SOLD 1930s-40s Birmingham Phillips Roadster - Complete and Ready to Ride

[user 15387]

For sale is a 1930s-40s era Birmingham Phillips rod brake roadster. This is a true, Birmingham-era Phillips, not a later Raleigh. I rebuilt this old bike and went over everything in 2018. Since then, I have not put many miles on it, and it has only been ridden in nice weather. I've periodically oiled and cleaned the items that need it.

• 28 x 1-1/2 wheels and a 22 inch steel frame. The smaller 22 inch frame is harder to find than the tall 24 inches.
• Rear hub is an early Sturmey Archer AW with small imprint and no date code. Front is a Phillips with oiler.
• Both hubs inspected, rebuilt, and re-greased in 2018. Not many miles have been put on the bike since then.
• Bike always ridden in good weather, never in rain or snow or road salt.
• Paint is mostly original - black with some touch up areas. The white patch on the rear fender is re-painted with an aged white color. The white was re-painted after measuring the original area, matching it, and carefully painting, smoothing and polishing to go with the bike.
• Rear reflector is an older model with a metal frame around it, painted to match the rear fender.
• Has a 1930s era Sturmey Archer quadrant shifter.
• Old style black-out Sturmey pulley.
• New shifter cable.
• Rims and spokes are new - wheelmaster standard spokes and westwood rims.
• Rubber items are new: brake pads, grips, tubes, tires
• Old style "gallows" seat post.
• Has a brand new Gyes leather three-spring roadster saddle. Saddle comes with little bag with wrench, tightener string, and instructions. Gyes is a mid-range leather saddle maker. Their saddles are not as expensive as Brooks, but considerably better than the very cheap, Chinese-made leather ones. The Gyes saddle is fully adjustable in a manner similar to Brooks with a tensioner and wrench. It is brand new and ready to be broken in by the next owner.
• Original cranks and chainring "Phillips"
• Bottom bracket inspected, rebuilt, and regreased in 2018. Has been periodically oiled since then.
• Chain is a new SRAM PC-1 1/8 x 1/2. It runs smoothly.
• Rear cog is new - a 22 tooth larger cog to help with climbing hills.
• Brakes inspected, cleaned, oiled, and adjusted. They work as well as old rod brakes will work.
• Headset cleaned, lubricated, and adjusted in 2018.
• Kickstand is a new Greenfield and matches the bike well. Kickstand has a nice, new rubber foot to keep the bike stable.
• New pump and pump pegs. Pump pushes out air and comes with the little hose you need if you want to pump the tires.
• Comes a nice, old Lucas bell.
• Pedals are post-war waffle type.

This is a good bike if you want a mid-sized rod brake roadster (I'm 5ft 8in and can ride it with the seat down in the position shown. You can raise it if you're a little taller) that has been gone over and is a rider. It rides like the old, pre-war style roadsters where you sit straight up in the seat and ride high in the saddle. I can include a spare set of Birmingham Phillips cranks upon request at no extra charge.

Price is $275. Local pick up only at this time in Litchfield, Connecticut. If you want it shipped, you'll need to arrange with a nearby bike shop and I will drop it there.

 

[Grateful klunkin]

Beautiful bike

 

[user 15387]

Reduced to $275 - local pick up.

 

[Tallbikeman]

I owned the 24" Raleigh version of this and it was a wonderful bike. Easy riding, worked real well. Flats though, brought you into possible conflict with the rod brake system. A minor irritant. Good luck selling this.