Grandpa's WW2 BSA Airborne Bicycle refurbishment

[Burnsie]

Hi, I've been reading this forum to help me lightly restore my grandfather's WW2 BSA Airborne Bicycle 2nd Pattern. Thanks for all you've done already to get me on the right path. It's in generally good working condition but needs a couple things. This BSA is my 2nd very cool vintage bicycle. My first is a Firestone Flight 880. Here are some pics of my BSA I took while working yesterday:

Specifically I need this bike to be able to stop. The original pads were worn to nothing. Need to 100% replace the pads. I've seen lots of mentions here and elsewhere noting replacement inserts can be made "using Kool Stop inserts and sandpaper" or Fibrax. I'm struggling with which exact one to buy, online, sight unseen. For instance, @SirMike1983 mentioned this in this thread: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1930s-brakes.132534/post-890053

Question: Can someone note which exact Kool Stop or Fibrax insert model / name they have used successfully? Or any other brake pad insert that works without totally ruining the original holder by hammering to fit (also have seen that mentioned)? My BSA brake pad holders are about 55mm length.

Thank you all in advance.

-Sarah

 

[New Mexico Brant]

Good luck with your project Sarah. I am afraid that I cannot answer your question but people seem to go to: https://www.stuart-bray-motorcycles.co.uk/parts/bsa-parabike-spares/
to find parts. @Mercian may also be able to give you a clear answer.

Can you please post a full side view of your grandfather's bicycle.

Kind thanks,

Brant

 

[Burnsie]

Still looking for insight on which model

kool stop or fibrax brake inserts to use!

Thanks @New Mexico Brant for your reply above. I've already been in touch with Stuart Bray re: grips and saddle. He was very responsive. Grips are to be shipped soon but a saddle is out of reach for now.

Here's a progress pic of my bike today. I'm slowly working off red, white and blue paint obscuring the logo/trademark on the frame seat tube.

 

[Mercian]

Hi Sarah,

Just a quick message to say that I don't know the brake answer offhand, but I am looking into it. I have been inundated (it's not a bad thing!) with questions over the last couple of weeks as people took old projects off the shelf with the current shutdown. As it happens, I'm lucky, and still working for the moment, but it makes things a little busy.

Yes, Stuart is expensive, but those are the prices people will pay if they want to buy stuff immediately. Otherwise it will turn up on Ebay and Etsy often cheaper, but then it takes time. If you're not in a hurry then it's OK.

Saddles are remarkably expensive, because they are fragile, so don't survive well. If you intend to use it, there are several period and modern Brooks models that look very similar, for a fraction of the price.

Do you know where the bike came from? It's probably too late now, but in the UK, many were used on airfields postwar, and the RED/White/blue is reminiscent of the Royal Air Force markings.

For the brake block, do you still have the metal 'shoes' that the blocks slide in to? these are nearly unique to this model, so difficult to find if you haven't (though there are alternatives).

I will try to dig out some brakes for a look at lunchtime.

Best Regards,

Adrian

 

[Mercian]

Hi Again, Sarah.

I found some spare BSA parabike calipers, and measured the brake shoes. I then searched Ebay and I'm pretty sure these are the correct size.

length 54 mm, width 12.5 mm, depth 19.5 mm, width of part that fits into metal shoe 11 mm down to 10 mm

These are £5 for a set of 4 pads, plus postage from the UK.

Electronics, Cars, Fashion, Collectibles & More | eBay

Buy & sell electronics, cars, clothes, collectibles & more on eBay, the world's online marketplace. Top brands, low prices & free shipping on many items.

rover.ebay.com

In fact, since I need some also, I've just ordered a set. If you want to wait until I've received them, and checked they're OK, let me know.

Best Regards,

Adrian

 

[Burnsie]

Hi @Mercian and thank you for your replies!
Isn't the Avocet saddle tragic? Ugh. Working on it. Just balancing the need with $.
Yes I have the brake pad holders and screws/nuts. I appreciate you sending that link to the ebay shoes too. They might be the right fit. I've been torn about fitting with new old stock because the pads are often so hardened they don't brake properly. I'd like to be able to ride the bike and have my nieces and nephew ride it one day, sort of safely. Hence looking for other ideas. When you get them, I'd love to know if the set you ordered fit and if they are soft enough to use. Much appreciation in advance for replying back once you get them.

