VINTAGE & Cro-mo and Other Bike

[ป๊อปครับ]

พี่ครับ....มันทรมานมากเลยครับพี่...รูปมันใหญ่ ใจมันล่องลอย...ชาตินี้คงต้องก้มหน้าก้มตาหามาคร่อมสักคัน..ให้เป็นบุญสืบไป.... (สงสัยน้องพลแกล้งบอกให้เอามาลงเยอะๆแหงๆ)

[thanapol]

พี่ครับ....มันทรมานมากเลยครับพี่...รูปมันใหญ่ ใจมันล่องลอย...ชาตินี้คงต้องก้มหน้าก้มตาหามาคร่อมสักคัน..ให้เป็นบุญสืบไป.... (สงสัยน้องพลแกล้งบอกให้เอามาลงเยอะๆแหงๆ)

มันทรมานมากเลยครับพี่...รูปมันใหญ่

[phaitoon]

1956 Experto Crede track bike

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Experto Crede track bike
Tottenham, 1956

This 23-inch track bike features cast Experto Crede lugs. It was sold 8 Sept 1956; the color scheme is red flamboyant with white head tube. The components are: Cinelli bar and stem (steel), Chater 2-arm crank set and pedals, ALIP Competition front brake, Airlite hubs, Brooks saddle

[phaitoon]

1957 Experto Crede

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Experto Crede
London, 1957

This Experto Crede was restored by Argos of Bristol. Of special interest are the Six-Day seat tube transfer, double-box lining in red and gold, and superb chroming.

No expense has been spared to obtain accurate components in superb condition. The components include Mafac center-pull brakes, Stronglight crank with TA rings, Campag hi-flange hubs, mechs, seat post, and bar end shifters, Brooks saddle, and elegantly engraved Titan stem and Kint handle bar. Behind the seat is a copy of Cycling from May 1957--the month the frame was made.

Every detail is accurate and the over-all impression is harmonious. One of the finest restorations I have

[phaitoon]

1957 Vade Mecum

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Vade Mecum
Tottenham
1957

This 22 3⁄4" vibrant frame was recently renovated by Cleveland Bike Spray in the UK and features pearl flam paint with purple bands and box lining, chrome ends, fork crown, headlugs, and badge. The braze-ons to accommodate bar end shifters are original. Components are: TA double chainset, Lyotard pedals, Campag bar end shifters, Nuovo Record mechs, GB Maes bars on Cinelli chrome stem, Universal brakeset, Weinmann 27" alloy rims on Campag hi-flange hubs, silver Bluemels Olympic shorty mudguards, Brooks Professional saddle on Campag Record twin bolt seatpin.

Fotos courtesy of Bob Johnson.

[phaitoon]

1957 Magnum Bonum

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Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Magnum Bonum
Tottenham, 1957

This Magnum Bonum is in original condition. It left the shop in primer and was not built up or painted until recently. It features blue flam with gold trim and Coronation transfers. The components include Mafac center-pull brakes, Campag crank set, derailleurs, pedals, headset, seat pin, Cinelli chromed bar and stem, and Brooks saddle.

[phaitoon]

1958 Experto Crede

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Experto Crede
Tottenham, 1958

This Experto Crede is a daily rider for its owner. He bought it in 1962 and had it renovated in 1964 to original specs (sky blue enamel). The components are mixed: Shimano rear derailleur, Simplex front derailleur, Benelux levers, Stronglight crank, Lyotard pedals, SR stem, alloy seat pin, Weinmann brakes. Of special interest are the Shelwin hubs with bevelled flanges.

[phaitoon]

1959 Circuit of Britain

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C.o.B.
London, 1959

This 21in curly frame with Experto lugs was originally sold on 4 Feb 1959 for ฃ17. 3s 6d. It was restored during the winter and spring of 2008-09. Paint was done by the current owner; chrome courtesy of Peterborough Plating Co. The components comprise: Williams crank set; Campag Gran Sport rear mech, Record hubs and brake levers; small five-speed block; Mavic rims and center-pull brakes; GB stem.

The 'blurb' in the catalog says that the C.o.B. was "Designed for the aggressive rider", head 72, seat 73, top-tube 21-1/2", bracket height 10-1/2", but it could be altered--typical Hetchins. Although popular it did not replace the Road Reacing frame no 6.

Fotos courtesy of the owner.

[phaitoon]

1950s Magnum Bonum

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Magnum Bonun
Tottenham, 1950s

This late 1950s Mag.Bonum is pretty nearly in original condition, both paint and components (excepting tires, of course). It shows only moderate wear for its years and is something of a time capsule for how a bike would have been equipped when new.

