Malvern Star Appreciation Society

[jools]

I've had this AL12 sitting in the garage for a few years waiting for attention and I spent the last week or so stripping, cleaning and re-assembling. It's very light and the shimano golden arrow gearset looks and works a treat!

[BooDazzla]

Hey guys! I recently picked up a malvern star storm 21 speed without front suspension and couldnt find any information on it. If anyone could find some info or photos of storms w/out suspension, that would be great

[Bushy]

I picked up two bikes recently, one I believe is an early Skid Star...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/FnqDqNPz7yvg9tv47

The other an early 4 Star...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fJxdUh1ehD61RwsE8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/myopfYCPB3VD55eu6

...but I cannot find any serial numbers to begin my research.
This is my first post, hope it is in the right place and format, any assistance much appreciated

[nathan_867]

Just picked up this malvern star corsa today. Don't know anything about them but I was looking around for a bike to ride too and from work and I couldn't go past it

[ironhanglider]

That should do the job nicely. I'm guessing it has a Sanyo dynamo under the bottom bracket. A bit draggy compared to a dynohub, but much better than a bottle dynamo. Some LED globes to replace the incandescents will give you some decent light too. As always with old bikes new tyres and brake pads are a worthwhile update for peace of mind.

Cheers,

Cameron

[nathan_867]

I'll post a couple more pictures shortly. Would you know roughly what year the bike is? I'll post serial number soon too
Cheers Nathan

[nathan_867]

[bicyclepassion]

The Shimano parts will have a tiny two letter date code stamped in them. (I seem to remember selling this model in about 1987)

[nathan_867]

Thanks

[Eug1]

Saved this number from hard rubbish a few weeks back. It's too small for me so I'm going to strip it down and give it a clean before sending it onwards. Any info about it would be appreciated. It seems to be half decent. The handlebars and quill stem seem a bit flash.










Thanks to all, Eug

[10speedsemiracer]

It looks like a mid-late 80s Elan (with the top tube 'Elan' decal missing). Would have been 2x6 Shimano, with Shimano Tourney derailleurs and dt shifters. The ITM/Campy stem and bar combo is probably a later fitment by a subsequent owner. Dynalloy was actually quite decent tubing, but not the lightest.

I would suggest refurbishing what's there, throw some 25mm tyres and bar tape on it and move it on.

[Eug1]

It looks like a mid-late 80s Elan (with the top tube 'Elan' decal missing). Would have been 2x6 Shimano, with Shimano Tourney derailleurs and dt shifters. The ITM/Campy stem and bar combo is probably a later fitment by a subsequent owner. Dynalloy was actually quite decent tubing, but not the lightest.

I would suggest refurbishing what's there, throw some 25mm tyres and bar tape on it and move it on.

Hi 10speed, Thanks for the info. I'll probably swap the bar/stem/seat post as well, I like the look of them. It also got me motivated to go out and buy a bb pin spanner at last. The Mrs is away for the weekend, hence the bike is inside and I'm on a deadline. Thanks again.

[pedalleur]

Yep, keep the good stuff for yourself, fit regular components back on there
Who'd throw away such a thing?! Excellent pick up, mate

[uart]

Saved this number from hard rubbish a few weeks back. It's too small for me so I'm going to strip it down and give it a clean before sending it onwards. Any info about it would be appreciated. It seems to be half decent. The handlebars and quill stem seem a bit flash.



Thanks to all, Eug

Hi Eug, my brother in law had that exact model/size/colour Malvin Star back in the early 1990s.

To put it into perspective price wise, my old Repco Superlite cost a tad over $400 back in the day (early 90's) and I think my BIL payed about $700 for the Malvin Star at around the same time. It was lighter and I think a better bike all round than the superlite, though still just a mid range model.

[steelo]

Anyone know anything about a Corsa model? Dynaloy tubing and distributed by Derby Leisure according to the stickers. Seems to have had different components fitted not too long ago but I'm guessing the original frame is from the 80s or 90s? Think I'll do it up as a fixed-gear conversion

[stomach_bug]

Anyone know anything about a Corsa model? Dynaloy tubing and distributed by Derby Leisure according to the stickers. Seems to have had different components fitted not too long ago but I'm guessing the original frame is from the 80s or 90s? Think I'll do it up as a fixed-gear conversion

Beautiful frame and cool colours but likely not a top end model - pressed steel dropouts, non-butted tubing (their butted stuff was labelled as such as far as I'm aware) and would have originally had stem shifters. A great candidate for a neat fixie/singlespeed (gasp!) I reckon, based on the condition of the decals and clean retro look.

