Committing forgery: A Faux Rudge Autocycle build.

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

I wonder how many people know the significance of the hand motif on that chainwheel.

Yes the Red Hand of Ulster adopted as a badge by Rudge Whitworth in the 1890's. The sad thing is Raleigh Industries eventually stopped fitting the old heritage chainwheels to Rudge bicycles (and Humber, Hercules & etc) and everything got the completely bland and totally unimaginative omni-chainwheel that Raleigh came up with as a replacement. Raleigh even got rid of the really nice heron motif chainwheel that their own bicycles had worn proudly for decades!

Unfortunately good Rudge chainwheels are getting hard to find as folk like to buy them as a 'collectible' to hang on the wall or rafters of their garage. Actually Rudge anything is getting hard to find which is only to be expected I suppose for a bicycle that hasn't been made for fifty years. (sigh)

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Finally the Rudge chainwheel is in place which makes me feel it really is a Rudge now. Not an entirely straight forward job as I had to use a combination of old and new parts to get the BB shaft to fit. But now with a good anointing of Duckhams high pressure grease on the bearings before putting it all together the pedals turn over as smooth as silk
A Raleigh chainguard was found too that only needed a little adjustment with a file to get it to fit the Mixte frame.

I'm very pleased with progress so far on the cycle parts and it won't be too long before I start fitting up the engine for real.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

My British tax disc for a Rudge bicycle arrived in the post today. Considering that it's a genuine 1962 tax disc and not a repop it's in beautiful condition. I'm thinking about getting a repop British licence plate for reg no: XG7556 just to make the forgery complete. One small problem though the tax disc says that XG7556 had a 98cc engine, - hopefully that won't be a portent for disaster

 

[bluegoatwoods]

Perhaps "committing forgery" is a more apt phrase than I had thought at first.

I still approve, of course. And you're going to have a really neat bike there, Intrepid WW.

It already has so much style that I'm thinking that the mixte frame could be just the thing for lady motorized bicycle riders. Mount the gas tank on the rear rac and you've got a step-through motorized bicycle.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Thanks BGW I think mixte frames have a lot of potential for motorising. Of course the acid test will be when I ride it for the first time and find out whether this is true or not.

Oh yes forgery It's all a bit of fun and I'd never try to represent my faux Rudge as being the real thing if I sold it. It's the simple joy of owning a bike that looks as if it's from an earlier time.

 

[bluegoatwoods]

...... It's the simple joy of owning a bike that looks as if it's from an earlier time.

You bet. I'll bet most of us here love our motorized bicycles for that reason, among others.

Maybe I should have made clear that I would never suspect you of, for instance, selling this bike fraudulently. And I'll bet your reason for foregoing such an act is similar, or identical, to mine. I would never sell my integrity, and good opinion of myself, for something like $1000. It would take one heck of a lot more than that to corrupt me.

But if I had a bike that could fool anyone but an expert, then I'd be kinda happy within myself over that. It would be one more 'cool point' for my bike.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

No offense taken at all BGW I knew what you meant.

Tonight I did a lot of CAD work. Cardboard Aided Design that is
I thought it was well time that I started to plan out the sheetmetal covers & etc that were so much a part of the old autocycles. With the chainwheel and pedal arms in place I could now start on setting the engine in the frame exactly where it has to go. Doing that meant that I could plainly see that the China Girl kit tank wasn't going to work due to limited clearances over the engine so it's definitely going to be a rack mounted tank which will make everything to do with the fuel system a lot more simple.
With the China Girl tank gone planning out the engine covers & etc became a lot easier too which is a major plus.

The pictures are on my spare laptop so I'll have to post them tomorrow when I get a moment.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Pictures of 'CAD' work. This still a work in progress, but you'll get the idea.

The first picture with the China Girl tank gave me the proof that it wasn't going to work.
There will be vents and louvers in the shielding for cooling, but I haven't got as far as marking those out yet.

 

[bluegoatwoods]

Love the splashguards, Intrepid Wheelwoman.

But isn't there going to be an issue with foot/pedal clearance?

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Love the splashguards, Intrepid Wheelwoman.

But isn't there going to be an issue with foot/pedal clearance?

Yes I went and messed that up, but fortunately it's only cardboard and I can easily correct it. Clearances will be a little close, but it will work out Ok. After years of riding roadies and other narrow tyred speed machines I'm a ball of the foot peddler so for me at least it will have enough room.

With our wet climate I wanted to have splash guards so I really want them to be a practical addition.

 

[fasteddy]

Looks absolutely wonderful. Have you a plan to attach the splash guards to the main body on the bike?

It was most kind of Inspector 10 to lie down beside it to give us a sense of proportion.

Steve.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Thanks Steve

At this stage I haven't been worrying too much about brackets, but I think it would be best to secure the splashguards to the frame on their own supports and make the central covering sheetmetal attach to that.

Inspector 10 was getting very annoyed with me because I kept dropping cardboard offcuts on her head while I was cutting things to size

 

[fasteddy]

May I suggest?

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1mg9xfGfN1qay66po1_500.jpg

Steve.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

May I suggest?

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1mg9xfGfN1qay66po1_500.jpg

Steve.

Haha Steve that's wonderful I wonder what the cat will say when I produce a wee plastic hardhat and give her a health and safety lecture.

 

[truckd]

Hey! I.W.

Saw these and was reminded of you LOL! hope you have many good rides

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

(Giggle) Those old pictures are delightful. Thanks for posting them truckd

 

[Ludwig II]

See! Texting while riding goes back further than you think!

 

[SlowBalt]

You could easily replace the cranks with shorter ones.
And have you thought about using fiberglass to make the shroud?

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

You could easily replace the cranks with shorter ones.
And have you thought about using fiberglass to make the shroud?

No I can't replace the cranks because there is no shorter Rudge crank arm available. It's much easier to adjust the weather shield to fit.

It's far easier for me to make a metal shroud because I know how to do that. Fibreglass i know nothing about except that it's very sticky, makes a mess, smells terrible and makes the workshop pixies sneeze.

 

[fasteddy]

I'd purchase the workshop pixies some good dust masks and make sure they have painters suits and hoods and they take them off outside.
Give them the plans and turn them loose.

I did work in the fiberglass industry and it's not that hard to do but the metal route is faster and I'll bet with the petroleum prices today it's a lot cheaper.

Steve.