# The "Art Deco Racer" CCM Flyte project.....



## 37ccmflyte (Jan 29, 2020)

It started with a kiss.  No. No it really didn't.  It started when I bought this frame and fork set a few years ago.... a frame and fork looking for a new life.
I life as my Art Deco CCM Flyte racer as it turned out.  And when I say "racer" I mean a total poser that just looks like a period racer....


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 29, 2020)

Then some tentative mock ups to see how it might look.....


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 29, 2020)

...


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 29, 2020)

I liked what I was looking at.... so the parts hunt began.... and thanks to a contact in Canada these arrived!!!  Thanks!!.... you know who you are....


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 29, 2020)

Some more parts from around the world...... and then full mock up stage!  Wooden rims fro Italy, bits off ebay.... a plan was coming together.....


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 29, 2020)

I started looking obsessively (is there any other way???) at old race bikes on the net looking for ideas I liked and I could build into the bike..... saving pictures, making plans.... some more sensible than others.  But what the hell, I never let "being sensible" get in my way before so why start now ha????    So curved cranks became a part of the plan....


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 29, 2020)

Here are the pictures and articles I found that inspired the curved cranks....


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 29, 2020)

It's all UTTER snake oil... but I will make some anyway!!  The only two things they so are, one, look cool as hell, and two, add weight!!


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 29, 2020)

I wanted the cranks to be the same length so I bought one extra crank.   And cut it and used it to be the bottom of one and the top of the other..... hence only one weld.
They are tapered also which was a small issue.
So I went about making a bending and welding jig....


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 29, 2020)

And then bent them and cut them and welded them and fully formed them to the former.....


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 29, 2020)

and here was the result on the bike.....


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 30, 2020)

So the bike is still a work in progress.... the frame and fork are now primed ready for top coat.
Here are some pictures of it mocked up to see how it would look.... it will get wooden rims, nickel plate on all the bright work (yes I know they were chrome) and a few smaller changes, but that's the basic layout! Seat is an older Brooks narrow.  White tyres and grips.


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 30, 2020)

One thing I would like to do is have a new custom chain wheel made in a same style as the CCM item but bigger to look more like a racer.... and in 3/32 size.
I am not sure what ratio to go to... as I would like it to be still rideable on flat ground.  But in reality I will not use it much at all.    
The factory gearing is 50/17 (2.94) I was thinking 60 or 63 to 18.... (3.33 and 3.5)
Thoughts??


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## 1motime (Jan 30, 2020)

I think it is a great project!  The design really flows.  Obviously you have a vision and fab skills to make it real.  Take a break and look at it.  Answers about details will come when they are ready


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## pntrbl (Jan 30, 2020)

Couldn't push the like button enough on that one.


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 30, 2020)

Thanks for the comments.  I welcome ideas to make it better!!
One thing I want to do it is to get the handlebars lower.  They are about in the middle of the front frame tube at the moment and most race bikes have them at the level where the tube meets the fork.     
Complicate THAT with these 1930's BSA curved handle bar stems I found last night and went "WOW! the race bike has gotta have something like that" now I have to try and make a stem from scratch that maybe has more curve over and down to the bars to get the height I want and a thin clamp attaching it to the top of the fork.   Suits the curve theme of the bike, at the end of the day it's all a bit of fun!


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## Andrew Gorman (Jan 30, 2020)

The Lauterwasser bars are sharp period correct- I really like a pair I have on a 1938 Raleigh Gazelle. SOMA makes repros in aluminum and steel.  The limp dick stem is going to be hard to find- the lauterwassers were made to give you a lot of reach with the  short stem that worked in the late 1930's.


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 30, 2020)

Andrew Gorman said:


> The Lauterwasser bars are sharp period correct- I really like a pair I have on a 1938 Raleigh Gazelle. SOMA makes repros in aluminum and steel.  The limp dick stem is going to be hard to find- the lauterwassers were made to give you a lot of reach with the  short stem that worked in the late 1930's.



They are great bars I have always liked the look of those.   I could only find them in aluminium on ebay just now and I would want steel for this project.
I would not have to find a stem I would make one from scratch as the design I want is not around, but the more drop on the bars the less drop I would need on the stem... so I see where you are going with that.... thanks!


