SOME MORE BATES BAR

Well, just when I thought this Bates couldn't look any cooler, a chance meeting with a fellow enthusiast, netted me something that I had been lusting after for a very long time, a Terry type stop watch holder and stop watch for that classic British TT bike.
Well now I have one, and I have to say it was worth waiting for, I smile every time I see this bit of kit, thanks Sven.

1949 Bates Bar
Here are some photos of the Bates as finished, you can see the full rebuild
of this bike through out this blog, check out the Bates and frame painting posts.
It is a real treasure to ride with this period British fixed TT set up.
Light, fast and responsive.

Nicely worn Chater Lea pedals and chainring.
Pedals look nice, but are very hard to flip around, to get your feet in.
I guess they were really designed for track use.

Burlite front brake works well.

Love this Bluemels "Tour de France" lightweight pump.

When I found these anodized red Airlite hubs recently, I knew this build was complete.

Some bates action, circa 1947

CLAUD BUTLER MIXTE

This is a really nice 1949 Claud Butler Mixte which I restored for my wife a few years ago.
The frame is super light weight fillet brazed.
Campagnolo brakes, derailleurs
Zeus chainset
GB handlebars
Bluemels lightweight guards...
Yes I as you can tell I do love her, my wife that is.

CARLTON PATH

This is the only photo I have of a nice Carlton path bike
that I restored a few years back.
Check out the cool Williams cranks, these are seriously underrated
by the collecting community (which is good).

CARLTON MIXTE

Nice Carlton Mixte.

As my wife already has three bikes, this one was moved on.

Three speed AW sturmey Archer
Dunlop steel rims
Bluemels alloy mud guards
Brooks saddle
Miller light set
Not much else of note.

Quite a nice looking machine

JONES SPECIAL

This is a 1930's Jones Special, built in Christchurch by
Jones Cycles. This company was one of New Zealand's, and certainly
the South Islands main race frame builders of the 1930's-early 40's.

Cyclo three speed, shifts OK as long as you go gentle with it.
Tied and soldered spokes on woods/alloy bottles on Major Taylor stems
it doesn't get any better than that.
If you like this then you will probably enjoy this older post
on Clark Cycles, Leader Specials.

It rides pretty nice, I had a good day out a while ago,
on one the kids school bike days,
the kids thought the woods where cool.
(which they are!)

The day was uneventful compered to the time I took along my
Skeats & Whites 1940's tandem track bike.
I had only thrown on a rudimentary brake the
morning before I arrived at the school to give the
kids a ride around the fields.
Little did I know that the whole school (just about)
would be circling the field at the same time!
I can tell you I (and Passenger) had some exciting
moments that afternoon.
It was a real steep learning curve on how to handle
a tandem track bike!

New Zealand cycle racing history

Here are a couple of articles which I wrote for Endurance magazine last year.
I don't have the first part of the series, detailing the first New Zealand Six Day Tour in 1953, but will try and locate it soon.

A big thanks to my friend, and riding buddy, Max Parks who did the lay up.
Of course the people at the printers had to screw around with our layup, and completely ruin our beautiful work, so here they are as we intended.

Sorry if they are a little small to read easily, it was the best I could do.