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?

Looks like an obvious warranty claim to me.
Very impressive workmanship....those were the days, eh Capt'n!

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

looks like youd better fix that trigger then

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

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

OK tomorrow, but as I said it's been very neglected and well used, and in my early teens I stripped the lace up leather chain guard and the plastic rear wheels covers off it

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

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

Bike's still going strong, I didn't have much choice about the bell.

But the locking mechanism broke and seat wore out about 10 years ago, and the dynamo died over twenty years ago. Now the replacement seat is looking a bit 2nd hand.
Now it's stopped raining, I'm of to take a pic, back in a tick.





Pity I haven't looked after it a bit better isn't it?

I like. Great bike!

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

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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.

Gosh! A genuine Sturmey Archer three speed gear shifter.

I had one of those. A very painful experience.
It always managed to find a 'neutral' between the gears when I was standing up and peddling hardest. ooOOOoouch!

Were you upset when you lost your nuts? For the second time? What about the third time?

Chain needs more outhaul

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WazzaYotty said..
Looks like an obvious warranty claim to me.
Very impressive workmanship....those were the days, eh Capt'n!

Nowadays it's just gold plated HDMI plugs, and vodka with gold flakes.

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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

he was lucky it wasnt my bike.
i would have run up and sunk the boots in.
no tolerance for scumbag bike thieves.

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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...