Vintage bike - identification and restoration

[Reg.T]

This was my Dad's bike when he was young, so it dates from probably the latter half of the 1930s. No obvious marking on the frame to identify the make, though it has been suggested that it may be Phillips. That seems consistent with the brakes (rear brake rod goes down left side of the head tube).

It was stored in the garage throughout my childhood, and my dad got it back on the road about 20 years ago. My brother rode it a bit, but then stored it in his shed for the last 15 years or so. I did a quick service to get it ready to ride on an Audax last weekend, but would like to do a bit more of a restoration job on it really. THerefore looking for any information on the bike and any links to resources/places that could help with sourcing replacement parts.

Bike with some additions to make it Audax-ready:


Crankset (N.B. cotter-pin bolt missing after I mushroomed the thread trying to remove the pin which is properly seized.


Headset:


Top-tube shifter (not sure if it was converted to 3-speed from original SS):


Any info and advice welcome.

Cheers

Reg

[pcolbeck]

ooh lovely (apart from cotter pins - shudder)

[Torslanda]

Can't help with identification of the maker but that's surely got some relaxed angles.

Rogerzilla will be along soon to drool over the SA hub & shifter before telling you who made it, which bench they worked on at Triumph Road and what they had for lunch . . .

[Canardly]

If you dont find an answer from a YACFer try the Veterans CC.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Actually the Veteran-Cycle Club. Old bikes, not old riders, though you'd be forgiven for thinking otherwise.

[Ningishzidda]

If anyone’s interested, but probably not, the attachement on the RH front fork is not a lamp bracket.
It’s a tennis racquet holder.

Looks like a 1920s Raleigh, or derivative. Crankset looks very Raleighish. So does the headset and the chrome fork crown trims.
Could be wrong tho'

[tiermat]

I would say the crankset is a generic one, a Raliegh one would have the Raliegh heron cutout in the chainring.  Of course it could have been replaced at some point.

Bikes like this were produced en-masse in between the wars, and afterwards, right up until the 1980's.

Mainly produced in Nottingham, but badged as a number of marques, depending on the intended market.

I would strip, repaint (in BRG) and rebuild, it'll make a lovely town bike, if a little scary in the stopping department (as Clarion what rod brakes are like in the wet!) and, of course, be suitable for the London > Brighton classic bike run.

Lastly, where's Hilldodger when you need him? He'd be able to tell you about it, probably.

[Wobbly John]

Hilldodger has a new business building and restoring spoked wheels for cars and motorcycles (mainly) if you are interested.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Bring it to the Grain Barge on Tuesday and we'll have a look at it for you!

Perhaps the frame number has some distinguishing features, eg letters or style of digits?

[Ningishzidda]

Doug Pinkerton, Pinkerton Cycle Restorations, Widney House Ind, Park Bromsgrove Road, Reddich, B97 4SP.

He'll name it.

[iddu]

http://www.oldbike.eu/museum/1930s/1931-2/1931-ariel-grande-de-luxe-gents/ ?

Ummm. Get coffee and be prepared to lose a day browsing old pr0n...

[Reg.T]

^ A lot in common there - but the brake blocks are fitted the right way up on mine!

[Wowbagger]

That front lamp bracket seems to be designed with the shape of a letter T. Could that be Triumph?

It's not as clear as this one, though:

[rogerzilla]

Currently dealing with cotter pins on a Raleigh Twenty.  The nut is not there to set the pin, just to stop it loosening.  Pins are set by knocking them in. And again after a few miles.  They may be a bit of an arse to deal with but they look elegant and don't need removing for BB adjustment, only for full BB overhaul.  The Twenty is for Miss Z the younger and will have 406 rather than 451 wheels (like USian Twenties) so will need 150mm cranks for small legs AND for ground clearance.  And 150mm cranks are only inexpensive if cottered and the chainguard only fits around a cottered crank yadda yadda.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Beware the Nut Mermaid. https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=20091.msg359209#msg359209