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Odds and Sods

Peter Underwood

I regularly check out the archives of the Classic Rendezvous email lists and realise that collectors of British lightweights from around the world are often asking for information which we take for granted here in the UK. With this in mind I am creating a page entitled Odds & Sods with the idea of showing some of the unusual add-ons to be found on 'mainly British' bikes.

Odds and sods 11

There sometimes comes a stage in collecting bikes when one realises that there no point in buying more machines just for the sake of it. (Oh yes there does!). This is often the time when we try to add small juicy pieces to make the bike stand out. I once took a really immaculate, all-correct Hetchins Magnum Bonum to a ride and found it surrounded by a crowd intent on studying the Chater Lea double chainset - none of them had seen one 'in the flesh' before. Without the chainset the machine would have been of passing interest to most at the gathering. This set-up needs two chainrings, the alloy spacer ring plus longer bolts with the enigmatic Chater thread!

Even the lowly lamp bracket can lift a machine up a class - look at the people envying the Constrictor alloy lamp bracket (left) with its small lamp retaining 'set screw' at the top. Some of these items are so subtle that they can go un-noticed until you give someone a hint as to what is there, say the 'Heron' pedals on a RRA.

Slightly off-topic here but there was a long discussion on the list relating to the old currency used in many adverts. There followed submissions of words for coinage such as Bobs, Tanners, Half-crowns, Quids, Ponies, Fivers, Guineas, et al, as well as what the figures with £ s. d. denoted.

Having started the list, I expect to get further submissions to add to it so keep on checking this page.

	In the era of classic bikes photographers would have used cameras which often needed a long exposure time to capture the image. The dread of this action is 'camera shake' resulting in a fuzzy image. To counter this certain component companies manufactured mounting brackets for cameras, secured to the bike to act as a tripod substitute. Here are two examples from Nigel Scott. "Cyclo Photo" camera bracket that clamps around the handlebars. You unscrew the domed sleeve with the name on it and that allows the stem to be rotated. The thread is still the same one as screws into the Nikon digital I took this image with. The clamp normally pivots at right-angles on the bolt.
Identical band and bracket with this circular plate attached. You can pull down the knurled knob against a spring under the round plate, though what this achieves and how its used, I have no idea. But the clamp etc is clearly same manufacture so assume it's for a different camera mount?
	Terry's spring pump clips are clipped onto any tube of the frame and the opposite side of the clip allows a pump to be pushed in against the spring and is then securely held into place. Easily adjusted for any pump length. If you have a 'gappy' frame with a lot of clearance between the rear wheel and seat tube, the pump can help to camouflage the gap. Can also be used to attach a Pennine CO2 pump to the frame, or clipped to the stem, with a torch where the pump would normally be, to provide a front light; Bernard - ex-Blackpool RC
Cyclo brake cable clips, usually used in threes to secure the rear brake cable along the top tube. Try covering the inside of the clip with a contact glue (allowed to harden overnight). This will avoid the clips digging into the paintwork. It is easy to drop and lose one of the small nuts as they are fiddly to fit onto the bolt
	Cyclo saddlebag clips clamp onto the rail of the saddle to allow you to fix a saddlebag to a saddle with no inbuilt loops. Another fiddly job with a good chance of dropping the nut!
Bates mudguard stay bolts with round head. Most Bates, apart from track frames, have bosses on front forks and seat stays which take these special bolts for the mudguard stays. Check them from time to time as they can work loose. They are still available from cantiflex@aol.com
	The Odds and Sods quiz item - what is this? Answer at bottom of page
Hobbs Litaloy pedal We are into components here and bonus points are awarded if you manage to source accessories marketed by the builder of your frame. Here are the Litaloy pedals with H B plates from Hobbs of Barbican
	T A cable guide alloy plate which is secured by the stem bolt (on top of stem). The cables are held neatly by the two grummets
These Cyclo Rosa pieces are bolted into the rear ends to act as wheel locater to ensure the wheel returns to the same position after removal for maintenance or a puncture. In effect doing the same job as the screw-adjusters in Campagnolo rear ends.

Especially for the collector of track bikes is the saddle support shown below.
The larger clamp is fixed arount the top tube just behind the nose of the saddle.
The smaller ring goes over the saddle adjuster.
The 'bottlescrew' in the centre adjusts the height.

	Harden alloy wingnuts, like the Hobbs pedals on a Hobbs machine. These very rare wingnuts look great with a set of Harden hubs
Gradometer is mounted level on the handlebars and it registers the gradient you are climbing (or descending of course). It covers 1 in 20 up to 1 in 4
	This is a customised component. A genuine 50's 'dinger' bell which has been drilled for lightness. The pattern of the drilling is very accurate which must have been hard to achieve on such a shape.
Flint catchers do just what they say. The hole in the clip fastens onto the brake bolt and by bending the frame you can adjust the curved 'catcher' until it rides barely in contact with the tubular (or normal tyre as long as there are no cross tread cuts). The idea is to remove flints, thorns, etc on the first rotation so as to stop them embedding into the rubber next time around. This saver is Allez.
	This item looks like metal but is plated plastic. Clips onto the seatstay in upright mode to act as a chain support when removing wheel. Haven't quite puzzled this out as it is tapered and when the clip taper is lined up with stay taper the clip is upside down.
Simplex Demultiplicator advertised in 1964. Code No. 53; Ref.2343 "This is a Demultiplicator Relais. One side is connected with the Right Hand control lever. The other side to the Rear Derailleur. The purpose is to 'spread' the movement of the lever making gear changing a positive 'no fumbling' operation especially on close ratio freewheels."

Answer to Odds and Sods Quiz:
Odds and Sods 20