One for Hetchins fans

[bobg]

http://www.thaimtb.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=70&t=217457&start=45

 

[monstadog]

Some lovely bikes on there

 

[biggs682]

mmm lovely

 

[raindog]

Never been a big Hetchins fan. My dad always said they were a bit poofterish
But he always swore by Chater Lea pedals/cranks and I've just seen a reference to them in that link

 

[bobg]

Never been a big Hetchins fan. My dad always said they were a bit poofterish
But he always swore by Chater Lea pedals/cranks and I've just seen a reference to them in that link

I had one ( not Curly though) in the 80's, but it got nicked. If I'm being honest I can't say it was miles better than bikes I've had since but I was young and wanted the name... Got a pair of immaculate 1930's Chater Lea stainless steel sprint pedals here which a friend got from a charity shop in a box of bits which included a new in packet 1960's Cinelli Road No1 stem !!! He won't part with the pedals, not surprising given that there's a pair of bearing dustcaps on E Bay for £150.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Can someone explain something please?

The duck egg blue 1943 Six-Day has "a fluted seat tube to shorten the wheelbase": I can't see what is meant by this.

 

[raindog]

Can someone explain something please?

The duck egg blue 1943 Six-Day has "a fluted seat tube to shorten the wheelbase": I can't see what is meant by this.

Don't know why, but I can't view the image, but presumably it's got a split seat tube like my Rory frame - see photo on the last page of the Rory O'Brien thread in here.

edit
OK, managed to view the photo, and there's no split tube, so it must have a groove on the backside of the seat tube so the wheel/tyre can be pushed up extra close. Shame they don't show it though.

 

[raindog]

I had one ( not Curly though) in the 80's, but it got nicked. If I'm being honest I can't say it was miles better than bikes I've had since but I was young and wanted the name... Got a pair of immaculate 1930's Chater Lea stainless steel sprint pedals here which a friend got from a charity shop in a box of bits which included a new in packet 1960's Cinelli Road No1 stem !!! He won't part with the pedals, not surprising given that there's a pair of bearing dustcaps on E Bay for £150.

Can't be alot of Chater stuff left in good nick - I suppose it's not surprising they fetch high prices.

 

[bobg]

Can someone explain something please?

The duck egg blue 1943 Six-Day has "a fluted seat tube to shorten the wheelbase": I can't see what is meant by this.

This Stephens has a split seat tube to shorten the wheelbase but I'd hardly describe it as fluted??

 

[raindog]

This Stephens has a split seat tube to shorten the wheelbase but I'd hardly describe it as fluted??

If you look at the photo of the Hetchins in question, you'll see that it doesn't have a split tube. I think it must be fluted or grooved behind - trouble is, that's hidden from view on the pic.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Thank you both.

"Fluted" threw me, I was thinking of fluted seat posts and couldn't understand how doing that to the seat tube would affect the wheelbase.

Being grooved to the rear makes sense but not showing it just adds to the confusion!

 

[raindog]

This Stephens has a split seat tube to shorten the wheelbase but I'd hardly describe it as fluted??

bobg - that's a pretty interesting bike - is it yours?

 

[Baggy]

Mr Hetchins' own bike is lovely!

 

[bobg]

It's a 1947 E Stephens and no not mine ( I wish) It belonged to Graham who runs this site and was for sale recently. It's a good forum, I recommend it. it specializes in hub geared bikes, hence the name. It's not moderated and you can speak your mind within reason, they're a nice and very helpful bunch of blokes. No women members yet as far as I know.
http://graham.hopto.org/tctforum/index.php?board=19.0

 

[Psyclist]

Stunning bikes. Give me a minute, I'll find another thread with some nice bikes.