75swb
Beta Tester
Posts: 1,011
Club RR Member Number: 181
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BSA Bicycle. Rattle can resto. 75swb
@75swb
Club Retro Rides Member 181
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Picked up an old BSA loop frame roadster for the equivalent of ~25 quid. Single speed, back pedal brake, and rod brakes on the front. Going to clean it up and give it a rattle can resto to use around locally over the summer. Its a poor starting point, rust holes in the mud guards, and chain guard, front wheel bent to hell, chrome flaked off, so I don't feel too bad that this is going to be a reasonably individual build. (I. E. Purists look away now!)
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Last Edit: Feb 7, 2022 19:19:37 GMT by 75swb: Speeling
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75swb
Beta Tester
Posts: 1,011
Club RR Member Number: 181
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BSA Bicycle. Rattle can resto. 75swb
@75swb
Club Retro Rides Member 181
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At the risk of becoming several thousand $$$ into a bike that when pristine would be worth a couple of hundred I'm going for serviceable, and nothing more. With that in mind it was strip down, wire wheels and flap disks out, and see what we've got to work with. One crank arm popped out with some pressure from the vise, the other less so. I tried heat, tried a bigger hammer, tried welding the end of it, before announcing to my housemate (whose workshop and $10 heap of junk vise it is) that I was putting it back in the vise until either it gives out or the vise breaks...
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Last Edit: Feb 7, 2022 21:54:24 GMT by 75swb
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75swb
Beta Tester
Posts: 1,011
Club RR Member Number: 181
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BSA Bicycle. Rattle can resto. 75swb
@75swb
Club Retro Rides Member 181
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Ended up cutting off the chain guard which I felt a shame, but it was rusted out at the bottom anyway. I'll probably run a 1/2 guard rather than fully enclosed so you can see the BSA cranks/chainwheel. With the chain guard out of the way i can at least get a drill to the centre of the pin holding the crank so will return with some decent drill bits (none in the workshop of curse word tools!) and see if I can't shift it... Cleaned up the bars and rear mudguard and sprayed them to make myself feel better. There's a small rust hole in the rear guard, but it's treated and sprayed over so it's good enough. Will add white at the base of it before a new reflector gets fitted. Chrome spray looks fine from 5m so it'll do for me. Bike will be green (a brighter green than expected, but Internet bought paint!) with old English white frame lugs. Have purchased a new front wheel and will respray the rear to match. Should be OK as there's no braking surface on the rear, but will be a pain to prep. Hopefully get another day on it before the week's out and see how close we can get.
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Looks pretty sweet so far. I might have some mudguards from an old triumph you can have if you like.
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75swb
Beta Tester
Posts: 1,011
Club RR Member Number: 181
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BSA Bicycle. Rattle can resto. 75swb
@75swb
Club Retro Rides Member 181
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Thanks pistonpopper, the offer is much appreciated however I suspect postage to NZ might be a little cost prohibitive. Reminds me I must go and check on your Bentley progress actually! So long as I don't get the camera close enough to show the surface marks on the paint it looks fine.
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75swb
Beta Tester
Posts: 1,011
Club RR Member Number: 181
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BSA Bicycle. Rattle can resto. 75swb
@75swb
Club Retro Rides Member 181
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Right; some more progress. Drilled the pin out with some cobalt drill bits, more heat, more cooling, more heat, much beating, and eventually I won the battle with no damage to the crank or frame! Win. Then much de-rusting with brillo pads and wire wheels on the drill, Which allowed me to attack with rust converter and start taping things.
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Last Edit: Feb 12, 2022 3:29:51 GMT by 75swb
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75swb
Beta Tester
Posts: 1,011
Club RR Member Number: 181
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BSA Bicycle. Rattle can resto. 75swb
@75swb
Club Retro Rides Member 181
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I think the frame numbers make it 51-59 but these things are notoriously hard to date. Frame looks about right for a "BSA Keep fit" of that era, but 28" wheels as opposed to 26", the frame lug where it joins the headset, a single front rod brake with backpedal rear, and the chrome fork CROWNs all differ from what I can find online. Will have to up my anorak levels I think.
