Villiers 2 speed gear

[mike1251]

Has anyone on here had any experience with this set up as I have just acquired a 1936/39 light roadster with the Villiers 2 speed attached . Historically it was a shortlived idea I believe I have the bike stripped for a good clean and re grease at the moment but i'm finding very little information about how this exactly is set up

 

[Jonny69]

Have a look for the brochure for the Trivelox Type B 3-speed derailleur. It’s obscure, but it’s not hard to find. It’s hard to tell from the pictures but I think the cable shifting mechanism is the same. Obviously yours only has two positions. Note the long spring along the chain stay on the Trivelox which maintains the chain tension.

 

[Jonny69]

Here.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Post in thread 'Not vintage or French, Worldwide Tourers, Campeurs, Porteurs, Audax, Randonneurs, Commuters' https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads...dax-randonneurs-commuters.451394/post-3380645


Shows an original one in use.

 

[fiveSixteenths]

Has anyone on here had any experience with this set up as I have just acquired a 1936/39 light roadster with the Villiers 2 speed attached . Historically it was a shortlived idea I believe I have the bike stripped for a good clean and re grease at the moment but i'm finding very little information about how this exactly is set up
View attachment 948284

And we need a build thread please

 

[mike1251]

Thanks for all the replies, this is said bike at the moment its a pile of nuts and bolts as it needs new bearings all round new cable for the gear select a bloody good clean as its coated in some tacky muck that is horrible. The frame has at some time been hand painted as were the green pinstripes. The frame nuber with the WE prefix puts a tourist version as 1936 the chrome fork lugs appear in a 1939 catalogue as a Light Roadster from BSA. The wheel hubs, bottom bracket, chain, crank and pedals are all BSA stamped. Now the big question is all the parts are cleaning up while still retaining signs of wear as per a bike of the age but the frame has surface rust and bear metal in parts so as it is not original paint would a frame repaint be foolish or not detrimental to the overall look and feel. The brake rods and parts have been painted some sort of silver that really started to come away even with gentle cleaning. The saddle is a terry saddle which is listed as standard in the 1936 catalogue but is beyond my skills of repair so will source some sort of brooks of the period as the only others I've found seem to be in similar condition.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

I'm usually all for keeping the original finish. Is there any way you could get the now paint off to expose the original?

 

[mike1251]

That was what I was hoping but it appears to have a partial rub down and the paint seems to be very poor quality as it comes away with a diluted degreaser even the nuts and fixings were all painted black, with over paint on the chrome bottom bracket and headset chrome, one other thing any ideas on removing a stuck drive side bottom bracket cone ,I know it's righty loosey as BSA kindly stamped the LH thread marking on it unless I'm being an idiot

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

That was what I was hoping but it appears to have a partial rub down and the paint seems to be very poor quality as it comes away with a diluted degreaser even the nuts and fixings were all painted black, with over paint on the chrome bottom bracket and headset chrome, one other thing any ideas on removing a stuck drive side bottom bracket cone ,I know it's righty loosey as BSA kindly stamped the LH thread marking on it unless I'm being an idiot

Plus gas penetrating oil, heat if not. Get a good fit on the fixed cup with your spanner so it doesn't chew it up. Yes, undo clockwise as you face it.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

https://sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/bbcups.html

You may find this helpful, from the above site.