GCBM

I started posting here originally because I saw something regarding Harding's bikes. I used to work with Charlie and still visited with him until his recent passing. I now have access to what he stored away from his shop and what was in the shop when he decided to close. I have posted a couple things in different threads but now that I am working my way through his stash I thought it might be fun to post pictures of the stash in Charlie's Shed. Hopefully things folks might enjoy seeing from their past or first time from the past. It will include parts I know, parts I don't, tools and boy did he have a trove of old tools. I will repost a couple things already up elsewhere - that probably should be in a specific thread like this. Hopefully - enjoy!


Bob Shoemaker? Owner or maker?

GCBM

with pointed plugs for hollow axle? Intended for motorcycles but can fit bicycle wheels... yes, needs cleaning

GCBM

I still have to break lose the right cap to see what inside, if anything, besides the rubber washer

GCBM

I believe Columbia but I could easily be wrong - not my era at all

GCBM

And there is a second, same design except without the AD cutout... different run? knock-off?

GCBM

for the folk who knew Westwood way back

GCBM

Park SW-10 copied this - newfangled $%^#&*%$ lol

bboy314

Great stuff, keep it coming!

gaucho777 

Great stuff. Can you tell us more about Charlie Harding? I see some references in a number of old threads about an Irish immigrant who set up a bike shop in the Los Angeles area (which is where I see you are located) along with some connection to Holdsworth. Hopefully, you can share more first-hand details about the man.

GCBM

I drafted a very long comprehensive reply about Charlie that when I tried to post, received the message that I had to refresh - I didn't save my draft elsewhere and it was lost when I refreshed. I will rewrite later. Short version: Born in Ireland, older brother George started the bike business and did originally make custom frames (a couple web pages mention George and his history). Charlie left Ireland and stopped first with "a" brother in Canada before coming to SoCal. Worked for Hans Ohrt before taking over "Lynch Westwood Cyclery". Westwood shop went gangbusters during the oil/gas crunch late 60's - 70's with sale of "English Racers". It funded Ireland expansion (they had shops in Cork and Dublin) and the start of a factory. Charlie's representation to me was George gave specs to Holdsworth for Harding's frame sets - but sharp eyes later noted that the Holdsworth Mistral was at least one model whose design and paint scheme matched Hardings. As I may have mentioned elsewhere, I wasn't there to ask if George gave Holdsworth his specs for the frames he was already making and Holdsworth was able to use for their own lines OR, George later ordered Holdsworth stock frames to keep up with sales. Charlie went back to Ireland and Europe yearly for the big bike shows and seemed to have relationships with the major European parts and line distributors because we could always seem to get limited availability parts etc - either direct or through the Irish shops. By the time I was there (40+ years ago) we were often a shop of last resort if you needed high end repair components -because of the stock/stash I'm going through now. Charlie was one of the most knowledgeable bike mechanics I've ever met. To many he seemed a curmudgeon - and he could be. But he was also at times the kindest man I ever met. Like the time I mounted an SLX fame in our Eldi stand by the seat tube - not the post and crimped it. Thought I was dead. Charlie sent it off to Masi California for frame repair and repaint - his comment to me was along the lines of - "now you know."
As people ask me or mention things bits come back. But that is my shortened version for now lol.

GCBM

When I said I have a Japanese one...
Just for fun

GCBM

found a site referencing the Gonfleur (Classic Lightweights: Pennine CO2) as a nitrogen tank that had to be sent back for refill - and showing a photo of a different tank (Milremo) in the cage in my picture, and referencing that cage as having been sold with or for the Milremo tank by Ron Kitching

John E

I was a UCLA student from 1968 through 1978, and C. Harding's For Bikes was one of my go-to shops during that period. I lost contact with him when I moved to San Diego County in 1981, but one of my friends still owns the Harding road bike she bought there in the late 1970s. (That's how she met her husband, who was working at the shop at the time. ) My own wife is of mostly Irish and Scots-Irish descent, so there is a bit of a kinship with Charlie there. Yes, the guy really knew his stuff! I still remember the curly-stay Hetchins bikes on the upper racks near one front window, and the 90-speed bike on an upper rack near the other front window, as well as the obligatory Regina and SunTour cog boards, from back in the day when many of us were into "gear phreaking/tweaking."

GCBM

Weren't expecting a 1960-61ish NOS unboxing? And yes I have a "carter de chaine" referenced on the paperwork in the later images

there should be about 8 of these that showed up on the market after November 2023 - because other than my two they disappeared from the shed





FYI: Breveté SGDG was a French type of patent that ceased to exist in 1968. The name was a common abbreviation for "Breveté Sans Garantie Du Gouvernement“ (patent without government guarantees).

GCBM

I have some Harding decals if her decals are messed up..

unworthy1

Wow!
Great thread.
Great Shed!

GCBM

Couldn't bring myself to open the sealed package...but I have more







Oh yeah, replacement parts...

pastorbobnlnh 

Any freewheels in Charlie's Shed?

What would the gear range be on a Juy 543? My guess is it would be tight with maybe a 24T max.

Catnap 

i've owned a bunch of those Simplex rod front derailleurs but have never seen a NOS one brand new in the box. Very cool find!

GCBM

Yes, freewheels lol. NOS Regina and I think I saw a couple Everest along with NOS chains. There are also a couple of boxes of used because we could always scavenge a body or the rings for somebody else. But like my garage, we kept more parts than we ever used... but someday someone might come knocking for that one body...

bikingshearer 

That seat looks a mite uncomfortable . . . .

GCBM

Simplex

Regina corncobs 13-17

GCBM

the hoods - shot, the pads??? grind the surface and see?

tools not included - just within reach to anchor

GCBM

GCBM

Although "unboxing" used loosely as the boxes are so old they start separating at seams upon handling...


no teeth...