PeterLYoung 

I recently obtained this Sunbeam Bicycle at a bike jumble. This is my second Sunbeam I obtained a Wartime Production one a while back which needs restoration (elsewhere on Bike Forums) but this one is rideable so will not be restored but I will strip and rebuild it replacing any worn bearings (brake blocks too!) so it is in really good riding condition. It is a BSA made Sunbeam and has a BSA 3 Speed Hub but someone has replaced the Trigger Shifter with a Raleigh one at some point. I have sourced a NOS BSA Trigger Shifter to replace the Raleigh. The brakes are the Sunbeam pattern Centre-pull type unique to these bikes and I particularly like the Flat North Road Handlebars. The bike is virtually completely original apart from the Trigger Shifter, Handlebar Grips, and perhaps the pedals (not sure about these) . It has a Lucas Cyclometer with 2,695 miles on it. The front forks are partially chromed so that apart from the BSA 3 Speed it is almost identical to the Wayfarer in the AMC Sunbeam 1939 Brochure, so it seems the only change made by BSA initially was to use their own 3 Speed Hub. By the time of the 1951 Catalogue the Wayfarer was modified to have Straight Handlebars and the saddle changed from Brooks to the Terry Tri Spring Saddle but otherwise still the same bicycle.

You can see other post regarding this rebuild at: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...l#post21285279 & https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...l#post21304272



General view of bike, drive side.


General view of bike, non drive side.


Front Centre-pull Brake.


Front Forks with Lucas Cyclometer.


Flat North Road Handlebars.


Iconic Sunbeam 'Little Oil Bath" Chaincase. Unique to Sunbeams, the Chain Case forms the drive side chain stay, there is no chain stay tube extending to the rear drop out, thus the chain case is a structural part of the frame.


Original Brake Levers.


Original Terry Extra Coil Saddle. (see 1951 catalogue extract below).


Sunbeam 1939 Catalogue Reference. From VCC Library.


Sunbeam 1951 Catalogue Reference. From VCC Library.

Lascauxcaveman 

That's a heckuva bike for 9 pounds seven and six! Guess that was a lot of money back then.

PeterLYoung 

Sunbeams were one of the top makes, They were originally extremely expensive but they had to reduce their prices to become competitive prices went a lot higher after the war with increased taxation. That price of £9-7-6d was getting on for one and a half weeks wages in 1939 for the average person where average wages were around £7.00/week. You could buy a brand new Austin Seven Ruby Car for £137.00.
So in fact the bike was quite expensive for what was a utilitarian item, most people cycled all the time as the only practical way to commute to and from the workplace.
For example a BSA Roadster bicycle started at £5-10Shillings whereas their top Racing Opperman was £12-12Shillings.

bikemig 

This is a very cool bike and I like the old ads as well. I'm looking forward to reading the ride report on this one.

NHmtb

Very cool ride. Hope it sees many more miles

Johno59

In 1902 this Sunbeam would have cost a skilled worker nearly 6 months pay.
The old lady who inherited from her Mum rode it for 80 years. I rode it home a year ago.

PeterLYoung 

I guess someone removed the Oil Bath Chain Case to install the Derailleur, two speed epicyclic on Chain Wheel!!

Velo Mule

That ladies Sunbeam looks like it has a 3 speed hub and a cyclo derailleur. It also looks like the missing chaincase was replaced with a Raleigh sports chainguard.

That Sunbeam Wayfarer is nice. Thanks for posting.

tricky 

Peter Gunn from Gunn and Co in the UK recently had a 6 speed Sunbeam hub repair on his instagram. Pretty cool stuff.




Edit: cool, BF is doing Insta image previews now!

Chr0m0ly 

Fascinating company, if I remember correctly they built motorcycles, firearms, and I want to say typewriters? VERY cool bike! And the 23” size too! I’m jealous!

tricky 

Are you talking about BSA?

AFAIK, Sunbeam did bicycles and cars. Wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong though.

Johno59

This one did not have an oil bath. On all Sunbeam oil- bathed bikes the casing enclosing the drivetrain was part of the drive side chainstay, it would be impossible to remove it without major frame building skills.
I fitted the 4 speed SA and the Resilion derailleur. I believe a 3 speed IGH hub was an option in 1906 to go with the epicyclic 2 speed.

Johno59

110 ball bearings this side

60 ball bearings the other side.

PeterLYoung 

Yes, The Little Oil Bath Chain Case formed part of the frame replacing the drive side Chain Stay but the photo below shows a Sunbeam with a removable Chain Case and some models in the early catalogues look as though the drive side chain stay is present inside the chain case. Of course many Sunbeams did not have a Chain Case. I have one with Chain Case and one without.

PeterLYoung 

Beautifully engineered!!!

Johno59

The extraordinary thing was neither the bearing, bearing racers, gears or selectors showed iany sign of wear.The oiler holes were more than enough to keep all those parts good for more than a century of riding.

Johno59

Same year as the Wayfarer but with Resilion cantilever brake's

PeterLYoung 

Sunbeam was name given to the companies set up by John Marston. There was the Sunbeam Bicycle & Motor Cycle business, see a history here:- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunbeam_Cycles, and separately the Sunbeam Car Company which also made Buses and Trolley Buses. During WW1 they made Aero Engines for the war effort. See a history here:- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunbeam_Motor_Car_Company.