The color scheme is black with chrome ends & headlugs. Note the dt transfer with fade-to-gold lettering; later dt transfers had a hard line between the red and the gold.

The components include Williams chainset, Brooks saddle, Simplex mech, Bayliss Wiley bb, Lyotard pedals, GB Coureur brakes.


1961 Plus

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Plus
London, 1961

The Plus model was offered from 1960 and featured Experto Crede lugs with extra re-inforcements on the fork crown and the bottom bracket shell. It was not popular and few survive. In the catalog (above), the page featuring the Plus was marred by a rather muddy illustration of the extra bits, but without the lovely Experto lugset; this may account for its lack of sales.

The current owner restored it and fitted the follwing components: Mafac center-pull brakes; Cinelli bar, Ambrosia stem; Campag pedals, hi-flange hubs, Gran Sport mech, Record front changer and seat pin; Unicanitor seat; Stronglight cranks with TA rings.

Note the color-coordinated tires, saddle, handlebar tape, Bowden housing, and pin-striping.

[tcsv4399]

ไม่รู้ว่าเดี๋ยวนี้หาซื้ หาขี่ได้ที่ไหนแล้ว

[phaitoon]

1962 Plus

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Plus
London, 1962

The owners write:

Introduction

My son (Joe) & I (Ken) have always admired the skill & artistic eye of the British frame builders. We live in the US and the riding scene is awash in carbon and inelegant bicycles from all over the world. We decided to add one of the grand British marques to our riding collection.

Our involvement with the Hetchins Experto Crede Plus began in March, 2009. We had been collecting 1960's vintage parts for an as yet unknown project for about two years. The Plus appeared on E-bay offered by Hilary Stone; it looked like a good candidate for a re-spray. The attraction of the Plus was the lugwork and the thin stays and fork. We were the high bidder and the frame was received in the US in early May. Our first task was to contact Len Ingram and authenticate the frame. His reply:

May 7, 2009

Good Morning Ken

Your frame is listed as a 23" straight Experto Crede Plus Circuit of Britain model [72/73 angles --Ed.]. It was built by Bob Stratful and sold from the shop on the 28th May 1962, price ฃ23.9.6d.

Kind regards, Len

Our frame was the tenth Plus to be added to the Hetchins Registry. Once we had this information, a plan was put in place to bring the frame back to life. The chrome was pitted & rusted and paint was done with a spray can. The fork proved to be the most worrisome part of the project. Some well placed decals had hidden the fact that corrosion had perforated both fork blades. The frame had been used hard during its lifetime. The bottom bracket shell was packed with old grease which quite literally had to be spooned out.

We judiciously removed sections of the frame's paint to get a better idea of the condition of the metal. In its current condition, the frame was unsafe to ride. The fork could have buckled under hard braking. At this point, we needed the skills of a frame builder before paint could be considered. The scope of the project began to become quite large. We contacted five frame restoration and builders and discussed the project at length with each.

Tom Kellogg & Jeff Duser of Spectrum Cycles, Breinigsville, PA was our final choice as the men for the job. We took the frame & fork to their shop for an expert evaluation. Their input would determine if the project was worth the expense to continue. After all, the object was to have a frame that would be safe to ride. We always wanted a rider, not a wall hanger.

The fork

Everyone agreed that the fork was dangerous and needed major repair. Jeff thought that there could be some old fork blades in the shop. We could hear him rummaging through a box of tubes in the back of the shop. A few minutes later he returned with two unused Reynolds fork blades which were a perfect match to the originals. The twin plate fork crown and the Agrati ends were to be salvaged and used with the new blades. The Plus has stiffeners extending down the fork blades from the crown. During the deconstruction of the fork, these stiffeners were damaged beyond use. Using the old pieces as templates, new stiffeners were fabricated. Jeff even brazed the new pieces to the blades slightly askew - just like the originals. The next challenge was replicating the graceful fork rake. The jigs that were in the Spectrum shop were not set up to start the bend so far down the leg. Tom & Jeff constructed a new fork jig with ample leverage. The rake on the renovated fork is indistinguishable from the original and succeeded on the first try.

The frame

The frame was in rough condition. Using the original 1962 price and the page from the Hetchin catalog as starting points; we deduced that our Plus was 'Super Finished' with chrome plating for 'severe service.' The original plan was to strip the frame of the old plating and to re-plate the entire frame and add painted accents and panels. After the frame was stripped, re-plating in its entirity was not feasible due to the pitting of certain areas of the tubes. The headlugs and the stays & fork ends were re-plated.