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 30, 2020)

like these.....


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 30, 2020)

I think these might get me where I need to be.... standard looking BSA style stem (non droop) and a steel set of these bars.....


			https://www.somafabshop.com/shop/product/soma-handlebar-walker-racer-3315?page=2&category=977
		


More the path racer end of the spectrum....


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 30, 2020)

But I have always loved this style with more curve.... where can I get something like that?????


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 30, 2020)

This as close as I can fine to that old TOC bar.....








						Soma Handlebar Major Taylor Track
					






					www.somafabshop.com
				




I think they might be on my wish list....


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 31, 2020)

Ok.   I have a saying in my workshop. It gets me into some time consuming and odd situations sometimes, BUT does at times, get me amazing results... "Perfection is near enough"
None of those Soma bars meet that standard when compared to these bars.... they are a singular thing of beauty.  I think I will be making more jigs and bending up a set of curved bars like the ones in the attached picture..... I have the gear and I have the time.


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 31, 2020)

I have another question for the collective wisdom of the group..... should I, and could I go to a one inch pitch skip tooth/block chain?? 
The racing CCM Flyer of the Flyte era did have skip tooth.
Can I do it by just taking every second tooth off a normal even numbered sprocket??   Can I even get a chain new?? Secondhand??
I think it would add some cool factor to the project...

Follow up question..... is slip tooth even the same as block chain or is block chain a version of skip tooth???
As you can probably tell I need some education on this topic!!  

Picture attached of a CCM racing Flyer chain wheel.
And Flyer specs showing block chain.

Who will help the widows son???


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## Balloonoob (Jan 31, 2020)

Hells yeah you could roll skiptooth.  Its the only way to roll.  Not sure if you can find a big ol' stock skiptooth ccm chainring like you want for this one (which i highly recommend.... It's great having a high geared street bike) but you were talking about having one made anyway. If you do this you don't want to take every other tooth off a modern rear cog but instead replace the rear cog with one from ichibike which pops right on most modern rear coaster brake wheels.  Make sure that you file down the edges of the ichibike cod and file the every tooth on all 4 edges a bit to a point to avoid wear on the skiptooth chain. Someone else can likely provide more insight on how to do this.  Loving what you got going so far.  If were u i would wait or look for a legit set of antique bars and new leather wrapped grips which show up from time to time in the parts for sale section. Have fun with it and most importantly get out and ride this one when finished!


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## 37ccmflyte (Jan 31, 2020)

Balloonoob said:


> Hells yeah you could roll skiptooth.  Its the only way to roll.  Not sure if you can find a big ol' stock skiptooth ccm chainring like you want for this one (which i highly recommend.... It's great having a high geared street bike) but you were talking about having one made anyway. If you do this you don't want to take every other tooth off a modern rear cog but instead replace the rear cog with one from ichibike which pops right on most modern rear coaster brake wheels.  Make sure that you file down the edges of the ichibike cod and file the every tooth on all 4 edges a bit to a point to avoid wear on the skiptooth chain. Someone else can likely provide more insight on how to do this.  Loving what you got going so far.  If were u i would wait or look for a legit set of antique bars and new leather wrapped grips which show up from time to time in the parts for sale section. Have fun with it and most importantly get out and ride this one when finished!



Thanks man!  I really love this group!   I had never heard of "ichibike" so once I worked out that was a shop it became clear!  Yes, buying one of their rear skip tooth sprockets is obviously the only way to go!  Thanks, I would never have found that otherwise.
Thoughts on gearing??  32/10 would give me 3.2 on 28 inch rims.... or 32/9 and I would be 3.5..... it that still rideable??
32/11 might best for me.... 2.9 ratio and 81.5 gear inches....

Got my heart set on the "perfect handlebars" now... so I have spent part of the afternoon designing the jig to make them.


