# 1948 Cws English Roadster



## Gasbag

This thread will be used to document the preservation / restoration of my 1948 Cooperative Wholesale Society (CWS) Roadster. I intend to showcase the bike and provide some links and information about this relatively unknown marque. This is the first of two CWS bikes in my collection.

Backstory: I bought this bike two years ago in Holland Michigan. It was advertised as a Raleigh on Craigslist. After a 3 1/2 hour road trip, it was mine. A death in the family prevented me from starting on this project the year I purchased it. Last summer, shortly after beginning the tear down, I fell and badly damaged my rotator cuff. The CWS was loosely reassembled and boxed until my shoulder was repaired. Finally, after surgery and a long painful rehab, I am back to work on this old lad. I don't recall what I had done prior to my injury, so I will be starting from scratch.

About the bike: The date is from the Sturmey Archer FW 4 speed hub, 47-12. The bicycle was likely built in early 1948. Shifter is a rare SA long trigger four speed. The frame measures 23" ctc seatpost, 23" ctc toptube. Top tube slopes down slightly toward the steer tube in a prewar fashion. Handlebars and brakes are Phillips stirrup. The chainwheel appears to be a Williams, the crank arms are stamped Utility. The original saddle was a rare leather Dunlop - Bates, unfortunately it was in very poor condition. Fenders are unbranded chrome steel. The headbadge transfer is unlike any other CWS that I have seen, this being the only one like it that I have seen.


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## Eric Amlie

Wow....look at those frame angles!
Something I'm not used to seeing.
Should be a fun project.


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## Gasbag

A few links:

From http://www.rochdalepioneersmuseum.coop/artefacts/bicycle-2/  :_ "The Co-operative Wholesale Society began manufacturing bicycles in 1908. In 1920 the first cycle factory was purchased in Tysely. The Co-operative Wholesale Society was well known for the manufacture of bikes and for many years produced all of the Post Office cycles."
_
About the Cooperative Wholesale Society : http://www.archive.coop/collections/coop-wholesale-society

CWS postal bike: http://www.oldbike.eu/museum/1930s/...ciety-federal-post-office-inspectors-bicycle/


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## Gasbag

The plan of attack: I want to leave the patina largely intact as these old English bicycles wear that look well. The bike will be mildly cleaned, rust checked as needed. The headbadge will be preserved with a clear varnish. All the bearings will get a full service and lube. Tires have already been replaced with period correct NOS IRC roadster pattern and fresh inner tubes. As this bike will be ridden, the brake pads will be replaced, the holders preserved (not the same pads as Raleigh - difficult, though not impossible to source). I will need to make a shift cable, the early long triggers used a barrel end cable that is unavailable. If the shift cable proves insurmountable, I have an early SA 3-4 speed trigger available.  I recall rebuilding the rear hub due to it being full of old crusty lube goo and the pawls were sticking. After it is in road ready condition, I will locate a period correct bell for the handlebar and use one of my early English seatbags for tire repair sundries.


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## Gasbag

A look at the hubs. Front is unbranded. Note the homemade (as found) hub wipers, cotton rope that has been wired at the ends. A simple solution from an earlier time. The wipers will stay.  Both rims spun nearly true and all of the spokes show good tension.


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## fat tire trader

We had a CWS come through the bike shop where I work about a year ago. It was the first that I remember seeing.


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## bulldog1935

If anybody has seen an Army-Navy Cooperative Society Ltd. (A&NCSL) bike, I would love to see the head markings.


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## Gasbag

A check of the front hub and the headset bearings revealed the unmistakable scent of Phil Woods bearing grease, so I just need to double check the adjustments.

While digging around on my workbench, I came across this old Lucas generator set that would be absolutely period correct for this bike. So, its off to the local farmers supply for some Evapo-Rust.


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## Gasbag

I took the bottom bracket apart to inspect, and it looks like I was already in here. Just a simple reassemble and bearing adjustment. The Bikesmithdesign cotter press is almost a must have tool if you work on many cottered cranksets.


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## Gasbag

fat tire trader said:


> We had a CWS come through the bike shop where I work about a year ago. It was the first that I remember seeing.




CWS bikes were built for sale only through their own stores. Any that we find stateside are a personal possession that the owner brought with them from England.


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## fat tire trader

I looked back through my photos and found pictures of the CWS.


