Kekec1965

Picked up this morning and couldn't wait to have a go at it. A builder that I never heard off, perhaps the living encyclopedia Mr juvela can shed some light on? Norman Pile, apparently from Exeter England. It shouts custom made to me, especially considering that rear rack in the same colour. Serial number 131, same on fork steerer.

Anyhow, thre was a 1/4" of grease and mud on most corners and parts, took ages to get rid off, wheels still not done, but we all know what grease means on vintage bike......protection and rust repellent 🤩 So I'm happy to discover, stem for an example, bugger to get out, but once cleaned....wow as new. Build as is below:
R 531 frame (seat tube 27.2mm
lovely colour and touches all over the seat caps and lugs
BH Airlite LF hubs, Dunlop Special Lightweight rims, spoke need changing as very rusted
Chater Lea chainset and bottom bracket, 46t with single speed sprocket at back
Pedals, hm can't remember the brand
Universal 730/500 brake calipers
GB Super Hoods levers
GB Maes bars
Unknow lugged steel stem
Kestrel leather saddle
Lucifer 800 dynamo & Aero front light, working
Miller rear light, needs new bulb
Bluemell guards
Custom rear rack

Once all cleaned, greased and protected, it will most likely get some nice alloy rims to help with stopping power, but let's see how does it for my kid, it is rather short for 5'9" she is.

TenGrainBread 

Great find. Looks like a well-designed cycle

merziac

@Kekec1965

Fantastic, simply wonderful, that stem is amazing.

juvela

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Wowie-Zowie, yet another wonderful find on your part

First thing which struck me eye is the scale of the Lucifer headlamp, looks like something one might expect to encounter upon meeting a motorised cycle

Then am getting ahead o' meself, should commence with le cadre...

Headlugs not recognised at first sighting yet they seemed familiar

Then realised they be our old amico the NERVEX 45/159 which hath been the recipient of a modification





Fork crown of course the Vagner Nr. 12+

Dropouts appear to be an Agrati forged pattern; these are 3D on their outer face and flat on their inner
Widely employed in Britain during the decade of the 1950's




expect spacing of one fourteen stern & eighty-nine bow

thinking mcmlv-lix for date window

are you able to make out the writing on the transfer just above the juncture of the seat tube and top tube?

are wheels 32/40 or 36/36?

will write of fittings in next message

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Kekec1965

Thanks my friend, much appreciated. I too put it into mid 1950s era. Wheels spoke count is 40/32. That transfer is same as one on head tube I can read (NO)RMAN, but not much else. Pitty as it seems anice design, would love to have it reproduced. Above it was a square Reynolds 531 I presume?Certainly feels like a descent tubing and as mentioned seat tube is 27.2mm.

Ha and Lucifer lamp - perhaps image makes is bigger than it really is at 4" length & 2 1/2" width?

juvela

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thanks for the response!

"descent tubing" - must be one of those special purpose tube sets with which am unfamiliar...

foot rests are a Brampton product, sometimes badged as Sir Wally:



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due to eclectic and somewhat uneven kitting leaning toward idea would have originally been purchased as a frameset

may be that buyer had an existing cycle some of which's bits were transferred here

items such as Chater-Lea chainset, Campag Record headset & Lucifer lighting are very much first cabin of the day

conceivable that headset presence may be due to coming with frame...

it is clearly an early production Record nr. 1039
note curve of shoulder on adjustable race, part nr. 683
on later production Record model headsets this slope is not nearly so "fast"
catalogue page of 1968





awaiting response on frame spacing

if envisioned by Mr. Pile as a cycle with a derailleur drive train he was probably thinking four speed gear block at this epoch

is chainwheel dentition 1/8" or is it 3/32"?

evidently Norman a child of Eire to judge by the banners depicted on head transfer



thank you for the transfer information

had been able to make out the "_RMAN" on the seat tube transfer

do you have any speculation or hard information on a Norman connection between Mr. Pile and that entity?

hast thee as yet communicated with VCC regarding Pile marque?

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Kekec1965

Ah yes, apologies for omitting the forks spacing, it is indeed 89/114mm . And, perhaps for English being my third language, for the typo of frame 'descending' into something it is not will try better next time. I too am convinced this was a special order, as the parts are so random chosen, though as you said of first rate quality. Seeing the Irish flag also brought the connection to the country and the builder, certain Norman Pile. Of whom I admit have little knowledge, have asked few questions around and will report back if anything comes up. He had a shop in Exeter and I tried to contact his daughter via one of the FB forums, still waiting for a reply. He died in 2006, here is the photo of his shop

Kekec1965

Again, forgot about the chain > both chain and chainring are 1/18 and I assume rear cog too, but have not yet tackled it, will do it over the w/end as it needs serious cleaning, you can't see metal on the hub or freewheel, so much grease and dirt is attached to it.

Seems that EE Pile was Normans dad, his RAF service details mention his employments as a 'Cycle Frame Maker' https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm....estory/6534943

merziac

Great work, fantastic history excavation.

juvela

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Thanks very much for this excellent information and update!




Judging by the ladies attire in this photo it would likely hail from the same era we have assigned to the frame.


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