The aforementioned Superbe. Quite the story behind it for another time.
I like the look of that. A "proper" bike!
The temptation to show you my "rescued" bike is just too much. Some time ago I talked about it in another post but I think that may have been before you joined us? So, the story is that my then boss, many years ago now, whilst passing me in the corridor, asked me if I'd take the old bike in the boot (trunk) of his car and dump it in the metal skip out the back of our workshops. I was a fairly junior instructor grade in those days and "wee" jobs like these can sometimes stand you in good stead so I took his keys and collected a couple of "the lads" from my workshop in passing - I knew they'd like the diversion - and we went out to get the bike.
When we opened the boot we were greeted by a sorry sight. He'd taken a saw to the frame and sawed through the cross bar, front downtube and rear brake rod (rod type brakes) so he could get it in the boot. Anyway we heaved it in the skip (dumpster to you if I remember Cheest?) and went back into the workshop. Later in the day the Boss came looking for his car keys, which I'd forgotten were in my pocket, and he told me the bike had been his father's and they'd been clearing things out (I think his dad had died?) and decided the old bike had to go. Apparently his father had been a country policeman but I don't know if the bike was "police issue" - looks like it might have been though don't you think?
Next day the thought of the bike was "bothering" me, so I went round to the skip in my lunch hour and heaved it out. It was really in very good condition, pity it was in two halves though! I asked the boss if he minded if I took it and he said that would be fine. I took it into the workshop and used it to demonstrate different repair techniques to the lads. I internally sleeved and brazed the down tube which butted up the cross bar so I butt welded that. I was slightly worried about that weld because I reasoned the metal would be unlikely to be simply mild steel so might become brittle when welded, However, being in compression most of the time I reasoned I'd probably get away with it and the brazed down tube would be fine because the rest of the frame was all brazed construction. It's done at least 40 years like that and still fine! welding the brake rod was a little more "fun" just because it was so thin but it all went well in the end.
I love the fact it's got rod brakes - even if they are pretty poor performers - and I like all the wee sleeved brazed joints. I particularly like the little "rocker" which transfers the action of the rear brake rod from the handlebars to the rod which runs down the front downtube.
There are other wee touches I like, for instance the badge and front lamp holder
About 20 years ago the front rim rusted out so I bought a complete wheel assembly to replace it but now the rear rim is starting to fail due to the wear the brake blocks have inflicted on it.
The rear hub is a Sturmey Archer 3 speed Dynohub
I like using the 3 speed and I really don't want to loose it but the rim is a 40 spoke rim - same as your's I see? - whereas the newer rims of this size are 36 spoke. I have found a supplier of 40 spoke rims but they ain't cheap and I can't respoke myself so I'll have to pay someone to do it so the poor old girl has been languishing in my shed for a number of years now. It would be nice to experience this view rolling down the road again.
Just so she doesn't feel "left out", Mrs J also has a wee bike, a shopper it's called.
When we bought it I misunderstood the woman on the phone and thought I was going to see a "Raleigh Chopper" which I was going to refurbish and sell on. But no, it was a "shopper" When I saw it, and it was a cheap asking price, I just couldn't resist.
