MORE BELLS THAN THE BELL TOWER continued FDCED REAR SPROCKETS As the title of this article states, we had more Bells than the It is getting harder to fmd rear hubs made to accept fixed belltower, the Bell family making up 25% of our group, closely sprockets, since almost every bicycle built since the seventies followed by the Martlew group. Anyway, thanks are due to all has been fitted with hub gears or derailleur ratchets. talcing part in this event, which puts our club in the eyes of a big The early hubs had right hand threads for the sprocket, dnd a left proportion of the Perth population. Merrill Martlew is still (mid hand thread to accept a lock ring, which stopped the sprocket December) getting over her recent illness, but sent along her undoing itself when the rider "back pedalled" in braking. daughter and two grandchildren to swell the ranks — or was it to Older riders will remember that we often had no brakes on our keep an eye on Ray? bikes, but stopped by pushing back on the pedals, or, in dire Participants were — emergencies, by placing a shoe on the rear tyre above the seat Mery Thompson — 1881 Perfection DD stays. Dawn Thompson — 39 Norman tricycle However, if you want to fit your bike with a fixed sprocket and Phil Harris — Malvern Star delivery do not have the correct hub, you can use the modern type. Dave Clark — C5 Sinclair There is enough thread to fit a lock ring from the adjustable Don Smith — 1920 Armstrong racer (WA Made) centre bracket-bearing cup. Just make sure that the sprocket Shirley Smith — Our Banner bearer (thanks, Shirley) itself is tight before tightening the lock ring. Just to make sure Ken Ward — Avanti racer that all is htmlcy dory check the lock ring after going for a ride. Walter Edom 45 Swansea Police bike Ray Martlew — Steele Bishop racer (WA made) SERVICING RATCHETS Jodee and Tamara Brandis — Twin Spinner tandem The humble ratchet has been around almost since the first Rebecca Brandis — Foldup Dujuan Cuckoo bicycles, and is still basically the same today as it was a century Alan Naber — Hercules Kangaroo ago. Like all other moving parts on your cycle the ratchet needs Peter Wells — 47 Swansea racer servicing. Lets face it, the chain and sprockets get pretty grubby Danica Cannella — The West ladies (WA made) in service, the lubricating oil attracting more dirt than small And the Bells - Mal, Peter, Ken and Grant and all on Penny boys, which naturally gets into the inside of the ratchet. Farthings Ratchets are held together with an outer ring, which usually has And Myrene, last but by no means least, on her Rudge Rotary Peter Wells a couple of holes to accept a pegged tool for removal and replacement purposes. If you don't have a special tool, and very few will have, a good centre punch will serve the purpose quite DISCOVERING A GOLDMINE well. But take note! The ring has a left hand thread. Once you Well you may ask what a goldmine has to do with old bikes, but have loosened the ring, place the ratchet or wheel over a clean let me tell you that gold can be found in many unexpected area where any of the steel balls can be retrieved. Also check places, as many an old-time prospector would be only too ready the pawls and tiny springs. to inform you. But the gold that I am talking about is not the After thoroughly cleaning all parts with kerosene, check for any E auriferous kind, it is the gold of knowledge. The kind of wear where the steel balls run, and any damage to the balls knowledge that is gleaned from processing the pages of a 1916 — themselves. Usually there is little evidence of wear. If in doubt, yes, 1916 Catalogue of Bicycle Accessories of the Armstrong replace the balls, they are not expensive. Use a light multi Cycle and Motor Agency. This pioneer motoring and cycling purpose grease to hold the balls in place, and reassemble all firm had been founded in Perth in 1896, Percy Armstrong components, tightening the ring. Check that the unit runs freely, prominent in both motorcar and cycle competition. and that the pawls operate correctly. Our worthy Club Librarian, Ken Ward, was able to get his hands on a very fragile copy of said catalogue, and has had it 27 INCH ALL BLACK TYRES photocopied for the library. It is crammed full of very clear and In pre WWII days, and until the mid 1950s most tyres were all descriptive information from lugs to build frames, to period black, the later white sidewalls not very common. lights, bells, saddles, tools, and just about any extra that the lady Times and fashion changed, and it has become hard to fmd or gentleman cyclist could possibly need. But the part that I black 27x1 found particularly interesting was that BSA had been producing may1 have to enquire for them, but I managed to get a pair from parts for sale to Australian riders virtually the same as those to Balmoral Cycles in East Victoria Park. No doubt your local be found on Malvern Star cycles in the late 1930's. For those of /1 biketyres, shop can get them for you, the price was about the same as us who may have the remains of an early machine, this the better white walled type. catalogue will prove to be invaluable, because it clearly shows Peterbut Wells the sort of parts that were available at the time. Luckily for us, th these parts remained in vogue for many years, so it makes it ey easier to source suitable bits for that rebuild. DIDar YOU KNOW? So, gradually, our library is growing, and items like this one of Ine 1960 Raleigh were advertising three different makes on a inestimable value to members rebuilding or