Fremantle Tweed Run 2012 - Promo

It's that time of year again when the good folk at http://dismantle.org.au host their annual Tweed Run cycling event through the streets of Fremantle Town. Last years event was a cracker and this years promises to be even better!!

This years Tweed Run will commence at 10.00am on Sunday November 4, 2012, at Esplanade Park, Fremantle, just near the Dismantle (bicycle) workshop. If you don't know Freo very well just look for the large ferris wheel near the fishing boat harbour, or for more info go to Dismantle's Facebook page.

Here is the stylish promotional poster for this years event:



Fremantle Tweed Run 2012.

The event will commence with a picnic style gathering of all Tweed Run participants in the park, so be sure to bring along your vintage ride and remember to wear your favourite tweed gear. You'll be surprised what you can find at your local Good Samaritans Store!! Unlike last year the organisers have requested that all participants wear bicycle helmets....the ride will be on the streets of Fremantle so normal road rules will apply to the group without exception.

Although the event is free please bring along a small donation for the Dismanlte group to  support them with their community focused cycling projects...they do some really good work! There will also be tea and scones on sale so ensure you bring a little extra cash to spoil yourself throughout the morning!

The Ride itself will begin in the car park at the northern end of Esplanade Park, and will meander in a southerly direction all the way down Marine Terrace. The group will then hook back around onto South Terrace and make its way up into the cappuccino strip to finish at the Fremantle Coffee Festival. Fremantle will be very busy due to the Coffee Festival so if you're not riding to the event get there early to alleviate parking problems.

Here's a couple of images from last year's event to wet the appetite...

...and a great day it was too!! Please mark your calendar and make this years Tweed Run a day to remember.

Until then, ride safe,

James

The Pashley Guv'nor Clubman

The original Pashley Guv'nor bicycle is a beautiful bicycle that replicates the look and feel of path racers from the 1930's. Pashley have lovingly created a modern masterpiece. The design, style and feel is perfect, and you can't improve on perfection!

I have owned a Guv'nor 3 speed model that I have lovingly ridden for the past couple of years. It's a fantastic bike that turns heads and invites favourable comments wherever I travel. Apart from all other features I particularly like the Sturmey Archer 3 speed gearing system with internal hub brakes that came fitted on the bike.

Recently, however, I've discovered 'Clubman' style road bikes from the 1940's. These bikes were also equipped with Sturmey Archer gearing systems.  Clubman road bikes from the 1940's can be typically characterised by the Raleigh Clubman models pictured below; 



1947 Raleigh Lenton Clubman



1949 Raleigh Clubman



The steel frames on these bikes had a relaxed geometry, usually a 3 or 4 speed Sturmey Archer gearing system, drop handlebars, and road brake levers. Pashley have recognised the growing interest in these types of bikes and have recently produced various Clubman models. Like every Pashley bicycle, the Clubman models are beautifully crafted.....although none carry the Sturmey 3 speed gearing system that I have come to love on my Guv'nor.

As there is no Sturmey Archer 3 speed Pashley Clubman I've decided to convert my Guv'nor 3 speed into a 'Clubman' type model.

To some Guv'nor purists I have probably committed an unforgivable sin. To set them at ease I must add that I have retained, boxed, and labelled all of my original Guv'nor parts and intend to return the bike to its original glory once I have outgrown my current creative phase.



The new 'Clubman' build was quite simple and very enjoyable to complete. After considerable research into the Sturmey Archer X-RD3 and X-FD hubs and gearing system I sourced the below list of components from various suppliers to commence the build:

• Nitto B123 chromed steel drop handlebars (after much consideration)
• Brooks honey leather bar tape (a no brainer!)
• Dia Compe Gran Compe road brake levers (beautifully made)
• Brake cables (road) with black cable housing
• Sturmey Archer cable pinch bolts x 2
• Lion Bellworks bell with stem mounting bracket

Here is an image of the final version.

Here are some close up images...

  

The Sturmey Archer 3 speed trigger position




Rear quarter view.

   

Dia Compe Gran Compe road levers


  

Brooks honey leather handlebar tape


 

.... and all finished off with a beautiful stem mounted bell from Lion Bellworks.



After identifying suitable brake levers, the only other challenge was to learn how to adapt road brake cables to the Sturmey Archer drum brake hubs. Thankfully the people at Sturmey Archer had this covered with their 'pinch bolts' that were designed specifically for this type of application (pictured below). 

 

Sturmey Archer pinch bolt on rear hub.



To the untrained eye the overall appearance is that of a standard road bike, but with the Reynolds 531 steel frame, long reaching front forks, white Schwalbe 28 x 1 1/2 tyres, and the Sturmey Archer 3 speed, the bike feels like a true vintage ride.

I've had a couple of rides with my new Guv'nor Clubman and I'm very satisfied with the result. Although a little heavy (compared to my normal road bike), it's very comfortable, relaxed, and reliable. This type of bike would appeal to the nostalgic cyclist who would like to experience vintage cycling at its modern best (if that makes sense!!).  

Until next time, safe riding.

Regards to all from James in Perth ....

