referred to the component's date of manufacture.

I located the manufacturer's dating codes at www.classiclightweights.co.uk/williamsdating.html. Interesting reading (if you're into vintage bikes I guess) and learnt that the dating code of "AW" indicated that the Williams crank had been manufactured in 1956. 

OK......so the crank was made in 1956 and perhaps fitted to the bike soon after.....so an assembly date in the mid to late 50's was reasonable to assume and consistent with the other fittings on the bike which were period correct.

At this point I made a few additions to the build and added  a few newer components to improve the ride. I located a set of 32/40 Endrick 28 x 1 3/8 rims (powder coated) and a period correct Bayliss Wiley 32H front hub, and I also got hold of  a 1964 dated Sturmey Archer 3 speed 40H AW hub for the rear wheel.

George laced them in, both hubs had very good chrome and the front hub had an old oiling hole with cover. I also located an old 3 speed Sturmey Archer trigger control and decided to run the gear cable through to the rear hub across the top tube and down the rear seat stay via a Sturmey Archer pulley wheel. This gear cabling method is correct for the period and would compliment the style of the bike. 



Sturmey Archer 3 Speed AW 40 hole hub



SA 3 speed trigger





Sturmey Archer gear cable pulley wheel



My next problem was that of braking, although I had considered braking options early in the planning stage. There was no hole drilled in the front forks so a front brake was not an option. The only reasonable (and effective) braking option was a new caliper brake on the rear wheel. I had considered the period correct rear caliper centre pull brakes, although they are not very effective and look so awkward and bulky, so I discounted this option.

George supplied me with a new retro styled caliper brake that worked reasonably well.....and because this was the only brake on the bike it had to work with some sense of confidence. After locating a 1950's new old stock brake lever I had George fit the brakes, very functional and they didn't look too bad either!!  

Next came the hunt for 28 x 1 3/8 tyres, a new Brooks B72 saddle, a chromed period stem, grips, and a few other bits and pieces and the enjoyment of fitting it all together as below...



Brooks B72 saddle...a work of art!!




Inverted North Road bars for the relaxed look.




Original Malvern Star bell.

 


Williams cranks and period pedals.

 


Speedwell decals and a chrome pump fitted behind seat tube.

 

So there's the finished item, and I must say she rides really well. The 3 speed gearing is the key to this bike, the gears making it a pleasure  to ride in all terrain, and it handles so well with the inverted North Road bars....and since discovering what a pleasure this setup is to ride I'm keen to explore the Pashley Guv'nor a bit further......I think I'll make arrangements to test ride a Guv'nor tomorrow!!

Cycling books - old and new

You can't be out on your bike all the time, life just doesn't allow for that......but you can experience cycling or learn more about cycling by having a cycling book close by. I always have a cycling magazine or book in the car, or on the floor by my bed, or leaning  up against the wall in the toilet. This way, there is always a chance to get that cycling hit whenever I need one!

A friend recently bought me a copy of "Velo-City: Perth" by Debra Mayrhofer. This is a good read about the different cycling sub-cultures within the Perth cycling scene.  From bike riding to bike building, to bike polo and local cycle fund raising events, the book highlights many different facets of cycling within Perth and Western Australia.



Velo-City: Perth - a good read.



It's a high quality book printed by Beyond Babel Press Australia. It can be purchased at a good price from good book stores or at http://www.velocitywa.com.au/ . It sounds as though this book will be the first installment as the author has invited the Perth cycling community to submit cycling articles to her at info@velocitywa.com.au for consideration in her next book.

You can surf the net for local cycling stories all you like, but there is nothing quite like sitting down away from the computer with a good book and a cup of coffee. This book allows you to do that.

The book would not have been possible a few years ago. Due to the increased interest in cycling and commuting to work on a bicycle, and with the expansion of Perth cycle ways, cycling has really taken off in Perth. Such a local interest deserved to be fed a quality cycling publication such as this....good work Deb.

All that said, I'm a bit dissappointed with the book in that there was no reference made to the Western Australian Historical Cycle Club. Although small, the group is an important part of the Perth cycling culture that really needs to be captured in print. There are some lovely old faces of club members to be photographed, and some great cycling stories to be told before the members get too old. I'm sure they'll be represented in her next book in some form! 

By the way... a photograph of one of my newly chromed vintage chainwheels (Williams 1954) is on page 16 of the book, good lookin' chainwheel that...even if I do say so myself! 

Another good book is "Where to Ride - Perth" by Brent Meyer. It's a spin off from the Bicycling Australia group. It shows maps for local rides, not bad if you are new to Perth or maybe just getting started.  It's fairly comprehensive with a bit of advertising, but if you're into cycling and live in the Perth area it's certainly worthy of  a place on your book shelf. 



