Ephgrave No. 1 - 1959
Owned by Peter Underwood
Image- Horst Friedrichs
| Frame | 23½" - Frame No. LE 3124 (1959) - No 1 lugs - Finish azure blue with white head and seat tube - lugs lined in gold - round forks - track rear ends - mudguard eyes - pump pegs under top tube - 11" bottom bracket height - 17¼" chainstays - 40¼" wheelbase - 'Lollipops' top of seat stays |
| Wheels | Airlite large flange hubs - 32/40 - rear double
fixed - 15/17 double butted spokes - Fiamme sprint rims -
tubular
tyres |
| Chainset | Chater Lea - round (drumstick) cranks - 6½" |
| Pedals | Chater Lea with Christophe toe-clips and Binda straps |
| Gears | Fixed-wheel |
| Brakes | Universal 51 front brake |
| Stem/Bars | GB alloy Spearpoint stem – 4 ½”; GB Alloy Maes with ferrule |
| Headset | Brampton |
| Saddle | Brooks B17 Swallow or B17 Sprinter |
| Extras | Flintcatchers front and rear (with sprints). Drilled lightweight bell. |
As a teenage cyclist, one of my 'heroes' was Ralph Large from the nearby Wisbech Wheelers. Ralph won many opens and club events but always had a friendly smile and a word for other cyclists he met. Some 13 years ago Patricia and I met another friend from the Wisbech Wheelers who told us that his brother-in-law had an Ephgrave for sale which had belonged to Ralph. This was just at the time Patricia and I were getting married so I had this, then unrestored, machine as a wedding present. At the reception after the wedding I just hoped no one would ask to see my present at it was in the shed looking very sorry for itself with paintwork needing restoration and rusty spokes. We had it restored by C & G at Liverpool in the original colour and the wheels rebuilt with period 15/17g spokes. The rest of the components were either plated or polished.
 Detail of Ephgrave No. 1 lugs
later version with longer spearpoint at front |
 Seat stay decoration known as
the lollipop - 1956 onwards |
 Seat stay brake bridge with
characteristic Ephgrave work
|
 Front, showing lugs, GB Spearpoint stem and bell
|
 32 hole Airlite front hub, anodised blue, with 15/17g spokes laced to Fiamme sprint rim
(Image Horst Friedrichs) |
 Chater-Lea single chainset with 165mm round cranks
|
 Drilled time-trial bell
|