Rotrax Vel d'Hiv 1956
Rotrax Vel d'Hiv
Frame 22½" - Frame No. 56436
- Nervex lugs - Ekla crowned forks - track rear ends
Wheels Harden large flange hub front, modern Ventura coaster brake laced to modern H+Son TB14 rims 32/36
Chainset Stronglight 49d 48t chainring
Pedals Lyotard 460
Gears single speed
Stem/Bars GB alloy Spearpoint stem Renolds Marsh pattern bars
Headset Gnutti
Saddle Brooks B17
Rotrax Cycles of Southampton was founded in 1945, pipping Mercian Cycles at the post for the title of the oldest framebuilder in the UK still in business.
Rotrax is one of the slightly less well known framebuilders in the UK but the quality of many of their frames in the early 1950s was as good as the very best available anywhere. The attention to detail on their top models was exquisite.
This classic English lightweight sports beautifully ornate hand-filed frame lugs, as was the style of the period. The restoration includes a modern coaster brake rear hub, seatpost and rims.
The model name Vel D’Hiv was cycling slang for the Parisian Vélodrome d’Hiver or Winter Velodrome.
Delivery Bike - Maker & year unknown
Delivery Bike - Maker and year unknown
Frame
Wheels Rear; Renak coaster brake hub laced to Westwood rim. Front: Sturmey Archer drum brake.
Chainset Williams
Gears single speed
Saddle Bell
Special Features fork mounted spoke actuated bell with bar mounted adjuster, period head and tail lamps.
Aussie Roadster c. 1950
Aussie Roadster
Frame Frame No. 21563 -
Wheels 26 x 1 3/8;
Cranksset Utility, a Williams clone
Pedals Lyotard Model 15S
Gears BSA three speed internal geared hub
Brakes Philco rear
Stem/Bars
Headset
Saddle modern
Extras Bell
Columbia Ladies 2 Track Trike c. 1885
Columbia Manufacturing Inc., the maker of this tricycle, is still in operation in Massachusetts. From their website; "Columbia has been credited with many firsts in the biking industry, since its founding in 1877 by Col. Albert Pope. It pioneered many improvements to the industry, producing bikes, motorbikes, and furniture for nearly 150 years."
Little is known about this model except that it dates from the mid 1880's.
Armstrong Path Racer c.1904
Armstrong Path Racer
Frame " - Frame No.
Wheels Westwood rims. New Eadie coaster brake rear hub
Chainset Armstrong t chainring
Pedals Lyotard
Gears single speed
Stem/Bars Nickel plated bars with John Bull handgrips
Headset
Saddle Brooks
Probably built by Armstrong Cycles Ltd of Birmingham, with some parts manufactured by other notable Birmingham firms, BSA, Brampton and Tube Investments.
This bicycle was built as a Path Racer, the ancestor of modern road racing bikes. Path Racers were a hybrid design that allowed racing on both paths (tracks) and roads, many of which were unpaved - the wide tyres allowed for all road surface conditions. A ‘New Eadie’ coaster brake is fitted to the rear wheel for road use.
While preservation is preferred to restoration, the original condition of this bike was poor enough to warrant some restoration of the metal finishes and replacement of original tyres.