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## Gasbag

I've never seen one with an actual headbadge. If I'm reading the hub date correctly (65) your bike was close to the end of the line for the CWS bicycles. I've seen several examples of boot bikes that CWS built in the sixties to compete with the Raleigh RWS, Twenty and the Moultons, but only one other full sized CWS bike.


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## Gasbag

Here is a thread about my other CWS :http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/cc...rod-brake-tall-bicycle-300.89309/#post-562519

1951 if I remember correctly. Presently it is partially disassembled awaiting its' turn for attention


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## Gasbag

I spent some time restoring the Lucas generator set and it is looking presentable. Next, I tore down the pedals. The rusty parts are soaking ovrenight. Upon reassembly, the caged bearings will be replaced with loose ball bearings. The older, rebuildable, English pedals are nearly bomb-proof.


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## SirMike1983

If you own more than one bike with cottered cranks, the Bike Smith press is the way to go. The press takes the worry out of freeing the pins-- no worrying about mushrooming the cotter or having to drill.


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## Gasbag

SirMike1983 said:


> If you own more than one bike with cottered cranks, the Bike Smith press is the way to go. The press takes the worry out of freeing the pins-- no worrying about mushrooming the cotter or having to drill.




Also, the proper way to install cotters is to press them in. The nut is only there to secure them. With so many soft cotters on the market, it is even more critical to press rather than draw them in.


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## Gasbag

The pedals are now rebuilt with new bearings and installed on the crank arms.

Time now to turn the attention to the rear hub. The bearing cones are a touch too tight so the wheel will be coming off again for an adjustment. When the cones are too snug, there is a noticeable drag when turning the sprocket. Taking the time to get this adjustment right makes for a very smooth running hub.

Next up, it will be time to install the indicator rod and chain. The indicator rod for the FW is unique to the hub. It is somewhat delicate and has very fine threads. If the indicator rod is lost or damaged, it is extremely hard to locate replacements - almost to the point of replacing the FW with an AW hub. I check Ebay every so often for a spare and have not seen one yet in two years of looking. The indicator rod is pictured below.


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## SirMike1983

I love the FW hub. I set mine up with a relatively low gear ratio so that B and L are dedicated climbers, N is pushing against the wind or light duty climbing, and H is flat cruise or slightly downhill. If it's a steep downhill, I coast.


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## CaptKirk

Hi.  I just bought a CWS bike in San Jose, CA today at the flea market.  I have found you and the guy that runs the Oldbike.eu online museum I believe he is in England and he only has two CWS bikes and talks a lot about fun it was researching the bikes so it does not seem even he knew much about them.  I am not a collector but this bike just made me buy it.  The cooperative story is kind of cool too.  I am charging my phone right now but will post some pics when it's charged up.  It looks very much like the one you identify as a 1951 though I am thinking you are way off.  I am thinking they are late 1930s. The ONLY difference I can see between the one you call a "1951" and one I purchased is the sprocket pattern.  The stamped number on mine is in the same location as yours and it is 7815.  I am thinking this indicates Model 7 which came out in 1936..  CWS also produced Federal  and Hurricane brand (the girls bike above).  

Also, what do you make of the frame construction differences between the bolted rear of the "1951" and the brazed/welded rear of the "1948"

This link is an advertisement for the Model 7 from June 1936. You can see it is the same exact model, including 3 speed, as the one you're calling 1951.  I think you are going to be happy it didnt sell.  I think you might be right on this one being a 1948 but I think the other one is earlier.  
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/images/5/5e/Im19360603Cy-CWS.jpg

Here is a 1951 Raleigh catalog where you can see the brakes have already changed.  https://oldbike.wordpress.com/1951-raleigh-catalogue/ 

Here you have one that looks similar to your "1951" which I think is 1930s Model 7  and it was a barn find in England and the guy says his dad has been in bicycle industry for 30 years and never seen one before.  https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/cws-cycle-works-vintage-antique-bike-bicycle-like-bsa/1233950659

Here is a link to one that rolled through an Illinois bike shop the OP dates to late 40s-early50s.  He may be incorrect but two big changes are the metal head badge and the brakes.  Gents version of  the girls CWS Hurricane bike posted above by Fat Tire Trader
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/gentlemancyclist/PsbWpv9MUF0

Here is the oldbike.eu guys bikes
A 1939 Tradesman Delivery Cycle
https://oldbike.wordpress.com/1939-cws-co-op-delivery-cycle/