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## Balloonoob (Feb 1, 2020)

I don't really know or understand gear ratios but I have 26 tooth front sprocket and 9 tooth cog on rear and to me it's perfect for long rides. I would think that with a 32 tooth skiptooth chain ring that an 11 tooth rear cog would be your best bet for a comfortable ride. You may run into clearance issues with frame with the larger chain ring or chain alignment problems like i did on my Colson     good luck! https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/first-prewar-bike-finally.152000/page-3


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## Balloonoob (Feb 2, 2020)

How's your bars coming along? Saw these and thought of your ride https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/u...ylor-style-nickle-plated.164457/#post-1119420


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## 37ccmflyte (Feb 5, 2020)

Balloonoob said:


> How's your bars coming along? Saw these and thought of your ride https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/u...ylor-style-nickle-plated.164457/#post-1119420



Well... I kept looking and I think I have found a pair with a good shape.  So that's going to save me some time. Same bars in the photos, just different colour and steel, so I can strip that coating and have them nickel plated.


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## 37ccmflyte (Feb 5, 2020)

I have been working out the logistics of the skip tooth sprockets and the racing block chain...
32 tooth front (have made) and 11 rear (old one adapted to my hub) will mean I am going to need a one inch pitch block chain 60/61 inches long!   They are around in that length off tandems apparently... one will come to hand in time I bet.  Or I will have to buy two shorter chain the same and join them. The hard part will be finding two old block chains exactly the same I expect?    Anyway that plan is working out at this stage.


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## 37ccmflyte (Feb 12, 2020)

I have a small amount of progress to report... a set of those black bars above are on there way from the USA new off ebay I bought a second have skip tooth rear sprocket also off ebay with 12 teeth.   I have been looking for a 32 tooth skip tooth sprocket or a 64 tooth normal sprocket in steel that I could cut teeth off and have found nothing.   I know one place that will make any chain wheel I design but tonight I realised I can in fact make my own!   I just have to get a plate of the right grade of steel, lathe it round then mark it out and set it up in the rotary chuck in the vertical mill and mill the teeth out if I have the right sized side cutting bit.    Might have to harden it after.... depending on the grade of steel.  Then tig weld that ring on the outside of the genuine CCM chain wheel, put a series of holes in the new outter rim for the "racer look" and have it nickel plated. What could go wrong!! 

Might be easier to get the teeth profile water jet cut then lathe the rest... but I would need the correct information to give the water jet guy....


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## 37ccmflyte (Feb 13, 2020)

Wanted for this project, a large skip tooth sprocket 30 to 35 teeth, centre does not matter as I am interested in the outer ring to attach (weld) to a CCM centre.
32 skip tooth would be ideal.
Anything considered. Maybe even bigger....
Anything out there??
Picture is a random 32 sprocket I found on the net...
gavinnz@xtra.co.nz


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## 37ccmflyte (Feb 19, 2020)

WOW super happy!!  I bought two new 60 inch lengths of block chain last night!!  Great to have.


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## 37ccmflyte (Feb 19, 2020)

I have been talking to a nice chap on a face book page for "Vintage Path Racers" about my stem choice and he recommended a different type and I think he is really onto something.
I was thinking of the BSA curved style but he thinks it would look better with the angled luged type with the curved forward part.... kinda like these pictures....


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## 37ccmflyte (Feb 19, 2020)

I think maybe my idea was a bit to "obvious" and the angled one with the curved tube going forward and down with luging might be more subtle and yet MORE art deco and attractive.... I have ideas of luging the bars to the stem also kind like this.....


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## 37ccmflyte (Feb 19, 2020)

I will be back at my workshop tonight!!!  So I can start doing some work on the bikes again and not JUST thinking and planning.... which I do enjoy... so the next step will be to mock up what I have and work out the skip tooth sprocket size looks "right" on the bike and do a full size drawing of the new CCM style sprocket that I will have cut.

Oh and with the curved angled stem I might even get on the lathe and make my own tapered tube (forward not vertical) just to ad a little more bespoke look... lathe is SUCH a great tool to have...


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## Goldenrod (Feb 19, 2020)

37ccmflyte said:


> This as close as I can fine to that old TOC bar.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...





I bought a Weber type from the same company.  Great on my Whizzer board track racer.


