1956 23'' Rudge Ulster Sports Project

[shadaboot27]

I've been searching for a 1950's racing bicycle recently, I bought a 1957 Raleigh Trent Sports a week ago but it was too small for me so I had to sell it. I then came across this 23'' 1956 Rudge Ulster Sports which is big enough for me so I will be restoring it. My aim is to keep it as original as possible using period parts.

The saddle is very tatty, the rear mudguard is broken, the bottom bracket axle is snapped, the chain wheel and one of the pedals is missing, the brake cables are seized and the gear lever is missing so I've got a lot of work to do!

This is the condition it was in when I bought it:


























I don't like the straight "tourist" style bars so I have taken the bars from my Trent as well as a few other parts, like longer seat post and front lamp which are exactly what this bike would of originally had anyway. I have spent all day stripping the bike and cleaning the parts and this is how it looks now:












I haven't cleaned the wheels yet but I will do that when I get new rims.

All I need to finish is:

A better condition Brooks saddle
A fluttered Rudge chainwheel
A rat trap pedal to match the other
A plastic bluemels rear mudguard
Tyres and tubes
New 26 x 1 1/4 Endrick rims
A 3 speed sturmey Archer gear lever
Double ended brake cables
And a longer stem

I will post my progress as soon as I make any, I can't wait to start riding this around on a hot summers day!

P.S if anyone on here has any of the parts that I need, let me know if you would like to sell them!

Cheers

 

[tyred]

Your chain is slack!

 

[shadaboot27]

This is an old thread I know, but it might become live again. I seriously regret selling this bike a year ago! These are seriously rare and I really want it back for part of my collection! I have tracked down the person that I sold it to and he still has it, I'm trying to convince him to sell it back to me. I really hope i can get it back as this is the only Rudge Ulster Sports that I have ever come across, they are much rarer than any Raleigh Lenton or Rudge path finder! He sent me some pictures of how it looks now, hes changed a few things, i will be putting it all back to original if i can get it back.

 

[Daddybus]

Good luck with that... it'll make a good partner to the pathracer

 

[shadaboot27]

Good luck with that... it'll make a good partner to the pathracer

Yea it will indeed! Then I will just need an Aero Clubman like yours then I'll have a complete fleet of Rudge racers! This Ulster has a lot of sentimental value too as this was the first bike I got in my old collection, it would be great to get it back. The guy says he has given it a "paint seal" which worries me a bit, I hope he hasn't lacquered it as that will ruin it in my opinion. Hopefully hes just waxed or oiled it. He said if he can find a new project he might sell it to me so I'm trying to find a bike for him that we could possibly do a swap on.