Bike chain - historical!

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DaveP
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Bike chain - historical!

Post by DaveP »

Have aa look at this page:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7633599.stm
The photo of Arthur Linton and his bike caught my eye. Does anyone know what sort of chain that is?
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cranky
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Post by cranky »

This might make it a bit clearer

Image

I think it's a device to stop the chain coming off the rear cog, also look at the chainstay weirdness. The chainstays looks like they're built like a fork running into a single tube at the bottom bracket.

Weird.

Edit: In fact, I think the seatstays and chainstays are detachable as a unit, making it possible to break the bike down for packing.
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thirdcrank
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Post by thirdcrank »

The internet is a wonderful thing. The name Arthur Linton had never registered with me before, but I see from a quick google that he was world champion in 1896, the year he also won the first Paris - Roubaix and Bordeaux - Paris. It seems he was a pro with Cycles Gladiator - more recently famous for advertising posters which have been reproduced on wine labels and elsewhere - and that winner's sash is from their factory - L'usine Gladiator. Unfortunately, there don't seem to be any more pics of his bikes - the only other pic of him I could find was one of him standing with the trophies he had won.

Seems to be mainly famous / infamous for the allegation that he died as the result of an overdose.

Did they race on the road without brakes in those days, or have I missed something in the pic?
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cranky
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Post by cranky »

thirdcrank wrote:Did they race on the road without brakes in those days, or have I missed something in the pic?


Fixed wheel ?
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Post by thirdcrank »

I suppose I was taking fixed wheel for granted but generally with really old bikes you see a brake which pressed down on the front tyre. Perhaps it's a track bike - I have read that they sometimes changed onto one if they arrived at a track together at the finish - but I had assumed that was a bell on the bars. Perhaps that's just a flower from the boucquet. The chain-guide thing is interesting as well; I should never have worked it out.

The saddle is the only thing which really looks developed - I hesitate to describe a leather saddle as modern.

Overall, they must have been tough guys in those days.
9494arnold
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Chain

Post by 9494arnold »

I think you will find this is a Simpson Lever Chain if memory serves me well. There's a bike in the National Cycle Museum at Landridnod Wells with
one on and some advertising literature as well.

Paul Arnold
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cranky
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Post by cranky »

Well spotted Paul !

Simpson Lever Chain

Image

Just another can of snake oil :)
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hamster
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Post by hamster »

Something to watch out for in the Shimano or Campag catalogue in a couple of years time perhaps? :lol:
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Post by thirdcrank »

Interesting link from cranky - with a female model doing the advertising, but even in the Naughty Nineties, she kept her plusses on. :shock:
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Post by cranky »

hamster wrote:Something to watch out for in the Shimano or Campag catalogue in a couple of years time perhaps? :lol:


I wonder if they'll do them in 12-speed ?
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Post by cranky »

thirdcrank wrote:Interesting link from cranky - with a female model doing the advertising, but even in the Naughty Nineties, she kept her plusses on. :shock:


I think plusses look quite dashing/fetching on a cyclist. I wonder if they still do them with liners ?
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DaveP
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Post by DaveP »

Well, thanks for a particularly outstanding response. I didnt expect to end up quite so well informed!
After following the link and chasing down a few more I have only one further question:
What on earth did Mr Simpson say when some unfeeling geek said "Why not just make a bigger sprocket?" 8)

It might have been a non starter, but it would make an ubercool fixie groupset, wouldnt it? :lol:
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cranky
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Post by cranky »

DaveP wrote:Well, thanks for a particularly outstanding response. I didnt expect to end up quite so well informed!


That's only because there are too many people on here with too much free time on their hands :)

DaveP wrote:After following the link and chasing down a few more I have only one further question:
What on earth did Mr Simpson say when some unfeeling geek said "Why not just make a bigger sprocket?" 8)

It might have been a non starter, but it would make an ubercool fixie groupset, wouldnt it? :lol:


I think we have to give Mr Simpson some credit for the era in which he lived, not everyone had a sound grasp of applied mathematics and the engineering principles were probably not well understood. It was a brave try and I'm wondering if Arthur Linton rode with it because he thought it gave him any benefit, or did he simply pose with it for the publicity and the cash.
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Mick F
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Post by Mick F »

Technical question:
Was there any benefit with this chain?

Perhaps not, as we would be using then now if they were any good, but some inventions fall by the wayside through lack of investment rather than that they were poor inventions.
Mick F. Cornwall
thirdcrank
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Post by thirdcrank »

Mick F wrote:Technical question:
Was there any benefit with this chain?


Speaking for myself, even though I feel quite long in the teeth I have left, I have no recollection of 1896 :roll:
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