Identify my (1950s?) Claud Butler track frame!

[Diamant_Don]

Re:

After a little cleaning, it looks like…

Pretty chuffed all told! Now, what to do with it?

 

[biggs682]

Re: Identify my (1950s?) Claude Butler track frame!

well that is a tough decision having to make your mind up what to do with such a classical frame from a great maker , oh i would give you £50 all day long

 

[viscount]

Re: Identify my (1950s?) Claude Butler track frame!

You got a good bike there.
Treasure it, & enjoy riding it.
I would; )

 

[Midlife]

Re: Identify my (1950s?) Claude Butler track frame!

Stick some kit on it and go for a ride

Stuff from the 50's can be hard to come by but anything 70's or before would do fine ......

Shaun

 

[Diamant_Don]

Re:

Thanks guys! Great to have such positive feedback!

I'll be hanging on to this one, I think, and taking my time to build it up nicely… whether as a period track bike (been told parts are rare/expensive) or as a modern fixie ride for laughs and good times.

First job, service the sticky headset!

Cheers all, Don.

 

[Midlife]

Re: Identify my (1950s?) Claude Butler track frame!

*cough* loose balls *cough*

Shaun

 

[Diamant_Don]

Re: Identify my (1950s?) Claude Butler track frame!

No cages? Loose balls all over de place?

Eek. Will take care!

 

[keithglos]

Re: Identify my (1950s?) Claude Butler track frame!

The easy way to assemble the headset is upside down. 5/32 balls probably 22 in each, place the balls in the top screwed race with a little grease, then in the lower race, drop the forks in with one hand and screw on the top race with the other, much preferred to cages.


Keith.

 

[Jonny69]

Re: Identify my (1950s?) Claude Butler track frame!

Yes, early track parts will be expensive - particularly the bars and stem! If you were to use something like an Andele chainset with 110mm square taper bottom bracket, a plain pair of new track wheels from Singlespeedcomponents and just a simple SR or GB alloy quill stem with alloy bars with a slight curve across the top (e.g. mid 70's Dawes ones) then you'll get 85% of the look but at a fraction of the cost and it'll be 100% useable.

 

[Diamant_Don]

Re:

Thanks fellas! Never fixed a headset with loose bearings before, so this is going to be interesting!

Thanks also for advice about the build. I don't think I'm going to source original 50s components (the budget isn't there for that kind of extravagance), but some nice 70s gear would be nice!

* Goes off to look for 70s Dawes kit *