Cycling UK Forum

Hi Ayesha, do you mean this one of mine is too young or the one your uncle sold is too young.How do you know whether its too young or not? Please share knowledge with us.On further investigation of nkilgarrif's site, the closest bike features wise that I could find was from the 1949 and 1950 cataloues but even then was not an exact match.Anyone know when the bi-laminated lug feature became common?

Hi Brucey, I am thinking of renovating it and maybe returning it to fixed.I just don't yet, my knees are not as young as they once were,certainly I will have it repainted to a style suitable to its age, but i'm not going down the road of everything having to be as original.It is easily the most comfortable bike I have and I would like to get it roadworthy again. I remember now that the brakes it came fitted with were called or stamped something like hidiminium or similar.The "groupset" that it is equipped with is the best quality I could afford over 30 years ago as a teenage student and its stood the test of time not to badly with minimum maintenance or care and a good helping of neglect,but as you observe it is a bit of a mongrel.

photos of old claud
http://www.flickr.com/photos/88104625@N ... 8057573424

This is my third try to reply with photos.Thank for the replies and info.Ayesha I do not know where your uncle was based,I live in Coleraine.I bought this bike off a bread delivery man who delivered to a large supermarket where I worked after school when still in my teens in the late 70's.It had belonged to his father originally so a late 30's date is entirely feasible.The only original parts are the bar and stem.I cannot recall it's original colour but it did have a 531 sticker on it, I would not have bought it otherwise.The first 6-9 inches of the forks and stays were originally chromed and the drive side forkend had a long tang on it at the chainstay side of the axle slot.I had it re-enamelled shortly after I got it.It is more or less as I built it up back then. Sorry i can not seem to get attachments to resize will post later when i do.

I've recently become curious to know the age of an old Claud Butler I've owned for over thirty years.I know it was very old when i bought it.I have looked at nkilgarrif,retrobike, classic lightweights, classic rendezvous websites but still can not decipher the serial no which is 9103937.Anyone able to help,please.

Hi PW, if the Reynolds sticker on my bike is to be believed the main tubes were butted, the stays and forks plain gauge.My bike has a Suntour Cyclone front mech and a Stronglight chainset,48/38,well named for it seems very light, with a Dotek lhs crank.What about those brakes,mine still have original Weinmann brake blocks fitted,nobody out there with knowledge of them.Also it has the wee footery adjusters fitted in the rear fork ends,probably have fun freeing those up

Hi Goldie, i've also recently posted about an old Galaxy. Mine looks to be identical to yours. My bike was missing its back wheel,rear derailleur, chain and front mudguard. The gears appear to be Suntour on my bike,Stronglight chainset and those same Weinmann brakes. If you look back at my post i think it was eighties/ early nineties was the considered opinion of the forum My G has the same scabby/rusty steel carrier rack as yours and no carrier braze ons.It had MKS quill type pedals and SR Custom drop bars and stem. You have done me a big favour posting nice pics.I wanted to know about the brakes? Obviously some sort of centre pull,I had not seen ones like this before,more the sort with a wire straddle cable,Anyone know anything about them? You have saved me from having to re-learn how to post photos .Against some considered advice i am going to restore my old machine, with new wheels ,gears etc. It will make a nice touring bike for my son .

Thanks for the replies and info too. I know it will cost more than initially estimated.My experiences in life have taught me that . Think of a price, then add some more,then add on what you originally thought of, that sort of scenario. However,I have got a really good quality frame a good seatpost, good alloy bars stem middling good alloy brakes and good alloy chainset for no cost at all,so I can afford to spend a few pounds and also involve my son in the project of renovation/restoration

I have been given a Dawes Super Galaxy.I spotted it amongst a lot of rubbish that looked as if it were for dumping, offered to buy it and was told,"Take it with you, its for the skip".It is missing the rear wheel,derailleur and front mudguard. The rear mudguard is broken at the stay mounting bracket and there is no chain.The saddle is destroyed and all the cables are siezed. However,the frame is sound, a bit scabby with superficial rust here and there where it has been scraped and has lain outside for some time.The all important Reynolds badge says 531st fork blades, stays and butted frame tubes and the rear triangle spacing measures 120 mm. Brakes are Weinmann centerpulls,Lapade fluted seatpost.Esge guards,Maillard front hub with 27 inch alloy rim, Stronglight double 48/36 tooth chainset and Mks Lyotard quill pedals.It has Suntour friction downtube gear levers and a Suntour Cyclone front mech.It has no carrier braze on points front or rear.I am going to restore it to use ,it will suit my son very well and won't have cost a bomb if it gets stolen.Any body out there have any idea what age it could be. It also has a Sanyo bottom bracket dynamo fitted.

I bought a wheel with Schmidt hub, Edelux front and a B&M Toplight rear lights from Spa cycles.Very efficient service.Have not really been able to use it yet in the type of darkness we get in winter but, where i have used it it seems to be excellent.To connect the rear light to the front I hunted everywhere for a few feet of high quality fine flex. In the end I cut the lead of a redundant mobile phone charger and used that.Very pleased with the whole setup

I am interested in this.My diet is similar to atkins but I am not on it to lose weight.It is a low starch or as near no starch diet as I can possibly get.The reason for this is that I suffer from Ankylosing Spondylitis, a very painful inflammation of the spine, sacro iliac joints and the muscles in the iris of the eye.I have found this diet ,although restricting in many ways, to be a great benefit, I am more or less pain free most of the time and importantly I am not on any medication, which usually for this condition are anti inflammatories or disease modifying drugs with a whole slew of unpleasant side effects.I have not cycled as much in recent years as i would like due to other commitments and therefore can not say anthing about this type of diet's effect on stamina or staying power. I have not eat bread,potatoes,pasta,rice,in fact anything which I know contains a large amount of starch, that is complex carbs,since August 2001 when I had a major flare up and was eating painkillers and hobbling around on a walking stick. Even simple sugars overindulged can cause a flare up to start.I stress I am not on this to lose weight,I'm as thin as a brush shaft, but something which has been said a couple of times previously in this thread bears repeating. For me this was a total change of attitude to food and I think it is the same for those with weight problems,yoyo dieting is no use, you need to change your habits completely, permanently, if you want to continue to enjoy the benefits of being a healthier weight.In fact I have put on a little weight since being on this diet.

thanks for the prompt replies,very useful.With regards to the bottle dynamo, i have a couple of bottom bracket dynamos. They have done the job but are noisy ,vibrate and not so good at very slow speeds.No matter what way i leave my house i will either tackle a steep hill going out or on the way back and have found them a bit flickery at my slow climbing rate. any way thanks v.much for your help.

can a schmidt or shimano dynamo drive one of the latest, brightest led front lamps, ie ,edelux or b&m cyo and a rear led as well.

hi i'm 48 years old, in n ireland ,married ,two wains occaisional cyclist, like to be more.