Vintage bike stuff

[enkei]

I visited the Dover Transport Museum in Kent, England today.

Thought y'all might enjoy a few photos of proper old-school cycling stuff.

   

   

   

   

[Painkiller]

Nice pictures, thanks for sharing

[Sybian]

Cool old bikes; scary brakes.

[jeffg]

The first bike shop I worked in, Alameda Bicycles, in Alameda, CA, serviced a couples his and hers bikes with rod brakes similar to those in the pictures. A couple from England brought them along on their move to the states and had been riding them since the war. Surprisingly enough they do have adequate stopping power for the type of bike they are mounted to. The bikes are commuter machines and typically do not see speeds in excess of 15mph.
Another amazing thing about those bikes is that we serviced them every year and the hubs spun super smooth. A testament to sticking to a regular maintenance routine.

[Sybian]

(02-16-2023, 07:52 PM)jeffg Wrote:  The first bike shop I worked in, Alameda Bicycles, in Alameda, CA, serviced a couples his and hers bikes with rod brakes similar to those in the pictures. A couple from England brought them along on their move to the states and had been riding them since the war. Surprisingly enough they do have adequate stopping power for the type of bike they are mounted to. The bikes are commuter machines and typically do not see speeds in excess of 15mph.
Another amazing thing about those bikes is that we serviced them every year and the hubs spun super smooth. A testament to sticking to a regular maintenance routine.

I agree on the slow speed braking. I have ridden a couple of those style bikes (Raleigh and Dunelt 3 & 5 speed) and given their weight quick stops are not exactly that great; and downhills are the "scary" part.

[jeffg]

Downhills require drag braking to manage the speed of the bike. In comparison to modern brakes, it requires planning stops and limiting speed and knowing the limits of the brakes. Some say there really is no comparison between the two. LOL

[enkei]

(02-16-2023, 07:52 PM)jeffg Wrote:  The first bike shop I worked in, Alameda Bicycles, in Alameda, CA, serviced a couples his and hers bikes with rod brakes similar to those in the pictures. A couple from England brought them along on their move to the states and had been riding them since the war. Surprisingly enough they do have adequate stopping power for the type of bike they are mounted to. The bikes are commuter machines and typically do not see speeds in excess of 15mph.
Another amazing thing about those bikes is that we serviced them every year and the hubs spun super smooth. A testament to sticking to a regular maintenance routine.

That is awesome! Thanks for sharing that.

[SPINMAN]

Around 20 years ago i used 75 theets x 12 and behind. https://nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maas_van_Beek

Mass van Beek 75/12

I love seeing some of these vintage bike parts and posts

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Tubular and cranks and derailleurs

[enkei]

(02-22-2023, 02:55 PM)SPINMAN Wrote:  Around 20 years ago i used 75 theets x 12 and behind. https://nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maas_van_Beek

Mass van Beek 75/12

I love seeing some of these vintage bike parts and posts

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Tubular and cranks and derailleurs

Some beautiful-looking parts in that ad.

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

Vintage cycling can be so inspirational

[Jesper]

Thought I would pop in for a short spell and show a rare rod brake roadster bike presumably from the 1930s with unique frame features. it is Italian, but remains a mystery other than having a few Atlas branded parts (cranks, hubs), and a Magistroni bottom bracket assembly. Presently undergoing a restoration process, but no reference as to its original livery so paint, badge, decals are unknown without another example. Saddle has been replaced with a '30s/'40s Record leather saddle.


           

[enkei]

(04-06-2023, 11:53 PM)Jesper Wrote:  Thought I would pop in for a short spell and show a rare rod brake roadster bike presumably from the 1930s with unique frame features. it is Italian, but remains a mystery other than having a few Atlas branded parts (cranks, hubs), and a Magistroni bottom bracket assembly. Presently undergoing a restoration process, but no reference as to its original livery so paint, badge, decals are unknown without another example. Saddle has been replaced with a '30s/'40s Record leather saddle.

