Mother of all barn finds

[Stumpjumper]

Someone who knows I like old cars directed me to a property in the back blocks near here, which I duly visited and found full of old cars. I have no room for more cars nor do I want a divorce, but there was also a sort of bicycle graveyard, literally a pile of bikes in a shed, which the owner considers scrap.

I bought them almost sight unseen (it was dark in the shed) - as scrap for the princely sum of a case of wine and the promise to get them out of the shed within a fortnight. I took a few snaps with my dodgy little camera.

I'm no expert on bicycles, so I will measure, count and log the details including make and year or serial number where possible of each one and post the results here if anyone's interested. Who knows what's there? I didn't want to appear to enthusiastic by lingering in case there was something good in the heap of scrap iron.

I've just put the memory card into the computer and voila! I'm wondering if they count as retro.

Sorry about the quality of the snaps. If they're too big I can resize them.

 

[yo-Nate-y]

Like an elephant graveyard.

 

[moffyr72]

Looks very interesting! Although thats a shedload of seized stems...

 

[Stumpjumper]

There goes the back lawn. Death by WD40. :shock:


Although most of the rust etc will buff out...

 

[bagpuss]

You will find some real hidden gems in this lot.wipe down with an oily rag I have seen some go for silly money.Look out for Rover and Singer Head badges.Look to be a lot of old Brooks saddles.

Well worth to time to sort out what you have

 

[Stumpjumper]

Spot on, bagpuss. All joking aside, the phrase 'ka-ching!' did occur to me as I looked at the pics.

There are some fearsome prices being paid on line in the US for unrestored pre-war racers and quality make road bikes. I'm looking forward to finding what might be in there. Thanks for the tip about Rover and Singer.

 

[bagpuss]

Also look for Sunbeam,Humber,.basicaly any thing early british or French.
Stuck set posts should not be on issue as i doubt many will be alloy.Steel on steel does not have the same bonding effect as you will already know having your head stuck under a bonnet for a long time .wd 40 should shift these without much

 

[lorenzo]

50p says that the bulb in that light's broken...

Nice find though.

 

[Stumpjumper]

The shed owner says he has a box of old lights and lanterns from the bikes. We shall see. I'll report progress.

There are some odd setups there. Not many spokes in the front wheel in pic 3, and what appear to be radial spokes in the back wheel of the foreground bike in pic 1.

 

[bagpuss]

Bike in the fore ground on the last picture seems to have atwin tube design.could be very interesting.old lamps again,depending old their period and make. again silly £££ or $$$$ condition if its original, so much the better.looks like you could have loads of fun with this lot.

also a machine in the 2nd picture has an all in one handle bar and stem.radial spokes again on another.both suggest real age.