More info and literature/ads for CWS 
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/C._W._S._Cycles
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Co-operative_Wholesale_Society_(CWS)

In case you are interested, here is some info on the CWS motorcycles.  https://vintagemotorcyclecwsfederal1922.wordpress.com/


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## CaptKirk

Here is the Oklbike museum guy's 1935 Postal Inspector "Federal" made by CWS Notice it has a custom head badge 

This page includes a CWS Advert from 1939 where you can see the braking system from 1939
http://www.oldbike.eu/museum/1930s/...ciety-federal-post-office-inspectors-bicycle/

I was wrong in my first post.  My number is 7843  Here's some pics.  Compare to the one you call a "1951"


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## CaptKirk

Definitely keep this link for the 1935 Federal.  Will post again. It looks like all the schematics he found are going to help a lot in working on the "1951".  http://www.oldbike.eu/museum/1930s/...ciety-federal-post-office-inspectors-bicycle/


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## CaptKirk

I take that back on the 1939 catalog showing a different brake style.  The same brake style was used into the 40s at least, maybe even 50s


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## Spacecowboy

Thanks Cap'n for including my post from years ago. Still have the CWS hurricane.

Thanks Gasbag for this post and details.

I thought I had already parked a bunch of pictures at the cabe on my bike, but not seeing right off so here's its/my story:

53 CWS Hurricane.
Original status:
That year is from the original f&s schweinfurt torpedo coaster hub 1953. Was kinda hoping it was a two speed, nope.
The brake arm was labeled Perry b-100
Trashed peeling fenders, no chain guard , rust popping rims, mismatched correct vintage tires. Bent  rt. crank arm from being at the bottom of a pile of bikes at the former antique shop. Was repainted black on black, covering the name on the seat tube. Rear axle ended up being tightened and stripped and couldn't remove, so aftwr a couple days of this I reversed course, over tightened it  in attempt to go back and forward. Eventually concluded it would only go the one way, and went ahead and snapped the axle. I'd rebuild it, but the rim is toast.

First build:
Wandering around A2 swap shortly after, I decided to pick up an old ladies three speed to fix it. The ladies Robin Hood was a 68 and seemed rusted up, but did actually get it back working again. Gotta love a sealed up hub with an oilport, I guess. I also found two sets of fenders and one had a chainguard. The chrome ones while very English looking didn't work out because width, the other set with a chain guard came off a royce union and the guy even cut me a huge break on the price after I inquired about the missing fender struts. Sourced a new whitewall from memory lane moved the near threadbare Silvertown to the front. It worked, got me down the road for a couple years in this build. That's the point where I posted that Capt.Kirk shared that is on some other group.

Current Build:
bike up and running and started researching. There's much more now than then, but at the time, I had found a store advert that listed my model and also the 3 sp. models for a christmas sale. About a year or so later I came across a sale late, and found a ladies Raleigh with the hub generator light, still available. That bike itself was a rebuilt 60s sports model with a 1950 generator hub, matching rear '50 AW and a green 70s fork. Set about incorporating the new to me parts in, that's when I found I had to combine the bolt from Robin hood brakes with the Raleigh arms. Everything went smooth and rode it for bit, but couldn't quite get the adjustment right on the gear cable and the indicator chain snapped. I swapped in one from a later version and got it running again. Finally found the indicator adjustment guide on line.
During about the same time I incorrectly over tightened the front generator hub causing the terminals to spin and one being ripped out. The only pre 55 all black plastic magnet cover version available I ended up ordering from Malaysia, and was able to swap it in. The Cresent screws I found need to be snug, as they snap easily from over torque.

Didn't much care much the era correct Brooks B66L, especially after my regular 30 mile ride and upgraded to a Brooks mattress saddle. After that got another matching whitewall from memory lane. The Raleigh kickstand, while nice looking, didn't exactly suit the frame height and I got tired of catching it before it fell over and went back the original stand.

Am tagging a couple pics of headlight, I've fixed the rear lamp, then removed the bulb and replaced with a disposable led. The headlight now shines twice as bright. Didn't have a rectifier battery tube or whatever it's called in the mix, but it works all the same, no issues. The bulb was from a crown unit that had a dyno, it was just a rounder bulb.

Latest pics are from 2019 when I had to regrease the fork. Found out no bearing cage. Luckily I had some extra bearings available.


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