Researching your retro ride and cycling history

[utedeej]

I thought that a topic on how to research about your bike and/or vintage cycling might be handy. I know that I'm always learning new things and finding new sites that are interesting and I was thinking of something we could keep adding to for others to learn too. I've always found the following handy, am sure that I've missed heaps that I've looked at in the past and am also sure that you guys know lots more resources that are out there. Looking forward to more additions and suggestions. I hope the categories cover most topics.

Australian History and historical adverts
Trove - Australian National Library online resource - http://trove.nla.gov.au/

Bike Brands, frames and components
Velobase - http://velobase.com/
Disraeli Gears - http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Home.html
Extraordinary collection of catalogues etc http://veterancycleclublibrary.org.uk/library/
Spoke Sniffer Flickr albums https://www.flickr.com/photos/80253671@N04/albums
Dawes-man Flickr albums, particularly the Brown Brothers catalogues https://www.flickr.com/photos/22983673@N02/albums
Speedplay Vintage Bicycle Component Museum: Flickr albums https://www.flickr.com/photos/speedplaypedals/albums
Speedplay Pedal Museum http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuse ... seum.intro
Velo-retro Campagnolo timeline http://www.velo-retro.com/tline.html
Velo-retro links to other bicycling sites: http://www.velo-retro.com/links.html

Australian Bikes and cycling
Aussievelos - maintained by a forum member and great resource on Healings in particular - http://aussievelos.net/

British Bikes and cycling
Classic Lightweights UK - http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/

European Bikes and cycling
Campagnolo - http://www.campyonly.com/history.html
Photos of Italian bikes - http://www.raydobbins.com/
Period correct bicycles, very well photographed - http://www.speedbicycles.ch/collection/index.html

US bikes and cycling
Vintage Cannondales - http://vintagecannondale.com/
Classic and Vintage US forum - http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/

Japanese bikes and cycling
Vintage Japanese bicycles - http://cyclespeugeot.web.fc2.com/reminiscencebyenglish.htm

Mountain Biking
Museum of Mountain Bike Art and Technology - http://www.mombat.org/

Cycling History/Interviews
BikeRaceInfo - http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/ some really interesting interviews with classic pro cyclists and mechanics.

Books
Racing Bicycles 100 Years of Steel - David Rapley
The Dancing Chain - History and Development of the Derailleur Bicycle - Frank J Berto
Complete Guide to Upgrading Your Bike - Frank J Berto (1988)
Russell Mockridge The Main in Front - Martin Curtis

Fixing bikes/handy hints/miscellaneous
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/
Velospace bike pictures - http://velospace.org
Idiots Guide to Salvaged 80s Roadies on BNA - http://bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=33573

Bikes shops with vintage parts - online and bricks and mortar
Facebook page Retro Cycling Marketplace Australia https://www.facebook.com/groups/retrocyclingmarketau/?fref=nf
http://hilarystone.com/index.html
http://www.universalcyclecentre.co.uk/retroshop.html

[WyvernRH]

Great idea.

I would add, be wary of Velobase.com Great general reference but do not take everything on there as Gospel, it is frequently in slight or greater error with dates and some other info.
Good on Campag AFAIK tho'

Richard

[Mulger bill]

Brilliant!

Great idea for a common resource.

I'll sticky this right away. To keep the vital information and links somewhat seperate from any discussions I'll ask that members wishing to add to the resource post a reply with the relevant info and if there is a Mod on duty to PM them a link and request to edit it into the OP or if we're all out riding or doing other less important stuff, to report your own post and add relevant info into the report information field for our benefit. The easier you make it for us, the more chance your input will be dealt with quickly. We're busy, not lazy.

Cheers
Shaun

[Clydesdale Scot]

Excellent idea for helping forum members.

my contributions that quickly come to mind:

Bike Brands, frames and components
extraordinary collection of catalogues etc http://veterancycleclublibrary.org.uk/library/
Spoke Sniffer Flickr albums https://www.flickr.com/photos/80253671@N04/albums
Dawes-man Flickr albums, particularly the Brown Brothers catalogues https://www.flickr.com/photos/22983673@N02/albums
Speedplay Vintage Bicycle Component Museum: Flickr albums https://www.flickr.com/photos/speedplaypedals/albums
Velo-retro Campagnolo timeline http://www.velo-retro.com/tline.html and links to other bicycling sites: http://www.velo-retro.com/links.html


European Bikes and cycling
Period correct bicycles, very well photographed http://www.speedbicycles.ch/collection/index.html


Bikes shops with vintage parts - online and bricks and mortar
Facebook page Retro Cycling Marketplace Australia https://www.facebook.com/groups/retrocy ... u/?fref=nf
http://hilarystone.com/index.html
http://www.universalcyclecentre.co.uk/retroshop.html

[utedeej]

Thanks and good one Clydesdale, I've updated my original post as a master list while I've still got "edit" available. Will get mods to help do that in the future.

