Genuine Barn Find

[User42423]

I thought a few readers on here might like to see this 'little beauty'. I was offered it recently by a V-CC friend. According to him, it has been hanging in his barn for 25 years.

Now the research starts, trying to identify & date it.

 

[Tony Raynor]

The sturmey gear lever dates it to around 1930s. The hub should give more confirmation. As for make, anyone's guess. Could be a lovely looking bike when restored.

Is it my eyes or is the front wheel smaller than the back?

 

[User42423]

The sturmey gear lever dates it to around 1930s. The hub should give more confirmation. As for make, anyone's guess. Could be a lovely looking bike when restored.

Is it my eyes or is the front wheel smaller than the back?

Hi Tony. Thanks for input. The gear lever is 1930s, but is a later addition, along with Sturmey box. Following initial research, I've been able to date it to between 1900 & 05. Thumb brake levers were a short lived fad during this period. Both wheels are 28 inch.

 

[midlife]

Blimey, that's way older than anything I'm used to tinkering with. I winder what it rides like?

Shaun

 

[User42423]

Blimey, that's way older than anything I'm used to tinkering with. I winder what it rides like?

Shaun

Morning Shaun. It is unlikely I will ever ride it. I bought it for static displays, just to prove that not all machines are in fabulous restored condition.

 

[User42423]

[QUOTE 3688076, member: 259"]Great find! That saddle looks like an instrument of torture though.[/QUOTE]

Morning Mort. Sadly, all leather saddles go like this if untreated for long enough. Besides, it adds to it's character.

 

[robsa]

Oh I like that. Id be tempted to tittivate that up

 

[ChrisEyles]

Very nice - like robsa, I'm not sure I'd be able to resist doing it up and going for a spin! I love the old style drop bars.

Is there a coaster brake on the rear hub, or is it front brake only?

 

[User42423]

Very nice - like robsa, I'm not sure I'd be able to resist doing it up and going for a spin! I love the old style drop bars.

Is there a coaster brake on the rear hub, or is it front brake only?

Howdy Chris.

Thanks for your kind words. Luckily I can resist not doing any work on it. I bought it purely for static display purposes, so it will NOT be restored.

No, it does not have a coaster hub brake unit. It has two brakes, one is the front 'thumb' brake, & the other is a crank operated back pedal brake....(very cute).

Regards, Rob

 

[ChrisEyles]

It's a great piece of history, and I can definitely see why you'd be reluctant to "modernise" it. Were you planning on giving it a good scrub, or on leaving the patina mostly untouched? Either way it's a lovely machine.

Out of curiosity, how does the back pedal brake work if the hub doesn't contain a coaster type brake? I can't make it out from the pictures, but would love to know. Looking more closely at the thumb brake lever on the front brake, I definitely wouldn't want to trust that hurtling downhill into a bend! It's fascinating how some really ingenious (well, it is to me, I could never have come up with it!) technology has evolved on bikes.

 

[wisdom]

I think its Brilliant. A real bit of cycling history.