Can anyone help identify this bike? Also, how should I go about gently cleaning it?

[locomotion]

nice early Reynolds decal
how's the weight?

 

[redline1968]

Yeah the fork looks damaged and so is the lower tube looks damaged slightly bent inwards not good probably won't have to worry about cleaning it gently

 

[mongeese]

Foremost popped in my head yet the flared headtube is usually a sign of a well built bicycle. Wrong seat to be sure- thinking club racer or tourer. - take fork out and pop that crown cover off- and show bottom bracket on the bottom etc.
The lugs look well filed yet need close up. The bike took a hit head on - that fork cap is ugly and what is underneath may hold some answers. English am thinking and not pre 33

 

[JoeBass]

Found a serial number stamped on the seat tube. It's stamped "R51" and "889". I was thinking that the "R51" might stand for "Regular 51cm" but why would American builders be using centimeters. Measured the frame and it is indeed 51cm center to center. Hmm. Even British builders wouldn't be using centimeters (I don't think).

 

[locomotion]

Looks like the bike that @Schwinny just found.
You guys can compare notes .....
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/20s-30s-english-mystery-bike.199216

 

[Schwinny]

I think after looking at a couple hundred of this style in the last several months, there are a lot of old bikes from the "Birmingham" bike building camp. They seem to all be similar and use many of the same parts.
This one has plain lugs and rear dropouts.
Look under the seat at how thick the seat tube is. Thats mild steel.
Seems like a lot of American parts on it but I think it is a Birmingham frame from the 30's
That head set style is earlier and I now consider this a clip stem style but this one obviously isn't.
Reynolds 531 started in 36' and before that, there were a couple different "High Manganese" or whatever decals. Maybe both at the same time if they were still offering the previous tube sets.
I think how the seat stays wrap around the seat tube is teller for someone that recognizes that building style. I've seen it before but can't remember....

 

[locomotion]

Found a serial number stamped on the seat tube. It's stamped "R51" and "889". I was thinking that the "R51" might stand for "Regular 51cm" but why would American builders be using centimeters. Measured the frame and it is indeed 51cm center to center. Hmm. Even British builders wouldn't be using centimeters (I don't think).

from what I was reading on Wiki, the British, like a lot of other countries have been using almost exclusively the metric system since at least the late 1800's-early 1900's

 

[Schwinny]

from what I was reading on Wiki, the British, like a lot of other countries have been using almost exclusively the metric system since at least the late 1800's-early 1900's

Not so on my 30's Armstrong. Maybe @dnc1 could chime in on that one. I think the issue is, at least the problems I had with the fasteners is that the English oldies are using 26tpi nuts and bolts whereas we are all now using 24tpi. I am seriously tired of 1/4"-26 nuts. They will go on to a 24 tpi bolt the full length of the nut before they pinch. Opposite the same. I tried to just replace a couple missing lock nuts and clamp bolts and was firmly rejected. Luckily I found others, it all worked out.
Im not sure when the English went metric but over there, I think "English thread" means 26tpi

 

[Mercian]

Hi, All,

Metric as a general thing only came to the UK mid 1970's (shortly after we stopped having 240 pence to the £). It may have been something to do with joining the Common Market at that time. It was introduced onto the school curriculum around 1976. I was one of the kids who started with Imperial measures, then had to learn a new system halfway through. (-:

It wouldn't be a big surprise to me, though, if it were a French or Italian made bike. They both were/are big into racing, use Metric units, and had many small builders of bikes willing to import parts.

Best Regards,

Adrian

 

[dnc1]

Hi, All,

Metric as a general thing only came to the UK mid 1970's (shortly after we stopped having 240 pence to the £). It may have been something to do with joining the Common Market at that time. It was introduced onto the school curriculum around 1976. I was one of the kids who started with Imperial measures, then had to learn a new system halfway through. (-:

It wouldn't be a big surprise to me, though, if it were a French or Italian made bike. They both were/are big into racing, use Metric units, and had many small builders of bikes willing to import parts.

Best Regards,

Adrian

Ditto. I too was at primary school in 1976 and recall metrification being introduced.
Most British companies still used 'imperial' threading up until the mid 70's; but as @Schwinny rightly states the cycle industry used a 26tpi standard called 'BSC' ('British Standard Cycle' thread) almost exclusively; close to American threading, but not interchangeable.
There were a few exceptions, "Chater-Lea" used some very odd thread sizes during their production period.
Ì think it's probably a Hercules built frame, they built so many under different marque names, and were the biggest exporters to the U.S.A. and Canada for several decades.
If you want to check if it's French your best option is to check the bottom bracket threads for size.
If it's Italian, both bottom bracket cup threads will be right-hand threads.
As has been mentioned above, take the forks off so we can see the actual fork crown. It may help with identification.