Oldfentiger
Veteran
- Location
- Pendle, Lancs
Test ride done and very pleased with how it rides.
Rotrax finished!
- Thread starter Oldfentiger
- Start date
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Test ride done and very pleased with how it rides.
Lavender Rose
Specialized Fan Girl
- Location
- Ashford, Kent
Should attach a before photo - or the thread showing the original state 
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Nice work indeed. Also nice to see someone else who wraps their bars the olde fashioned way from top to bottom.
OP
OP
Oldfentiger
Veteran
- Location
- Pendle, Lancs
Photos supplied by the vendor:
After and before
Lavender Rose
Specialized Fan Girl
- Location
- Ashford, Kent
OMG! the difference is incredible! You should be very proud 
OP
OP
Oldfentiger
Veteran
- Location
- Pendle, Lancs
Thank you. I hasten to add that I can’t take credit for the paint finishing. This was done by the vendor- he sent it to C & G Finishes in Liverpool. I bought the frame ready painted.OMG! the difference is incredible! You should be very proud
Lavender Rose
Specialized Fan Girl
- Location
- Ashford, Kent
BromptonChrispy
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Chester, Earth.
Good point. Is one way superior to the other? I understand the grip/direction thing but top to bottom? hmmmmm.
OP
OP
Oldfentiger
Veteran
- Location
- Pendle, Lancs
I do it that way mainly because I don’t like to finish the job with a bit of sticky tape.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I prefer the olds fashioned way, simply because it looks neater without the wrap of finishing tape at the top, and is good for an extra 3 or 4 MPH.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Very nice. 
OP
OP
Oldfentiger
Veteran
- Location
- Pendle, Lancs
I guess the purists among you may be tutting, because it doesn't look much like a 1949 bike any more.
Here's why I took the route I did:
The vendor had this frame labelled as 1960's, which is why it has been stickered as such by the refinisher. Subsequent researching of the frame number reveals 1949 manufacture.
Frame no 49458, the first two digits denote year.
I think therefore that the decals are wrong for the actual year of manufacture, being of the later style.
I then thought about what I want from the bike once finished. Do I want a museum piece, or something to ride?
Of course I'm gonna ride it, and it's hilly around these parts.
Apart from anything else, anyone tried to source circa 1950 parts, in decent or restorable condition? If you can find the parts the prices are crippling. Also, stuff didn't perform as well back in those days. Eg. narrow choice of gears and crap brakes.
So, decision made, I'll build it up using decent kit, but no more recent than mid 1980's. At least I'll retain the "vintage" riding experience.
For the hills around here I decided that a triple chainwheel could be an asset. I had to cold set the rear dropouts from 115mm to 120mm so that I could fit a 6 speed freewheel. The Campy Chorus derailleurs work nicely too.
I won a nice Galli brake set on the auction. Unfortunately the calipers don't have enough drop
. Mental note to check more carefully before I buy calipers again.
So I bought some GB Courer calipers which do have enough drop, so at least I have some braking now.
I'm pleased with the finished article. It's nice to ride and I can use it around here.
ETA: And then there was the bottom bracket. Some odd thread that I couldn't identify and research came up empty too. May have been summat exclusive to Chater Lea, but that's guessing. Threadless BB to the rescue!
Here's why I took the route I did:
The vendor had this frame labelled as 1960's, which is why it has been stickered as such by the refinisher. Subsequent researching of the frame number reveals 1949 manufacture.
Frame no 49458, the first two digits denote year.
I think therefore that the decals are wrong for the actual year of manufacture, being of the later style.
I then thought about what I want from the bike once finished. Do I want a museum piece, or something to ride?
Of course I'm gonna ride it, and it's hilly around these parts.
Apart from anything else, anyone tried to source circa 1950 parts, in decent or restorable condition? If you can find the parts the prices are crippling. Also, stuff didn't perform as well back in those days. Eg. narrow choice of gears and crap brakes.
So, decision made, I'll build it up using decent kit, but no more recent than mid 1980's. At least I'll retain the "vintage" riding experience.
For the hills around here I decided that a triple chainwheel could be an asset. I had to cold set the rear dropouts from 115mm to 120mm so that I could fit a 6 speed freewheel. The Campy Chorus derailleurs work nicely too.
I won a nice Galli brake set on the auction. Unfortunately the calipers don't have enough drop
. Mental note to check more carefully before I buy calipers again.So I bought some GB Courer calipers which do have enough drop, so at least I have some braking now.
I'm pleased with the finished article. It's nice to ride and I can use it around here.
ETA: And then there was the bottom bracket. Some odd thread that I couldn't identify and research came up empty too. May have been summat exclusive to Chater Lea, but that's guessing. Threadless BB to the rescue!
Last edited:
biggs682
Touch it up and ride it
- Location
- Northamptonshire
@Oldfentiger that looks very good indeed well done
still on 27" i see
my one has been resting for a while whilst i decide to sell or not as it really could do with the wheels rebuilding and like you found out it could do with a more age period crankset than the 80's Falcon one , i only have one brazed on lever boss so don't really want to use a band on double lever one and leave the brazed one sitting there unused
lets hope you enjoy it as much as i do mine when i ride it
still on 27" i see
my one has been resting for a while whilst i decide to sell or not as it really could do with the wheels rebuilding and like you found out it could do with a more age period crankset than the 80's Falcon one , i only have one brazed on lever boss so don't really want to use a band on double lever one and leave the brazed one sitting there unused
lets hope you enjoy it as much as i do mine when i ride it
Nigel-YZ1
Guru
- Location
- Somewhere else... maybe soon.
It's a beauty
And I'm going to keep the bar pic so I can copy it when I tape the Carlton's bars.
And I'm going to keep the bar pic so I can copy it when I tape the Carlton's bars.
further
Guru
- Location
- Glastonbury Somerset
It's the same age as me, but in much better condition, well done.
