Author Topic: What should I do with this?  (Read 3369 times)

AndyH

What should I do with this?
« on: 04 February, 2012, 02:28:43 pm »
About 5 years ago my uncle gave me this late 30s / 40s Claud Butler USWB frame.

He had started to restore it some years earlier, realised that it wasn't going to happen, so it became mine when he moved house. It's sat ignored in my shed since then.

It's 22 1/2" Centre to top for both captain & stoker, 126mm OLN at the back, and the canti bosses are for 27" wheels. No bottle cage bosses, the EBB at the front is very narrow (60mm) the stokers BB is 70mm, both BB axles are for cottered cranks and the steerer appears to be 1 1/8. It has no gear hanger. The wheels in the picture are 700c, and the back one is not in the dropouts properly.





I'm not really sure what to do with it. I guess the options are as follows:

1. Sell it as it is
2. Build it up as it is, trying to find all the right period parts
3. Send it to a frame builder to get the following work done:- Re-set the rear end to 130 or 135mm, remove the pump pegs, move the canti bosses so I could run it with 700c wheels, put some bottle cage bosses on, change the rear dropouts, & I'd probably go for a braze on front mech, as it'd probably be hard to properly mount a band on one on the curved rear set tube.

Any advice / opinions / offers welcome. Cross posted in both Tandems & Bicycle repair man's thread.

Re: What should I do with this?
« Reply #1 on: 04 February, 2012, 04:28:57 pm »
the EBB at the front is very narrow (60mm)
which is correct, that is the way they were so the eccentric hung out either side of the shell giving bags of adjustment.

Quote
the steerer appears to be 1 1/8.
the old standard with a headclip.

You should not need to move the cantilever bosses.  Never had a problem switching from 27 to tubs.
The rear position is very cramped on the USWB.  The top tube is quite short, bear in mind the handlebar stem comes backweards; and you are sitting back over the rear wheel so get pounded by that.  The effect is much more than on a short wheelbase bike.  Old tandems are not like new tandems at all.  They steer like busses whereas modern frames are much closer to the steering of a solo.

Unless you want to use it regularly, and are prepared to put up with the comfort issues, I'd say not to remove the period pump pegs, and not fit modern bottle bosses, but sell it to somebody who either wants to restore it as a period piece or use it as it is.  I say sell rather than DIY because I from your descriptions I think some of the period features/pats are outside your experience, so you might struggle.  I could of course be wrong.

Re: What should I do with this?
« Reply #2 on: 04 February, 2012, 06:21:36 pm »
Time Trial machine.

Tandem Club will help with spares for the Brampton Headset. It looks as though the bottom brackets are standard, but check (older tandems were oversize, can be sleeved).

It's quite a nice frame, with CB's trademark sleeved and fillet brazed joints (cheaper versions had gaspipe lugs).

AndyH

Re: What should I do with this?
« Reply #3 on: 04 February, 2012, 08:35:42 pm »
The Headset & BBs are pretty good, as is the headset and I have the Williams chainsets. What I'd need to build it up is:
Stem, captain & stoker's bars, saddles, wheels & tyres, rear mech, downtube shifter, block, chains, brake levers & small bits. Like cotter pins.
 
Unless you want to use it regularly, and are prepared to put up with the comfort issues, I'd say not to remove the period pump pegs, and not fit modern bottle bosses, but sell it to somebody who either wants to restore it as a period piece or use it as it is.  I say sell rather than DIY because I from your descriptions I think some of the period features/pats are outside your experience, so you might struggle.  I could of course be wrong.
I can always learn, the more I think about it the more I think it deserves to be built up as an original, so I might have a go. It would certainly please my uncle to see it.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: What should I do with this?
« Reply #4 on: 04 February, 2012, 09:38:35 pm »
I'm a V-CC member and a restoration or sympathetic update would be my choice. If you wanted to run a front mech, I'd put it on the captain's seat tube and never worry about cross-chaining on the cassette. The stoker needs a long BB axle to avoid catching the chain though.

Watch out though, the old folk were tough as nails and very few old tandems had a wide gear range.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: What should I do with this?
« Reply #5 on: 05 February, 2012, 12:17:46 am »
Vintage tandems are not rare - they survived because they were unusual.

Decide whether you want to restore or to update it.

Some years ago, I restored this wreck...

 

...to this:



The renovation cost me about £100.

The parts are still out there. Hubs such as the tandem specific Sturmey ones come up regularly on ebay and make £20 or so. I got most of the parts fom mine from Mildenhall rally cycle jumble. I even got a spare (1930's tandem specific) chainring 2 years ago, and bought a rear hub from ebay last year because the one I had was a 1939 one and not a 1937 one to match the tandem.

Are the wheels are 26" x 1 3/8" or 27" 1 1/4". I've got a stainless steel spare 26"one on a tandem drum brake hub in the loft of the shed.
If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: What should I do with this?
« Reply #6 on: 05 February, 2012, 11:53:11 am »
Here's a CB USWB used as an advert for the cake stall/bike shop opposite The Inn At Whitwell in Bowland

Getting there...