Ged117 

Thanks - I think there might've been one more above it. In any case, its DB531 tubing, and the frame and fork weigh just under 7 pounds. With the Sturmey hubs + new 32/40 Kinlin rim wheel build, it delivers a really nice ride. I'm waiting for the Continental GP5000 tires to wear out (they're great), but I want something a little more visually C&V - maybe Rene Herse if they make a 32mm tire, that's the max that will fit with fenders.

Nothing like listening to the FM tick along during a night ride while the 77 year old dynohub powers modern LED lamps.

Salubrious

4-speeds have a nice sound to them...

FWIW department: I've seen a few Continentals separate between the sidewall and the bead. This happened to me on the Lake Pepin 3-speed Tour just last May; the inner tube forced its way through the opening and started rubbing on the frame. I realized what was happening but literally couldn't stop fast enough to possibly prevent it so the inner tube popped. I've seen this happen to other riders- one was on the Tour Divide; he was in the middle of nowhere north of Elkford in BC and desperately trying to sew the sidewall back together to get the liquid sealant to seal it off (it was a tubeless tire). Didn't work- he got a few miles more but the separation continued around the tire. He was able to flag someone down and get a ride to Fernie, get a new tire, then got a ride back up north. This cost him a day in the race. I'm swearing them off.

Also FWIW dept.: Alloy FMs have a disconcerting way of forcing internal bits through the hub body- usually near the spoke flange. I also experienced this first hand on my Claud Butler and found out I was not the only one from Mark Stonich of bikesmithdesign.com who has a lot of experience with SA hubs. He gifted me with a replacement alloy shell but admonished me to never actually use it with an FM.

gna

Might be worth it just for the Brooks saddle and the pump.

Salubrious

Yes- finding a B-72 in good shape is a challenge. I've not seen one that cheap so its a deal.

Sedgemop 

Exactly.

Ged117 

I've had a great experience so far with the GP5000 tires, I have a set on the Wasp and a set of the gum wall GP5000s on my Raleigh Competition, that said I had a poor experience with their more commuter oriented tires. I'll keep an eye on them.

uklightweights and cyclinguk forums have a bunch of members that wrote extensive posts on SA hubs, and the alloy FM in particular, so I'm aware of that problem. The one I have was rebuilt by Hilary Stone, so perhaps he made improvements, hard to know. I'm not going to subject it to heavy duty use, given its age and rarity, and my light load weekend tours are in pleasant rolling countryside. I have an AW I rebuilt on the Triumph and I am happy to treat that one to the daily grind, given how many replacements parts exist and the AW's toughness. At some point I realized that 72 year old rare hubs aren't your average Shimano SIS derailleur so I treat it accordingly. That reminds me it needs a drop or two of oil.

1989Pre 

Back then, many builders had more than one top model, such as Armstrong, with their Moth, Peerless and Continental models.
I didn't know Kinlin did 40H. I think British racers of the late-40's and early 50's are even more impressive with an FW than with the period Cyclo. Are you saying you are searching for 32mm gumwall tires? I can't think of any off the top of my head, but Hutchinson is making a nice 25mm, if your rims are 700c.

SirMike1983 

Another ride last night, this time on a 1941 Schwinn New World. The last two evenings have been like riding in Virginia again - plenty of heat and humidity. I don't mind it, to be honest. We've had so much rotten weather this summer (chilly and rainy for awhile, then wildfire smoke) that hot and humid doesn't seem so awful.

ascherer 

The $10 Ladies Sports arrived. The hub is marked 64 but the down tube and seat tube decals place it in 65.



If you noticed the unusual pulley placement on the down tube, here’s a clue - and it actually works! (after a WD40 soak) I wonder if it was swapped in from a Shopper or similar model by a “helpful” shopkeeper BITD? It’ll probably get replaced with a proper trigger eventually if not sooner.


I’m glad it has standard brakes. I had a 66 with the soldered cable ends. Petrified John Bull pads, and the rear shoes have a section that bends out 90 degrees at the forward end of the shoe that I haven’t seen before.