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## 37ccmflyte (Oct 20, 2020)

Away from the workshop again and busy planning and buying bits.... just bought a 14T skip tooth rear sprocket.... so I can now make the front even larger.... 40/14 is the current plan. 2.86 ratio..... the picture is a bike with that ratio or very close.  I have not made the seat or bar stem yet... was busy over the winter building a radical 1920's Art Deco Roadster over at Ratrod bikes


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## Goldenrod (Oct 20, 2020)

You the Bomb, man.


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## jimbo53 (Oct 20, 2020)

Your vision and execution on this are very inspirational. I'll be following with unmasked envy.


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## bicycle larry (Oct 20, 2020)

going to be a nice one done up


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## 1949Gazelle (Oct 20, 2020)

37ccmflyte said:


> Ok.   I have a saying in my workshop. It gets me into some time consuming and odd situations sometimes, BUT does at times, get me amazing results... "Perfection is near enough"
> None of those Soma bars meet that standard when compared to these bars.... they are a singular thing of beauty.  I think I will be making more jigs and bending up a set of curved bars like the ones in the attached picture..... I have the gear and I have the time.
> 
> View attachment 1132557



Somas dont have the concentric arc found on early bars. These are late 1800's dutch on my Gazelle. (Not a Raleigh product)


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## 37ccmflyte (Oct 21, 2020)

I think I have nailed down the design I want for the seat and handlebar stems..... The seat stem will start full size out of the frame then step down to 1/2 inch (like the early American bikes had) then curve forward and end up parallel to the top tube.... close to the one in the top photo.
The handlebar stem will do something similar.... start full size and come up and curve forward and taper down in size until running parallel to the top tube then I will fabricate a nice Art Deco handlebar clamp on the front end.... a bit like the second picture but tapering and a tighter curve....


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## locomotion (Nov 1, 2020)

37ccmflyte said:


> Here are the pictures and articles I found that inspired the curved cranks....
> 
> View attachment 1132058
> 
> ...



i also have made some curved cranks like those a few years back out of CCM 3 pieces cranks arms


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## 37ccmflyte (Nov 10, 2020)

I am still not happy with the handle bar and stem design.... today I have come up with a new idea that is currently gelling in my pea brain.
It started when I thought, "I can't see a stem I want to buy OR make..... well why not do without one" which lead to the idea of having a "stem" that imitates the way the fork legs mount in there two tubular lugs and having the two sides of the bars separate fixed pieces.... starting right down low just about the top of the fork and curving forward and down.... never coming up like a normal stem, just to come down to the drop down again...  photos of one of my Flyte forks for the idea... then maybe some seat stem that somehow looks like it works with that style too... but I have not thought that far ahead yet...


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## Andrew Gorman (Nov 10, 2020)

So like the fork crown- Would the bars come out parallel or perpendicular to the wheelbase?


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## 37ccmflyte (Nov 10, 2020)

Andrew Gorman said:


> So like the fork crown- Would the bars come out parallel or perpendicular to the wheelbase?



Come out forward at either the angle of the top tube, OR the fork bottom, go straight forward a little, then curve down and out and around to low grips 
"about" level half way down the frame head tube or a touch lower.  None adjustable..... but you could raise them, but I would build them to fit me and be effectively fixed.   Will have a normal way of locking the stem with a bolt and taper in the stem... but a fancy Art Deco way.


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## Andrew Gorman (Nov 10, 2020)

OK- so kinda fancy split drop bars? I'm imagining something a little like SOMA Condorina bars but with a 1930's track bike vibe?  Drop right off of the non-existent  stem and then a swoop forward for reach and a bend backwards for the grips. Apologies, I just think this is an interesting project!




__





						Condorina Bar | Soma Fabrications
					





					www.somafab.com


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## 37ccmflyte (Nov 10, 2020)

Andrew Gorman said:


> OK- so kinda fancy split drop bars? I'm imagining something a little like SOMA Condorina bars but with a 1930's track bike vibe?  Drop right off of the non-existent  stem and then a swoop forward for reach and a bend backwards for the grips. Apologies, I just think this is an interesting project!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Not with the sudden change of direction of those..... a flowing curve...   
Zero need to apologize, I welcome the input as it helps with new ideas!


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## Andrew Gorman (Nov 10, 2020)

That's what I was imagining, just not describing it well.  Cool bike, cool design, keep on making it work for you!


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