50's BSA Loopframe Resto

[ALThaus]

Well, after a couple of year messing around with bikes i have decided to put my messing to good use! rather than just taking all my bikes to pieces, building one nice one and filling the house with bits of st

It's my missusssus's birthday in august and I suggested building her a nice vintage bike as her prezzie. (we're moving off campus to a house in the center of Brighton next year and fancy cycling to uni)
So with this in mind, i went on a hunt for a bike suitable for restoration without too many beer tokens having to be used.

I then remembered that my dad was a hoarder of anything and everything and might have something suitable, he did!



After a quick bit of research i have found that it's a "BSA Safety shopper" from about 1953? It has a few bits missing, like the original frame for a basket that mounted to the frame rather than the handlebars and the kick stand.



Have ordered a few new bit's for it already: whitewall tyres tubes and rim tape, brake blocks, bar ends. Have already got a horn and some odd leather grips, comfortable but not quite in period (girlfriends choice)

Still need:
-Saddle
-Basket
-Chain
-Lights
-Pump
-Blah blah blah

Ideally a respray too but but i'll give it a good clean and asses the damage first

[Beyond Rational]

I think it would be a shame to respray that.

[ALThaus]

I had thought that. It depends really, all the bearings are in really good condition it's just if it would look completely odd with a mix of some new shiny bits and the rust.

getting it nice and solid is the first goal, i could always respray it at a later date.

Picking up the tyres etc later so i'll take some photos

[ALThaus]

TYRES!



Got em fitted in the glorious afternoon sun!



Had a little ride around, it's quite an unusual experience to say the least. you sit very far back from the pedals and the bars are around knee hight, which makes turning and peddling quite interesting.

didn't fall off . . . .

[spikeyhead]

Bikes of that geometry are still very common in the Netherlands, very upright riding style means they are great for visibility and as they don't have any hills the performance loss isn't an issue.

[yellowjack]

Are you sure that it is correctly dated to 1953? I'm sure that the painting of the bottom portion of the rear mudguard in white was a legal requirement during WWII, blackout regulations and such, which might put it firmly in the 1940s. Still, I suppose the paint could have been done later, as a road safety/visibility thing. Whichever is correct, it looks hand-painted, and very much like it's almost as old as the bike!

Good luck with the build/rebuild. I wish I had the time/space/resources to try something like that.

[Pippin]

I'm doing the exact same project for my girlfriend, also for her birthday. I've already stripped everything down, painted it and electroplated bits and pieces in bright nickel.. However, I'm really struggling to find replacement tyres for it. It seems to be quite a rare size due to the fact it's a 24 inch westrick rim. 26 inch westrick rims are ten a penny, but It looks like yours are the same. Could you let me know where you found these tyres, and what size they are?

Many thanks

[ALThaus]

Pippin said:

I'm doing the exact same project for my girlfriend, also for her birthday. I've already stripped everything down, painted it and electroplated bits and pieces in bright nickel.. However, I'm really struggling to find replacement tyres for it. It seems to be quite a rare size due to the fact it's a 24 inch westrick rim. 26 inch westrick rims are ten a penny, but It looks like yours are the same. Could you let me know where you found these tyres, and what size they are?

Many thanks

Balls, sorry it's taken me so long to reply. I ordered mine through AVC in bath, it's just under the train station, took a few days to arrive, cost me list price (can't remember where they got them), would really recomend these guys though.

They are Schwalbe Delta cruisers in 24xsomething odd, if you are unsure of the width of your rim . . . (doesn't sound like you would be) Take one of the wheels in and they will sort it out. Belive they come in black wall and white wall "super cool pimp!" style *ahem*

Hope this helps, sorry about the late reply again.

[RichTee]

Hi there,

I know this topic is a bit old now, but I have just got the exact same bike for my fiancé.
I can see that you got the tyres from a shop in Bristol, but could I ask how you went about finding any other of the parts?
I would be very keen to know of any suppliers or specialist shops that stock spare parts for these?

I am in need of the rear mudguard.....the front basket holder bracket and the light which sits on the right side of the front wheel.

Any help would be greatfully received

Thanks in advance ladies/gents

Richard

[Luckey]

Hi
These guys were very useful for some of my recent restorations where new bottom brackets were needed with French and Italian threads. We ended up buying cranks, bars, stems and all sorts too.

http://www.velo-orange.com/

With UK distributor http://www.practicalcycles.com/ONLINE-SHOP--Parts(...
I found some of their items listed on eBay too

Happy shopping

[ALThaus]

RichTee said:

Hi there,

I know this topic is a bit old now, but I have just got the exact same bike for my fiancé.
I can see that you got the tyres from a shop in Bristol, but could I ask how you went about finding any other of the parts?
I would be very keen to know of any suppliers or specialist shops that stock spare parts for these?

I am in need of the rear mudguard.....the front basket holder bracket and the light which sits on the right side of the front wheel.

Any help would be greatfully received

Thanks in advance ladies/gents

Richard

I'm afraid a lot of the parts i have found have simply been good condition or serviceable second hand ones from ebay.

Overall the bike was a big mix of unique to this model parts and bits also fitted to similar era bikes. some some are difficult to find and others are much easier. if you are in need of new rims (24" Westwood, are VERY rare), there are some imported, new stock indian ones on ebay that are nice and strong: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221144444556?ssPageName=...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-BICYCLE-24-x-1-W...

It took me a LONG time to find those and have ended up buying spares for the future.

The beautiful faired mudguards luckily came with my bike but it would probably have to be continuous ebay searching again.

If your front forks are like mine, they will already have a sideways L shaped bracket on the off-side, i have since bought a large miller dynamo lamp and retrofitted a modern LED bulb and battery pack inside the casing. (there is then a bracket between the lamp and the fork "L". try and get a lamp with one of these already, as it was a PITA finding one on it's own)

Finally, is it the rack that comes from the front of the frame, under the basket. or the plate that bolts to the bottom of the basket and then to said rack that you're missing? As i might be able to help you with the former . . .

George