I don’t recognize these pedals - one dust cap is missing and I haven’t noticed an obvious brand yet. Any insights?


The NDS crank has about 5 degrees of free play. I have some fresh cotter pins, and I hope the axle isn’t damaged.


I still intend to keep this as a guest bike. And if you’ve been wondering what to do with that blue chain guard that’s been rattling around your bins, hook me up!

ThermionicScott 

My 1964 Armstrong has brake shoe holders like that. With how much play there is in the calipers, the tabs really help the brake pads to hold their position and do their job, rather than to keep going through the seat stays and eventually rub the tires.

thumpism 

Driving home in the pre-rain today I spotted an interesting van at a local junk shop and after looking at it I saw this old Triumph leaning against the wall. It's a 26" wheel with rod brakes and an AW hub dated 48 3. Very faded price tag looked like $55 and this bike is much too rusty to be worth much of anything, but when has that stopped us? I'm not interested in this thing but can pursue it if someone else is.

cudak888 

Bent fork, amongst everything else. The only bright future it'll have is if Tom Cruise rides it off a cliff.

I know I often take on the worst of the worse, but someone would have to pay me $55 to haul that AW hub and mattress saddle away.

-Kurt

52telecaster

You're one of the main reasons I joined bike forums. Thanks man!

Sedgemop 

I see a fair number of these over here in Schwinn Land. I've never seen one look this good, though. Congrats on such a great collection.

ascherer 

The cotter came out with minimal fuss. I dosed it with with penetrating oil and got it moving with a c-clamp. A few judicious whacks with a 5-pound hammer and it obliged. Looks like the cotter was intentionally filed, I can’t imagine why but the spindle looks sound. So I will move on to an overhaul while I consider whether I want to upgrade brakes, rims, etc.

SirMike1983 

Thanks - appreciate the kind words. I'm fond of these simple, old Schwinn bikes. My collection is probably 50/50 old Schwinns and old Raleighs. I can't really pick one or the other.

Unca_Sam

Where are you sourcing cotter pins? I know there's cheaper, cheese-metal ones out there, but I didn't enjoy filing the two pins I bought to replace a set where the retaining nut threads mushroomed.

Salubrious

You can avoid mushrooming the cotter pins (which are meant to be reusable) by using a cotter press. Park Tools made one years ago, they can be fabricated from the right size C clamp or you can get a nice one from Bikesmithdesign.com He's also a good source for cotter pins.

markk900

Bikesmith (Mike) supplies high quality ALGI cotter pins, which if he is out you can also get on Amazon. I got some of the same pins from my LBS who happens to be vintage friendly.

You likely *will* have to file regardless.

Pinehurst

My first two-wheeled bike was a Raleigh 3-speed

1989Pre 

Thanks, I didn't know Bikesmith had them. I need the drive-side pin for my Elswick ladies Sports Light Roadster.

clubman 

It's rare to get pins that don't need filing. It's part of the reason 'they' started to make them soft. Shop rats can press or hammer them until they squish enough to hold, for a while.
I bought a jar of maybe 4 dozen cotters from an old shop and there are several different lengths, bevels and threads even though they're all English size. Variable hardnesses as well. It's always a crap shoot installing them.
I have a few old, hard sets for my bikes. They can usually be reinstalled if done right the first time.

The OP's pins are cut all the way to the end, which is a design flaw to me. Like flutes on a seatpost, moisture gets in and slowly causes them to loosen up and require tightening or hammering. That could be what happened to these.

Maybe do both sides or the crank orientation could and likely would be slightly off and drive you crazy.

1989Pre 

Maybe do both sides or the crank orientation could and likely would be slightly off and drive you crazy. [/QUOTE]

Thanks for that. It's probably a good call.

ascherer 

All I have on hand are the cheesy ones. And a bench grinder ;-)

Salubrious

FWIW Mark of Bikesmithdesign developed a little jig so both cotter pins can be precision ground the same way.