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



 

Fred De Long's handle bar bag

     Some may not see the beauty in this item, but I think it is pretty awesome. This is one of Fred De Long's handle bar bags. For those who do not know who Mr. De Long is, I will give you a brief summary. He was the technical editor of American Bicyclist and Bicycling magazines and was vice- president of the American League of Wheelmen (LAW). He was a professional engineer who had a life long affair with the technical, as well as the recreational side of the sport. He was the technical consultant and project coordinator for the service and repair manual of the Bicycle Manufacturers of America. Mr. De Long lived in Hatboro, PA. Not far from Philadelphia. He wrote a well known guide called De Long's Guide to Bicycles and Bicycling which was published in 1974. He was a huge advocate of cylcle touring and I am grateful for his efforts.
     This bag  has seen thousands of miles and it shows. I like items such as this because they tell a story just by looking at them. The faded and torn canvas, the rusty staples, the sun worn patches, the dirt and grease stains. It all lets me know this bag has seen thousands of miles and was a trusted companion on the road. It reminds me that I need to ride my bike more and seek out adventures. It is easy to get lazy in our sofa king culture and it is good to be around inspirational items such as this. Enjoy! On a side note the last photo is of the bag next to a new old stock T.A.specialties bag to show the difference.

Cool shop bike: Fred De Long's Teledyne Titan

     This is a pretty interesting bike, in my opinion. The frame and fork were produced by Teledyne Linair Co. in Gardena CA. Fewer than 2000 Teledyne Titans were made from 1973-1976. These were among the first production titanium bikes made, along side Flema (Germany) and Speedwell (U.K.). These bikes really ushered in a new age of American "super bike". We take for granted that titanium is so widely used now in the cycling industry in both frame construction as well as components. Well, this bike is an example of the root of that modern technology and deserves to be acknowledged.
     Add to that the fact that this particular bike once belonged to Fred De Long, and you have an interesting story. Fred De long was the Technical Editor of American Cycling, American Bicyclist, and Bicycling magazines. He was also the vice-president of the League of  American Wheelmen (LAW). He was a professional engineer who had a life long love affair with the technical, as well as the recreational side of the sport. He was a technical consultant and project coordinator for the service and repair manual of the Bicycle Manufacturers of America. Fred De Long also resided in Hatboro, PA., not far from Philadelphia. He is deceased, but his legacy lives on. He wrote a very popular book that was published in 1974 titled De Long's GUIDE TO BICYLES & BICYCLING. It covers all aspects of the sport, from racing to touring, set up, and maintenance. All in a very user friendly format. When I was first learning about bikes, this was the book i read along side THE CUSTOM BICYCLE.
      The bike has some interesting  components. The front brake is an early Mathhauser hydraulic brake. The rear brake is a Scott Super Brake, both unique early designs. The bike is also equipped with a mixture of early Dura Ace components. The rear wheel has an early Phil Wood hub with tied and soldered spokes for a more rigid wheel and the front wheel is a Campagnolo low flange record hub  with crow's foot lacing. A long cage rear derailleur with a more touring spread freewheel is a bit puzzling in conjunction with the more "racey" wheels. I wonder what Mr. De Long was thinking when equipping this bike? Was he experimenting with these new components? I am sure there was a good reason as he was always looking for new and innovative ideas. It is humbling to work around and investigate his bikes. I have a lot of respect for the work he did to further the sport that we love. Enjoy!