1920's path racer project.

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robsa

Über Member
Location
chesterfield
Re knees hitting handlebars, are you still using the seat post that's on the picture? Perhaps if you used a straight up one instead of that it may bring your position back a couple of inch, might be as simple a fix as tgat
 
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shadaboot27

shadaboot27

Senior Member
Location
Bedfordshire UK
Re knees hitting handlebars, are you still using the seat post that's on the picture? Perhaps if you used a straight up one instead of that it may bring your position back a couple of inch, might be as simple a fix as tgat

I'm going to try and preposition the saddle and see if that helps but I'd like to keep the seat post if i can as that's another one of the things i really like about the bike.
 
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shadaboot27

shadaboot27

Senior Member
Location
Bedfordshire UK
I moved the saddle back, now it fits me quite well :smile: I'm still considering selling it though as its not in the best of conditions. I'm starting a bicycle collection again as I sold off all my old bikes a year ago, and I like them to all be in very good original condition. Although this all works and rides fine the condition doesn't live up to my very high standards. I think it will be on eBay tomorrow.
 
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shadaboot27

shadaboot27

Senior Member
Location
Bedfordshire UK
I am tempted to keep the Hercules Path racer, but if i do I'm going to go for a full restoration. Does anyone know roughly how much it would cost to get all the parts re-nickle plated? I can do the prep (de-rusting and smoothing) just want to know if it's ridiculously expensive or not? If i keep it i want to re-nickle plate everything, and re-paint the frame and put replica decals on which I have already sourced.
 

robsa

Über Member
Location
chesterfield
You used to be able to buy home diy nickel plating kits in the classic motorcycle magazines.
Mind you, that was a few years ago and elf an safety might have put the kibosh on that
 
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shadaboot27

shadaboot27

Senior Member
Location
Bedfordshire UK
If i could get it all plated for under £100 then I'm game. If not im going to sell it and hope to find a better condition one.
 
U

User42423

Guest
Well, this is a shame, but this was a very short lived project. I no longer need to make a replica path racer, as I have just bought a real one, and a very nice one too I'm chuffed to bits with it. The only problem is I have to drive 150 mile to get it and 150 back. Still worth it though it's beautiful and rare as hell. Anyway, I will be breaking this BSA up and selling the parts so let me know if you guys want to buy anything off it. Heres the beauty I just bought:


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Well, what an interesting machine. Looking at the lamp bracket, it appears to be a circa 1930s Hercules Light roadster.
 
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User42423

Guest
I got this 1920's BSA for free. It's in a very poor state and everything on it was totally seized. Because it's in such bad condition and it has a few original parts missing (and because it was free) I have decided to make it into a replica early path racer.

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It does look totally f***ed but it is all solid and can definitely be saved. There is no rot holes or any structural damage to worry about. Just lots and lots and lots and lots of rust! After a LOT of hard work and WD-40 I managed to totally strip it down, the bottom bracket and cranks were a nightmare but I got there in the end. I'm going to go all black, with cream tyres and drop racing rod brake handlebars (if I can get hold of some). The frame is absolutely huge at 26'' and so are the wheels at 28''. Luckily I'm very tall so this is a good thing. If you don't know what a path racer is here's a few pictures:

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This will be a very slow project as I can only work on it here and there while not at work. But watch this thread for updates on progress.

Looking at your images on page, it looks like all the bright-work (bars, brakes, chain-wheel) are chromed?. If so, this is more likely to be 1930s, than 1920s. Can I ask what make the 3-speed is?.


 
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