# Start somewhere?



## 37Rider (Oct 17, 2021)

Hello, I want to build a war bike and am looking for a starting point? Bike, Frame? 
I live in London ON, Canada where I believe the Canadian Cycle Corp trained prior to deployment
I would like to do a tribute bike

any help or thoughts or info is welcome

-WS


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## Mercian (Oct 17, 2021)

Hi @37Rider 

And Welcome.

Start here, I think....









						Canadian Cyclist Corps Remembered
					

This bicycle was used by the Canadian Cycling Corps in WW1. Did you know that bicycles played a crucial role in the World Wars? Unlike other ‘mounted troops’ the bikes wouldn’t run off and couldn’t…




					thebicyclemuseum.ca
				




And, since you are Canadian, the military "Maple Leaf Up" forum is very well informed on matters Canadian Military. Here is one of their bicycle discussions:






						WW2 Bicycle Mystery - MLU FORUM
					

WW2 Bicycle Mystery The Restoration Forum



					www.mapleleafup.net
				




Best of Luck, let us know how it's going on.

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## ditchpig (Nov 27, 2021)

37Rider said:


> Hello, I want to build a war bike and am looking for a starting point? Bike, Frame?
> I live in London ON, Canada where I believe the Canadian Cycle Corp trained prior to deployment
> I would like to do a tribute bike
> 
> ...



Mercian replied with several excellent links. I recently found/purchased  a '43 BSA folder from a fellow in Manitoba...he listed it on kijiji. I'm in Victoria, B.C and was very lucky that I was searching for vintage bicycles for sale in all provinces. He was 78 and was given the bike when he was 8. It was/still is a project with missing brakes and seat but after hunting for all these years I was glad to work out a deal with him. He was asking 700 and with some back and forth...he put it in a box and sent it here to the island. 
I'm attaching a photo of the bike from his ad and one of my progress. I have a question for you about the badge I found here in an antique shop. What years of service would it have been from? I will keep continue to an eye open out here for military bike leads. Good luck! 
Kryn


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## DaGasMan (Nov 27, 2021)

Digging that Army Cyclist Corps hat badge. That's good stuff.


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## ditchpig (Nov 27, 2021)

DaGasMan said:


> Digging that Army Cyclist Corps hat badge. That's good stuff.



I agree...should make a t-shirt with that logo....still don't have an answer to what years/war/country it was awarded. It's a bicycle corps not motorcycle. Thanks!


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## DaGasMan (Nov 28, 2021)

King's Crown, so British WW1 is my educated guess. 

I just joined the British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum and promptly got lost. It would appear that for every English/Commonwealth locality Regiment (Essex, Yorkshire, etc.) there was a Cyclist Corps. With a few variations on the 
cyclist badges. I couldn't determine if there were Cyclist Corps in WW2. Not to get off topic from your bicycle, but the 
badge is cool.


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## Mercian (Nov 29, 2021)

Hi All, @ditchpig 

I sympathise with @DaGasMan So many different units were raised so quickly in WW1, that trying to keep track is very difficult. There is some logic, but you have to really get into it.

The Army Cyclist Corps badge is WW1,  As a formation it lasted until the beginning of the 1920's, and was not reformed for WW2. The full story is here: 









						Army Cyclist Corps - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org
				




The BSa is a nice start (but I'm biased, I have three). The brakes and levers are a common missing part, and not easy or cheap to find. However, since the frame is the distinctive item, there are any amount of nearly right calipers and levers which will work until the right ones turn up, and 95% of people won't know. The other 5% know why.

As you say, it's a 43. The vast majority are, and there's nearly no information on the dating other than that. The serial number is on one of the rear drpouts, starting with an R (usually, there are exceptions),Setting aside the very early production twin downtube ones, late production ones had a different pedal boss to earlier ones, (broader, for more support), but that's the only design variation I'm aware of.

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## ditchpig (Nov 29, 2021)

Mercian said:


> Hi All, @ditchpig
> 
> I sympathise with @DaGasMan So many different units were raised so quickly in WW1, that trying to keep track is very difficult. There is some logic, but you have to really get into it.
> 
> ...