Definitely have a look at the Bikeraceinfo site too. There is a cycling history section with interviews with some pretty amazing cyclists. I actually like the interview with Pietro Piazzalunga, a pro mechanic who started in the 1960's.

[RobertFrith]

Speedplay Pedal Museum http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuse ... seum.intro

[Tinker]

My Austral bikes site

http://jphcycles.wix.com/archives

[P!N20]

A ship load of information here, the bike catalogue section is particularly good:

http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/

[stuy75]

Hi, I am hoping someone can help me out, I have a mid eighties Repco Intrepid 1986 - apparently ... Not the greatest bike I know... I am trying to find some Info around serial numbers.. All I can find is that the Hotfoot has serial numbers on the dropouts, but can't locate anything for the Intrepid ? Any ideas ? Cheers

[utedeej]

Hi, I am hoping someone can help me out, I have a mid eighties Repco Intrepid 1986 - apparently ... Not the greatest bike I know... I am trying to find some Info around serial numbers.. All I can find is that the Hotfoot has serial numbers on the dropouts, but can't locate anything for the Intrepid ? Any ideas ? Cheers

Stuy, i'd post your question in the Repco Appreciation Thread here http://bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=3378

Might find some other Repco lovers. For that age bike, the serial number would usually be on the bottom bracket shell.

[Rob74]

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Timeline:_Cycles
Graces Guide = "The UK Industrial History Site" provides a Cycles Time Line
Lots of old OEM advertisements

http://www.Fetchbook.info
To get your books...
=>> Plug ISBN No. into fetchbook.info it scans all book stores new and 2nd hand and provides price shipped to your door (or booko)

Racing Bicycles: 100 Years of Steel David Rapley Hardcover, Images Publishing Dist Ac 228 Pages isbn-10: 1864704829,
Upgrading Your Bike Frank Berto Paperback, Rodale Press 308 Pages , isbn-10: 0878577513
The Dancing Chain: History & Development of the Derailleur Bicycle, Frank Berto Hardcover, Van Der Plas Pubns 400 Pages , isbn-10: 1892495694
Russell Mockridge: The Man in Front, Martin Curtis Paperback, Melbourne Books 240 Pages isbn-10: 1877096547

Rob

[utedeej]

I posted this ages ago and it popped back up recently on the Facebook page. I thought it might be a good idea to add interesting articles to this topic. Any more out there?

February 1996 edition of Bicycling Guide.



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[P!N20]

Some good information at bikepro.com

http://www.bikepro.com/

[Strawburger]

Has anyone held an interview with a previous owner that they have tracked down?

I'd love to hear about the types of questions asked.

[QuangVuong]

If you're talking to the original owner and they remember a lot, they normally will tell you everything about it. Take notes as they're talking or remember it best you can then record it down.

If you read a couple of my threads(Kenevans-Europa, Frezoni, Lotus), and probably some of Clydesdale Scot's threads you can find the info that we got from the original owner/relatives. Things I normally would ask are:
- Who was the owner/previous owners?
- What is it's history? e.g club bike, or used where, etc.
- And anything that you wanna find out specifically.

[Clydesdale Scot]

My membership of the V-CC has in a very tiny way helped fund more scanning
The [British] Cycling magazine has had a few more years scanned and there is now a comprehensive set of 1946-1948.
http://veterancycleclublibrary.org.uk/l ... 3&items=48

Extraordinary effort by some very dedicated members.
Philip

[familyguy]

Dredge...

Regarding contacting the old frame builders, I can't find any centralised knowledge about this. My search-fu might be lacking, dunno. These are the two Australian builders I've had to contact recently while researching.

Ken Evans / Kenavans: I've successfully contacted Ken Evans to try to determine a build number, via his website.
http://kenevansframes.com.au/
http://kenevansframes.com.au/contact/

Paconi: I've attempted to contact Paconi/Bikesportz via FB Messenger, which they've read but not replied to. Anyone had luck doing research on a serial number by calling them?
https://www.facebook.com/www.bikesportz.com.au/
http://www.bikesportz.com.au/node/17
https://cam.bicyclenetwork.com.au/find/shop/1673/

Jim