Where to Ride - Perth.



The book can be purchased through the Bicycling Australia website http://www.bicyclingaustralia.com/ , and while we're talking about Bicycling Australia, they also have a really good bi-monthly magazine called just that, "Bicycling Australia".

Bicycling Australia - Jan Feb 2011 edition

The mag covers all aspects of modern road and track cycling, National and World road and track events, reviews and assessments of new gear on the market, always good photographs, and always provides the reader with awareness of contemporary cycling issues.

I get the magazine mailed to me every two months, it usually arrives in my letter box a couple of weeks before it arrives on the newsagent shelves. Having it mailed also has the added benefit of two things.

Firstly an annual subscription is cheaper than buying it off the newsagent shelves, and secondly every year you receive a Bicycling Australia Buyer's Guide magazine for free. The guide provides a comprehensive buying guide for almost all new bikes available on the market in Australia - and includes specs and prices for road, mountain, track, and city/commuting bikes on the market....and much more.

I must say that my favourite book at the moment is called "Greg LeMond's Complete Book of Bicycling". No prizes for guessing who the author is! Greg LeMond is an American cyclist who won the Tour de France in 1986.

It's a retro styled book and the edition I have pictured below was published in 1988.



Greg LeMond's book - 1988 edition.



I got the book off eBay a couple of months ago, there's always a copy on offer for sale there and it should not cost any more than AU$10.00 (+ postage).

The book covers every aspect of road cycling from chosing your first bike to cycling techniques and tactics. It covers dieting, training, and general bicycle maintenance....and of  course gives an account of Greg's cycling history and details how he won "The Tour" in 1986.

There are a few black and white photographs throughout the book although you really have to use your imagination to get you through....no colour photos in this puppy!



I do like the general bicycle maintenance section at the rear. In the mid 80's ten speed's (2 front - 5 rear) were at the cutting edge of bicycle technology. The book details how to maintain your ten speed gearing systems and provides a whole range of sound bicyle maintenance advice for equipment from that period.

Please feel free to let me know of any other Perth specific cycling publications, I'd like to add a few more to my library.

Elswick Bicycles : Serial number - v - Year of manufacture

Elswick catalogue published in 1949

I love things with serial numbers, especially old bicycles, where the serial number stamped into the frame can identify the year of manufacture, the factory of production, or even the model and/or type of bicycle.

In years gone by Raleigh were particularly good at this, as were Sturmey Archer, where a simple number readily located on the item can help you determine its age.



Here we have a Sturmey Archer ASC model 3 speed hub manufactured in 1950.



This dating system can add alot of sentimental value to an item, especially when the item was manufactured on a date close to your heart.

The manufacture date could be your year of birth, your father's or mother's year of birth.......or maybe the item was manufactured just prior to WWII in the late 1930's, or during the Queens Coronation in 1953, anyway you get my drift - an item manufactured on a date significant to you for whatever reason, can add alot of sentimental value to it! 

During a recent bicycle restoration I spent many hours trawling the net looking for information to help me identify the year of manufacture of the Elswick bicycle I was restoring.

My wife couldn't see the point.... "It's an old bike, it's rusty, why bother wasting your time when there's  plenty of jobs around the house that need doing!" I'd like a dollar for every time she......!!! 

So in the face of much resistance I kept trawling and sure enough, my toil was finally rewarded at http://www.oldbike.eu/ - the online vintage bike museum.

I spent hours on this site, it contains alot of detailed information and great images, and there on the 1951 Elswick Hopper 'Model W' Butcher's Bike page I located the below chart referring to Elswick bicycle serial number dating. 

In my experience, the Elswick bicycle frames I have located here in Australia contain a five digit number followed by a single letter, the letter being the identifying feature that indicates the year of manufacture of the frame.

I can't confirm the accuracy of the above chart, but when I apply the information to the Elswick frame serial numbers I have seen here, the dating is consistent with the styling and period of the accessories fitted to the bike....so I assume its accurate. 

As time passes and frames are left to rust, of course, the stamped serial number often deteriorates and can become difficult to read, so at times its easy to mistake a number for a letter, or vice versa.....sometimes you may have to apply a little bit of guess work.

So if you are attempting to date your old Elswick please consider the information contained in the above chart to date your cycle. Good luck!

Front and rear covers of Elswick catalogue published in 1948.











Western Australian Historical Cycle Club

These guys are full of historical cycling information and meet at 7.00pm on the third (3rd) Monday of each month at 6 Hickey Street, Ardross. Members are always happy to assist you with any vintage bicycle restoration questions and issues you may have.

