IAN FINN 808 Posted April 2, 2023 Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 Like the drop handle bars for aerodynamics my back would not bend that far now. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,464 Posted April 2, 2023 Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 I'd forgotten that but you're correct. I did indeed have the handlebars turned upside down. I never liked the normal racing bars, they were too awkward and uncomfortable for me so I carried out a few experiments and ended up with what you see. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oztalgian 3,286 Posted April 2, 2023 Report Share Posted April 2, 2023 7 hours ago, Cliff Ton said: I did indeed have the handlebars turned upside down. I turned the handlebars upside down on my red Trent Tourist to give it a bit more street cred. Didn't make it go any faster as it was built like a tank and as heavy as hell. The Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub was next to uselss (I never did get how they worked) but the bike served me well on my paper round for many years. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,593 Posted April 3, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 On 3/26/2023 at 7:02 PM, philmayfield said: ‘Cyclemaster’. What a memory I’ve got! Thanks Rog. Another one for you Phil, this engine drops onto the back wheel of the bike and away you go, not sure of the name either Swift or Swallow engine, 25cc Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,143 Posted April 3, 2023 Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 How would it affect tyre wear Rog? My elder brother had a bike with a dynamo that sprung onto the tyre and he was always replacing with a new tyre.( that is, until he realised if he didn't use the bike at night, he wouldn't need the dynamo on). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted April 3, 2023 Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 Yes I remember those Rog. I think they had a 'beefier' rear tyre as the drive was directly from a roller onto the tyre. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,593 Posted April 3, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 BK, not sure about wear but unless the drive wheel off the engine wasn't slipping I don't think there would be excessive wear, I've had the dynamo bottles on some of my bikes and the way we got around the excessive wear was to set the dynamo bottle adjustment with minimum pressure on the tyre wall, we also put a rubber band around the little dynamo wheel to help grip and reduce wear, the rubber band was off one of those black bottle stoppers you used to get, don't know whether they did any good or not though Rog ps, you can still buy bottle dynamo's Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oztalgian 3,286 Posted April 3, 2023 Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 Which were better, bottle or in hub dynamos? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted April 3, 2023 Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 I think a lamp with a battery was best! Nothing mechanical to go wrong. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,593 Posted April 3, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 Raleigh had both dynamo hub with a back up battery for when the bike stopped, the battery supplied power to the lights without the dynamo working, the battery case was fitted to the seat tube, not sure how long the battery would last but certainly long enough for the bike to be stationary at traffic light and such as long as you didn't leave the light switched on when you finished riding for the night, as for bottle dynamo versus hub I would say a hub dynamo would be better because less drag on the bike wheel and less wear on the tyre Rog 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob.L 1,090 Posted April 3, 2023 Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 Having experienced the demise of good old blue Ever Ready batteries in bike lights while riding at night on unlit roads, I’d definitely prefer a dynamo. Although modern lights are a massive improvement on both. Even putting the battery in the oven to eke the last bit of power out of it didn’t help much. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,593 Posted April 3, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2023 The lights on my bikes are very much brighter than the ones I had as a kid plus they have differing flashing modes, LED as opposed to the old style bulbs and the batteries last for ages and the batteries are only small button cells of three volts, modern technology I suppose Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,593 Posted April 7, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2023 I have just purchased a vintage Lucas King of the Road carbide front lamp for one of the vintage bikes, it should be here next week so expect a couple of photo's, you can still buy calcium carbide so I'll either blow myself up or have a small flame flickering in front of the reflector, only time will tell Rog 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob.L 1,090 Posted April 7, 2023 Report Share Posted April 7, 2023 As it used to be known, “Lucas, Prince of Darkness.” Or, as the company motto reportedly said, “Get home before dark.” 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,143 Posted April 7, 2023 Report Share Posted April 7, 2023 @plantfit, should we be keeping our eyes on obituaries column then Rog? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IAN FINN 808 Posted April 7, 2023 Report Share Posted April 7, 2023 My grandma put the old eveready batteries in front of the fire to get the last bit of juice out of them they would corrode so bad on my bicycle that the front and rear lights would not work was that from the humidity or the batteries not sealed good lots of blue corrosion. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,593 Posted April 8, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2023 The old Ever Ready blue batteries never lasted all that long, I could just about manage two trips to work and back from Clifton to Sneinton before they died, these LED lights I have on my bikes now last for a few months with daily use of around an hour a day/evening, I do have them on in "flash" mode though so that must help prolong the life of the batteries and I do have them on during daylight riding Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeverilPeril 3,281 Posted April 8, 2023 Report Share Posted April 8, 2023 In the 50's and 60's Winter evenings, training in the dark was a problem. Battery lights were too weak and expensive to run so I had a hub dynamo built into a racing wheel. I used tubular tyres exclusively in those days and had to get Henry Lloyd to build a special wheel on a sprint rim. Probably unique. At training speed the hub dyno generated a really good light. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,593 Posted April 14, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2023 The carbide lamp has arrived, looks to be complete and in good condition, it is now in the shed getting a good clean using crunched up kitchen foil and WD40, carbide will be arriving next week, I had to prop the front of the lamp up with my post it notes book for photo purposes because it is front heavy Watch this space (or the obituary column in the Lincolnshire papers) Rog 2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted April 14, 2023 Report Share Posted April 14, 2023 That’s funny. We’ve got one of those lamps somewhere. It was my father in law’s. I’ll ask my wife where it might be. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
siddha 825 Posted April 14, 2023 Report Share Posted April 14, 2023 I have a tin of carbide! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,593 Posted April 14, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2023 Got some arriving next week 200g = £11.49 including postage Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IAN FINN 808 Posted April 14, 2023 Report Share Posted April 14, 2023 My dad had an old acetylene welder at his garage and you made the acetylene by adding acetylene crystals to water you had to drain the tank and clean it out about every six months it smelled terrible he brought the oxygen tanks and acetylene crystals from a place near Western Boulevard on the main rd left hand side heading towards Nottingham again can not remember the name this was in the 50s. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted April 14, 2023 Report Share Posted April 14, 2023 It’s £22.97 a kg from Amazon. I remember kids used to drop it down drains and set fire to the acetylene. Not me I hasten to add! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted April 14, 2023 Report Share Posted April 14, 2023 26 minutes ago, IAN FINN said: My dad had an old acetylene welder at his garage and you made the acetylene by adding acetylene crystals to water you had to drain the tank and clean it out about every six months it smelled terrible he brought the oxygen tanks and acetylene crystals from a place near Western Boulevard on the main rd left hand side heading towards Nottingham again can not remember the name this was in the 50s. Might it have been the River Chemical Company? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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