New Bike Day

[Rovert]

i read somewhere about a bike with one of these on a sturmey acher 3spd s-l1600 by Ro Vert, on Flickr

Cyclo used to make 2 and 3 speed converters that fitted a modern splined Sturmey driver. You see them on e-bay etc occasionally. What you can do easily is to put two dished Sturmey cogs back to back to give you 6 speeds. I'm doing this on my single speed bike conversion (18/24 on an AW gear)
OR you can go look for an early threaded Sturmey driver which has a standard freewheel thread instead of splines and use a freewheel. Good luck with that tho

Richard

Hey thanks Richard,

More interesting things for me to learn about, i have read something somewhere along those lines

I realise a lot of this is just me talking to myself really, but i really appreciate the input.

My goal was to get 500 k's out of it as it came and im close to that, a full strip down is close. All the feedback from riding it and from you guys will set the tone for the future. I hope those interested can see what im doing.

One of my favourite things is following other peoples threads of bike adventures, both motor & bicycle.

I have to get more organised with pictures.., great bike forum threads have lots of pictures

[Rovert]

i need to clean the shed, perhaps i'll start there.

[Clydesdale Scot]

measure up your brake shoe holder and see if any from the Fibrax catalogue or Koolstop [Porkchop have an excellent selection]. Old brakes blocks are for display bikes only. When you are riding a bike it needs to be fit for purpose, including for the rider to be able to stop, or in the case of Philco brakes, to make a loud squealing sound to indicate the intention to retard speed. So if riding with others make them well aware of your braking requirements.

A Brooks saddle type will need to reflect its use. Racing saddles are longer, and narrower and are designed for the rider to use in a racing position on drop bars. With an upright position on the bike, you need a shorter wider saddle to reflect how the sit bones contact the saddle.
The next thing is the ride comfort level. Springs are designed to provide more comfort. Look through the Brooks 1937 catalogue I have a freshly enameled C31 frame hanging on the clothesline baking in the sun. Next week I will recover it with freshly moulded leather moulded using another mould I made and handmade copper rivets. It will be used on a sit up and beg bike.
I am enjoying your journey, and if you have questions please ask. Someone should be able to provide their experience.
I had a long break last year with a broken shoulderblade, 3 ribs, 17 stitches in my hand and a misaligned metatarsal which required a second operation. But I am riding again, and enjoying it, and dusting off some unfinished projects.

[Thoglette]

…and handmade copper rivets. .

Do tell me more!

I tried to get rivets from Brooks who directed me to their importer. Who directed me to a (nameless) local store.

Who was told by the importer that they can’t get them and that I should contact Brooks myself.

Oh, the “local” offically approved repairer is in Japan. Whose website is only in Japanese

[Clydesdale Scot]

…and handmade copper rivets. .

Do tell me more!

I did (way back in 2013)

[Rovert]

Thanks CS, appreciate the links. Glad you're on the mend, thanks for following along.

[Rovert]

What were you doing at 1:30 this morning? DSCN1289 by Ro Vert, on Flickr

[Rovert]

looks pretty quiet here, better keep movin'

[Rovert]

Next town, pubs closed. DSCN1296 by Ro Vert, on Flickr

[Rovert]

lets keep riding...

[Rovert]

2am snack stop.., this tree looks good enough DSCN1297 by Ro Vert, on Flickr

[Rovert]

Crikey.., this one's closed too! pub 5 1 2023 2am by Ro Vert, on Flickr

[foo on patrol]

New cotter pins are available still but there are a couple of sizes. I know someone that has new ones or did, they were from his father's collection of parts.

Foo

[Rovert]

Did my 60km loop up in to the hills this morning and made little videos along the way. Started at 1 am in Rowville headed to the eastlink trail to Dandenong on Princess Highway, out to Berwick, Harkaway, Narre Warren North, back to Hallam, Dandenong etc... Rain and headwinds, had a blast. I'll make a playlist on youtube.

[Rovert]

a snippet from half way...2am-ish

https://youtu.be/SntEERIF4_c

[Rovert]

the beginning, sort of https://youtu.be/79o_uuloCTo
I'll get the rest up tonight

[Rovert]

Warp 9 by Ro Vert, on Flickr

Warp speed

[Rovert]

wa by Ro Vert, on Flickr

[Rovert]

wa1 by Ro Vert, on Flickr

[Rovert]

wa2 by Ro Vert, on Flickr

[Rovert]

GOPR0679 by Ro Vert, on Flickr

[Thoglette]

…and handmade copper rivets. .

Do tell me more!

I did (way back in 2013)

Ahh, yes. I’d forgotten about that

[Rovert]

So another 20k tonight, I can feel the end of phase one coming to an end, riding 500 k without doing anything other than getting it ride-able.

The left crank is loose again and makes sense as to why the spindle is bent from trying to hammer it tight.., and the original left hand crank arm with its elliptical hole from riding for who knows how long with it slopping around. Surprising given the metallurgy and design. Must have done a lot of miles like that. How the bottom bracket lug is intact and the cups thread in nicely i don't know. Hopefully at least they isolated it by using a block whilst wailing on it.

I must say the flex in this cottered set up is pretty average and something i'll have to get accustom with.

I have various ideas of machining original cranksets to run a square taper spindle, but again..., time. Will probably amount to nothing as it'll bug me being modified. I trust that rebuilt properly with new components it will be servicable. Perhaps an alternate setup to use if some long endurance trips across the country on it become reality... hmmm

Tonight the headset started clunking, giving up after a lot of rough dirt tracks, corrugated dirt roads and pulling on the bars when climbing out of the seat.

I'd have to add it up, but the small number of remaining kilometres feel like a formality now. Riding it feels a bit like punishment

I'm looking forward now to phase two, fixing all the mechanical aspects, a sprocket change and leaving it untouched aesthetically. At least I feel i know it now as it is, and will appreciate it more once it's nice to ride.

There are various other oddities, but i'll go in to that as i fix them.

By the time im finished with that, I might have decided if returning to a factory finish is something it deserves..., like a new set of tyres. Or if the wear and tear (read neglect) is important to retain.


I can make persuasive arguments for both, the key is to keep enjoying it.

[Rovert]

Id love to see a picture of one in this original colour , which i think is a light powder blue... visible in a few spots under the darker brushed on blue.

I'd like the opinion of those who've done an original paint restoration.., and how they felt looking at theirs once finished.

[Rovert]

Look through the Brooks 1937 catalogue

Thanks very much CS, very interesting and the kind of thing I was hoping to get help with on here