Gents lightweight tourer

A couple of pics of a quality fifties light touring machine. Major kudos if you can identify the marque!

GT ZR4000 project

Any psychologists out there please don't comment! Looking around the workshop I saw that I had accumulated a couple of wheels and a few other odds and ends. Rather than do the obvious and sell them on I decided that what the wheels needed was a frame to hold them together. A nice lightweight bike for nipping to the shops on would be 'a good idea'. Then this GT ZR4000 frame came up on fleabay.

The frame was cheap. When it arrived it gave every appearance of having had a hard life, then been dumped in a canal, then dredged out and cleaned up to be sold to someone gullible. The ZR4000 from 1999/2000 was never a particularly high end machine but it is light and strong and I just somehow like GTs modern take on the classic 'hellenic' rear triangle frame design.

Of course even if you think you have all the parts lying around for a build you are soon to be proven wrong. Yes, I've already spent more than the finished article is worth and it still isn't complete.

The Sturmey 5 speed rear hub lent the cycle a bit of a fixie-ish appearance and as it is to be a shopping bike I decided to go for flat bars. Just really a pair of brakes to go and the thing will be nearly there. I'll post up when it is done.

GT ZR4000. Not too bad a machine in its day.

Actually pretty pleased with the way it is turning out visually.
Rear wheel is Sturmey XRD-5 on a Mavic CXP33. Front is a
Mavic Ksyrium,

Berthoud bar plugs were hanging around the workshop looking
for a home. Stem is an ITM, levers Dia Compe mountain bike
and a Sturmey thumb shifter. The grips are offcuts of Brookes
leather tape on top of electrical self amalgamating tape for a
bit of cushioning. The bars are cheap chinese generics.

Shimano Tourney XT chainset from the first ever mountain bike
I had - a Saracen City Bike from around 1985. It's converted to
a single chainring from a triple with Stonglight bolts and is
fitted with Middleburn puller bolts. Owing to the dark arts of
bb axle sizing I have had to mount the chainring on the inside to
get the chain line right.Annoying!

Selle Italia Royal saddle and surprisingly
reasonably priced Cinelli sieatpost, I guess
they've moved production of lower end stuff
to China.

Ladies Roadster

A nicely composed image looking like it is from the forties. Simple pleasures - summer sun and a cycle on a quiet country lane. I take my hat off to you if you can identify the cycle.

Mystery veteran path racer

This rather lovely unrestored sloping tubed racer has recently joined the stable. I haven't yet managed to identify the manufacturer. If anyone out there can offer any ideas then please get in touch.The fork crown is fairly distinctive and the frame number appears to be 26968. I'm guessing it is from around the period just before the Great War. It rides on 26 inch wheels. The mudguard and front brake appear to be later additions and judging by the massive 56 tooth chainring I'm guessing that originally it was a track racer. The cycle will be serviced but otherwise stay exactly as it is. I'd love to take it out on a track with a period pacer. Anyone out there got one and wants to volunteer?

Mystery pre- WW1 track bike.

Fork crown might give a clue as to identity?

Rear triangle to seat tube join could also help identify?

Nice bend on the drop bars and a home fabricated front brake.

Giant 56 tooth chainring.

Pretty much ready to hit a velodrome once more.

Looks like frame number 26968.