Free Hercules Landed

[Baron von Zach]

Today the door bell rang and a man I've never seen before asks: Are you that nutcase with the bicycles? After I affirmed his question, he asked me whether I wanted another bike, or whether he should proceed to the tip with it. And so below Hercules Balmoral found its way into my dungeon:

It has a lugged frame and 26 x 1 3/8 wheels, but both rims are severely kinked. It has a 3-Speed SA AW rear hub which is dated 1975.
Thanks god I have a NOS set of chromed steel wheels with a 3-speed Torpedo with coaster brake. So this is going to be a path racer.

 

[jalopyjimmy13]

nice

 

[Baron von Zach]

Hey, thanks!

Sure enough I was unable to keep my hands off it.

 

[Baron von Zach]

Almost done.

 

[jalopyjimmy13]

yeeeaaah buddy :shock:

 

[ratina]

Nice! Are you gonna straighten the fork out?

 

[Baron von Zach]

Nice! Are you gonna straighten the fork out?

I'd rather use a different one. No idea how to straighten it.

 

[Baron von Zach]

Right.

I just got me this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120842439713? ... 1497.l2649

Am I good, or just lucky? :mrgreen:

 

[Baron von Zach]

I can't stop tinkering around with it.

Better now?

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Very nice, looks great with the chrome and white tires, I personally like the Stumey Archer hubs better but that's just me.

 

[MplsCoaster]

Looking clean and sharp! I like it!

 

[Baron von Zach]

Very nice, looks great with the chrome and white tires, I personally like the Stumey Archer hubs better but that's just me.

Thanks all for the kind words.

It is almost impossible to get a Sturmey Archer with coaster brake over here, that's why I went with the F&S Torpedo.
An SA would have necessitated brakes and I didn't want any levers or cables spoil the path racer look.

 

[Wildcat]

Very nice, and the Green original paint? looks great.

Do you want to sell me the original handlebars?

 

[Baron von Zach]

Very nice, and the Green original paint? looks great.

Do you want to sell me the original handlebars?

Thanks!

Yes, the green is all original.
I already tossed out the handlebars, sorry. But they were rubbish, honestly.

 

[Wildcat]

No problem, I just noticed you are over the pond, too much shipping cost. I'm looking for the straight bars like I had on my Hercules back in the 80's.

 

[Bunbury]

Killer Herc Baron,looking very nice! I had a fully kitted out Hercules (fenders, chaincase, etc) as a kid, and it had an amazing repertoire of rattles and odd noises. I wonder how much more I would have liked it if I stripped it down like this...

 

[Baron von Zach]

The bike had its fire christening today. It was shown at a local bike jumble, where it attracted quite some interest. Alas, no buyer.

Anyway, this is what it looks like now:

Short recap of the build:

- Started as a local rubbish tip find in atrocious condition
- Frame deliberately not restored but fork straightened
- 26 x 1 3/8 NOS Italian Beretta (yes, THAT Beretta) chrome steel rims with vintage Schwalbe tyres
- Fichtel & Sachs Torpedo three speed hub with coaster brake
- Vintage BSA shifter, which also was deliberately left distressed
- NOS saddle, stems and handlebar
- Champagne cork handlebar ends