Nice! Is that your new touring rig? ;-)

[Sybian]

(04-06-2023, 11:53 PM)Jesper Wrote:  Thought I would pop in for a short spell and show a rare rod brake roadster bike presumably from the 1930s with unique frame features. it is Italian, but remains a mystery other than having a few Atlas branded parts (cranks, hubs), and a Magistroni bottom bracket assembly. Presently undergoing a restoration process, but no reference as to its original livery so paint, badge, decals are unknown without another example. Saddle has been replaced with a '30s/'40s Record leather saddle.

Those are some killer lugs. Are they braze on lug extensions (ala Hetchins), or complete lugs?
Either way, I certainly have never seen anything like them.
You might check Willier-Triestina that used a similar design on their logo. Not sure if W-T used that lug style though, or earlier than WW2 (before the "Triestina" was added to their name).
Conti also used a fleur de lys, but I am fairly certain that your bike is before the Conti brand existed.

[enkei]

Maybe, with the rise of AI, computers will eventually be able to help identify this bike.

(04-06-2023, 11:53 PM)Jesper Wrote:  Thought I would pop in for a short spell and show a rare rod brake roadster bike presumably from the 1930s with unique frame features. it is Italian, but remains a mystery other than having a few Atlas branded parts (cranks, hubs), and a Magistroni bottom bracket assembly. Presently undergoing a restoration process, but no reference as to its original livery so paint, badge, decals are unknown without another example. Saddle has been replaced with a '30s/'40s Record leather saddle.

[Sofiia]

WOOOOOW. It looks so cool

[GirishH]

(04-06-2023, 11:53 PM)Jesper Wrote:  Thought I would pop in for a short spell and show a rare rod brake roadster bike presumably from the 1930s with unique frame features. it is Italian, but remains a mystery other than having a few Atlas branded parts (cranks, hubs), and a Magistroni bottom bracket assembly. Presently undergoing a restoration process, but no reference as to its original livery so paint, badge, decals are unknown without another example. Saddle has been replaced with a '30s/'40s Record leather saddle.

These antique, vintage bikes were so well built. I rode a bike that I inherited from my grandfather. It was a Royal Enfield that was made in England and loved how well-built it was. Miss that kind of quality, and value in today's bikes..

[Talha]

Are the frames Iron? I can see a lot of rust around ends which makes me think iron was primarily used on vintage bikes.
Maybe I'm wrong and it's just old steel?

Can someone confirm?

[Sybian]

(04-26-2023, 01:43 AM)Talha Wrote:  Are the frames Iron? I can see a lot of rust around ends which makes me think iron was primarily used on vintage bikes.
Maybe I'm wrong and it's just old steel?

Can someone confirm?

Steel is essentially iron (over 95%) and carbon with other elements added to provide certain desireable characteristics. Steel in its most basic form is an alloy of iron and carbon. Bike frames (and other uses) added chromium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, etc. to be able to use it for lighterweight tubing with improved characteristics over a basic iron and carbon alloy. Strip the paint off of a modern steel frame and it will still rust/oxidize; even "stainless" steel will rust eventually (just much slower due to its actual alloy composition).
"Aluminum" and "Titanium" bike frames and parts are also alloy blrnds of other metals and elements to provide their desired characteristics as well. Look up the differences between bike tubing manufacturers (Reynolds, Falck, Columbus, Oria, True Temper, etc.) and the range of alloys they use to produce their "cheaper" tubes compared to their lightest tubes using different alloys.
I would say that the frame shown without any paint is in great shape since there does not appear to be any serious pitting from rust. Details look very clean so probably just light surface oxidation due to not having any protectant. Being 90 to 100 years old shows how durable the early alloys were. I have seen bike frames made of poor (cheap) steel alloys rust through in 10 to 20 years. Better frames not only have improved dynamic characteristics, but also somewhat better anti-corrisive properties due to their alloy blends.