Lion Bellworks

Recently I came across some vintage bicycle bells from Lion Bellworks in England. These retro bells are just beautiful!!

They are made from high quality materials that will last for years. There are two versions, one version has an unlacquered brass finish and the other has a polished chrome finish. Each bell comes in a very nice calico bag.

I have pictured the unlacquered brass version above. The bells are 55mm in diameter and the striker mechanism is made of chrome and stainless steel.

There are two options for fitting these beautiful bells to your bicycle. One fitting is a standard handlebar mount and the other is for a standard one inch (quill type) headset. Both fittings are beautifully made from stainless steel.

The real feature of this bell, apart from its good looks and beautiful sound, is that it is made in "England". It has the words "Lion England" stamped into the top of the bell as pictured. As a bell ages and a natural patina develops this feature will look fantastic.

"Lion England" logo.

This  is also fantastic for restorers of vintage English bicycles as it adds to the British feel of the bike. I have noticed that other similar styled brass bells that adorn vintage bikes are Japanese made...and are not quite the real deal!



Standard handlebar fitting.



Fitting for standard one inch headset.



These bells have a superior tone to any other bell I've had. It's a crisp tone that can be heard for miles....pedestrians will be in no doubt that you're on the way! Please have a listen....

The bells are available at http://www.lionbellworks.co.uk/  Please have a look at their site where you can purchase the bells for a great price online. Feel free to contact John from Lion Bellworks regarding any inquiries at sales@lionbellworks.co.uk

I have mounted a Lion Bell to my Pashley Guv'nor. The Lion Bell is bigger and sounds far better than the bell that originally came on the bike. It would not surprise me if Pashley started fitting English crafted Lion Bells to their bicycles as standard in the near future. 



Until next time...safe riding.

James

Vintage Brooks B17 Champion Sprinter Saddle

As you can see from my previous posts I'm a big fan of Brooks (England) leather saddles. I particularly like the combination of leather and steel in any bicycle saddle. I also like how they can last a lifetime if they are treated well, and in lasting for so long the older vintage leather saddles also carry with them a bit of history too. 

I recently came across an old Brooks B17 Champion Sprinter saddle. It's a beautiful saddle and a rare find in Australia. It's been well cared for and barely used as evidenced by its excellent condition. Here is the saddle below...

The saddle measures 280mm in length and is 110mm at its widest point toward the rear. It has a black enamelled steel frame and rails that have lost only a little enamel. The rails are fitted with the original chromed seatpost clamp. The metal frame underneath the saddle has no stampings or markings on it of any kind.

It has 3 steel rivets at the front of the saddle and 6 at the rear. The leather has a beautifully aged patina and carries a couple of small nicks and abrasions, it is mostly brown in color with a darker brown showing in places where the proofhide has soaked through the thickness of the saddle.

The leather is 4mm thick and the sides of the saddle are both stamped with the circular Brooks logo that reads "MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN....BROOKS....CHAMPION B17 SPRINTER" as can be seen in the first photograph.

On the underside of the saddle is a date code of some type that has been branded into the leather. Each letter is about 10mm in height and black in colour. Here is the code:              

                                                        A P

                                                        I  A

                                                        2  1

At this point I have not been able to decipher the code and would welcome any thoughts that may solve the mystery! It's the old style of coding and due to the company changing ownership over the years I understand that Brooks no longer have the information available to decipher the codes. 

The rear name plate is fantastic. Its made from brass and is held to the leather by small copper rivets. It has lost a little of its paint which is consistant with its age. 

I've done a little research on the saddle and based on the styling of the name plate and the oval shaped Brooks logo on the side of the saddle I would imagine that this saddle was manufactured in the early 1950's, however I would be happy to be corrected.

I have had a browse through the various Brooks catalogues and found the first mention of a Brooks B17 Champion Sprinter model was in the 1925 catalogue as below:

All catalogues that I have seen from 1925 to 1957 carry the "Sprinter" model. Unfortunately the illustrations of the B17 Sprinter model in the various catalogues are all very average. The 1957 catalogue also carries an image of the Sprinter model, however this image is of a model more 'modern' than the one I have pictured. The extracts from the 1957 Brooks catalogue are below:

If you have a vintage Brooks B17 Champion Sprinter saddle please email to me any images of your saddle that I can add to another post in the near future. Any date code assistance for older Brooks saddles would also be appreciated ....

Until then, safe riding.

James

Carradice Zipped Roll

I've been going on some longer rides recently and found that my normal saddle bag was just a little too small.

I normally carry one of the middle sized Topeak saddlebags that are well designed and very good, but they only carry the bare basics.....being a couple of spare tubes, a small multi tool, tyre levers, a rear light, and some cash.

I wanted a saddle bag that would carry a little bit more without being too ugly or too big. Apart from the basics I wanted a saddlebag that would also fit a foldable spare 700C tyre, a small first aid kit, and some snacks.

After looking in bike shops and on the internet I spyed the Carradice range of saddlebags. They are made from a waterproofed heavy cotton duck fabric that is very durable. In particular I saw the "Carradice Zipped Roll" saddlebag pictured below. This saddlebag was the perfect size for my needs!

