In 1970, or thereabouts, I bought myself a second-hand bike from a local bike shop in an Essex town where I lived at the time. I rode it regularly in and around Essex and Kent - it was my main mode of transport at the time. Once I learned to drive, the bike was retired to the garden shed, with occasional outings.
I had always thought it was a bit special, having a Nitor saddle, particularly decorative lugs, Weinmann brakes and wheels, with quick-release hubs and Campagnolo gears, with the derailleur lever mounted on the end of the right-hand handlebar. The rear derailleur is a Campagnolo Gran Sport. There was no badge or name on the frame at all.
It also had a 10-speed chainset with the two chainrings having a very closely paired gear ratio. In fact, there was little to chose between one and the other. This made me suspect that the bike had been built for a specific sporting event.
I replaced the chainring to one more suited to average road use, and will try to find the original.
Anyway, time moves on, and I was about to take the bike to the local dump a couple of weeks ago, when I noticed the stamp 3604 LE under the bottom bracket, so I Googled it, curious to see if anything came up.
I have now identified the frame as one built by Les Ephgrave, probably in the early to mid 1960s.
I now wish to sell the bike in order to fund the purchase of a new bike for myself to use in my retirement.
So I would like to ask those in this group their opinion, whether I should strip the components from the frame and sell each item seperately, or should I sell the bike 'as is'?
Unfortunately, the rear wheel is not original as it was damaged after I lent the bike to my brother-in-law one day who rode it along a pavement and dropped off the kerb onto the road :-(
The front wheel and brake calipers (Weinmann) have become a bit corroded having been stored in a shed for many years, but I would think they would respond to buffing.
I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks,
Paul
I had always thought it was a bit special, having a Nitor saddle, particularly decorative lugs, Weinmann brakes and wheels, with quick-release hubs and Campagnolo gears, with the derailleur lever mounted on the end of the right-hand handlebar. The rear derailleur is a Campagnolo Gran Sport. There was no badge or name on the frame at all.
It also had a 10-speed chainset with the two chainrings having a very closely paired gear ratio. In fact, there was little to chose between one and the other. This made me suspect that the bike had been built for a specific sporting event.
I replaced the chainring to one more suited to average road use, and will try to find the original.
Anyway, time moves on, and I was about to take the bike to the local dump a couple of weeks ago, when I noticed the stamp 3604 LE under the bottom bracket, so I Googled it, curious to see if anything came up.
I have now identified the frame as one built by Les Ephgrave, probably in the early to mid 1960s.
I now wish to sell the bike in order to fund the purchase of a new bike for myself to use in my retirement.
So I would like to ask those in this group their opinion, whether I should strip the components from the frame and sell each item seperately, or should I sell the bike 'as is'?
Unfortunately, the rear wheel is not original as it was damaged after I lent the bike to my brother-in-law one day who rode it along a pavement and dropped off the kerb onto the road :-(
The front wheel and brake calipers (Weinmann) have become a bit corroded having been stored in a shed for many years, but I would think they would respond to buffing.
I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks,
Paul
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