Researching your retro ride and cycling history

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utedeej
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Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby utedeej » Sat Feb 27, 2016 4:24 pm

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" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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/remini ... nglish.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 ... 23&t=33573

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
Last edited by Mulger bill on Thu Mar 03, 2016 9:45 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Reason: Added link

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WyvernRH
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby WyvernRH » Sat Feb 27, 2016 6:53 pm

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

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Mulger bill
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby Mulger bill » Sat Feb 27, 2016 7:55 pm

Brilliant!

Great idea for a common resource. 8)

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. :wink:

Cheers
Shaun
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
London Boy 29/12/2011

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Clydesdale Scot
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby Clydesdale Scot » Sun Feb 28, 2016 12:57 pm

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/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Spoke Sniffer Flickr albums https://www.flickr.com/photos/80253671@N04/albums" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Dawes-man Flickr albums, particularly the Brown Brothers catalogues https://www.flickr.com/photos/22983673@N02/albums" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Speedplay Vintage Bicycle Component Museum: Flickr albums https://www.flickr.com/photos/speedplaypedals/albums" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Velo-retro Campagnolo timeline http://www.velo-retro.com/tline.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and links to other bicycling sites: http://www.velo-retro.com/links.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


European Bikes and cycling
Period correct bicycles, very well photographed http://www.speedbicycles.ch/collection/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


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" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://hilarystone.com/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.universalcyclecentre.co.uk/retroshop.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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utedeej
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby utedeej » Sun Feb 28, 2016 3:45 pm

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.

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hiflange
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby hiflange » Thu Mar 03, 2016 4:38 pm

Speedplay Pedal Museum http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuse ... seum.intro" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Last edited by Mulger bill on Thu Mar 03, 2016 9:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Added to OP

Tinker
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby Tinker » Tue Apr 05, 2016 9:29 pm

My Austral bikes site

http://jphcycles.wix.com/archives

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P!N20
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby P!N20 » Fri Apr 15, 2016 12:48 pm

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

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

stuy75
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby stuy75 » Thu May 19, 2016 10:35 am

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

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utedeej
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby utedeej » Sat May 21, 2016 5:31 pm

stuy75 wrote: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.

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Rob74
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby Rob74 » Tue Jun 28, 2016 8:39 pm

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

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utedeej
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby utedeej » Mon Jul 18, 2016 7:56 pm

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.

Image

Image[/URL

[URL=http://s1251.photobucket.com/user/utedeej/media/Columbus%20steel%203a_zpskmszzedw.jpg.html]Image


Image

Image

Image

Image

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P!N20
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby P!N20 » Tue Jan 10, 2017 10:22 am

Some good information at bikepro.com

http://www.bikepro.com/

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Strawburger
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby Strawburger » Tue Jan 10, 2017 10:25 am

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.
n=10 (2013 & 2004 roads,2010 track,2x 2009 foldups,1990 hybrid,1992 trainer,2007 rental,1970's step through,1980's zeus)

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QuangVuong
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby QuangVuong » Sat Jan 21, 2017 9:07 pm

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.
VillaVelo, by the Vuong brothers

Blog: https://villaveloframes.wordpress.com/
FB & IG: @villaveloframes

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Clydesdale Scot
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby Clydesdale Scot » Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:11 am

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

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familyguy
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby familyguy » Thu Nov 02, 2017 12:50 pm

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

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marc2131
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby marc2131 » Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:22 am

Go to Facebook page "Cycling History Australia" for regular updates on the latest research on Australian cycling history, going back to 1831.
:)
... 15km short of a cardiac arrest ...

We B Martians
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history - AC Weston 1911

Postby We B Martians » Sun Nov 17, 2019 12:03 am

We have too many Als; your name is Jack!
I'm researching anything about Alfred Charles Weston, Elite cyclist of 1911. If you know anything about A. C. Weston, Elite of 1911 (yes, even desultory comments), please give me a shout via this forum. Thank you.

