This is a bit of a long winded tale but stick with me, as I'm going to need some advice!!!
Due to financial constraints, last year I decided instead of spending a fortune on a new road bike, I'd refurbish an old Raleigh that had been hanging up in my father-in-laws garage since about 1992 ish. It was nothing special, a 1987 Equipe, bog standard, my wife had bought it with the proceeds of her paper round and it had served her well but had not been used since she graduated in the early 90s. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I got interested (mainly via this website) and turned it into something that I could ride quite comfortably with my mates on their Trek's, Specialized and Cube's and what have you. It managed with ease on a 307 mile trip from Cherbourg to St Malo and back for last years TDF without any mechanicals. It's linked to my profile on here somewhere. As a first attempt I was very proud of it!
Anyways, I was out for a ride in the fog yesterday in darkest Northumberland and while taking a well earned break by a coffee shop this old fella comes up to me and starts talking about how he loves vintage steel bikes. It turns out he used to race in the late 1940s and early 1950s until he suffered an injury in the shipyards and his bike had more or less been stored in his loft since then, bar a few weeks in the 80s when he tried to see if he could still ride it, which he couldn't. The guy was 84 and he had the frame made for him when he was about 15 he said and retired from racing when he was 24.
He was genuinely filling up when he was telling me about his bike, it obvious brought back some happy memories for him. I suggested to him that it might be worth something and he should have it valued, but he said he couldn't get up in the loft anymore as it was a tight space and he doesn't have the mobility anymore.
I was talking to him about Retrobike and how there's a lot of interest in old bikes and components and what have you, then he asked me if I'd like it - if I could get up in his loft I could have it - he said he'd be horrified if he sold it to some idiot who would take it to pieces and flog the bits off it. Obviously I wasn't wanting to feel like I was robbing the old guy and I made sure that that was what he wanted to do - his wife came out of the shop and told me he'd been waiting for someone who knew a bit about bikes who would look after it for him. I took his number and said I'd give him a ring today (Monday).
It was a bit of an ordeal getting up into his loft! It's a dutch bungalow with minimal space and the bike was right at the end. Anyway, have a look at the pictures...I don't really know what I have got.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bya6hrh7zlgavoj/DSC_1229.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ff6c01nwdu60mhg/DSC_1249.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vw0p1sl7i8y9umu/DSC_1238.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qeedpfpy52axf0e/DSC_1228.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ct7qhs3ck1s0192/DSC_1237.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hws0rb28sw5tad0/DSC_1239.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nvpvtfx6ohnjzdb/DSC_1240.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vmaf9dotyfm3x2a/DSC_1252.JPG
From what I gather it was built by Barrass of Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne. It's Reynolds 531 tubing in chrome. It has a Campagnolo Gran Sport rear mech and down tube shifter, a Brooks saddle. I think it's maybe got 600c wheels, I'm not sure of their age. Weinmann type 730 brake lever and callipers. The crank is cottered and is stamped with Durax Super Course.
Amazingly, I popped the wheels back in and pumped the tyres up and it was good to go. Obviously he looked after it as even the seat post was moving freely. It's needing a good clean up but nothing a bit of elbow grease won't shift.
He even gave me an old saddle bag (quite a big one) which contained a dynamo (1940s style), all of his tools, an ancient puncture repair kit and a pair of cycling shoes - which are far to small for me!
To be perfectly honest, the bike is way too small for me, this guy was 5'6" and Im 6'. I'm not allowed to sell it, I owe the old guy that, but I think my wife might in for a surprise....
If I hadn't been riding my old Raleigh Equipe this guy would never have come to speak to me.
Sorry for long winded tale but it's the most exciting thing that's happened for a while. Has anyone ever heard of Barrass Bikes or know anything about this frame/components? I'm fair up to speed to modern day group sets but vintage Campag and cottered cranks are beyond my current remit!!
Any comments or advice would be gratefully appreciated.
Due to financial constraints, last year I decided instead of spending a fortune on a new road bike, I'd refurbish an old Raleigh that had been hanging up in my father-in-laws garage since about 1992 ish. It was nothing special, a 1987 Equipe, bog standard, my wife had bought it with the proceeds of her paper round and it had served her well but had not been used since she graduated in the early 90s. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I got interested (mainly via this website) and turned it into something that I could ride quite comfortably with my mates on their Trek's, Specialized and Cube's and what have you. It managed with ease on a 307 mile trip from Cherbourg to St Malo and back for last years TDF without any mechanicals. It's linked to my profile on here somewhere. As a first attempt I was very proud of it!
Anyways, I was out for a ride in the fog yesterday in darkest Northumberland and while taking a well earned break by a coffee shop this old fella comes up to me and starts talking about how he loves vintage steel bikes. It turns out he used to race in the late 1940s and early 1950s until he suffered an injury in the shipyards and his bike had more or less been stored in his loft since then, bar a few weeks in the 80s when he tried to see if he could still ride it, which he couldn't. The guy was 84 and he had the frame made for him when he was about 15 he said and retired from racing when he was 24.
He was genuinely filling up when he was telling me about his bike, it obvious brought back some happy memories for him. I suggested to him that it might be worth something and he should have it valued, but he said he couldn't get up in the loft anymore as it was a tight space and he doesn't have the mobility anymore.
I was talking to him about Retrobike and how there's a lot of interest in old bikes and components and what have you, then he asked me if I'd like it - if I could get up in his loft I could have it - he said he'd be horrified if he sold it to some idiot who would take it to pieces and flog the bits off it. Obviously I wasn't wanting to feel like I was robbing the old guy and I made sure that that was what he wanted to do - his wife came out of the shop and told me he'd been waiting for someone who knew a bit about bikes who would look after it for him. I took his number and said I'd give him a ring today (Monday).
It was a bit of an ordeal getting up into his loft! It's a dutch bungalow with minimal space and the bike was right at the end. Anyway, have a look at the pictures...I don't really know what I have got.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bya6hrh7zlgavoj/DSC_1229.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ff6c01nwdu60mhg/DSC_1249.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vw0p1sl7i8y9umu/DSC_1238.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qeedpfpy52axf0e/DSC_1228.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ct7qhs3ck1s0192/DSC_1237.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hws0rb28sw5tad0/DSC_1239.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nvpvtfx6ohnjzdb/DSC_1240.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vmaf9dotyfm3x2a/DSC_1252.JPG
From what I gather it was built by Barrass of Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne. It's Reynolds 531 tubing in chrome. It has a Campagnolo Gran Sport rear mech and down tube shifter, a Brooks saddle. I think it's maybe got 600c wheels, I'm not sure of their age. Weinmann type 730 brake lever and callipers. The crank is cottered and is stamped with Durax Super Course.
Amazingly, I popped the wheels back in and pumped the tyres up and it was good to go. Obviously he looked after it as even the seat post was moving freely. It's needing a good clean up but nothing a bit of elbow grease won't shift.
He even gave me an old saddle bag (quite a big one) which contained a dynamo (1940s style), all of his tools, an ancient puncture repair kit and a pair of cycling shoes - which are far to small for me!
To be perfectly honest, the bike is way too small for me, this guy was 5'6" and Im 6'. I'm not allowed to sell it, I owe the old guy that, but I think my wife might in for a surprise....
If I hadn't been riding my old Raleigh Equipe this guy would never have come to speak to me.
Sorry for long winded tale but it's the most exciting thing that's happened for a while. Has anyone ever heard of Barrass Bikes or know anything about this frame/components? I'm fair up to speed to modern day group sets but vintage Campag and cottered cranks are beyond my current remit!!
Any comments or advice would be gratefully appreciated.
