Good buy or sound investment?

[davidphilips]

Dont know if i have just made a very costly silly or just bought the bike i have wanted since i was a young boy just paid for it ? 1949 Hobbs Of Barbican Blue Riband Reynolds 531 24"/60cm Frame, Simplex Etc
Bought on ebay was any one else watching it?


Any one have a view on if i have paid to much and bought a lemon or a sound investment?
Views welcome,

 

[T4tomo]

if you've wanted it since you were a young un, then whatever u paid is good value..i doubt it will make you tlrich investment wise, but I don't think that's why u bought it

 

[Cycleops]

Hobbs of Barbican bikes are much sought after maybe for the same reason as yours.

As above, I don't think investment was foremost in your mind!

Looks like a lovely bike.

 

[nonowt]

I had an eye on it! Too small for me but it's a lovely looking machine so I was just keeping a look out of interest as I'm trying to stop buying bikes that are too small (just because they seem cheap or I feel sorry for them ).

I think the price was fair - if you were to buy a similar frame and build it up yourself it could cost double. It would also cost double from one of the vintage bike dealers. It doesn't look to need much work and if it's not all you dreamed off after all, even in todays crazy vintage market I can't see you having much trouble selling it on and at least getting your money back.

Let me know how you get on with the Simplex Juy 51 - I'm currently cleaning up a set for a '53 Ellis Briggs I'm rebuilding. It's way too small but it seemed cheap and I felt sorry for it....

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Looks very nice. Of course it'll need another bike around to stop it getting lonely...

 

[davidphilips]

Looks very nice. Of course it'll need another bike around to stop it getting lonely...

LOL, Dont worry it wont be lonely down to 8 bikes at the moment but this one will make 9.

&nonowt will let you know as soon as i arrives and has had it maiden voyage with myself, hopefully its one to keep.

 

[davidphilips]

Question ? Anybody know (or guess) this bike was advertised as a 1949 Hobbs blue ruband, i have been told by a friend that blue rubands where only made from 1950 and they all had the blue ruband logo on them, so is this a blue ruband? Does not matter to much as i have bought it and intend to keep/use it when it arrives, many thanks for views and advice.

 

[davidphilips]

quick update, Hobbs arrived today seems ok apart from having tubular tyres/wheels dont know if they are original but would be very wary of taking it out for a long run.

Only yesterday i ended up walking over 15 miles when a new tyres (victoria rubina) bead parted company with the side wall what should have been a leisurely cycle home turned into a 4 hour walk.

@nonowt find the front simplex derailleur easy to change down to the small ring but a bit of a fiddle to move back to the big ring.

So for me its either look for new (old) wheels or perhaps fill with slim?

Just thinking anyone want to swamp, a set of tubs for clinchers?

 

[rogerzilla]

Original tubs will probably be no good by now if they have latex tubes; these don't last for ever. Just stick some new tubs on. You can get cheap ones; ok, they'll be slower than wired-on tyres but may still work out lighter as a wheel package. Tub rims are extremely light; I built some tub wheels for my 60s Harry Quinn track bike and they are about half a pound per wheel lighter than directly comparable wired-on wheels with tyres of the same quality.

Obviously you have to carry a spare tub when out riding* but it is quicker to change a tub than to replace a tube.

*unless it's a short ride; you can get away with riding slowly on a deflated tubular because it won't come off the rim