Big old chainwheels

[Fryerman]

A friend in England recently purchased a collection of chainwheels. He is quite curious about a couple of the largest ones.
I have suggested to him that they may have been custom made for a special motor pacing type of riding, but I really do not know.
If anyone recognizes any of these or has any info at all, that would be wonderful.
The Raleigh double chainwheel is for scale.

 

[dnc1]

Hi,
your friend over here has purchased a nice collection.
Of the examples in your first photo I can offer a little insight.

Elliptical example (top left) looks like a 1970's 'Durham' from the USA, but hard to tell if it's made from Dural, which a 'Durham' should be.

Bottom left and bottom middle look to be off fairly standard track/racing bicycles from the TOC to WW1 era and are possibly of French origin. I am basing the French supposition on the way the chainrings are attached to the crank; they should thread onto the central boss and also have a left-hand threaded lockring on the rear.
Although the bottom middle example looks like it has three bolts holding it on from the rear, with one obscured by the crank arm.
As to the marques, difficult to say as they are relatively generic designs.

The other two remaining examples (the large ones) also look to be of French origin and are almost certainly, as you suggest, from motor-paced or 'Stayer' bicycles.
I would think the inch-pitch (skiptooth) version shown bottom right is earlier in date (up to WW1) than the 1/2 inch version shown top middle (post WW1); but looking at the patina of these two they could be from around the same time period.
Again, marques unknown, but I'll keep looking to see if I can find anything similar.

In the second photo they are mostly British in origin, with a few unusual marques represented, but there are also some more French examples in there too, I can see Motobecane and Alcyon examples.

If your friend is looking to sell any of these two larger ones I could be interested, Please feel free to DM me, I'm also in England.

 

[Fryerman]

Hi,
your friend over here has purchased a nice collection.
Of the examples in your first photo I can offer a little insight.

Elliptical example (top left) looks like a 1970's 'Durham' from the USA, but hard to tell if it's made from Dural, which a 'Durham' should be.

Bottom left and bottom middle look to be off fairly standard track/racing bicycles from the TOC to WW1 era and are possibly of French origin. I am basing the French supposition on the way the chainrings are attached to the crank; they should thread onto the central boss and also have a left-hand threaded lockring on the rear.
Although the bottom middle example looks like it has three bolts holding it on from the rear, with one obscured by the crank arm.
As to the marques, difficult to say as they are relatively generic designs.

The other two remaining examples (the large ones) also look to be of French origin and are almost certainly, as you suggest, from motor-paced or 'Stayer' bicycles.
I would think the inch-pitch (skiptooth) version shown bottom right is earlier in date (up to WW1) than the 1/2 inch version shown top middle (post WW1); but looking at the patina of these two they could be from around the same time period.
Again, marques unknown, but I'll keep looking to see if I can find anything similar.

In the second photo they are mostly British in origin, with a few unusual marques represented, but there are also some more French examples in there too, I can see Motobecane and Alcyon examples.

If your friend is looking to sell any of these two larger ones I could be interested, Please feel free to DM me, I'm also in England.

Thank you so much for this reply. I have forwarded this info and link to my friend so he will be able to contact you if he wishes.

 

[Mr. Monkeyarms]

The second picture would make an excellent puzzle. There is a lot of cool stuff in there I've never seen before. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Jesper]

I need that Automoto (French) one in the second photo (bottom, second from the right)!

Edit: I think it is later than my bike (1930ish), but would still add some flare to a build that will probably never be quite original or period correct regardless.

 

[Mr. Monkeyarms]

I'm enamored with the Wings chainring at the top, just right of center in the second pic...... Don't know what it's from but love the design & crank attached. Has an art deco look & gorgeous.

 

[dnc1]

I'm enamored with the Wings chainring at the top, just right of center in the second pic...... Don't know what it's from but love the design & crank attached. Has an art deco look & gorgeous.

That particular chainring is the 'Motobecane' example I referred to earlier.
It isn't actually wings, but two stylised heads of a Gaul warrior in profile, each wearing a winged helmet and facing each other.
The "tete de gaulois' design was used by 'Motobecane' for decades.
Here is a headbadge, and logo that show the design a little more clearly.....

...the Gauls were the ancient native people of France that fought against the Romans.

 

[Mr. Monkeyarms]

Thanks @dnc1 ! It was familiar but couldn't remember which marque was associated with that design. Maybe I'll remember now(but will forget something else. A tiny brain only has so much room.). That's a really cool head badge too! Thanks for sharing.