On your Bike

[bobins]

Today I have been mostly giving the Brompton some light maintenance (probably the first it's had in a decade !) I cured the gear problem whereby it would change OK into second and first but would immediately return to third gear when you released the thumb shifter knob. It was just the little spring on the shifter that had rusted into position Also gave the hub an internal inspection and light lube and lubed the cables. Apart from that - it's still in spot-on condition for a 21 year old bike

[Timmo]

Good work, the last pair of Brommy's I did for sustrans had been Very well used! Insides of the hubs were interesting!

[NewcastleFalcon]

Costa Del Cornwall down your way today Timmo?

Geograph's picture of the day is this.....

Costa Del Cornwall

© Copyright Mari Buckley and
licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Regards Neil

[bobins]

I was looking into the history of the old Sturmey Archer AW hub as fitted to my Brompton. They were manufacured, with only slight changes, from 1936 - 2001. Whoever first designed them must have known what they were doing
http://www.sturmey-archerheritage.com/i ... tail&id=47


http://www.sturmey-archerheritage.com/i ... ail&id=219

[Timmo]

The design on those hubs whilst referred as clunky now adays was Well ahead of its time! To stand the test of time for the best part of 70 years says something indeed!

Yes was indeed a beautiful day in Kernow today, popped up to see my pops in St. Austell, and walked down to the local beach (he was in his buggy), to discover a new 'pop up bar' had opened for the season yesterday! (carlyon Bay beach / crinnis)

Hadn't been down there in over 15 years (despite it being a 10 minute walk from pops!) since they removed the collaseam and club in favour of a doomed I'll thoughtout mass development there!

[RichardW]

Out on Friday, past the Falkirk wheel - here it is in action.

Still not been for a ride on it - will get there one day, the tourist boat is far too dear, and what's the point of not skippering your own!!

[old'uns]

so OH came back from new Gym last week with a leaflet for 'back into biking' rides....first one today, 14 odd miles, 2hrs approx. a few more Cals burnt off and resisted the cream cakes/scones at the Coffee stop
saw a few more places on the Chase and got thrashed by by 2 8-9yr olds who apparently race XC geez, kids have energy levels i'd forgotten about!!
only happy going single-track downhill in the woods or going uphill

[Timmo]

Managed to sneak out for a loop on Tuesday, beautiful bluebells out at this time of year,

Pinky

[NewcastleFalcon]

I came across some acetylene lamps on a Triumph model P motorbike, and I thought such things had appeared somewhere on the FCF.

Poser for the bike enthisiasts....who made the bike....the clue is on the sprocket and if you know your bicycle history..also in the olive green colour

Yes from our own CitroJim.

What a fantastic picture Neil... I see some of the bikes are the sporty ones of the day and a couple sport acetylene lights...

I have an acetylene bike light here. Quite ingenious as it runs on lumps of carbide and the acetylene gas is generated by dripping water on to it in a controlled manner...

It gives a very lovely white light...

This from Wikipedia on carbide lamps

This would have made a good AA Bike with its carrier...

Regards Neil

[Gibbo2286]

Carbide lamps were the norm for miners in the past and there are many of them lying about in sheds around here.
Here's one on Ebay,

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Miners-Carbi ... w8yxcv0nj

[old'uns]

i very nearly needed lamps today, just got back before it went really 'Black over Bills'.....



i tried to keep to the gravel but...


it was even worse on the so-called Disabled Access trails than the Chase itself!!

[NewcastleFalcon]

Poser for the bike enthisiasts....who made the bike....the clue is on the sprocket and if you know your bicycle history..also in the olive green colour

Close up of the sprocket does give it away a bit

Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

Caught my eye. Nice big front light.

lf own work

Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

^^ Certainly a lot bigger than this rather gorgeous picture of a nostalgic PIFCO front light found at retrobike.co.uk.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/ ... 250655.jpg

Now It is lost somewhere within the forum, but I remember it seeing as I originally posted it.

Anyone know/remember what PIFCO stands for

Spoiler: show

Provincial Incandescent Fittings Co. Ltd of Manchester

I remember having a "Pifco" a buzzer style horn on my bike. As you might expect for the 1960's metal and sort of space ship like if I recall right.

Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

...and here it is the PIFCO supersonic buzzer very 1960's.



Join in folks, this thread must be one of the easiest to contibute to. Anything and everything to do with bikes. Everyone has/had one, and maybe there is at least one other person who had a Pifco buzzer too, or a set of ever ready lights....et cetera et cetera.

REgards Neil