Claude butler

[Vintagekieron]

Hi all, does anyone know what this is. It's a 1962/63. It's got the olimpic rings on the front. 531 forks and Shimano titlist rear derailleur. Cheers Kieron.

 

[Cycleops]

Nice one. Likely the frame is 531 too.
Any numbers on the BB?

If the frame is 62/63 then the Titlist derailleur is a later edition from the early mid seventies.
Hello and to the forum.

 

[midlife]

Electron super 5 ?

Just a bit before my time

 

[Drago]

Difficult to say. The derailleur, shifter, brake calipers, etc aren't original for that era. The 531 decals on the forks aren't original as CB never placed them there in 1962 or 1963, so it may or may not be 531.

If we assume it is 531 (all models other than the Coureur and Super Coureur were 531 that year) then it is most likely a Challenge. This would fit with the location of the cable guides towards the underside of the top tube. Also, the Challenge was available in red, so while we'll never be certain I reckon thats a safe bet.

Can't be sure from the images, but are they Wolber rims? They'd be from a later bike as well. The frame, forks, chainset and possibly the stem/bars all appear original.

 

[biggs682]

Evening

I would suggest that is a mid 70's bike

 

[midlife]

Norman Kilgarrif has lots of info....

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

 

[Drago]

Evening

I would suggest that is a mid 70's bike

You can get an indication of the era by looking at the olympic decal on the frame. If its 5 colours on thrpe rings its late 70s or older After that it went 3 colours on the rings to save a few shekels on printing costs.

The decal on the frame has gold on the olympic ring, so its 5 colour, mid 70's or older.

 

[Smokin Joe]

From the paint job I'd go with @midlife's suggestion of an Electron. I bought a frame in 1969 ish and although not that colour it had that distinctive panel on the top tube, though the fork was not 531.

 

[Gunk]

I agree with @Drago it looks like a later bike. The colour scheme is too modern. This was my 1962 Super Coureur, as you can see the colour scheme and bands just look a bit more old fashioned.

 

[midlife]

Looking at the 1970 catalogue on the Kilgarrif site, the colours offered and braze ons (pump pegs on the top tube) still make me think of an Electron

 

[Drago]

It could be, although the chainset is from a Challenge.

 

[Gunk]

It could be, although the chainset is from a Challenge.

Looks like a Williams chainset

 

[Smokin Joe]

It could be, although the chainset is from a Challenge.

The frames were sold separately in addition to coming as a complete bike. Mine was hanging on a bike shop wall when I spotted it (Rory O'Briens, Manor Park), so the final build was a long way from the bikes as speced in the catalogue.

 

[Vintagekieron]

Difficult to say. The derailleur, shifter, brake calipers, etc aren't original for that era. The 531 decals on the forks aren't original as CB never placed them there in 1962 or 1963, so it may or may not be 531.

If we assume it is 531 (all models other than the Coureur and Super Coureur were 531 that year) then it is most likely a Challenge. This would fit with the location of the cable guides towards the underside of the top tube. Also, the Challenge was available in red, so while we'll never be certain I reckon thats a safe bet.

Can't be sure from the images, but are they Wolber rims? They'd be from a later bike as well. The frame, forks, chainset and possibly the stem/bars all appear original.

They are Mavic wheels but they are dated 73.

 

[Vintagekieron]

Looking at the 1970 catalogue on the Kilgarrif site, the colours offered and braze ons (pump pegs on the top tube) still make me think of an Electron

Hi, it's dated 62 underneath. Mavic wheels but they are dated 73.