Spokesmann
Keeping the Carlton and Sun names alive...
- Location
- Plymouth, Devon
Specialized Rockhopper comp
This bikes older than me and I ride it too
- Thread starter Gatters
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Tony Raynor
Need for steeds
- Location
- Newcastle/Patrington Haven
Apollonius
Guru
- Location
- South Staffordshire
I still own, and sometimes ride, the bike my father bought the same week as I was born in 1949. I did spend a bit of money restoring it.
OP
OP
Gatters
Senior Member
- Location
- Right Here
Now that is nice, tell us a bit more...what is it?
Illaveago
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham,Wiltshire.
Sorry you beat me hands down ! My earliest bike is the BSA dating from the mid 60s, 9 years younger than me. It must be hard to find bikes more than 60 years old. Ones that were left have probably gone to Africa . I also agree with the previous comments that you have a nice looking cycle.
Last edited:
arch684
Veteran
Yes but it gets harder the older you become.I'm older than your 1951 royal enfield
Love the bike and the contemporary cycling shoe! What is the make of the bike, and do you have any pictures of the refurb?
Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
I've shot my bolt again .... that's lovely!
Illaveago
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham,Wiltshire.
I agree with Rafferty it's a nice looking bike what make is it?
Apollonius
Guru
- Location
- South Staffordshire
Apologies for a late reply, but I have been swanning about in the heat of France watching some foolish bike race or other. The bike in the picture is a 1949 Higgins Ultralight. Fred Higgins is better known for trikes, but did make bikes too at his shop in Croydon. He was renowned for excellent brazing. My father was in the Royal Signals (hence the colours) and raced for his regiment in Army events in the 50s. In the early post-war years components were hard to come by, but the original, possibly pre-war, Stronglight chainset survived. The Gnutti headset is also original. It originally had Resilion brakes, but these were upgraded to GB at some time. The GBs are hopeless, so I dread to think what the originals were like. The hubs are also Resilion, but the original steel rims did not survive. The original Brooks saddle was replaced in the restoration by a new one, but I still use the original on a winter bike. They do soften a bit after 65 years, but still perfectly OK. I ride it on a single fixed, which is what I remember my father using, but he also towed a pram-chassis trailer with two boys in it! (One of them was me, of course.)
The bike was restored by Argos at Bristol (excellent) and built up by Chris Hewitt of Harpenden (also excellent).
As for the shoes, well they are mine and I have had them since 1979, when I bought the Viking Vision (Irish Viking era) which wears the original Brooks.
The striking thing about the Higgins is, well, it is indeed very light. It is also very narrow. It looks like new. Probably its most interesting feature is the stem, which is possibly the only original Higgins made stem to survive, but we are not sure about that. It does have the last of the fancy 531 transfers that Chris Hewitt was given by Fred Higgins' widow after his death.
Thanks for your interest.
The bike was restored by Argos at Bristol (excellent) and built up by Chris Hewitt of Harpenden (also excellent).
As for the shoes, well they are mine and I have had them since 1979, when I bought the Viking Vision (Irish Viking era) which wears the original Brooks.
The striking thing about the Higgins is, well, it is indeed very light. It is also very narrow. It looks like new. Probably its most interesting feature is the stem, which is possibly the only original Higgins made stem to survive, but we are not sure about that. It does have the last of the fancy 531 transfers that Chris Hewitt was given by Fred Higgins' widow after his death.
Thanks for your interest.
Apollonius
Guru
- Location
- South Staffordshire
Taking the presumption that there is some interest in my old Higgins, I have unearthed some more photos of the old thing. This is how it looked 65 years ago. Apologies for the fuzzy picture, it is a photo of a photo from an old album.
Apollonius
Guru
- Location
- South Staffordshire
This is how it looked when I retrieved the remains from my mother's garage in 2009.
