When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Help identify my tandem

#eBayPartner    Most Recent BUY IT NOW Items Listed on eBay
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
According to my research 1266 is the build date. 1266bc
So what year is 1266bc?
. The Williams cranks and chain ring date code showed earlly 1950's if I read it right. Have to do more research but wheels seem from the 50's also.
Chater-Lea has not replied to my inquiries. Found and have to download their date codes, 25 pages.

This forum has helped me more than I could of ever imagined.
 
I really don’t know Alan. I was teasing …. I’m sure it’s not that old. You are correct, the guys on this forum are very helpful. They will get the answer, I’m sure.
 
Lovely! Thank you for the additional images. It looks like you have a proper English bicycle constructed of Chater Lea fittings. Lets get an English chap to weigh-in. @dnc1
 
Lovely! Thank you for the additional images. It looks like you have a proper English bicycle constructed of Chater Lea fittings. Lets get an English chap to weigh-in. @dnc1
If I read the date codes on the Williams crank and chain put them at the 1950's.
You got me checked out all kind of manufacturers.
What do you thing about the frame being a 1936 Grubb. The #1266 fits that Era.
Read that tandems with both chains and sprockets on the right side puts them before WWII.
 
If I read the date codes on the Williams crank and chain put them at the 1950's.
You got me checked out all kind of manufacturers.
What do you thing about the frame being a 1936 Grubb. The #1266 fits that Era.
Read that tandems with both chains and sprockets on the right side puts them before WWII.
At this point you need to have one of the guys who really know International/English bicycles chime in; being British, this is beyond my area of knowledge. I don't know if Grubb was just selling Chater Lea tandems or constructing them using CL's fittings. I would recommend creating a new post using the improved photos in the International bicycle section and title it "Chater Lea Tandem Help Needed" or something similar. It seems Chater Lea had a long run using the same frame style. Read the box excerpt from below about them having "good local builders." This is where someone else can state how this bicycle was built and sold within the United Kingdom. The newspaper advertisement from the 1931. Good luck, it'll be interesting to hear what you find out as tandem often get refurbished decades after their original build date. Hence you see parts from different time periods. Also post progress with your restoration.

Screen Shot 2023-02-22 at 10.33.45 PM.png


Screen Shot 2023-02-22 at 10.46.15 PM.png


Screen Shot 2023-02-22 at 10.46.43 PM.png
 
Last edited:
I thank you for all your help.
The Chater-Lea Eccentric 14A is 1931.
Chater-Lea brackets 1401-1 and 1007 are 1952
Williams crank and chain rings 1952 and 1954.
Came across a F.C Wells frame that was incredibly close from the 30's refitted in the 50's.
You are right as Chater Lea sold lugs, tubes and fittings for the small custom shops which there was 1000's of them.
European frame numbers are all over the place. As companies changed hands or new investors the numbers would start at 1 again.
Is a racing frame refitted as you said.
For it to end up in Yuma Az. is a long road of its life.
For me, want to know what company originally assembled the frame.
Going to sale for I think for $300.00 Someone will restore it and use it as intended. Would be nice if I had all the information for the buyer.
Will take measurements of all frame tube's and key points and weigh it.
Make some calls to England.
Thank you again.
Rear and searched so much over the week about tandems. Have to go deeper into a couple builds that had the exact same lugs.
Both from England, unknow manufacturer. 1930's Era..
 
Hi Alan, welcome to the Cabe.

It seems you've already established a lot of information re. the parts of this tandem.
As to who actually made the frame, it's very difficult to say.
As you've discovered, many small (and larger) manufacturers used 'Chater-Lea' fittings when building frames; actual 'Chater-Lea' branded bicycles are incredibly rare indeed, I know of one (solo) machine.
It's a similar scenario to most of the 'BSA' track racing bikes that are in existence, 99.99% were not made by BSA, but built from BSA fittings.

As you've also discovered, tandems are almost always owned by very enthusiastic people who are prone to upgrading them over many years of stewardship. They were often used for long distance touring, and as things wore out they would be replaced/improved when necessary.

I'm certainly no expert in these matters, but I'm not sure if this was a racing machine, certainly a high-quality machine though as the 'Chater-Lea' fittings/components suggest; although that cut-out on the chainstay could suggest a racing origin. My own 1930's 'James' Arrow Ace tandem certainly doesn't feature anything like that.

I'll share the photos, if I may, with a friend who is a very keen vintage tandem owner/rider who may have an inkling as to who might have built the frame, but as I said, it's a long shot. I'll also do some digging in the V-CC library; I'll post anything I find here later.
 
Again, re. the racing frame hypothesis, the lamp bracket on the fork may discount that theory; although it could have been built for a 24 hour time trial I guess, anything is possible as so many options were on offer!?!?!?

To illustrate my point (pun intended) on the difficulty of identifying such things, here are several catalogue images from manufacturers featuring tandems built with
'Chater-Lea' fittings:

Edward Salt.....
Screenshot_20230223-092421_Drive.jpg


Joe Cooke, 'Imperial Petrel'.....
Screenshot_20230223-092345_Drive.jpg


P, Ellis, 'Champion'.....
Screenshot_20230223-092226_Drive.jpg


Buckley Bros.....
Screenshot_20230223-092127_Drive.jpg


Merlin.....
Screenshot_20230223-091949_Drive.jpg


Screenshot_20230223-091857_Drive.jpg


Carpenter.....
Screenshot_20230223-091622_Drive.jpg


E.F. Russ.....
Screenshot_20230223-091329_Drive.jpg


Screenshot_20230223-091304_Drive.jpg


Selbach......
Screenshot_20230223-091213_Drive.jpg


F.W. Evans.....
Screenshot_20230223-091119_Drive.jpg


Screenshot_20230223-091041_Drive.jpg


Stephens.....
Screenshot_20230223-090724_Drive.jpg


Screenshot_20230223-090734_Drive.jpg


...all practically identical frames, all built with 'C-L' fittings, all of them contemporaneous with your example, and each other.
There were many, many more examples.

I would like to see a photo of the "cantilever" brakes you mentioned, as these may be original fittings, another possible identifying feature.

(Images from V-CC library).
 
Hi Alan, welcome to the Cabe.

It seems you've already established a lot of information re. the parts of this tandem.
As to who actually made the frame, it's very difficult to say.
As you've discovered, many small (and larger) manufacturers used 'Chater-Lea' fittings when building frames; actual 'Chater-Lea' branded bicycles are incredibly rare indeed, I know of one (solo) machine.
It's a similar scenario to most of the 'BSA' track racing bikes that are in existence, 99.99% were not made by BSA, but built from BSA fittings.

As you've also discovered, tandems are almost always owned by very enthusiastic people who are prone to upgrading them over many years of stewardship. They were often used for long distance touring, and as things wore out they would be replaced/improved when necessary.

I'm certainly no expert in these matters, but I'm not sure if this was a racing machine, certainly a high-quality machine though as the 'Chater-Lea' fittings/components suggest; although that cut-out on the chainstay could suggest a racing origin. My own 1930's 'James' Arrow Ace tandem certainly doesn't feature anything like that.

I'll share the photos, if I may, with a friend who is a very keen vintage tandem owner/rider who may have an inkling as to who might have built the frame, but as I said, it's a long shot. I'll also do some digging in the V-CC library; I'll post anything I find here later.
Thank you.
Find myself ignorant on a subject such as tandems I go down that rabbit hole in search of all knowledge to feed my obsession . LOL
 
Back
Top