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Feb 12, 2022 12:04:33 GMT
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Strange that it appears to not have had a rear brake, based on the lack of any mountings visible in the pics on the LH side of the handle bars - is that indeed the case? Not an old bike expert, but looks like a Raleigh era BSA. If so, in case you are not familiar with it, this site may be of interest: www.sheldonbrown.com/Also, if it is a Raleigh built one, this may help date it: www.kurtkaminer.com/TH_raleigh_serials.htmlIsn't that just a ladies' frame, or were they marketed differently in NZ? Ended up cutting off the chain guard which I felt a shame, but it was rusted out at the bottom anyway. I'll probably run a 1/2 guard rather than fully enclosed so you can see the BSA cranks/chainwheel. I must admit that I've always found the full chain guard to be part of the appeal. Last time I looked, second hand replacements were easily available (in the UK at least) should you change your mind! Always good to see more old bicycles on here. I have a 1955 Triumph roadster (lever brakes, full chain guard), which I need to do some minor fettling to, but is otherwise in decent but very much oily rag condition, and thus exactly how I like it! Also an unknown age but similar style Raleigh low gravity carrier bike (known as 'the truck' due to its weight and thus how it rides!) which my uncle picked up about thirty years ago, and gave to me a couple of years back.
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Last Edit: Feb 12, 2022 12:07:27 GMT by Paul H
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75swb
Beta Tester
Posts: 1,011
Club RR Member Number: 181
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BSA Bicycle. Rattle can resto. 75swb
@75swb
Club Retro Rides Member 181
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Feb 12, 2022 21:50:11 GMT
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Ah, thanks Paul H I'm a complete noob at these things but it seemed like a good bit of fun for very little outlay. I'll take a look. It is a ladies frame, the loop part just referring to the top of the two down tubes, as ladies frames were also available with two straight down tubes. My criteria for purchase were rod brakes and 28" wheels and this was the first one I found for sale over here in 4 years of looking. Of course once I'd purchased this one trademe was awash with many better and more suitable bikes, but such is life.
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Last Edit: Feb 12, 2022 22:00:36 GMT by 75swb
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75swb
Beta Tester
Posts: 1,011
Club RR Member Number: 181
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BSA Bicycle. Rattle can resto. 75swb
@75swb
Club Retro Rides Member 181
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Feb 12, 2022 22:00:11 GMT
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Strange that it appears to not have had a rear brake, based on the lack of any mountings visible in the pics on the LH side of the handle bars - is that indeed the case?back. That is indeed the case, with backpedal/coaster brake to the rear. Not an old bike expert, but looks like a Raleigh era BSA. That could well be correct. Very few records appear to remain, and whilst it would be nice to date it, its not imperative.
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75swb
Beta Tester
Posts: 1,011
Club RR Member Number: 181
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BSA Bicycle. Rattle can resto. 75swb
@75swb
Club Retro Rides Member 181
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Well, that's the general gist of the thing. Some of the green came away with the tape, and for some reason I very carefully painted an extra cream band on I don't need. But I'll let the cream dry properly, lacquer it, and then touch up the green sections which require. It's not conventional by any means but I do very much like it. I'm likely to get my own name printed in a fancy font on a vinyl sticker to apply instead of a maker's mark, because I'm a bit vain, and also it makes stolen bikes super easy to find when they advertise it with your own name...
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What you need is a Cyclemaster enginehttp://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pattle/nacc/arc0322.htm
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It will come in handy even if you never use it
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Feb 14, 2022 17:36:56 GMT
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I know a man who has a spare one.
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It will come in handy even if you never use it
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75swb
Beta Tester
Posts: 1,011
Club RR Member Number: 181
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BSA Bicycle. Rattle can resto. 75swb
@75swb
Club Retro Rides Member 181
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Slowly getting there, rear wheel was a pain to de-rust and paint, and the rod brakes weren't easy to put on either. So a to do list: -Attach mudguards -Rear wheel needs a spoke, rim tape, and then the tyre and tube can be mounted -New (old) saddle to fit -brake pads -need a new pin for the cranks to replace the one I had to drill out -decide on pedals. Restore and run the old ones or look for something else.
Then probably another clear coat lacquer or something. The paint is still very soft after the acrylic varnish so something further may be required. That said it's easy to touch up with a rattle can at least
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Last Edit: Feb 23, 2022 9:44:32 GMT by 75swb
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tom13
Part of things
Posts: 571
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Feb 23, 2022 14:59:37 GMT
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This is looking ace. Triple tandem is sweet as well, got anymore pics? What frame is the oldschool dj looking thing in the back?
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