Awesome Customer's Bike: 1940's Carlton

     This is a bike we recently put together for one of our customers. It is a 1940's Carlton that belonged to his father. I always love it when bikes are passed down from one generation to the next and are put back into service. He had it painted a nice forest green color and brought in some of the original parts and we assembled it for him. It is a bit of a mix.
      We used the original Campagnolo Record rear derailleur and shifter (shifter is closed "C" , so it is newer). It also has the original Brampton Alatet head set. We had to get a custom BB made for it as it took the oversize Chater Lea type (Whitworth threaded). The customer wanted to use more modern  (cotterless) cranks. Our solution was to use a Shimano cartridge bearing BB spindle of appropriate length and bearings, and have oversize Whitworth threaded BB cups and a spacer sleeve made. The solution, after a bit of tinkering, worked like a charm, buttery smooth and tight. So, the bike retains the original threading in the BB shell with a more modern cartridge bearing assembly and cotterless crank set. it has modern alloy wheels (27" double wall machined sidewall rims). it also has the original bar and stem, GB Maes (sleeved) bars with really cool stem of unknown make. It also has the original GB Hiduminium brake calipers with modern pads.Unfortunately, the paint is a bit thick on the underside of the BB shell, obscuring some serial numbers / factory codes. (see photos).
     The end result is an updated classic that hopefully will be ridden for many years to come and hopefully goes further down the generational line of the family.  Thanks for trusting us with its care!

Cool shop bike: Claud Butler that belonged to Fred De long

     I do not have a lot of info about this bike to share other than it belonged to Fred De Long and he may have used it to win a state championship. I have tried to track down the model and year of production, but it has been proving difficult. The serial number stamped on the BB shell is 752080. Which, as far as I can find puts it into the era of 1957 or 1967. It has features of earlier models like the unique fork rake and the integrated head set cups. It also has a nice twin plate fork crown with his name and location engraved into it! That feature is my personal favorite. it has the "axe head" lugs that were used on the all-rounder models and nice Chater Lea head clip style head set, also an older feature. The BB shell has two grease fittings. Older bikes also used a seat collar, but this bike has an integrated bolt. The seat stays are also not fully or semi wrapping around the seat lug, which was a common British style, also making me think the bike is older. If any Claud Butler fans can enlighten me with more details, I would love to hear it!

Update: I have been informed by Hilary Stone that this bike is the Anglo-Continental  model. He also dates it to either 1937 or 1947, but leans on the older date because of the head clip style headset and the Russ  fork. Many thanks to all who have provided info!
Update 2: here is a link provided to me by Peter Brueggeman about Russ forks. Thanks! Russ forks



 

Cool shop bike: Unknown British path bike

     This is another one of my favorite bikes in the shop's collection. It is a somewhat of a mystery because I do not know the maker, which makes it all the more intriguing. I believe it to be British based upon a few details, I also estimate it to from the late 1940's- early 50's. First is the pencil thin style seat stays. A neat detail is how they are un-capped at the top. I do not know of a reason for this other than aesthetic and perhaps cost saving. The chain stays are also open at the rear drop outs and the fork blades. They are nicely done. The head lugs are very well executed with large window cut outs. The same is true for the fork crown. I like the integrated head set cups as well.  The fork is also unique because of how the blades flare out sideways from top to bottom. the photo showing this does not really do them justice. Very elegant.
     A very nice Major Taylor style stem with a unique lamp bracket is also a nice touch. The wheels are B.H. Air Lite hubs laced to Dunlop lightweight 27 X 1 1/4" rims. These rims were favored for their durability and light weight even after aluminum rims came into play. a nice older Brooks B 17 Champion narrow saddle with drilling is also very aesthetically pleasing and durable.  The bike was re painted many years ago. Hopefully someday soon we will finish putting it together and get some miles on it. Maybe with a Chater Lea bottom bracket and cranks?