More info on page 2 of this thread but here's the catalog page, yours may be a later model though:

[kenwstr]

Hi, Is there a list of Malvern Star models and years of manufacture some place?

I have been told my vintage bike is a sportstar yet the decals don't match.
I bought it 2nd hand in 1981 and the decals were very scuffed up then so I think they are original.
Someone suggested double XX but they don't match that, if fact they look most like Skidstar yet, that's not the frame.

So I am looking for model years to help narrow the suspects.

Regards, Ken

[10speedsemiracer]

Hi, Is there a list of Malvern Star models and years of manufacture some place?

I have been told my vintage bike is a sportstar yet the decals don't match.
I bought it 2nd hand in 1981 and the decals were very scuffed up then so I think they are original.
Someone suggested double XX but they don't match that, if fact they look most like Skidstar yet, that's not the frame.

So I am looking for model years to help narrow the suspects.

Regards, Ken

There is a huge difference between a XX and a Sportstar with the XX being a high-end frame and the Sportstar being more entry-level with a lack of brazed-on fittings/mounts and heavy tubing. Shouldn't be too hard to differentiate. Maybe some pics of various parts of the frame?

[noprofessionals]

Hey all. Was given a 5 star frame and fork by a family friend and just had a question regarding a possible modification that I'm not sure about. Paint is definitely not original so ignore that. The frame is in pretty good nick although I haven't stripped the paint so could be some damage lurking underneath,

Here's the frame:





Based on the serial number im going to say Melbourne 1947?


So my question is, it looks like someone has welded/brazed an additional bridge to mount a brake above the original seat stay bridge (see below). Being a track bike I wouldn't have though they would bother with a rear brake. Or is this original and should be left alone during the resto?

[find_bruce]

Here's the frame:

The first image is showing, but not the 2nd or 3rd, so I would suggest checking that the other 2 pics are not set to private.

[noprofessionals]

The first image is showing, but not the 2nd or 3rd, so I would suggest checking that the other 2 pics are not set to private.

Whoops, sorry about that. I thought I used the same method for all of them but Google Photos' sharing function can be quite temperamental. Hopefully that's now fixed?

[find_bruce]

Whoops, sorry about that. I thought I used the same method for all of them but Google Photos' sharing function can be quite temperamental. Hopefully that's now fixed?

No need to apologise, it can be a bit tricky, especially with google images. All good now

[P!N20]

The additional bridge looks too high for a brake. That said, I have no idea what it would be used for. Doesn't look original - get rid of it.

Wouldn't be unusual for a track frame to be adapted for road use.

Is the fork drilled for a brake?

[noprofessionals]

The additional bridge looks too high for a brake. That said, I have no idea what it would be used for. Doesn't look original - get rid of it.

Wouldn't be unusual for a track frame to be adapted for road use.

Is the fork drilled for a brake?

It was used as a commuter for many years by someone apparently so might have been modified to include a rear brake. There is a hole in the fork crown that looks like it had a brake mounted. The frame is in my office at work so Ill take a photo on Monday. The joins on the additional bridge don't look anywhere near as good as the rest of the frame so I'm going to agree and suggest they were added later on.

[tedsbikes]

The tacked on bridge looks like it was made for an old Centre pull brake from the 30s, the name of which escapes me now. Some were made with the wording "warranty made in England" and they used a double ended cable with a builtin adjusting bolt. These brakes were much longer than the normal side pulls around that time e.g Monitor and we're heavy and not very effective.

This frame looks like a proper track frame - no (original) rear brake provision nor any braze-on pump clip fittings as seen on the factory production 5 star bikes. However, this one was probably made in one of the Malvern Star factories. Can you check the rear drop outs, and/or the seat lug, to see if there is a frame number .

My suggestion would be to remove the later brake bridge and just fit a front brake with a fixed gear.

Ted