Alex Iles - 1971
| Frame |
Reynolds 531 DB.
Seat tube 24", wheelbase 41" British racing green with gold
lining. Red seat panel. No obvious frame
number (See notes below). |
| Wheels |
Campagnolo Nuovo Tipo hubs, 32 spokes front, 40
spokes rear (original, but the sew-up rims have been converted to
clincher rims) |
| Chainset | Stronglight with TA double rings |
| Pedals | Lyotard (platform style, made in France), with
red straps |
| Gears | Simplex front and rear |
| Brakes | Weinmann (Swiss made) Model 750/999 center-pulls. |
| Stem/Bars | Maes bars on ttt Gran-Prix stem (made in Italy) |
| Saddle | Ideale, Model
30, leather (made in France). Seat Post: Campagnolo (replaced
original steel post). |
| Extra details | Bluemel's
Lightweight mudguards (made in England), with rear reflector and front
mud flap. Purchased in July 1971 from Bill Hurlow - new and just painted for me. I ordered it from him prior to my arrival in Kent. Although the bike shows the Alex Iles labels, Bill added the brazed fittings to the frame for the attachment of the rear pannier support rack. The rack was then painted at the same time as the frame, in order to match. Final fit up of the bicycle was made on the day of my arrival in Mr. Hurlow's Herne Bay, Kent shop. I rode the bike out of his shop and proceeded to tour southern England on it (Herne Bay, to Canterbury, to Brighton, to Bath, to London, to Dover, and then by ferry to France, where I left it in the Paris train station for a month while I toured Europe by train). It was then left with Bill Hurlow who sent a letter dated September 21 (1971) stating, "A quick note to advise you that your cheque arrived safely, and that your Alex Iles was delivered to TWA Heathrow this afternoon. Dispatched as Second Hand bicycle no. 8112, insured 100 BP. Weight inc. carton 53 lbs. ... ... Best Wishes, Bill" It is possible that the 8112 refers to the frame number. The cycle was described as second-hand as I had used it for my European tour. |
Seat cluster and rear triangle showing rack supplied and fitted to braze-ons fitted by Bill
 |
 |
Right: detail showing head lugs and fork crown
Close-up of seat
cluster - original paintwork