The British bike thread
- Thread starter Guinessisgoodforyou
- Start date
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
The forerunner of the cassette hub. Thanks for posting such clear photos.
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
A great article on the Taylor brothers @Jamiedyer
Reynolds 708 is one of my favourite tubesets, I've three bikes in 708 and they are all very good.
bikeworkshop
Old School Grand Master
You have been warned
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
Wtf
bike shop owners know how to find the good stuff 
Or it was Jo shouting at me I'd burnt the toast again..
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
NWisGooderest!
Dirt Disciple
PhillB
GT Fan
6 months ago I had no British bikes, now I have three 
Holdsworth Autograph Les Smith - This bike was bought in 1976, the seller gave me the original hand written receipt.
A relatively easy restoration - complete strip down clean, polish and rebuild, upgraded a few bits, cables, pads, levers, tyres, and saddle. Rebuilt the wheels, I love a front radial wheel
A mid range model, IIRC, perhaps a bit dull and overlooked. Having riden it a couple of times before the winter murk - its a lovely smooth ride..
Next up - a bit of a find - took a punt on a scraggy Roberts frame - turned out to be a 1965 Charlie Roberts - likely the 20th bike he built! (well with a Roberts badge anyway)
Did a deep restoration and repaint on this one. It looks like this now:
Bit of a mix of components and not period correct - but that seems to be a thing with Roberts and I had I 'look' I was aiming for. It's my first Roberts and all the hype I had ever heard about them being lovely bikes... is true.
Then number 3... A 1946 Hobbs of Barbican Superbe Frameset I picked up just before Christmas.
I am undecided whether to repaint it, the original paintwork and decals are....well.... almost 80 years old. Any other bike in this condition I would repaint...but I have until the summer to decide. Anyway built it up for now with a mix of 1940's bits - Chater Lea chain rings and pedals, Scandia Cranks and Strata Brakes. Here's what it looks like now - the wheels are modern 26 1& 3/8 reproduction builds with a flip flop hub.
Only one quick test ride on it so far, with that massive chain ring it is a fast bike....!
Holdsworth Autograph Les Smith - This bike was bought in 1976, the seller gave me the original hand written receipt.
A relatively easy restoration - complete strip down clean, polish and rebuild, upgraded a few bits, cables, pads, levers, tyres, and saddle. Rebuilt the wheels, I love a front radial wheel
A mid range model, IIRC, perhaps a bit dull and overlooked. Having riden it a couple of times before the winter murk - its a lovely smooth ride..
Next up - a bit of a find - took a punt on a scraggy Roberts frame - turned out to be a 1965 Charlie Roberts - likely the 20th bike he built! (well with a Roberts badge anyway)
Did a deep restoration and repaint on this one. It looks like this now:
Bit of a mix of components and not period correct - but that seems to be a thing with Roberts and I had I 'look' I was aiming for. It's my first Roberts and all the hype I had ever heard about them being lovely bikes... is true.
Then number 3... A 1946 Hobbs of Barbican Superbe Frameset I picked up just before Christmas.
I am undecided whether to repaint it, the original paintwork and decals are....well.... almost 80 years old. Any other bike in this condition I would repaint...but I have until the summer to decide. Anyway built it up for now with a mix of 1940's bits - Chater Lea chain rings and pedals, Scandia Cranks and Strata Brakes. Here's what it looks like now - the wheels are modern 26 1& 3/8 reproduction builds with a flip flop hub.
Only one quick test ride on it so far, with that massive chain ring it is a fast bike....!
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Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
The letter from Hercules is amazing. From a time when service was paramount.
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
Phil, I enjoy all of your restorations, the Roberts is exceptional though.6 months ago I had no British bikes, now I have three
Holdsworth Autograph Les Smith - This bike was bought in 1976, the seller gave me the original hand written receipt.
View attachment 928442
A relatively easy restoration - complete strip down clean, polish and rebuild, upgraded a few bits, cables, pads, levers, tyres, and saddle. Rebuilt the wheels, I love a front radial wheel
View attachment 928443
A mid range model, IIRC, perhaps a bit dull and overlooked. Having riden it a couple of times before the winter murk - its a lovely smooth ride..
Next up - a bit of a find - took a punt on a scraggy Roberts frame - turned out to be a 1965 Charlie Roberts - likely the 20th bike he built! (well with a Roberts badge anyway)
View attachment 928444
Did a deep restoration and repaint on this one. It looks like this now:
View attachment 928445
Bit of a mix of components and not period correct - but that seems to be a thing with Roberts and I had I 'look' I was aiming for. It's my first Roberts and all the hype I had ever heard about them being lovely bikes... is true.
Then number 3... A 1946 Hobbs of Barbican Superbe Frameset I picked up just before Christmas.
View attachment 928446
I am undecided whether to repaint it, the original paintwork and decals are....well.... almost 80 years old. Any other bike in this condition I would repaint...but I have until the summer to decide. Anyway built it up for now with a mix of 1940's bits - Chater Lea chain rings and pedals, Scandia Cranks and Strata Brakes. Here's what it looks like now - the wheels are modern 26 1& 3/8 reproduction builds with a flip flop hub.
View attachment 928447
View attachment 928448
Only one quick test ride on it so far, with that massive chain ring it is a fast bike....!
