Claud Butler bike from around 1950

[thelordgiveth]

New poster here.

My late father was a very keen cyclist in his younger years but I suspect his serious cycling came to an end around 1949 when my sister arrived in this world. Clearing out his garage last year, I could not bring myself to place his old bicycle in the skip. It is a Claud Butler bike from the days when it wasn't someone else's brand. It has Sturmer Archer 3 speed gears and a Brooks saddle. It carries the serial number 731687. I have a vague memory of my father saying it was special in some way, but I have no idea what - and I could just be misremembering.

It is not in good condition, having been in a garage for at least 40 years. The tyres have blown, naturally, and the original light blue (believe it or not) paintwork on the frame is (at best) speckled with rust. However, I was able to wheel it back half a mile from his house to mine without anything jamming or dropping off.

I have included one photo. I have a few more, not of very good quality, I am afraid. But it would be nice to know what exactly what model it is. My guess would be that it was a post-war purchase (though not very post-war) but it is possible that it is pre-war, as my father cycled the length and breadth of the country in those years.

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[rhm]

There is a date on the Sturmey Archer hub, as well as a model code. The most common hub is an AW, for example; so a pre-war AW hub has a date like AW 9 (for 1939) or AW 0 (for 1940). After the war they changed to two-digit date codes, so AW 48 means 1948. There will be one or two more digits to indicate the month. A fine bicycle like this would probably have a more exotic variety of hub, such as an AM or ASC, or a four speed hub such as FW or FM. The date code would work the same.

From the little I can see, it appears you have a Lauterwasser style handlebar, or something similar, which perhaps points to a pre-war date. That handlebar alone can bring 100-200 gbp on ebay (if I'm right, that is; and it's very hard to tell).

My point is only that yes, the bike has some value, so it is definitely good you didn't toss it. If you want to keep it and use it, I'm sure there are many on this forum who will gladly offer useful advice. If you aren't inclined to keep it, I would suggest you offer it for sale just as it is, as a "barn find". I'm sure it is a highly desirable machine and the person who wants it will want to clean it him/herself. I don't know what this forum's rules are, about offering appraisals; and anyway, I can't see enough of your bike to have any idea. But if you look at ebay you will get a pretty good idea.

I, for one, would appreciate some more photos.

 

[mistral]

Try these for more info, please let me know if you decide to sell

http://www.nkilgariff.com/ClaudButler.html

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/claudbutler.html

 

[thelordgiveth]

There is a date on the Sturmey Archer hub, as well as a model code. The most common hub is an AW, for example; so a pre-war AW hub has a date like AW 9 (for 1939) or AW 0 (for 1940). After the war they changed to two-digit date codes, so AW 48 means 1948. There will be one or two more digits to indicate the month. A fine bicycle like this would probably have a more exotic variety of hub, such as an AM or ASC, or a four speed hub such as FW or FM. The date code would work the same.

From the little I can see, it appears you have a Lauterwasser style handlebar, or something similar, which perhaps points to a pre-war date. That handlebar alone can bring 100-200 gbp on ebay (if I'm right, that is; and it's very hard to tell).

My point is only that yes, the bike has some value, so it is definitely good you didn't toss it. If you want to keep it and use it, I'm sure there are many on this forum who will gladly offer useful advice. If you aren't inclined to keep it, I would suggest you offer it for sale just as it is, as a "barn find". I'm sure it is a highly desirable machine and the person who wants it will want to clean it him/herself. I don't know what this forum's rules are, about offering appraisals; and anyway, I can't see enough of your bike to have any idea. But if you look at ebay you will get a pretty good idea.

I, for one, would appreciate some more photos.

Thanks, rhm. Now I know what to look for, the Sturmey Archer hub carries the code AM47, which dates the bike to 1947, assuming nothing was replaced. The brake bracket at the front carries the name HIDUMINIUM, which I'd never heard of but which this interweb thingy tells me is an aluminium alloy, but also the name used by Reynolds for some of their brake products. (I'm just quoting all this stuff; my personal knowledge is close to zero.)

I have posted links to more pictures on a web page at http://mjcarchive.www.idnet.com/times/bike/bike_index.htm. They were all taken with a phone. I ought to get a proper camera out some time...

Mistral - thanks for the links. I'll look at them this evening, probably.

I really don't know what I am going to do with the bike but it would be a much more fitting memorial to my dad if someone was actually making use of it, even just for display, rather than deteriorating unused and unrenovated. I've also got his old CTC card, a route book (showing gradients etc.) and a pre-war notebook detailing all the B&Bs and youth hostels he had stayed at, with notes on bed, breakfast and the proprietors! I wonder whether any of the premises are still in use for that purpose? Some of the hostels survive, I dare say. But that's enough vicarious nostalgia for now.

 

[Fab Foodie]

It looks lugless which I'm assuming is quite special for those days.
The small rack is to support a saddlebag.
Would make a lovely restoration project for somebody sympathetic (I include Mistral in that)!

 

[AndyRM]

Lovely looking bike which could tell some tales if it were able I reckon!

The good folk over at retrobike.co.uk may be able to help out as well. Possibly a museum worthy piece when restored?

 

[rhm]

If you look closely at the brakes, I expect you will see the letters GB in a small circle near the end of the arm where the cable attaches. GB brakes are consistency with the 1947 date.
Please don't think too much about "restoration," a great deal of damage is done by well intended restoration. Cleaned up, properly greased, with new rubber and cables etc, I'm sure this bike would look stunning and there are many people who would love it, and love to ride it.

 

[rhm]

This page should tell you what your brakes are. I imagine with your lauterwasser handlebar you have the "touring" type levers.
http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/components/gb.html

Your photos are terrible (forgive me for mentioning it!) but I'd blame the lighting rather than the cell phone camera. If you can get the bike outside in bright light, I think you'll better. I would like to a photo of the crank from the right side, and also the gear shift lever ("trigger.")

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm loving this thread. And (please don't take this the wrong way) I'm really hoping for some better pics soon.

 

[Spokesmann]

Would love to see some be images.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

looks a lot like this bike from the '41 catalogue. from the frame number, it could be from '31 (the numbers mean month and year of order, then frame number) and have acquired the sturmey hub gears subsequently. note below that they were offered as an upgrade…

 

[rhm]

That is certainly true, that the 1947 hub, as well as the GB hiduminium brakes, could be upgrades to an older bike. The Lauterwasser handlebar is more typical of an older bike; by the late 40s a more modern looking bar such as a Maes bend was becoming more fashionable.
Another place to look for a date is on the crank. Each crank arm, as well as the chain ring, assuming they were made by Williams, should have a date stamping. Tiny little letters you have to look up on the internet, but they'll tell you when the chainset was made.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

the frame number of this is 511 127, and is known to be a 1951 claud butler olympic sprint. the numbering means it was ordered in november '51; i may have misinterpreted the date on the op's bike; it doesn't seem to work out...