The components

We tried to stay as period-correct as possible with the components. We were successful with every part except the crankset, which is a Campagnolo three-arm steel unit from 1970. The pictures of the completed Plus illustrate how happy we are with the final product. Headset: Campagnolo Nuovo Record (NOS); wheels: Campagnolo Tipo 36 hole hubset (NOS), rear 120mm, Mavic Montlery tubular rims (NOS), DT stainless spokes 3x pattern Built by Joe Young, Texas, tires: Vittoria Giro Tubular; freewheel: TD Cross (TDC) 5 speed (NOS); chain: Sedis; front derailleur: Campagnolo Nuovo Record, early model chromed bronze arms; rear derailleur: Campagnolo Record, chromed bronze body; cranks: Campagnolo steel 3-arm; pedals: Chater Lea track sprints; shifters: Campagnolo Nuovo Record; brakes: GB Coureur Model 66 center pull with GB Superhood Levers; handlebar: Il Primo 'Giro di Sicilia' marketed by Holdsworth, made by (GB/Ambrosio); stem: Titan Steel 110mm; saddle: Middlemore; seatpost: Reynolds Hiduminium 27.2mm domed straight post; tape: Velox white cloth.

The finish

After much debate, we decided on dark green flamboyant paint with a gold headtube. We chose the 'Coronation' decal set because of its pattern and contrast to the main color.

Tom Kellogg was the painter and pin striper. The overall work that Tom & Jeff performed took about eight months. We went back to their shop to pick up the frame in January, 2010. When we first saw the renovated Plus, we were speechless. The completed project was far beyond our expectations.

Final note:

As a curiosity, we converted the original purchase price of ฃ23 9s 6d to 1962 dollars. The exchange rate in 1962 was $2.81 = ฃ1, so the purchase price in 1962 was $67.44. $67.44 in 1962 had about the same buying power as $485.45 in 2010.

I did the same calculation with the ฃ. Current data is only available till 2008. In 2008, ฃ23 9s 6d from 1962 is worth ฃ375.00 using the retail price index or ฃ849.00 using average earnings. I am not sure which is more representative of the exact value, the RPI of the AE, there is a large difference.

My son & I displayed the frame at the 2010 North American Handmade Bicycle Show in Richmond, Virginia. Tom Kellogg's Spectrum Cycle booth was used as the venue. Even with all the modern frames and marvelous workmanship, the lugwork and presence of the Hetchins made it one of the most beautiful bicycles at the show. There was a constant crowd of admirers around the old boy. Below are two links:

external link
external link

My son & I will be taking the Hetchins out for its first US ride on Friday May 28, 2010, 48 years to the day after it left the shop in Tottenham.

Fotos above courtesy of the owner's daughter.

Below is a foto by Hilary Stone showing its previous condition. Farther below, fotos by Spectrum Cycles of the restoration process.

[phaitoon]

1962 Magnum Bonum

http://img196.imageshack.us/g/62mb01.jpg/

[phaitoon]

1963 Plus

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Plus
London, 1963

The frame was resprayed by C&G in candy apple red with gold panels and trim. The fotos hardly do it justice: the lacquer shows a deep luster in direct sunlight which fotos just cannot capture. Components include: TA crankset, Campag mechs, high-flange hubs; Weinmann Type 730 brakes, GB levers; Brooks saddle; Lyotard pedals; Ambrosio rims.

[phaitoon]

1964 Experto Crede

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Experto Crede
London, 1964

This Experto Crede was ordered as a special frame with the build card dated 8th December 1964. It emerged as number H4140 in deep bronze lustre with chrome ends and 72/73 angles. The frame has vertical dropouts, Campagnolo hanger, and sloping fork crown. It was delivered to Carter and Hall of Portsmouth on 8th January 1965 for a trade price of ฃ15.7.6d and a full price of ฃ21.0.0d.

It was raced in the 1960s and in the hands of one of its owners was featured on the front cover and in the report in Cycling (issue of 4th March 1967) of the Avon Valley kermesse. The frame was renovated by Les Rigden of Brighton in the 1990s but lightly used until the present owner purchased it (via this site) in May 2008 and completed the re-assembly.

The components include TA crank set, Campag mechs and seat pin, Brooks saddle, Cinelli bar and stem, Universal brakes, bar end shifters.

Fotos courtesy of the owner

[phaitoon]

1964 Vade Mecum Superb

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Vade Mecum Superb
Tottenham, 1964?

The Vade Mecum Superb model was introduced in the 1964 catalog, but was not popular. Only six or so were made. This one was built for Tubby Whybrow of the National Clarion CC as a curly road frame. It was crashed in a race sometime in the 1970s. It was rebuilt by Cyril Munday of Peterborough as a straight track bike; the triangle and fork blades are not original. However, the main tubes, lugs, and fork crown have been preserved. It is set up as a single gear machine with Campag Pista equipment, 165mm crank arms. The date of this one is unknown.