Sun Manx tt 1951

[bagpuss]

Not everyones cup of tea I know .
My 1951 Short wheel base Sun Manx tt . It is the only one have seen with track ends.

Sun Manx tt. by rebalrid, on Flickr

Track end on Sun Manx tt by rebalrid, on Flickr

 

[carpenter]

I want one 😊

 

[Deleted member 1258]

What a strange beast, looks lovely.

 

[carpenter]

I am interested in how you find it to ride; is it "twitchy" - not sure how else to explain what I assume would be the effect of such a short wheelbase.
I think; based on comparing the ride on my bikes with curved forks (longer wheelbase) vs fairly straight, I find the straighter forked bikes much more sensitive to steering changes, does putting the seat way behind the crank increase the effect?
Beautiful bike

 

[biggs682]

Very nice

 

[Sharky]

Curious, what is the wheel base?

My winter ribble is about 40" and my track TT bike is about 38". I always used to reckon 38" for a responsive road bike.

 

[carpenter]

Hi Sharky, as I understand it wheelbase is the distance between the contact points of the tyres on the ground (or I suppose it could be distance between the centres of the wheel axles).
I don't think that top tube length, in itself, is an indicator of wheelbase length as the angles of the seat stays and forks will have an effect - then you can get in to chain stay length and those rather nice bikes with the "dent" in the base of the seat tube to allow the wheel to get in closer.
So many variables no wonder that frame making is an art

 

[Smokin Joe]

Steve Bauer nicked that idea for Paris - Roubaix

 

[Sharky]

Yep wheel nut to wheel nut.
My dad used to ride a Saxon with a split seat tube. He used to say it was lively, but I don't know what the wheel base was.
A short wheel base is supposed to make climbing easier.

 

[raleighnut]

Very nice,

I am interested in how you find it to ride; is it "twitchy" - not sure how else to explain what I assume would be the effect of such a short wheelbase.
I think; based on comparing the ride on my bikes with curved forks (longer wheelbase) vs fairly straight, I find the straighter forked bikes much more sensitive to steering changes, does putting the seat way behind the crank increase the effect?
Beautiful bike

My short TT bike isn't 'Twitchy at all, you do need to watch out for toe overlap though.

 

[Sharky]

Yep wheel nut to wheel nut.
My dad used to ride a Saxon with a split seat tube. He used to say it was lively, but I don't know what the wheel base was.
A short wheel base is supposed to make climbing easier.

Found a picture of my dad on his Saxon. I think it was one of his last TT's. I was born in 1950 and my brother in '53 and I think family commitments put paid to his competitive days.

 

[bagpuss]

^^
Very nice .It is the Claud Butler built version . Claud bought the Saxon name sometime in 1939/40.

As for the earlier original Saxon built one. I purchased mine in 2006 as it fitted my then interest in unusual frame designs.
It was way to small for me ,so i never rode it . Following much tooth sucking on my behalf, it found a new home last year .
Saxon Twin Tube 1937/8 by rebalrid, on Flickr

Saxon twin Tube by rebalrid, on Flickr