Coupled cycles

This picture is cribbed from 'The Devil on Wheels', a 1946 biography of the father of all bicycles Kirkpatrick Macmillan by Gordon Irving. I've never encountered anything like this before, looks like a kit to tether two regular standard bicycles together. I suspect a horror to ride!

1934 FW Evans cycle

This is the current project. A 1934 FW Evans. The cycle came to me in pieces from the grandson of the original owner. I actually bought it for the parts but when I got it home I realised that it was way too nice to split and should be kept as is. It would be a shame to swap out the original parts but some are rather delicate (saddle and handlebar grips) plus it even has pre-war sports tyres. I've decided that the best plan of action will be to source suitable riding parts and keep the originals on the shelf, that way it can be enjoyed and ridden.

It seems like this Evans was used as a general all round clubmans machine for touring and club rides. The three speed hub and hub brake is likely a later addition. I have a Midland pannier rack with it which is rather heavy duty and much as I want to keep it all original it does look awful so this will probably remain off the bike. The mudguards and rack are quick release

F W Evans links:

Bike Brothers FW Evans Resource page
Classic Lightweights FW Evans page
Veteran Cycle Club New England post war Evans Tourer
About Evans Cycles by Evans themselves

1934 FW Evans.

Sturmey handlebar mounted three speed lever and celuloid
covered bars.

I'm not sure if the original owner painted the accessories to
match the frame or if that was done for him by Evans.

'Ten Spot' cantilever brakes. Very simple and
effective. I had never heard of these brakes
before let alone seen a set.

Swan neck stem, possibly a BSA one and BSA headset.

Rather heavy but high quality Lucas dynamo
and rear light.

The original customer must have specified every braze-on
available in the build. There are even three clips for the rear
brake cable along the top tube.

Constrictor handlebar grips and stylish flat moustache
style handlebars.

The bracket for the (missing and to be sourced)
Lucas milometer is mounted on the fork drop-out.

Attention to detail is superb, even the pump pegs are elegant.

Parker White Knight tyres and correct metal woods valve caps.

Renolds Chains postcard

An original advertising postcard from the twenties. Lovely painting by the artist Kenneth D Shoesmith, best known for his work depicting Ocean Liners with an instantly recognisable and evocative style.

Renold Chains advertising postcard
by Kenneth D Shoesmith.

Sun Manxman finished

The last few parts finally arrived for the Sun Manxman and it was time for the finishing touches.

I'm very pleased with the way it has turned out, not 100% period correct but fairly close. Everything works as it should and the ride is comfortable with a nice direct lively feeling. The gear change is somewhat wanting but with the long route of the cable run via the Campagnolo bar end levers to the sixties changers this shouldn't be a surprise. The 'matchbox' type front changer lives up to its reputation of being particularly woeful.

The drive train threw up a couple of last minute surprises; the cages of the Raleigh branded pedals clashed with the crank arms. Strange. Solved by adding a packing washer on each side. The inner chainwheel is a very tight clearance to the frame. Careful fitting ensured it doesn't rub but possibly I need to source a packing washer to fit beneath the right hand bracket cup to push it out slightly.

A couple of recommendations for a vintage build. The chain is a Clarks Anti-Rust, cheap as chips and ideal for an older cycle. The mudguards are unbranded plain black from ebay. £20 the pair and they look period. 

The Sun will be a summer ride, the chrome work on the stays and forks is delicate. So 'till next year it is destined to be wall art. 

Sun Manxman project

The Sun Manxman is slowly progressing. A few finishing touches and it will be ready for the road. (Previous update on the Red Devil Motors blog).

Nearly there.... It took a while to find a suitable double
cottered chainset.

A new old stock Brooks B17 has been found.

Love the engraving on the GB bars.

Campag bar end levers took a while to find at a reasonable
price. These ones came over from the US. Brooks bar tape
is quite pricey but really finishes off a build nicely.

New Campag downtube cable stops aren't period correct but
are unobtrusive. A bit disappointed to find out when they
arrived that they are plastic.

Royal Enfield advert from Cycling Magazine 1913

Advertising proof for Royal Enfield bicycles from Cycling Magazine August 5 1913.

1913 Royal Enfield bicycle advert.

Race transportation sixties style

Here's how you went racing on a budget back in the day. The motorcycle is a Panther, the cycle I couldn't say, fairly easy to recognise those Mafac brakes though.

Strange how we indulge in a hobby that should have impeccable environmentally friendly credentials but often put our cycles in the car to transport them to somewhere we want to ride. The rise of mountain bike parks has made this even more commonplace with folks driving perhaps for more than an hour just in order to have a cycle ride. 

Royal Enfield Advertising Proof 1913

Another Royal Enfield advertising proof. This one from the British Trade Journal in 1913.

1913 Royal Enfield bicycle advert.

Rudge Bicycles 1958 brochure

Here's the Rudge full range brochure for 1958. A lovely piece of advertising art.

1958 Rudge brochure front cover.

1958 Rudge brochure page 2.

1958 Rudge brochure page 3.

1958 Rudge brochure page 4.

1958 Rudge brochure page 5.

1958 Rudge brochure page 6.

1958 Rudge brochure page 7.

1958 Rudge brochure page 8.

1958 Rudge brochure page 9.

1958 Rudge brochure page 10.

1958 Rudge brochure page11.

1958 Rudge brochure page 12.

1958 Rudge brochure page13.

1958 Rudge brochure page14.

1958 Rudge brochure rear cover.

1958 Rudge price list.

Sturmey Archer brochure insert.