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Retro & Classic Cyclist
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25.01.2022 Merry Festive Season, hoping 2020 is another wonderful year for you and yours.
25.01.2022 Started setting up the 2021 Melbourne to Warrnambool Display at Flagstaff Hill Visitor Centre today. Four bikes 1897, 1973, 2002 & 2011. Jackson, Clark, Drew & Pearson. Mascotte, George McDonald, De Rosa & Malvern Star.
25.01.2022 Old mate, the lad, drops off this bunch of fun today, my first 1x11 build, looks pretty straight up. Surley it will be a Seriously Regular Ace Mashup, stay tuned.
24.01.2022 Latest GEFSCO completed, yep its Di-2 drilled. As soon as I saw it I had a vision of how it might be. Thanks to Geoff and Sue it is now a reality. Possibly the sharpest build I have done in the neo retro theme, with a bit of Shimano, Campagnolo, Cinelli, Soma, Fizik and Extralite wheels
23.01.2022 The first big outing on the 84 Bianchi MTB, held my own with the 29er and Dualie Crew. A few more on the back and off the front would have helped - 40/30 - with some of the climbs walked by most and the really sketchy downs. This is such a wonderful bike to ride, even if I do look somewhat concerned when on one wheel.
22.01.2022 SUN 1897 Mascotte went from a display bike to a rider today, thanks to a great mate Max who gifted the skip tooth chain. From a scrapyard salvage, to being on show at this years Melbourne to Warrnambool, to now a rideable machine is so rewarding. A few photos of its journey. And yep I found the pedal cap. There are still a few final pieces to finish the puzzle, time will get it there.
21.01.2022 Lovely 1940’s Speedwell Ladies I spotted at a mates farm, he promised me he would keep it in the shed, rides sweet, apart from that saddle.
20.01.2022 Today I have been looking for some frames to build touring bikes, like those of the so called 70’s with relaxed headtube. This sent me on quite a path of discovery from around 1897 to the mid 1980’s.
20.01.2022 SPEEDWAY DAY Another arrival today best of both worlds, one looking like a porn star, the other a tip rat. Lots of wonderful features and to have the badges makes it all so much easier to identify and date. I am thinking 1930’s for the Braze on badge, and quite a bit earlier for the rivet badge.... Any info always appreciated, happy hunting.
17.01.2022 A recent article I wrote for the local paper, the boots are sort of period correct if not the socks.
17.01.2022 A lovely old CW branded, but most likely Gillot. I did a swap for a while back, thinking 60’s but not sure, serial is a bit confusing. Will send to CW and see if they can assist, also has riders name Paul Osborne.
15.01.2022 Bruce Clark’s 1973 Melbourne to Warrnambool winning bike nearing completion. George McDonald built Reynolds frame, rebuilt close to original spec. To be entrusted to undertake preservations of such significance to Australian cycling history is a privilege and joy.
11.01.2022 Homage to the Overlanders
09.01.2022 Today’s find, wasn’t sure if original or not, didn’t really care as it’s such an iconic image. Turns out it is original 1897 is the date my research has provided. Well thats something to hang on the wall. The bike in image looks like a very lightweight path racer.
08.01.2022 A busy few days, tinkering with prototypes and repairs whilst pondering the next few projects.
08.01.2022 https://www.theguardian.com//the-long-and-winding-road-of-
06.01.2022 Xmas Quandary, can you solve this puzzle?
05.01.2022 Jamie Drew’s 2002 Melbourne to Warrnabool winning bike, rebuilt from a wreck. Last pieces of puzzle added today. Thanks to all contributors Matt Gstrein, Neil Hyland, Malcolm Hayes and the back pocket. For display only due to being crushed on the tarmac.
05.01.2022 1939 Malvern Star - Serial 101866 early 1939. This restoration is nearing completion, just a couple of tweeks to make it ridable. The many hours of work put into this project, have been rewarded simply by the look of awe on Kev’s face when I showd it to him for some final hints on the build. This bicycle is now heading to the Warrnambool Motor Museum to take pride of place in my collection and preserve such important cycling history for the future.... Previous owner Fred Grellet of Great Western, custom built under the guidance of Oppy. Fred was a well regarded road racer, riding for the Ararat Club, who had a very bright future cut short by the start of WW2. Fred was sponsored by Malvern Star and presented with this new top line Five Star in 1939, the first year of production of the 5 star, to race with plans to travel to Europe to race. Fred had an amazing life, during the war he wasn’t to go to fight due to a health scare that nearly took his life. Instead he worked in secret intelligence at home, tracing those that may wish to harm the war effort. Fred was a big boy, close to 7’ tall, the frame is 24 square and not long after Fred was given the bike, such was his growth, 2 seat posts were joined and rechromed to achieve sufficient insertion. 1939 Weekly Times Sat 1 Jul 1939 - Ararat Riders Excel - The most important road race of the season, organised by the Ararat club, was run off on Saturday, when a large field of Ararat and Stawell cyclists competed in the 36-mile event, from Ararat to Stawell and return. The conditions were ideal, and a keen contest resulted in that consistent young Ararat rider, Fred Grellet (aged 20) of Great Western, winning in fine style from L. House (Ararat), with F. Greenbeger (Stawell) third. It is well known, that during this time Fred would ride to Melbourne to compete in races, and return in the same manner. The most recent custodian, Freds son Kevin has now passed the bike on to me to restore. Kevin also had a fine riding career as a youngster, also on this 5 Star. The bike has been crashed on numerous occasions over the decades, a crash in the 70’s required new top and down tubes and forks. This work was completed by Braszell’s of Ballarat , at which time the bike was repainted, likely shortly after the first photo of Kevin who had rattle canned the frame and most of the parts. Kevin advises it was originally built for road and track use, as was the case for many, with a 3 speed Super Champion group and 28 wooded wheels running silks. Fortunately Kevin has some parts which he has passed on, Oppy bars and original.
