... who made this bike, and why?

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
thirdcrank
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by thirdcrank »

I see this "news item" has now made it onto the BBC

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57453840
the budget was just $1,500 (£1,060), a third of the minimum price the firm charges.
Is Downing Street bugged?
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kylecycler
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by kylecycler »

The headbadge for the bike was made my Jen Green, who makes some beautiful headbadges
usagb headbadge.PNG
usagb headbadge.PNG (355.8 KiB) Viewed 796 times
She did these for True North Cycles from Ontario, Canada
true north headbadges.JPG
true north headbadge.jpg
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kylecycler
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by kylecycler »

Bilenky Cycle Works, when they have the time - which they absolutely didn't in this case, apparently - have built some beautiful bicycles - this is the nicest one I've ever seen, just about - the Shelly Horton town bike, a mixte. Maybe not to everyone's (or maybe even anyone's) taste, but you surely have to admire the workmanship.

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http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2011/09/ ... rbike.html

The bilaminate-style 'lugs' - effectively sleeves brazed over the ends of the tubes before they were mitred (the way Claud Butler built their 'lugs' post-war when no stamped or cast lugs were available) - were hand cut by Isis Shiffer, who now runs an industrial design consultancy in Brooklyn after studying at the Pratt Institute (she did her middle year at the Royal College of Art in London), although that was after she left Bilenky. She cut the sleeves/lugs with a coping saw in the style of an art deco door her boss Steven Bilenky had salvaged from a railroad station. Paint was by the legendary frame painter Joe Bell. The wheels had Ghisallo wooden rims.
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kylecycler
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by kylecycler »

More details of the above (anyone got any idea what the hubs are?):

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https://bikeportland.org/2011/02/25/a-v ... rton-48661
Jdsk
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by Jdsk »

In their own words: "The US-UK Friendship Bike":
https://www.bilenky.com/us-uk-friendship-bike

Jonathan
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by Vorpal »

kylecycler wrote: 12 Jun 2021, 7:52pm Bilenky Cycle Works, when they have the time - which they absolutely didn't in this case, apparently - have built some beautiful bicycles - this is the nicest one I've ever seen, just about - the Shelly Horton town bike, a mixte. Maybe not to everyone's (or maybe even anyone's) taste, but you surely have to admire the workmanship.
That is a lovely bike.
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kylecycler
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by kylecycler »

Bilenky are a rough looking, raggle-taggle bunch, though - their workshop is situated in a scrap yard - hard to believe they created the bicycle above, but there you go...
the gang.JPG
Young Ms Shiffer, who cut the lugs for the Shelly Horton mixte, should be easy enough to spot (everything being relative!). Steven Bilenky is the little guy with the cycling cap, the shades and the long beard.

Here she is cutting out the lugs (like I said she moved on a while ago to pursue a career in industrial design; she already had degrees in art and sculpture before she joined Bilenky)...
isis sawing sleeves.JPG

...and with Bilenky's 'shop cat Ferdinand...
isis with ferdinand.jpg

...who is as much of a slob as his 'co-workers'... :wink:
ferdinand bilenky.PNG
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kylecycler
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by kylecycler »

Jdsk wrote: 12 Jun 2021, 8:27pm In their own words: "The US-UK Friendship Bike":
https://www.bilenky.com/us-uk-friendship-bike

Jonathan
I knew the timescale was short but didn't realise it was that short! Contacted on May 23, to be designed and built by June 5!

Bilenky also build wonderful tandems - maybe they could build one for Joe and Jill. This is my favourite among many:

Image
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nick12
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by nick12 »

The Shelly horton bike is amazing. I bet they cost a bob or two.
scottg
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by scottg »

nick12 wrote: 12 Jun 2021, 11:28pm The Shelly horton bike is amazing. I bet they cost a bob or two.
Some fun stuff here...
Brett has reprinted some wonderful posters over the years.

https://www.hortoncollection.com/
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JimAW
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by JimAW »

kylecycler wrote: 12 Jun 2021, 8:06pm More details of the above (anyone got any idea what the hubs are?):
I would guess they are Curtis Odom hubs.
Oldjohnw
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by Oldjohnw »

Back to the original bike, I was wondering if this bike has some mechanism whereby the wheels go in different directions at the same time. A sort of cake and eating it type of bike.
John
colin54
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by colin54 »

thirdcrank wrote: 12 Jun 2021, 7:21am It looks to have been specced for someone obese with a steep hill to climb.
AKA Parliament Hill gearing...
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Mike Sales
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by Mike Sales »

Oldjohnw wrote: 13 Jun 2021, 7:55am Back to the original bike, I was wondering if this bike has some mechanism whereby the wheels go in different directions at the same time. A sort of cake and eating it type of bike.
It should have better directional stability than a shopping trolley with a wonky wheel.
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It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
colin54
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Re: ... who made this bike, and why?

Post by colin54 »

It's a present from his Uncle Sam for passing his Commons Brexit exam.
I hope he's careful with the brakes, I think they're cabled up in the American fashion, rear brake on the right lever.
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