tjkwood

This might be a slightly silly question, but here goes:

I've acquired a 1947 light roadster, probably an Elswick:



The sloping top tube has got me wanting to make it into a path racer replica of sorts, probably a single speed. In that case, I'm going to flip the bar over and therefore want to install calliper brake. Obviously the frame is drilled for rod brakes, so is there any way I could install cabled brakes instead? Will I have to drill the frame again? Thanks!

Bianchigirll 

I don't think I would, if this bike does not suit what you want, clean and tune the resell it and get something more suitable to your style. Depending on your location I suspect there may be someone wanting a rod operated bike like that.

clubman 

Need more info...are those 26" wheels? If they are, then a 700c wheelset might fit nicely and give you a proper distance for calipers, and yes you will probably have to drill the frame. This may be impossible if the rear brake bridge already has a vertical hole for the fender mount - not untypical. The front fork may be a bugger to drill as well if it's like some of the roadster forks I've seen. Then, you may want to resort to some Sturmey drum brakes.

edit...really, what BG suggests is a better option. Lots of cool beater frames out there without the original parts that would do the job better.

randyjawa 

Following the OP's plan seems unwise, to me. I would restore the bicycle and try riding it the way it was intended. Chances are it will be just as much fun and it will certainly attract attention. Again, just my opinion.

tjkwood

Thanks guys, I only bought this last week and been thinking over a few ideas. I think I will keep it as a roadster for the sake of ease - it is a 26 inch wheeler by the way, not seen anything like it here before (England). Now to find a way of getting thick house paint off the frame and rods...

ftwelder

I figured in UK, these roadsters would be everywhere. I live in Vermont, U.S. and I see a few of them. Here is a pic of a Rudge I sold a while back. I would rather have your Elswick.


27 103 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr

tjkwood

Lovely Rudge there! I'm a student in Oxford so there are thousands of bikes here, but mostly 1970s onwards. You do occasionally see a rod-braked roadster but generally they're in an awful state. Also, students here love the whole 'retro' thing so anything pre-90s is ridiculously priced. This cost me £60 from a village outside of the city, a lucky find!

ftwelder

Thanks, it was a great bike but a bit too much for the hilly terrain here. Yours was a lucky find indeed! I live in the country myself but marvel at the quantity of bikes in the Harvard area of Boston near the school. In that area, everything is expensive.

jrecoi

To provide a contrary voice, there is a way of rigging caliper brake levers and cables to a certain point, and continue with the original rods. I say the original rod brake system because the rims on the Elswick are in the Westwood pattern, which only permits the use of rod brakes.

This involves rigging a cantilever brake stop (actually two of them, slightly canted off, with any retaining headset tabs filed off, one for each brake) and using the rod pinching hardware on the originals as cable pinchers. You would use cable brake levers and run the cables up to the cable stops, and pinch the inner cables on the pinching hardware of the rod brake hardware. As you can see, it is somewhat complicated but doable. Adjusting the cable tension is going to be a horrific bother, but it ought to work. If you intend to use only the front brake with a fixed wheel, things get easier (slightly, since you'll have to source a 40h fixed wheel hub).

The much easier way of doinig things would be to use drum brakes and tie the cable runs with black zip ties. You may end up replacing the rims anyways due to differences in spoke count unless you stumble upon 32/40 hole drum brake hubs.

If you are making a path racer, consider the handlebars you want to use. Lauterwassers are probably the most period correct design, so long as they are coupled with a very short stem. The above cable adaptations apply here.

If you use a drop handlebar (again with a very short stem) with a pronunced radonneur cant, a brake option is to fabricate a pseudo-spoon brake lever with a guidonette pattern, with the pivot positioned such that the rod that connects to the rest of the rod brake mechanism pulls up instead of pushing down. In all likelyhood, this permits the use of only the front rod brake, but since you mentioned that you'll be using a fixed wheel, this shouldn't prove to be a problem.

tjkwood

Wow, thanks for all the info. Drum brakes are the simplest solution in any case, and I'm considering them either way. Currently the wheels are 26 x 1 1/2, but it would be easier to replace them with 26 x 1 3/8 wheels for the sake of ease. Would it make a huge difference in terms of the rod brakes? there's a 3mm difference, but surely I could adapt the brakes for this?

jrecoi

26 x 1 1/2 is actually rather trendy these days, look up "650b". New rims are caliper brake only, SJS had some westwood (for rod brakes) pattern ones on sale a year or two ago.

New rims compatible with rod brakes as far I know are available in the Americas only for 28 x 1 1/2.

If you live in the vicinity of Europe, you may have better luck sourcing rod brake rims, or even what are called "Raleigh pattern" or "Westrick" rims. These rims work with both rod and caliper brakes, and when available in 26 x 1 3/8 (maybe even in 26 x 1 1/2) tend to be made out of steel and might be found in the more common 36h drilling.

SirMike1983 

I would choose a different platform for a path racer. I would start with a Raleigh Sports-type frame (much more common too) instead of that roadster frame. I think that bike is best left as is and just cleaned up. I think that particular bike is a good candidate as a cleaned up vintage rider rather than a custom. I'd go to a cheaper and more common Sports model as a platform for modification.

tjkwood

Thankfully I live in the UK so I've got all the options here:

https://www.cyclesofyesteryear.com/cy.../sparepart.htm

The main reason I wanted to go to 3/8 was so I could get some Schwalbe Delta Cruisers mainly... I don't think there should be an issue? Westricks are near enough impossible to get hold of, even here, so I think I'll be sticking with the rod brakes for now... hopefully I'll get together the money for drum brakes in the future!