  



The black version with white leather straps.







The green version with honey leather straps.



These saddlebags are fantastic for many reasons:

They fit to saddles or handlebars with 3 sumptuous leather straps - two for the saddle loops or  handlebar and one to go around the seatpost or stem.

2 litre capacity.

The main enclosure is zipped - very secure - with a pre-stud flap over the top to keep out the rain.

They are made from bulletproof heavy cotton duck fabric which is waterproof.

Has a reflective logo for extra visibility in the dark.

14cm cm diameter x 30cm wide

Weight 310g

Carradice have been making cycle bags for 70 years so they've had plenty of time to get this bag right....

I bought a black version that fitted the colour schemes of the bikes I have, although the green version is just as nice. I got mine from a bicycle store in the UK and had it shipped to my front door for about AU$50....so it was really good value too!

The leather strapping is very nice, the leather is very thick and will last for ever! The thick cotton waterproofed fabric is very robust and will also last a lifetime. The metal Carradice badge on the top of the bag is a really good finish to a great product.

Here are some images of the Carradice Zipped Roll on my road bike.

Having ridden with the bag on a couple of longer rides I've found that the bag is perfect. It's a little bit bigger, so I can carry the extra items I mentioned with ease. It's a durable bag that is easy to open, and looks great.

The only drawback with the saddlebag is that the saddle must have saddlebag loops. This is OK for me because I have Brooks saddles on my bikes, and all of the Brooks saddles have the loops that are needed. But don't despair......Carradice have got this covered!

For a little extra you can buy a pair of Cyclo saddlebag loops that simply bolt onto the seat rail on the underside of any saddle. Here is a pic below...

The loops are lightweight, look good, and are easy to fit to any saddle.

I'm very happy with the Carradice Zipped Roll....a little bit bigger, a little bit better, easy to use and very stylish! The perfect choice for your vintage bike or your modern road bike. There is more info at http://www.carradice.co.uk/ where you can see the large range of Carradice products for sale.

Until next time....safe riding.

James

My 1972 Raleigh Super Course - Part 2

I've finally finished building my 1972 Raleigh Super Course!! It's taken a while but it's all together now and is running like clockwork.

After looking at the factory specs from a 1972 Raleigh catalogue I obtained most of the manufacturers original equipment as NOS (new old stock) parts through eBay. I did, however, make a slight deviation from the original specs when it came to the gearing system. I wanted something more reliable than the original Simplex 10 speed system that is clunky at best. 

Although not original, I chose to use another Shimano 600 'Arabesque' groupset for this bike. It's a fantastic early 1980's groupset that I've had success with on other builds. Although it's a 30 year old groupset it's smooth, reliable, stylish, and the parts are still relatively easy to obtain. It's easy to fit and adjust and compliments any build with it's good looks. 

To be true to the original specs I tried retaining the original chromed steel Stronglight cranks and chainwheels. I paired them with the Shimano Arabesque front and rear derailleurs but the chromed cranks and chainrings did not drive the chain accurately enough. The 52T chainwheel moved about a fair bit (laterally) and was not ideally suited to the Arabesque front derailleur so I had to remove the original Stronglight cranks and replaced them with an Arabesque equivalent. 

Here are some pics of the build....  



Drive side view.



Weinmann Vainqueur 750 centre pull front brake.

Carlton chromed fork lugs and original Carlton decal.

A 1970's Brooks B17 Champion Narrow saddle.

Weinmann Vainqueur 750 centre pull rear brake.



Nervex lugs and Carlton seat bolt.

 

Weinmann brake levers with white rubber hoods.





GB stem and Sakae Royal (England) handlebars - 42 cm width.



Shimano 600 "Arabesque' rear derailleur.

Shimano 600 "Arabesque" front derailleur.





Brooks saddle with a Brooks 'Made in England' saddle clamp.

Panasonic Panaracer Pasela tan wall tyres.



Weinmann Vainqueur brakes - as smooth as silk!



The coffee coloured paint work in the winter sun.

The bike has 27 x 1 1/4 Velocity aluminium boxed rims that are laced to Shimano 600 hubs, both front and rear. I've fitted those fantastic Panasonic Panaracer Pasela tan walled tyres.....althought they are hard to source in Australia they are very nice tyres and well worth the effort no matter where you live.

After initial adjustments to the brakes and gearing systems the bike now runs beautifully. I have taken it on a couple of group rides already and had no problems keeping up with the other riders. Although the bike is quite heavy it is still a pleasure to ride. The Reynolds 531 tubing is very smooth and absorbs most of the impact from uneven road surfaces. 

I am very surprised with the efficiency of the Weinmann Vainqueur 999 centre pull brakes. It was a bit difficult adjusting them correctly at first, but once adjusted they work really well. Their braking capabilities are very sure and predictable. When softer rubber pads are fitted they also stop well in the wet.....very impressive!!

I have some holidays now and so I am looking forward to clocking up a few miles on the Super Course.

Until next time, ride safe.

James