Member Peter Wells edits and publishes the newsletter 'Not the... Spoke'n Word' each month which covers interesting aspects of vintage cycling in Western Australia. The magazine is always informative and gives the reader access to vintages bikes and parts that are offered for sale by club members. I love getting the magazine every month...you never know what the guys are offering for sale!

 



Subs are $25.00 per annum, which entitles members to attend meetings, receive the monthly newsletter in the mail, allows access to the vintage bicycle magazine and book library, and invites you to participate in monthly club rides and activities. At each meeting one of the members throws him or herself on the sword and delivers a presentation on differing aspects of cycling history. Topics presented range from wheel building, to bottom bracket types, to Malvern Star history....and everything in between.

Members from the club arrange vintage bicycle displays around the state at various times of the year. The club is in need of active members so interested people are always welcome.

For me, attending the meetings is like being thrown into the past.....where I imagine life was less complex, and riding a bike on the weekends was so easy and enjoyable.

So if you live in the Perth area and would like to become a member, attend the meeting place at the above time each month and become a part of the group. Alternatively phone the current Club President, Merv Thompson, on (08) 9450 2579 for further details.

1949 Elswick utility bicycle

I joined the Western Australian Historical Cycle Club last year and went along to a couple of their informative meetings to get a feel for the club. A great bunch of  bicycle fanatics (of the more mature variety) with loads of knowledge on bicycle history and restoration.

Whilst there I met a guy named Peter who had been collecting and restoring bicycles for (many, many) years. His interest was mainly in Australian built machines, particularly those that were built in the Perth area between the 1920's to the 1960's. I went and had a look at his collection a few days later and was blown away with the fantastic bicycles he had restored, amazing beautifully kept machines from the past....restored and cared for perfectly!!

I inquired with Peter as to what he had that I could take up for my next restoration project and he wheeled out the old rusty Elswick pictured below.

Elswick chainwheel.

I was particularly drawn to the bike because of the old rusty chainwheel that had "Elswick" lettering contained within the ring (above centre). I did some research and located a website where I was able to date the bike using the serial number on the frame, and determined that the frame had been bulit in England in 1949 (by Elswick-Hopper).

After photographing the bike and stripping it down I had the frame powdercoated black. The metal tubing had a fair bit of surface pitting, but rather than fill the pitting in I though I'd just powder coat over the whole frame 'as was' to retain the old feel of the bike. I photographed what remained of the decals so I knew what to look for when searching for replacements.

I re-chromed the metal parts that I couldn't replace, including the "Elswick" chainwheel that came up a treat (pictured below). Some restorers prefer to polish older parts, which does look good and is probably more authentic........but quality re-chroming looks great (although expensive!!).

I found some new chromed 26 x 1 3/8 Westrick rims (a set of 32/40 spoked - hard to come by) and had George (my bike man) lace them up to new hubs as per the original specs of the bike. I also located an original NOS Sturmey Archer 18T freewheel for the rear flip flop hub - and chromed an 18T sprocket for the fixed side of the hub - as per original.

The mudguards for this bike were fantastic - all aluminium, which was quite advanced for its day. Aluminuim had been developed and refined for the war effort in the early 40's, so after the war had finished the cycle industry started to use aluminium (and similarly Hiduminium) when manufacturing their cycling components. These mudguards were in excellent condition and polished up really well.

I assembled the bike, although I opted for a touring handlebar instead of the drop bars that were originally on the bike. I planned to eventually give the restored bike to my dad and felt that the touring bars were a better option for him.

I initially re-fitted the "Elswick" chainwheel, however, the inside of the crank arms where the cotter pins sat were well worn and couldn't be easily fixed - a pity really because the re-chromed chainwheel looked great and I was looking forward to using it. I hunted around and found a nice 46T Raleigh chainwheel from the 60's that fitted well and ran smoothly.

And so the finished build........

Fixed / free 40 spoke rear hub.

Dare grips.

........and of course it would not have been complete without a new Brooks (B67) saddle with chrome springs (although not original) that I had laying around - the bike looked great and rode very smoothly.



Gotta love those Brooks saddles!!

I hunted around, mainly on the internet, for replacement Elswick decals, but I had no luck with locating copies of the original styled decals. I contacted www.hlloydcycles.com and located some Elswick decals, although they certainly weren't as appealing as the originals. Lloyds were very helpful, I would recommend them to anyone chasing down old replacement English bicycle decals.

So the bike was done.....and on fathers day 2010 I handed it to my dad as a father's day gift. He's been proudly riding the shiny beast around his retirement village in Perth, and often receives pleasant comments about the bike from interested onlookers.



Dad and his new?? bike.



My work was done here....it was time I started looking for my next project!!