Toledo Cycles London N18 - Anyone know anything about them?

[raindog]

-the lugs seem to be typical Nervex, they match all of the pictures I've been able to find and the bottom bracket is stamped "NERVEX".
The drop-outs are stamped "CYCLO" and the seat-stay tops are a nice, double-fluted design that I haven't seen before.

The lugs are indeed Nervex Professional - I've got the same on my Rory O'Brien along with the double fluted tops of the seat stays. I'm surprised no one's come up with an explanation of the name though. Pubrunner might be able to shed some light on it, but I've not noticed him around for a while.

 

[biggs682]

t100martin , many thanks for sharing those glorious pics , any further decisions

 

[pubrunner]

Pubrunner might be able to shed some light on it, but I've not noticed him around for a while.

Pubrunner's baffled, I'm afraid !

From the pics, what I can say, is that it looks like a very good quality frame - I think, from the (early)50s. All that I can suggest, is that a similar query is placed on the Retrobike. It might be worth joining the V-CC, to see if you can find out anything more - if you wish (pm me if you do), I could contact the Marque specialist for the London builders, to see if he can tell (me) you anything more. Another source of info., might be the cycle museum at Llandrindod Wells.

Since you know of the (approx.) area of London where the frame is from, it might be worth contacting a local newspaper, to see if they would run a feature on it - asking for information.

Of course, it is quite possible (likely) that Toledo Cycles were merely the retailer and not the builder of the frame.

If it were mine, I'd do everything to retain the bike's identity - it is obviously very rare indeed. It is the kind of bike that would garner a considerable amount of interest at an old bike meet. It is a 'mystery' bike, but I think that you'll have a lot of fun, that trying to solve the puzzle.

 

[t100martin]

Don't know anything about the company but the style of the Crown is George VI and with the Olympic logo that dates it to just after the 2nd World War.

Thanks for the feedback on the crown. If you look closely at the emblem, the cross that (in my opinion) should be in the centre, on top of the orb has been displaced to the left. Is this just a botched attempt at fixing the transfer, or is there more detail of the crown that is missing?

 

[pubrunner]

Interestingly, I've just spotted another for sale :

http://static.lfgss.com/attachments/60282d1351963304-dsc01385.jpg

http://www.lfgss.com/thread96062.html

Did you find anything more about your frame/toledo cycles ?

 

[raindog]

60 quid - bit of bargain I'd say

 

[t100martin]

Interestingly, I've just spotted another for sale :
Did you find anything more about your frame/toledo cycles ?

This looks familiar, I'm sure it was listed on Ebay a couple of months ago.
I've had no progress with the Toledo brand, but I did locate somebody who'd owned one many years ago.
I tried contacting a couple of cycling clubs in the N18 area, but no response as yet.
The bike is rebuilt now. It was a project to keep my busy while I recuperate from a motor accident. Unfortunately, my recovery hasn't gone to plan and I've still got a long wait before I can try it out.

 

[pubrunner]

This looks familiar, I'm sure it was listed on Ebay a couple of months ago.
I've had no progress with the Toledo brand, but I did locate somebody who'd owned one many years ago.
I tried contacting a couple of cycling clubs in the N18 area, but no response as yet.
The bike is rebuilt now. It was a project to keep my busy while I recuperate from a motor accident. Unfortunately, my recovery hasn't gone to plan and I've still got a long wait before I can try it out.

Yes, I think that it was on Ebay; in fact it is still for sale for £60. Had it been in as good condition as yours, I'd have been very tempted. I'd love something 'different' like that; Missus wouldn't be too happy, though !

Best of luck with your recovery/recuperation following your motor accident. Hopefully, you'll get riding again and the rebuild will all seem worthwhile.

 

[John1948]

I just bought a nice lightweight bike with a "Reynolds 531 Butted Frame Tubes". It's very nicely made, with Nervex lugs and transfers on the steerer and seat tubes>
I'd like to know more about this company, if anyone has the information.

My dad bought me a metallic orange toledo bike from a bike shop in lewisham around 1960 for £26. It had a beautifully made reynolds 531 frame and the same lugs as fitted to the better frames sold by Youngs which was the then de rigure racing bike manufacturer, but was equipped with cheap benelux five speed deraillier and side pull brakes. I therefore spents my 4 years or so of ownership saving pocket money to gradually upgrade it with campag gears and qr hubs etc before selling it (to the youngs shop in Hither Green) to buy a motorbike on my 16th birthday. I saw another New toledo for sale in a small bike shop in Peckham that had no relationship with the shop where my dad bought my bike so I guess that 'toledo' was the manufacturer rather than the retailer.
John1948

 

[t100martin]

At last! I have some details!
Just to save confusion, I originally posted this thread as t100martin, but for some reason I'm unable to access my account.
Anyway, I've found out quite a lot about Toledo Cycles;

I posted an enquiry to the nice people at the National Cycle Collection;- http://www.cyclemuseum.org.uk/
Within a few days of my enquiry, Scotford Lawrence of NCC wrote back with a scanned image from Cycling Magazine of 15th August 1962.
It's a road test by 'Nimrod' of a Toledo road bike.
Toledo cycles were made by Newington Engineering Co. Ltd. of 29 Angel Factory Colony, Edmonton. The article has a details of the design of the bike, priced at £26 19s 6d! and an account of a test ride around the Chilterns.
I've uploaded the article along with pictures of the frame as it was when I bought it and with all the paint stripped off, ready for a fresh coat. Pictures of the bike in its' restored form are to follow:-
http://s1246.photobucket.com/user/t100martin/library/Toledo%20Bike?sort=2&page=1
I'd like to get hold of an original copy of the magazine. Are there any collectors or dealers out there who might have a copy?

 

[t100martin]

In case you were confused by the last post, I now have access to my original 't100martin' account, so all of my posts will now show that username.
I hope that makes sense!