even merely trying centrespreado in the Motorcycle and Cycle Export Trader — to source some parts that are known to be incorrect on their Raleigh,n Rudge, and Humber. No doubt these famous old well- • machine. Thanks, Ken, your efforts are appreciated by all members. respectedc names have now folded along with Raleigh. Peter Wells e a g a i n o n t h e m a r k e t . Y o u BSA CYCLE COMPONENTS A number of members have expressed surprise at seeing BSA So that is why you can find so many old bikes with BSA cranks and pedals on Malvern Star cycles, as well as on other components, mainly on old Malvern Stars, but also on other marques that are quite evidently not BSA machines. The makes. In addition to Malvern Star, the firm also made Austral, answer is quite simple, and shows a side of the history of Pacemaker, Preston Star, Rainbow and in 1964 acquired the cycling in Australia that is unknown to many, but should be Moulton franchise. They also sold Raleigh Choppers and aired for all to know, especially our younger generation brought Philips Choppers. In post WWII days BSA acquired Sunbeam, up with bikes emanating from various Asian countries. Norman and New Hudson. The Birmingham Small Arms Company had been Peter Wells manufacturing arms for British armed forces for many years, and when the cycle craze took over Britain and the rest of the CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2003 World in the late nineteenth century, BSA decided to expand into the cycle trade. They already had a good name for quality Jan 20th Monday - MONTHLY MEETING work, so it was only natural that their cycles and components should also be of a high standard. As suppliers of small arms to Feb 17 the British Government it was only to be expected that BSA th should be given orders for military orientated bicycles for use as MoFeb 21"—March 2 couriers, scouting, and general message carrying. There were ndHistoric11d Cycles Downtmder Rally, Evandale, Tasmania. special cycle units formed able to cover big distances quite Are any West Aussies attending? ay rapidly over any, types of terrain. Of course, when motors began to be fitted to bicycles, BSA followed the trend and we Feb- 23 probably remember these machines more than those propelled bathers.rdM by human power. So much for the Company's background now SuO for the reason why so many Australian machines have ended up MarndN 14th Friday Bike to Work (Bike Week) with BSA components, which also include lugs, head and centre ayT bracket fittings, as well as hubs. Mar 16 —H As early as 1884, BSA began to market a range of standard Display6L parts, to be known as BSA Fittings. These components were Ro SunY made available to bicycle manufacturers at home and abroad, Marck 17 dayM and soon earned a reputation for their high quality. thin —E So it was not unusual to find their wares on the shelves of cycle MarMogh 23" WhE shops around the world, especially in member countries of the Inda British Empire — India, Canada, South Africa, Australia and ApritT 15 Sunaym New Zealand, to mention just a few. BSA had a name for top 6emI day—S quality products, so discerning cycle builders and owners know MoMayanN 19 —Ma that they could rely on those items with the three piled rifles nd6PG stamped on them. JunMeOf ti ayMoa Here in Australia in the twenties there were numerous firms thlvNe Mndar building machines of near identical specification, all vying with JunMoillTt — Riverton Forum Club Display (One week) Oyk each other for good quality parts. As the demand for cycles ndeHy grew, it became important to have access to a good source of JunN—C 16 ayFLB supply. Due to the huge success of Malvern Star, in part thrti TAl thaY the achievements of Hubert (Oppy) Opperman, the firm was —Ga MoHiy FOR SALE-SWAP-WANTED finding difficulty in obtaining a satisfactory parts supply. The PiMs ndLrR company was refused admission to the existing Retail FornjEs Sale ayYDi Wholesalers Association, and the right to import its EarlyanEi thirties Malvern Star ladies, 28 inch wheels, BSA cranks. —Mi requirements direct. Bruce Small, owner of Malvern Star, went Complete-Td with mudguards etc $20.00 MEc to Birmingham in 1928, and made arrangements to buy direct PeterasIe Wells (08) 9459 1750 OEC for his parts. FpN. Malvern Star was opening numerous outlets around Australia, NTa SwapelGB with record sales of new machines, and other manufacturers TIr Aussiesar and Cyclops head stem badges for Gordonson badge, or now came begging for orders, but Small remained with BSA. In buyHNS outright. Peter Wells (08) 9459 1750 tyi 1935 BSA appointed Bruce Small Australian distributors of LGh in their bicycle components. By this stage Opperman was riding in ForYo Sale Britain, not for Malvern Star, but for BSA, his record breaking vg TheMw club has a number of complete bikes (ladies and gents) rides doing much for that firm. availableay at a ridiculously low price to members. Contact Mery E— forlo full details (08) 9450 2579 EC (u Tl WantedTr Iu Gordonsone head stem metal badge. 27inchNb box section rims, 32 and 40 holes, to complete my 5 n SwanG racer. Peter Wells (08) 9459 1750 t a t i v e ) CDo-' ot. c72* z 0) 5 z :0 5 p:. __.,,- 0 ,..o.vg m --, 4 o CS 0 4? .0 2 0' 1-4 (I) CO ir,. 0 En CD . CS',.. ..• ( i . - .< 0 c z p>D cn til3 cp .--'' 5 p••• 0 , 0 in 02.• 0 1 z., ooz m , :Gt m F CD0 0. = m 01, °'.' 4 w 0• 1, eL ro• •Z C ,,z ,t-7*5 at , c Doo,. 1, 0 •-:: cr r z Z . 002 rD _ ? i,-, X ,.. 5„1r6 ,' . a t/. ,, crl ( 4 o a, '< CD .. 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