"WHY NOT CYCLE FOR THE KING?"......gotta love it! And your teeth don't have to be great.....
Thank you for the link to all that history. Might make a little display for my badge now. 
I'm ashamed to admit that I did not use the original wheels with my BSA...I replaced a few spokes on the originals and rebuilt the freewheel but thought a coaster brake would solve my lack of original parts issue and the spokes are not mostly frozen. Got the correct crank but not the rod pedals...so installed quick release pedals.  I'm tall and I just was not comfortable riding it with the orignal stem/bar so I swapped the old mtb Y stem and as you might say it fools people at least 65% of the time. Just glad to bring another one back to life.


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## Mercian (Nov 30, 2021)

Hi @ditchpig 

The poster is excellent.  If you want to increase your research in the area, CABE member, @Wing Your Heel wrote a good book on WW1 military bicycles actually titled "Bad teeth no bar", available here:






						Bad Teeth No Bar: A History of Military Bicycles in the Great War: Kirsch, Colin: 9781910500927: Amazon.com: Books
					

Bad Teeth No Bar: A History of Military Bicycles in the Great War [Kirsch, Colin] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Bad Teeth No Bar: A History of Military Bicycles in the Great War



					www.amazon.com
				




I like your solution to using the bike. The missing parts are difficult to locate, but they do turn up.

I also like (so it appears) that youve removed the overpaint, and now you can see where years of use wore the green pait and black enamal off the frame.

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## ditchpig (Dec 1, 2021)

37Rider said:


> Hello, I want to build a war bike and am looking for a starting point? Bike, Frame?
> I live in London ON, Canada where I believe the Canadian Cycle Corp trained prior to deployment
> I would like to do a tribute bike
> 
> ...



Well 37Rider ...see what you started? Hope it helps a bit ... in a 'misery loves company' kind of way. I'm learning tons of new things - thanks Cabers! Anyway will keep checking for updates/progress on your search. Good luck!    Don't forget to ask Santa! 
Kryn


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## ditchpig (Dec 23, 2021)

Mercian said:


> View attachment 1519871
> 
> Hi @ditchpig
> 
> ...



Hello again, Season's Greetings! 
Wondering if you ever got an update or reply back from WS ...'37Rider' ?
I also messaged him and did not get an answer.... oh well,  
Kryn


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## Mercian (Dec 23, 2021)

Hi Kryn,

And Best Wishes to you too. (-:

No, nothing after the first exchange. He's still here, 'Last seen 8th Dec', so perhaps still considering options.

But the realiry is that we get many people who arrive, ask a couple of questions, then go.

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## AndyA (Dec 29, 2021)

Cousin 37Rider:
You received lots of good info, but if you're thinking of an easier tribute project for starters, consider something like one. It started life as a red Huffy Tundra MTB. Transformation was accomplished with some olive drab paint, new tires (26 X 1.50), and a rear rack.






Or perhaps a Royce-Union cantilever cruiser (work in progress). Have fun!


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## ditchpig (Apr 11, 2022)

Finding it strange that 37Rider (original poster in Dec.) never replied or came back to chime in.....not very Canadian...just sayin'...
Hope he's OK, that's all....and that he wasn't offended by something.
I move that we end his thread.  Seconder?
Kryn


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## Mountain Trail Andy (Apr 11, 2022)

ditchpig said:


> Finding it strange that 37Rider (original poster in Dec.) never replied or came back to chime in.....not very Canadian...just sayin'...
> Hope he's OK, that's all....and that he wasn't offended by something.
> I move that we end his thread.  Seconder?
> Kryn



Have you tried to PM him?


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## ditchpig (Apr 11, 2022)

Mountain Trail Andy said:


> Have you tried to PM him?



Yes, tried Dec.23...still no answer. You can see he hasn't revisited the CABE since Dec. 8.  Oh well, I guess I'm just disappointed. Moving on....
BTW...thanks for the 'Likes' ! 
Kryn


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## DaGasMan (Apr 12, 2022)

I'm sure he's out there slowly opening his wallet and asking himself,
"Is it really this expensive for a seat? I mean really. It's just a seat. And
why do these wheels cost so much? They're not even usable yet. I'll 
have to put even more money into them just to get them rolling. Sigh."
And in about three years time we'll get a nice report with a beautiful
bicycle from our Canadian friend. At least, I hope so.


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