Old Ned
Old School Grand Master
A neighbour/friend sadly lost her husband early last year. He was a dedicated hoarder of virtually anything, frequenting car boots, jumble sales, flea markets etc. and buying all sorts of stuff (including divers' helmets!). Since his passing she has been trying to sort out his stashes of 'stuff' - in his car, caravan, garage, shed, loft and spread around the garden. She has now reached the point where his 'collection' of bikes has 'surfaced' and she asked me to come round and look at some stacked against the fence to see if there was anything worthwhile. Basically they are a conglomeration of BSO's and not really worth a lot (although, by all accounts, at least one of them ' was worth something' but which one I haven't a clue). Dismissing them I then turned my attention to a motor bike ehich has been slowly decomposing into the soil for years. An MZ which by now I reckon has passed the point of no return. Whilst looking at this I noticed, peeping out from behind the shed, a pair of alloy drop bars to which was attached a GB brake lever. Taking a closer look found that these were attached to a steel stem inserted into a head clip headset with a Raleigh headbadge still on display above a GB Coureur brake stirrup attached to a typical Raleigh 'dished' fork crown. This was starting to look more interesting but the rest of the 'bike' was buried under a pile of old rotting wood and netting. Several major heaves managed to dislodge it and it came out as a frame and forks with the bars and stem and a pair of very bent 'racing' mudguards.
I was now thinking that this was a lot more than a BSO particularly as the tubing 'pinged' nicely. However, the overall condition was appalling! The BB was seized solid, the brake stirrup like wise. The headset rotated after a fashion but I reckon the stem and head clip are rusted solid and the frame in general is carrying a lot of rust under its 'coat' of yard brush applied paint.
Our friend was rather surprised to see that I was enthusing over this wreck rather than the BSO's and was happy for me to bring it home for further investigation. It went in the shed for the morning but, to my great surprise, our friend 'phoned in the evening to say that she had been talking to her late husband's brother and he knew exactly what the bike is - and he had only been digging his same bike out of his garage that very afternoon! He rang me this morning and we had quite a long chat. He reckons that both bikes are Raleigh Clubman bikes, probably the 1950 Model 25 built with 531 tubing, as they are/were Blue and this correlated with Peter Kohler's article that can easily be found on the web. I expect that the brother's frame is a lot better condition than this one and I hope to go and see it very soon. In the meantime here are the photos I took this afternoon.
First, a general view. Please note that I haven't reversed the image - the chainset is actually on the wrong side!! I'm presuming it was only ever ridden with fixed wheel.
A front view of the headtube and brake stirrup.
Rear view ditto.
And the bottom bracket with oil hole. Steel chainset with odd cranks, one of which is nicely fluted.
Front fork ends - which were 6" chromed originally.
Seat cluster with fixing 'tube' for Sturmey Archer cable pulley.
And the elephant in the room - the hole in the chainstay presumably caused by a rubbing chainwheel!
Wether this could actually be saved is a moot point. I'm not really in a position to do it but the whole would be available for a fair price - whatever that is!! Please let me have your opinions on this sad piece of history.
I was now thinking that this was a lot more than a BSO particularly as the tubing 'pinged' nicely. However, the overall condition was appalling! The BB was seized solid, the brake stirrup like wise. The headset rotated after a fashion but I reckon the stem and head clip are rusted solid and the frame in general is carrying a lot of rust under its 'coat' of yard brush applied paint.
Our friend was rather surprised to see that I was enthusing over this wreck rather than the BSO's and was happy for me to bring it home for further investigation. It went in the shed for the morning but, to my great surprise, our friend 'phoned in the evening to say that she had been talking to her late husband's brother and he knew exactly what the bike is - and he had only been digging his same bike out of his garage that very afternoon! He rang me this morning and we had quite a long chat. He reckons that both bikes are Raleigh Clubman bikes, probably the 1950 Model 25 built with 531 tubing, as they are/were Blue and this correlated with Peter Kohler's article that can easily be found on the web. I expect that the brother's frame is a lot better condition than this one and I hope to go and see it very soon. In the meantime here are the photos I took this afternoon.
First, a general view. Please note that I haven't reversed the image - the chainset is actually on the wrong side!! I'm presuming it was only ever ridden with fixed wheel.
A front view of the headtube and brake stirrup.
Rear view ditto.
And the bottom bracket with oil hole. Steel chainset with odd cranks, one of which is nicely fluted.
Front fork ends - which were 6" chromed originally.
Seat cluster with fixing 'tube' for Sturmey Archer cable pulley.
And the elephant in the room - the hole in the chainstay presumably caused by a rubbing chainwheel!
Wether this could actually be saved is a moot point. I'm not really in a position to do it but the whole would be available for a fair price - whatever that is!! Please let me have your opinions on this sad piece of history.
