Help needed identifying an old Claud Butler

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CaptainWheezy

Über Member
Location
Chesterfield
Hi All,

When my elderly neighbour (a keen cyclist in his youth) passed away, his daughters began clearing his flat, and found various bike bits in his loft that fortunately for me they just gave to me. One of the items is a frame & forks that are decal'd up as being a Claud Butler. However, it appears to have had a poor respray at some point before being abandoned as a project (I think he was turning it into a fixie given the wheels they found with it) and as such doesn't have any markings as to what model it is. I also don't know if the decals applied after the respray are correct. I've had a read of various sites that show old brochures etc but have failed to identify it or even figure out what year it is. Could anyone help ?

IMG_20170328_191308_zps6ncvwydg.jpg


The frame number on the forks matches that of the frame (21492):
IMG_20170328_190727_zpsfsnrc9b7.jpg


IMG_20170328_191726_zpsuaapc6fa.jpg


IMG_20170328_191510_zpsi4g7auu6.jpg

IMG_20170328_191500_zpsx3gj6tfl.jpg
IMG_20170328_191451_zpssyshoqqy.jpg

IMG_20170328_191438_zpswwfnml1e.jpg

IMG_20170328_191433_zpsbsa4du7q.jpg

IMG_20170328_191413_zpsygmkmn5o.jpg

IMG_20170328_191355_zpsbdfpicz0.jpg

IMG_20170328_191345_zps7xjwmxwc.jpg


The head tube appears to have had a hole plugged before being resprayed, but the bit of wood used to plug it fell out when I removed the forks so I suspect it had a proper rivet on head badge at some point.
IMG_20170328_191335_zps5cxesen5.jpg

IMG_20170328_191318_zpselrrbsxg.jpg

IMG_20170325_205540_zpsy0xiarhu.jpg

IMG_20170325_205448_zpssmrovmtp.jpg

IMG_20170325_205438_zpsqine0qig.jpg

IMG_20170325_205414_zpsfxdzmnmf.jpg

IMG_20170325_205403_zpsfj5tcexd.jpg

Thanks in advance for any help!
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
The lugs, crown and dropouts look to my uneducated eye like a Universal-family frame instead of a Holdsworth/Falcon-family one, but the rear brake bridge seems too slick and is that a filler cap on the BB shell? That may be distinctive and prove me wrong.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Decals shown were available for a short time only on their bikes. "The Austerity Games" if I remember correctly.

Check the rear dropouts for any markings, as well as under the clamp on the seat tube.

Is that 63, below & slightly to the left of 21492?
 
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CaptainWheezy

Über Member
Location
Chesterfield
Decals shown were available for a short time only on their bikes. "The Austerity Games" if I remember correctly.

Check the rear dropouts for any markings, as well as under the clamp on the seat tube.

Is that 63, below & slightly to the left of 21492?

Thanks, although I'm not certain that they're the original decals, certainly the head badge is suspect.

I believe its actually C B that's stamped near the numbers, and appears both on the steerer and under the bottom bracket, its just not very clear in the photo's.

Not seen any markings on the dropouts, will take a look under the seat clamp, thanks.
 

Ian H

Ancient randonneur
I think grease nipples on bottom bracket shells and head tubes had pretty much disappeared by the end of the 60s.
 
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CaptainWheezy

Über Member
Location
Chesterfield
Thanks for the information so far folks, its all greatly appreciated.

I'll measure the dropout spacing next time I'm in the garage.

The lugs seem to match the ones in this catalogue from 1954 (C.B Competitor Lugs):
Features.jpg


and the Tour of Britain lugs in the 1956 catalogue:
FrameFeatures.jpg


however, the pump locating pins on my frame appear to be in the wrong place for either of those 2 models. It seems from the site referenced that CB folded soon afterwards and then it gets a bit more difficult to identify models and lugs used. Its a shame that that website doesn't provide any information on how to work backwards given the frame number :sad:
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, 1956?
First part from the decals. Olympic Rings, 1957 the latest for those.
cbos.jpg
 

midlife

Guru
Thanks for the information so far folks, its all greatly appreciated.

I'll measure the dropout spacing next time I'm in the garage.

The lugs seem to match the ones in this catalogue from 1954 (C.B Competitor Lugs):
View attachment 351700

and the Tour of Britain lugs in the 1956 catalogue:
View attachment 351701

however, the pump locating pins on my frame appear to be in the wrong place for either of those 2 models. It seems from the site referenced that CB folded soon afterwards and then it gets a bit more difficult to identify models and lugs used. Its a shame that that website doesn't provide any information on how to work backwards given the frame number :sad:

Slightly off topic but that tiny frame showing your lugs were a way of showing off the artistry in something that could be taken from shop to shop in a briefcase :smile:

Not seen one in the flesh for years lol

Shaun
 
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CaptainWheezy

Über Member
Location
Chesterfield
Hi All,

I'm pretty sure there is another filled hole on the head tube, so the original badge would have been riveted on. I also measured the rear dropout spacing as 120mm.

The Photo above does look quite alike, however there are a few subtle differences with my frame. For one, the forks are different, and also the head tube on mine is much longer.

Also, looking at the brochure page for the Olympic Sprint model, it should have different dropouts on the back so I'm not sure that bike is even an Olympic Sprint:
Sprints.jpg


I've spent ages staring at photo's of frames on google and the one thing that stands out is the design of the fork crown on mine seems not to match most of those I see elsewhere. Perhaps if I can find another bike with the same forks I will have a better idea of its age! Thanks for the help so far anyway!
 
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