37ccmflyte
Finally riding a big boys bike
This project (and explanation) is going to take a while as I never rush anything...
This project really started 31 years before I was born, when back in '37 my great uncle Owen bought a brand new CCM Flyte here in New Zealand. Later he survived fighting in WW2 in the Pacific, but he ended up dying whilst trying to save a drowning swimmer here in the 1950's. Then my father inherited the bike. He had been 5 when his uncle first rode in on his new bike. 15 years ago I took the bike over from my father and started getting the right bits for it. It's complete now (except the Troxel toolbox seat) and the restoration is not far off being finished, thanks to members of the CABE who have helped with parts and advice over the years. So for my whole life their has been a CCM Flyte around.
Over the past few years I have been thinking about building a ladies version of the CCM Flyte to sit alongside the "family bike". But I was always put off the idea. Flyte's are uncommon and I did not want to be lynched by a mob of respectable Flyte owners out to kill the heretic who violated one of the holy grails of 1930's cycling.
But a machine has come to hand that is so bad in so many terminal ways that is makes the perfect donor bike for "the great CCM ladies Flyte project". I can ride the bike but I am taking my life in my hands doing so. The only genuine CCM parts are the curved forks, the seat stem and one VERY badly damaged and even more badly repaired frame. Described by one CABER as "junk". But the only good thing about the bike is that most of the damage and butchered "repairs" are in the two tubes and lugs between the steering stem and the seat post. The very tubes that would be replaced on a ladies model. For some reason (I can't figure out why) the tube the crank passes through has been replaced with a small diameter... so it's a real mess.
For those who don't know the Flyte was build in Canada by CCM from 1936 to '41. It was built in the Art Deco Streamlined style of the time. They were expensive when new and did not sell well. They were only built as a mens bike.
So I will leave it at that for the moment.
Pictures to follow of what a Flyte looks like, what my wreak looks like and what I think a ladies Flyte might look like.
Regards
Gavin
This project really started 31 years before I was born, when back in '37 my great uncle Owen bought a brand new CCM Flyte here in New Zealand. Later he survived fighting in WW2 in the Pacific, but he ended up dying whilst trying to save a drowning swimmer here in the 1950's. Then my father inherited the bike. He had been 5 when his uncle first rode in on his new bike. 15 years ago I took the bike over from my father and started getting the right bits for it. It's complete now (except the Troxel toolbox seat) and the restoration is not far off being finished, thanks to members of the CABE who have helped with parts and advice over the years. So for my whole life their has been a CCM Flyte around.
Over the past few years I have been thinking about building a ladies version of the CCM Flyte to sit alongside the "family bike". But I was always put off the idea. Flyte's are uncommon and I did not want to be lynched by a mob of respectable Flyte owners out to kill the heretic who violated one of the holy grails of 1930's cycling.
But a machine has come to hand that is so bad in so many terminal ways that is makes the perfect donor bike for "the great CCM ladies Flyte project". I can ride the bike but I am taking my life in my hands doing so. The only genuine CCM parts are the curved forks, the seat stem and one VERY badly damaged and even more badly repaired frame. Described by one CABER as "junk". But the only good thing about the bike is that most of the damage and butchered "repairs" are in the two tubes and lugs between the steering stem and the seat post. The very tubes that would be replaced on a ladies model. For some reason (I can't figure out why) the tube the crank passes through has been replaced with a small diameter... so it's a real mess.
For those who don't know the Flyte was build in Canada by CCM from 1936 to '41. It was built in the Art Deco Streamlined style of the time. They were expensive when new and did not sell well. They were only built as a mens bike.
So I will leave it at that for the moment.
Pictures to follow of what a Flyte looks like, what my wreak looks like and what I think a ladies Flyte might look like.
Regards
Gavin