04.01.2022 1955 SWIFT (WA) Track refurbishment. I picked this up from a mate a couple of weeks ago. All pretty original as I can tell, only the tubs needed replacing, the rest just a tidy up. Some very special parts onboard. A few progress photos and some more details in future comments.... How it got to Western Victoria from Western Australia is still a mystery as is the previous owner R. Rosewell To be continued......
03.01.2022 Started setting up the bikes for the 2020 Melbourne to Warrnabool display at Flagstaff Hill Today, so much wonderful history to bring the bikes to life.
02.01.2022 Bianchi MTB build, thanks to Simon Young for the frame and bars and Terri Clarke for the donor bike for parts. A few progress photos up front and then some specifics in comments.
01.01.2022 1939 Malvern Star - Serial 101866 early 1939. Previous owner Fred Grellet of Great Western, custom built under the guidance of Oppy. Fred was a well regarded road racer, riding for the Ararat Club, who had a very bright future cut short by the start of WW2. Fred was sponsored by Malvern Star and presented with this new top line Five Star in 1939, the first year of production of the 5 star, to race with plans to travel to Europe to race. Fred had an amazing life, during the w...ar he wasn’t to go to fight due to a health scare that nearly took his life. Instead he worked in secret intelligence at home, tracing those that may wish to harm the war effort. Fred was a big boy, close to 7’ tall, the frame is 24 square and not long after Fred was given the bike, such was his growth, 2 seat posts were joined and rechromed to achieve sufficient insertion. 1939 Weekly Times Sat 1 Jul 1939 - Ararat Riders Excel - The most important road race of the season, organised by the Ararat club, was run off on Saturday, when a large field of Ararat and Stawell cyclists competed in the 36-mile event, from Ararat to Stawell and return. The conditions were ideal, and a keen contest resulted in that consistent young Ararat rider, Fred Grellet (aged 20) of Great Western, winning in fine style from L. House (Ararat), with F. Greenbeger (Stawell) third. It is well known, that during this time Fred would ride to Melbourne to compete in races, and return in the same manner. The most recent custodian, Freds son Kevin has now passed the bike on to me to restore. Kevin also had a fine riding career as a youngster, also on this 5 Star. The bike has been crashed on numerous occasions over the decades, a crash in the 70’s required new top and down tubes and forks. This work was completed by Braszell’s of Ballarat , at which time the bike was repainted, likely shortly after the first photo of Kevin who had rattle canned the frame and most of the parts. I have acquired it with the same repairs being needed. Kevin advises it was originally built for road and track use, as was the case for many, with a 3 speed Super Champion group and 28 wooded wheels running silks. Fortunately Kevin has some parts to pass on, Oppy bars and original post - when it turns up. This will be another restoration undertaken with care and advice from those of greater knowledge than I.
01.01.2022 I acquired this frame a while back with quite different tube diameters and have without luck to date been able to close in on an identity and date. Suggestions of if being related to Suttons, Davies-Franklin or Webster are not convincing, the date range may now be closer as the article below describes, post 1926 BSA Austral Fittings. 1926 - Melbourne Wednesday 1 September 1926 FOR RACING RIDERS... B.S.A. bicycle fittings have, for many years, been recognised by Australian road and track racing cyclists as being essential for speed machines suitable for all Australian conditions, and local speedmen of all ranks will be interested in hearing that the famous B.S.A. Company have recently introduced a new special racing set of fittings, and will be known a the B.S.A. Austral set. The main features of this Austral set are, smaller frame tubes in 7/8 inch and 1-inch diameter, lighter one-piece chain stays, light back forks, 1 1/2in chain line, giving full bearing widths with wide flange hubs to correspond. These new fittings, it is claimed, enable a lighter machine to be built, of very racy design, whilst, at the same time, giving the very maximum of lateral rigidity so necessary for getting the last ounce of speed out of the machine. First shipments of the new fittings are arriving in Australia, and will, no doubt, be largely used by the leading riders in the approaching track season. Mr. D. Y. Renie, the Australian representative of the B.S.A. Company, personally will be pleased to send to all cyclists interested particulars of the new Austral set. His address is A.P.A. Buildings, Elizabeth street, Melbourne. This information may assist others with frames of same tube sizes and further evidence that these The World style lugs may have been a factory style not specificcto a brand or maker.
01.01.2022 Some days are just a little more special than others.