Elite Requirements (any one of twelve necessary to be nominated as "Elite")
  • Members of an Australian Olympic Team
  • Medal winners in World Championships
  • Medal winners in Games Championships (such as Commonwealth/Oceana)
  • Successful Internationals of a level recognised by the Elite Status Committee
  • Australian Individual Championship winners, including Olympic selection test races
  • Winners of the major Tour of each State (of no less than four days)
  • Winners of a major Six Days track race of any State
    Two performances "in total"
  • Fastest Time in any two of the major road handicaps of any State(s) (of no less than 100 km)
    and/or
  • Winner of any two major massed start races (of no less than 100 km) in any State.
  • Breakers of all Australian Federation approved individual road records (of no less than 100km) and of track records over U.C.I. approved distances
  • State Road Championship winners (of no less than 100km)
    Three performances "in total"
  • Winners of any three or more of State track and/or State Road Championships of any distance
    Subject to Elite Status Committee consideration in each case
  • Any other rider considered "Elite" by the Elite Status Committee in recognition of exceptional performance(s)
The "We have too many Als" reference is how he got his track name, "Jack." Dunlop Tyre that year (around 1910) indeed had too many "Alfreds."

Some years later, "Jack Weston" was promoted as "Jack, sexy legs, Weston" when he rode at Madison Square Garden, in New York City, NY US. [Oh, would I love to have an image of that poster...]

malvernstar1982
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Help in identifying ‘Olympie’ road bicycle please

Postby malvernstar1982 » Tue Jul 07, 2020 7:50 pm

Hello all. My name is Brett and I am looking for information on this particular bicycle frame. All I know is it has a cottered crank, displays some Olympic colour schemes and the working ‘Olympie’. It could be Olympic... or Olympia. I’ve tried many different combinations online but no luck. Even a google reverse image search was hopeless. Here is some pics to assist. Any help would be appreciated. Thankyou.

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10speedsemiracer
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby 10speedsemiracer » Tue Jul 07, 2020 11:06 pm

Can't see you pics.

There was a bike brand/make called Olympia in the 60s, maybe on into the 70s. Not sure what else they made, I've only ever seen a city/roadster type bike but definitely of European origin, but I don't recall anything else. This was way back in the 70s.

Image

I've dug up a couple of images..
Image
Campagnolo for show, SunTour for go

malvernstar1982
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby malvernstar1982 » Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:20 am

Hey mate. Thanks for your reply. I’ve got some pics this time... I appreciate your help.
https://app.photobucket.com/u/Olympie19 ... 5e6db66bc9
https://app.photobucket.com/u/Olympie19 ... 5e6db66bc9

malvernstar1982
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby malvernstar1982 » Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:23 am

The pic you posted definitely has the brazed adapters on the vertical post for a bike pump. But it’s not premium like the image you posted. It has a cottered crank. The head badge/ stickers have been removed. It’s a distance shape. Like a rising sun, very angular. I’ve tried good images and used a lot of search parameters.

bridgethegap71
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby bridgethegap71 » Wed Apr 07, 2021 11:13 am

Anyone have info on Australian made bikes and frames, is there a website link apart from the Aussievelos as I can't find all the Aussie brands in there?
“If you do something right the first time, then it’s not hard enough” :D

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P!N20
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Re: Researching your retro ride and cycling history

Postby P!N20 » Wed Apr 07, 2021 11:22 am

bridgethegap71 wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 11:13 am
Anyone have info on Australian made bikes and frames, is there a website link apart from the Aussievelos as I can't find all the Aussie brands in there?

I don't think there's a single concise database of Australian bike manufacturers. Feel free to start one, but it comes with a warning: there are hundreds (thousands?) of manufacturers from the early 20th century to now, including many small volume frame builders which you will be struggling to find any information on. But don't let that stop you! :wink:

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