My first bike

[cardiac case]

Hi All,

I've just been reunited with the bike I was given as a boy of 12.
I'd never had a proper bike and a very nice lady that had visited my mum promised to find me one.
At that age I was a big lad for my size and a few days later it just appeared in the back yard, dropped off by a bloke in a van apparently.

At the age of 16 I moved on to a motor bike, well, a BSA Bantam if you can call that a motor bike, and I gave what was then a ten gear racer to a relation of mine. It was kept in his shed, then moved round the back of the shed, and was destined for the tip; till I saw it.

I remember it as a beautiful blue colour. Now brush painted some shade of vomit.
The rear hub and it's 5 gears have been replaced with a Sturmy Archer and the derailiers are missing.
The front one was a rod and rack & pinion mounted on the seat down tube. I've never seen one since.
It was old when I had it in '67 so I'm guessing it's a bike from the 50's ?

Anyone shed any light on it?

Cheers,
Paul G

 

[cardiac case]

Can't really help....but I'm intrigued, what are you going to do with it?

I don't know.
I said in the opening post that it was destined for the tip.

My wife says it still is.

And then the fight started.

 

[rbreid]

The front shifter was probably a Huret or Simplex "suicide shifter" http://davesbikeblog.squarespace.com/blog/2007/6/24/suicide-shifters.html

 

[rbreid]

Close up pics of head lugs, fork crown, fork ends, rear dropouts, seat lug area, bottom bracket and a frame number might help ID. Is there a head badge or drillings for one?

 

[biggs682]

looks ripe for a nice period resto job

 

[cardiac case]

The front shifter was probably a Huret or Simplex "suicide shifter" http://davesbikeblog.squarespace.com/blog/2007/6/24/suicide-shifters.html

Similar to the red bike in the link but mounted facing the front down tube rather than on the side of the frame.

 

[cardiac case]

Close up pics of head lugs, fork crown, fork ends, rear dropouts, seat lug area, bottom bracket and a frame number might help ID. Is there a head badge or drillings for one?

Can't see a badge but do these pics help?
Paul G

 

[biggs682]

that top tube looks a bit too rusty for my liking

 

[rbreid]

Your best bet for ID is the long shot that someone spots the thread who has an identical frame. It's not one I'm familiar with I'm afraid. Hard to tell from the original pic in your first post but does it have "shot in" seatstays? Looks like it may have been a quality bike, if shot in then definately a quality bike.

 

[cardiac case]

Your best bet for ID is the long shot that someone spots the thread who has an identical frame. It's not one I'm familiar with I'm afraid. Hard to tell from the original pic in your first post but does it have "shot in" seatstays? Looks like it may have been a quality bike, if shot in then definately a quality bike.

I'm not familier with the term "shot in" but here's a pic of the seat area (minus the seat)

I am in your debt regarding information and time given. Many thanks.
Paul G.

p.s. The metric bolt will have to go. It's not even a high tensile.

 

[biggs682]

@cardiac case those do look great lugs and stays but there is an awful lot of rust , how deep is the rust

 

[rbreid]

The stays aren't shot in and "Possible" identity is Hercules kestrel. Now I've had a better look the lugs are similar to my Kestrel. Bonus of that is fairly thick walled tubing compared to say 531 so the rust may not be such a concern if it is a Hercules Kestrel. There were several variations of lugs used during the several decades that the Kestrel was produced. Worth spending an hour on google searching "Hercules Kestrel"

 

[cardiac case]

@cardiac case those do look great lugs and stays but there is an awful lot of rust , how deep is the rust

It looks bad on the photo's I agree but there's no pitting at all.
If I were to restore the bike then I would hesitate to sand blast, or even bead blast.
I know there are many blasting mediums, perhaps soda would be to fine, but there must be one that's suitable.

What worries me is the likely cost of a rear hub, wheel rebuilds that retain those aluminium rims, gear change mechanisms,
new tyres & tubes and we're up in the hundreds of £'s. It could end up a money pit with no real value other than sentimental.

Cheers,
Paul G

 

[young Ed]

i know what the best thing to do with it and trust me i am an expert
jus' drop it round mine all sorted!
Cheers Ed

 

[biggs682]

sounds like a tough decision then