Bought my bike 2nd hand about 56 years ago with my life's savings.

Had to replace a tyre last week and had the bike upside down on the handle bars. It must have been resting on the bell, because yesterday it broke the trigger when I tried to warn somebody of my approach.
Put on a new one today, and for the first time in over half a century had a good look at the old one.




Can't remember if I ever polished the baked enamel or chrome of the bike, if I did it would have been several decades ago, but there's this small emblem in the middle of the bell shining at me.
You can see the condition of the rest of the bell, but the train is pristine!
The bike's been inside my shed but it's about 100m from the ocean and stuff here oxidises like crazy!

I knew this was a quality bike (Dutch Locomotif) when I bought it, but gold on the bell?

Well gold doesn't rust, so that's a start...

I'd be very interested to see a pic of your bike please... it sounds interesting.

If I thought it was only going to last 56 years I would never have bought it.

I like. Great bike!

landyacht said..
looks just fine decrepit, just keep up the oil. how many dynamos do you want
i spy a sturmey 3 speed

Yep, sturmey 3 speed still going strong.
Thanks for the offer yachty, but I don't think I'll bother with dynamos, don't ride at night any more, if I have to I'll just wear my led headlamp.

Chain needs more outhaul

pweedas said..
Gosh! A genuine Sturmey Archer three speed gear shifter.

I had one of those. A very painful experience.

I had one of those too - but it was more painful for the mug that nicked it from outside the Greenwood shops!

Summer of '76, I walked out of the deli to find my bike had turned up missing

Soon noticed a small crowd and party lights flashing at the bottom of the carpark - the kid that nicked my pushy had tried jumping a kerb at full speed, but the weld on my extended chopper forks fell apart and he ended up in a heap on the verge with a broken leg, complete with sticky-outy bone

stephen

sn said..

pweedas said..
Gosh! A genuine Sturmey Archer three speed gear shifter.

I had one of those. A very painful experience.

I had one of those too - but it was more painful for the mug that nicked it from outside the Greenwood shops!

Summer of '76, I walked out of the deli to find my bike had turned up missing

Soon noticed a small crowd and party lights flashing at the bottom of the carpark - the kid that nicked my pushy had tried jumping a kerb at full speed, but the weld on my extended chopper forks fell apart and he ended up in a heap on the verge with a broken leg, complete with sticky-outy bone

stephen

Karma was on duty that day...