Claud Butler - Carpenter - Vintage Bike - Wheel Help

[Woz]

Seems I've both managed to get my hands on some quality bikes whilst also being well out of my depth , is there any resources similar to the Claud butler website but for the carpenters? Or were they so bespoke that a catalogue was not even an option back then?

You certainly have. Perhaps time to say thank you for sharing. These kind of "barn finds" around here are exciting. Your wife's Grandad looks well proper and in his element on that photograph .

I was thinking over some wine (it's what I do best and my only real contribution) is that the Mavic wheelset may have actually been his best race day wheel set if he was into hill climbing competition.

You have two lovely bikes (and various wheels) in your possession that are wonderfully preserved. Bit by bit it will come together with more input.

 

[WhtANightmare]

You certainly have. Perhaps time to say thank you for sharing. These kind of "barn finds" around here are exciting. Your wife's Grandad looks well proper and in his element on that photograph .

I was thinking over some wine (it's what I do best and my only real contribution) is that the Mavic wheelset may have actually been his best race day wheel set if he was into hill climbing competition.

You have two lovely bikes (and various wheels) in your possession that are wonderfully preserved. Bit by bit it will come together with more input.

Thank you, this community has so far been both incredibly kind and hugely knowledgeable. Hopefully I can do these bikes justice in cleaning them up and making them pieces the family can look at fondly with memories of my wife's grandad.

I'm sure I'm going to have plenty more silly queries/questions along the way to getting these rode ready, so I hope I don't get too annoying by the end

 

[vcballbat]

I think that everything listed in the 53 catalogue tells me that this is a Coronation. The only frame listed for 26" wheels, high grade British steel tubing (531 plain gauge) bronze welded construction, under bottom bracket cable guide, fluted and chamfered seat stays, separate seat clamp, D-section fork blades? and blue stove enamel paint with box lining... it's ticking all the boxes

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

I think that everything listed in the 53 catalogue tells me that this is a Coronation. The only frame listed for 26" wheels, high grade British steel tubing (531 plain gauge) bronze welded construction, under bottom bracket cable guide, fluted and chamfered seat stays, separate seat clamp, D-section fork blades? and blue stove enamel paint with box lining... it's ticking all the boxes

View attachment 732338

I thought that too, all the others in the catalogue specify 531 by name. The Coronation as you say just says high grade, which made me doubt. It is the only one that really matches though. Definitely a 26" wheel bike though, looking at clearance. Easy to check b/b heights.

 

[vcballbat]

I thought that too, all the others in the catalogue specify 531 by name. The Coronation as you say just says high grade, which made me doubt. It is the only one that really matches though. Definitely a 26" wheel bike though, looking at clearance. Easy to check b/b heights.

Clever bit of marketing, don't tell them the cheapest bike in the range has Reynolds tubing so you choose a more expensive model

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Clever bit of marketing, don't tell them the cheapest bike in the range has Reynolds tubing so you choose a more expensive model

Crafty buggers

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Definitely a Coronation then.

 

[vcballbat]

Definitely a Coronation then.

I'll bet 21 pounds, 17 shillings & 5 pennies it is

 

[WhtANightmare]

It would tie in age wise with his competitive biking career as he won Surrey hill climb when he was 20, and he was nearly 90 when he passed away last year so an approximate 70 year old bike would have been a new bike when he was 20.

Now I just need to decide if I drop the rims to 26" or if I change the front caliper to accept 27

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

It would tie in age wise with his competitive biking career as he won Surrey hill climb when he was 20, and he was nearly 90 when he passed away last year so an approximate 70 year old bike would have been a new bike when he was 20.

Now I just need to decide if I drop the rims to 26" or if I change the front caliper to accept 27

Run 700s slightly smaller. Weinmann calipers are plentiful and cheap. Would be nice with the correct rims though imo. Bottom bracket will be too high with 27s