rogerzilla
Retro Guru
Warning - totally non-authentic build.
20170806_105406 by rogerzilla, on Flickr
20170806_105420 by rogerzilla, on Flickr
20170806_105434 by rogerzilla, on Flickr
20170806_105451 by rogerzilla, on Flickr
20170806_105458 by rogerzilla, on Flickr
20170806_105510 by rogerzilla, on Flickr
20170806_105528 by rogerzilla, on Flickr
Frame wasn't expensive until it was resprayed (don't ask) so I had Argos make a few braze-on modifications, respaced the rear end to a wafer-thin 112mm and put a Sturmey-Archer AM in there, the best gear-changing device of all time. Then put some parts on it that actually work and don't weigh a ton; it comes out as 21 3/4lb without pedals, yet it has a leather saddle and a hub gear.
Deep V rims are ridiculous, I know, but you try and find anything else narrow in 32/40. The BHC Airlite hub scared me when I realised the flanges could be pulled off by hand, but once the wheel is built there's about 100kg of lateral tension holding them in place!
It is silent to ride except for the faint ticking of the pawls - there is no chain noise at all. The rear triangle is very noodly and the rear brake needs to be run quite a way from the rim to avoid it rubbing on climbs. My other 50s frame has the same issue. It's a problem with modern DP brakes, which can't move out of the way like a side-pull; even the pro racers open their rear brake QRs on HC climbs!
Colour is Verde Chiaro with amazing gold lug lining (if you browse around my Flickr page you can see the "before" photos which show what a mess Holdsworth made of the lining 66 years ago). I do have the original brass head badge but it's lost all its paint and didn't look particularly good in bare metal. The decal is the same design. The frame used to have 3/4 chromed stays and dropouts but they were a bit pitted; Tornadoes normally only had a chrome crown anyway, so someone must have been at the options list.
As I say, totally non-authentic, but it's how I wanted it.
20170806_105406 by rogerzilla, on Flickr20170806_105420 by rogerzilla, on Flickr20170806_105434 by rogerzilla, on Flickr20170806_105451 by rogerzilla, on Flickr20170806_105458 by rogerzilla, on Flickr20170806_105510 by rogerzilla, on Flickr20170806_105528 by rogerzilla, on FlickrFrame wasn't expensive until it was resprayed (don't ask) so I had Argos make a few braze-on modifications, respaced the rear end to a wafer-thin 112mm and put a Sturmey-Archer AM in there, the best gear-changing device of all time. Then put some parts on it that actually work and don't weigh a ton; it comes out as 21 3/4lb without pedals, yet it has a leather saddle and a hub gear.
Deep V rims are ridiculous, I know, but you try and find anything else narrow in 32/40. The BHC Airlite hub scared me when I realised the flanges could be pulled off by hand, but once the wheel is built there's about 100kg of lateral tension holding them in place!
It is silent to ride except for the faint ticking of the pawls - there is no chain noise at all. The rear triangle is very noodly and the rear brake needs to be run quite a way from the rim to avoid it rubbing on climbs. My other 50s frame has the same issue. It's a problem with modern DP brakes, which can't move out of the way like a side-pull; even the pro racers open their rear brake QRs on HC climbs!
Colour is Verde Chiaro with amazing gold lug lining (if you browse around my Flickr page you can see the "before" photos which show what a mess Holdsworth made of the lining 66 years ago). I do have the original brass head badge but it's lost all its paint and didn't look particularly good in bare metal. The decal is the same design. The frame used to have 3/4 chromed stays and dropouts but they were a bit pitted; Tornadoes normally only had a chrome crown anyway, so someone must have been at the options list.
As I say, totally non-authentic, but it's how I wanted it.
T
