Re: Help indentified This Racing bike

sakkie57
sakkie57 Posts: 28
edited February 2019 in Vintage bikes forum
Previous owner said its a Carter and Hall ( Carhall bike) Portsmouth. 1950 to 1980 light weight cycles. Bought frames from Witcomb, Bob Jackson and Leaders. Is my bike a Witcomb Frame. No decor but it looks original its unknown if it has been resprayed. Condition good. Fitted with Dura Ace chainset and rear , front Derailleurs. Cable campagnolo Bracket for cable at bottom. Rear drops on frame Campagnolo. Rigida wheels. Serial no 42859 at bottom of frame. By study over weeks I found that Witcomb frames are a close match but i am not a expert.[img][/img]DSCF5904_zpsvii5veto.jpgDSCF5899_zpsbakv3tld.jpgDSCF5900_zpsqcnuasth.jpg

Comments

  • sakkie57
    sakkie57 Posts: 28
    The brakes are Mafac. Time trial bars I cant explained. Maybe time trial bike. Also a Campagnolo Bracket guide the Cables to the Derailleur. Thank you Izak
  • sakkie57
    sakkie57 Posts: 28
    DSCF5904_zpsvii5veto.jpg
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    If it is of the vintage you believe, the lack of decals and the unblemished paint suggests a respray, and the saddle, TT bars, brake levers and stem are a more recent addition.

    Would make a tidy restoration / L'eroica type bike with some period bars, levers, DT shifters and saddle
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Literally could be anything. Without provenance or any other supporting info, you will probably never know for certain. Most of the finishing kit is not period, so will have been added far more recently. Mudguard mounts, clearances and canti brakes suggest the frame is more of a tourer than a 'racing' frame. Either way, if the frame suits you, then just enjoy it for what it is.
  • airborneal
    airborneal Posts: 34
    Interesting sweep at the bottom of the forks for the fork rake. Nice bike.
  • Matthewfalle
    Matthewfalle Posts: 17,380
    front brake block needs aligning to the rim asap or it will give you dead disease.
    Postby team47b » Sun Jun 28, 2015 11:53 am

    De Sisti wrote:
    This is one of the silliest threads I've come across. :lol:

    Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honour :D
    smithy21 wrote:

    He's right you know.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Matthewfalle wrote:
    front brake block needs aligning to the rim asap or it will give you dead disease.

    It's got cantis operated by TT levers so I suspect a misaligned brake block could only improve things. Until the front tyre bursts halfway down a hill obvs.
  • froze
    froze Posts: 203
    It does have unusual lugs which hints at a custom maker, but the picture of the lugs don't show enough to be certain, but there was a custom frame builder that made his own lugs that resemble those and his name was Townsend.

    I happen to find a Youtube video, go to 2:46 in the video and watch the greenish (sage?) bike closely, it resembles your bike, notice the lugs too: https://www.roadbikereview.com/reviews/ ... cycles-ltd If it's that bike you have a nice bike, however the fork doesn't appear to be original. If you want to restore the bike, and if I'm correct, you could email Townsend and see if they can get a more original fork if you want to restore it, and get some decals, or if money is no object to restore perhaps Townsend could do it? Of course this is a guess if it's a Townsend, but when I saw the lug work I knew of only one person that did those, but that doesn't mean someone else didn't make a similar lug, but anyway worth mentioning as a guess.

    If this bike is a Townsend, it's a keeper and worth restoring to original condition, I'm weird but I would spend the money to get it right, because those bikes are on the rare side of the scale built by a very good custom builder out of England, that was made more rare due the fact he made his own lugs which most custom builders source theirs from outside lug makers.
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    I’m fairly sure my 1990’s Japanese gas piped tubed winter bike had lugs. They were imported by Falcon cycles.
    Also I think the first mountain bike we owned was a Townsend, it was the wife’s. It came with 531 tubing and we got it off Bill Holmes Milk race winner.
    I’m not sure if he was working as a rep for Falcon then though.
    However it was sh*t who ever supplied it. :D
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Utterly absurd to suggest this is a Greg Townsend frame. No offence to the OP, but it's just an old gaspipe touring frame, worth next to nothing, but perfectly usable.
  • Alejandrosdog
    Alejandrosdog Posts: 1,975
    keef66 wrote:
    Matthewfalle wrote:
    front brake block needs aligning to the rim asap or it will give you dead disease.

    It's got cantis operated by TT levers so I suspect a misaligned brake block could only improve things. Until the front tyre bursts halfway down a hill obvs.

    Good spots Gents but the most alarming thing about this picture is the complete fail with the positioning of the crank arms.

    Unforgivable.

    The fence paint / creosote make me feel un easy too, as does the planting choice, very Mrs Bouquet or local authority. Ive seen much better foliage in the hospice garden.

    Those damming observations aside, fix it up and ride it to the tip. On the way back pop into the garden centre and ask for a referral to a local garden contractor. It will free your mind of clutter.

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