Gramp’s 1941 New World - Trying to get it running as a rat rod bike

[Miq]

@GTs58 I’ve been looking at the Brooks since I started this project. They are beautifully made, look the part, and are supposed to be comfortable, but it just wouldn’t be Grandpa’s bike. Kind of like putting lipstick on a pig. I like how ratty the bike is.

I’ve been trying to be patient, and have been keeping my eye out for an original “Lightweight” saddle that would have been on the bike when it was sold. The war-time Worlds mickeyc found last week had them but I’m not interested in buying a whole bike or 2 just to get the beat up saddles.

Others have said this saddle is not comfortable at all. But really, how much worse could it be than the old compacted carpet foam version of the Monogram S seat I just rocked for over 100 miles, or my MTB seat that has NO padding? I’d like to spend some time restoring a Lightweight saddle with good closed cell foam and new fake leather if it needed it. Might be good enough for me.

Still looking and thinking while I ride my restored Monogram S in matching maroon...

 

[Alan Brase]

I think if Gramps stumbled onto a reasonably priced Brooks, Ideale, or Wrights leather saddle back in the day it would have been his favorite. I think good old ones can be found, then softened back up before riding with generous applications of leather lube of Brooks Proofide.
My favorite would be an Ideale Daniel Rebour logo saddle. (anything that says "Daniel Rebour" is good enough for me.) My 1940 Superior came with one of the cheesey Superior mattress saddles. Sorry, That's not gonna be good enough.
How will you keep the bare metal from rusting? Perhaps you can apply some hard wax, then buff it out?

 

[Alan Brase]

BTW, thank you for the good write up and pictures. I recently bought an almost identical New World, but perhaps 1942 built. And in very incomplete form. Your photos and explaining your work will make mine easier.

 

[Miq]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for the saddle info. I am still learning what might make sense for my bike and keeping an eye out for something I can bring back to life. The 60s S seat sticks out like sore sore thumb, but it’s my bike.

Your 1942 New World sounds interesting. You need to PM more info or just join in the discussion of these war time bikes here: War Time New Worlds. I want to add it to the list even if it is just a frame.

Glad you are digging this thread. I was hoping people like you would bring more of these bikes back to life after seeing that it is possible to DIY. When it is rolling, you won’t be disappointed.

 

[Miq]

I cleaned my chain this week and was looking closely at it. It is a Diamond 65 1/2” pitch chain that was normal for this bike and the ND coaster hub that it was equipped with. The chain is 104 joined links + 1 master “hear it pop” link. Gramps added 4 extra links made by “Renold” to the chain to extend it’s length to work with the not standard 24 tooth rear sprocket that is on the bike. Have other people run into this 24 tooth rear sprocket before? I have not seen anyone mention this odd size (seems like 22 teeth was common). The 24 tooth sprocket it Cad plated too.

 

[Allrounderco]

@Miq - I've seen so much of this bike in the "what bike did you ride today" thread, and I'm thrilled to come across this thread for the first time. I had no idea of the provenance of the bike, nor the amount of effort you invested to get it to this point. So well done!

 

[SirMike1983]

My experience with both American coaster and British internal gear cogs is that 24 is less common than 22, which in turn is less common than 20 or 18. They certainly made the larger cogs and the cogs were an option, but they seem to have been much less common than an 18 or 20.

24 would give you quite low gearing, even if you have a 48 front sprocket. It would be really, really low with a front 46. But if you are just concerned about getting uphill, and you coast coming back down, it's something you might do. On the three speeds, Sturmey advised not going lower than 2:1 (front to back).

 

[Miq]

@Blackbomber Thanks! I’ve had a lot of fun getting here.

@SirMike1983 Thanks for adding that info. I figured they were not as common. The bike was ridden in the steep rolling hills (they say “mountains” back east) of Pennsylvania, so Gramps geared it down to 52/24 = 2.17. It pedals great on the AZ flats even with this low gearing. My legs do have to spin a little fast when it’s zooming though

 

[Miq]

Wash and Wax Beauty Shots today:

I hardly ever post pics of the kickstand side of my bike. Chainguard to the camera is the traditional way. I think seeing the mechanics is sexy too... Miller 3 piece kick, Big Arm = Brake ND, bottom bracket body lead fillets, second year rear dropouts...why not??

This is about as clean as this alley rat ever gets, and it won’t stay this way long on the dusty canal.

 

[Miq]

I have been doing a 2000 mile tune up over the past few days. Last night I replaced a couple of broken spokes on the rear hub.

The S-6 rim and New Departure Model D coaster combo uses the same length spoke on both sides of the wheel. I was able to measure an old spoke that broke right at the J-bend at 290mm. I ordered some Chinese carbon steel spokes from Amazon in black to blend in better with the other original rusty spokes.

The 36 hole wheel/hub was laced using the common cross 3 pattern. Getting the replacement spokes inserted in the hub is harder than it looks even with the slot in the sprocket. You have to be able to rotate the spoke freely once the J-bend reaches the hole in the hub. Slight bending of the spoke is necessary as you guide it into place, but I was careful not to kink the spoke. Over two under one...

The new spokes look a little thicker than the originals but they threaded perfectly with the old nipples. Correct length even when tight.

I mounted the bare wheel on the bike and trued it using the “popsicle taped to the frame” method. The wheel was already pretty true so it didn’t take a lot of adjustments.

The spoke tape that came with the Kenda tires I ordered on line was too narrow for the S-6 rims offset spoke nipples. I had already made correct width tape using a blown out Chinese inner tube cut to the correct width/length when I replaced the tape in the front wheel a few months ago. I finally got a chance to install the new tape in this wheel since it was apart.

The combo of correct spoke tape width - Goodyear 26” x 1-3/8” Bicycle Inner Tubes - and Kenda K-23 tires has proven to be pretty durable this summer. You get what you pay for with tubes and tape. The Goodyear tubes are WAY better than the Chinese tubes that came with the online Kenda tire package. The tires seat easier and stay inflated longer since I’ve started using them.