As for your question about my grandpa, source of the bike, and the red/white/blue:
My grandpa was an american pilot in the war. My dad always said they got the bike at army navy surplus later on. After reading much about this bike I believe it was probably from Sears. Dad said it was new in the box and they got it when he was about 10, give or take, so that would have been +/- 1955-ish, maybe earlier, in the new england area of the US (NY / MA area most likely) for sure. My grandpa also sailed boats and was really into nautical international signal flags. Our last name starts with "W" and he marked literally everything with the "W" signal flag. He had a flag he brought to events, to the airport to greet us, etc, that looked just like this:

He marked his boats, his cars, his little piper plane... and I am just certain this bike too. So I'm comfortable saying the paint is very post-war in the US and related to my family history only. I'd like to reveal enough of the logo to show it's there but I definitely can't / don't have the patience to get all the paint off anyway.

Thank you again Adrian, I really appreciate your thought and effort to respond to this, and for followup later on. Looking forward to anyone else's idea about brakes as well. I realize I should have titled this thread differently, with the word "Question" in it!
-Sarah

 

[Mercian]

Hi Again, Sarah.

Yes, the saddle is rubbish, but from having ridden fairly long distances on these, I can tell you the original saddles are uncomfortable, the sliding bar pedals awkward (and sometimes slip through and catch on the frame if you aren't careful), and the brakes are rubbish too. Other than that, a great historic bike (-:

Thanks for sharing a little family history. (-:

I used to do reunions for US Aircrew from the US 8th and 9th Airforces at their old bases in the UK during the 1980's to 1990's. Many of them were just reaching retirement age, and so taking the opportunity to return. A lot of very interesting people, and I miss those days.

I was a little concerned about the red white and blue since I have a 1941 jeep, and I have seen restorations of these old vehicles where the unique markings are removed to produce yet another identical green vehicle. With bikes, there was much less variation, since they were not generally marked by units, so seeing anything like that, if it had been period, would be unusual and worth preserving.

It's good you have the pad holders. These are even more difficult to find than the brake calipers. You can see the way they bolt sideways to the caliper is very unusual, and this is what makes it difficult to find a direct modern replacement.

I've looked at the Kool Stop site Their Koolstop Universal 68 and Scott Canti Big Block may be modifiable for these shoes by cutting the key to fit, but it's not possible to say absolutely. And the pads will be significantly shorter than the old ones too.

Kool Stop International - High Performance Bicycle Brake Pads Since 1977

Kool Stop International - High Performance Bicycle Brake Pads Since 1977

Other than that, some intensive Ebay/google searching has shown neither anything modern that will drop in, nor replacement assemblies, due to the orientation of the mounting screw.

I'll let you know about the fit and quality of the pads I ordered, it'll b e a couple of weeks before they arrive.

Have Fun with the bike, it's more complete than most.

Best Regards,

Adrian

 

[DaGasMan]

Hi @Mercian and thank you for your replies!
Isn't the Avocet saddle tragic? Ugh. Working on it. Just balancing the need with $.
Yes I have the brake pad holders and screws/nuts. I appreciate you sending that link to the ebay shoes too. They might be the right fit. I've been torn about fitting with new old stock because the pads are often so hardened they don't brake properly. I'd like to be able to ride the bike and have my nieces and nephew ride it one day, sort of safely. Hence looking for other ideas. When you get them, I'd love to know if the set you ordered fit and if they are soft enough to use. Much appreciation in advance for replying back once you get them.
View attachment 1179196

As for your question about my grandpa, source of the bike, and the red/white/blue:
My grandpa was an american pilot in the war. My dad always said they got the bike at army navy surplus later on. After reading much about this bike I believe it was probably from Sears. Dad said it was new in the box and they got it when he was about 10, give or take, so that would have been +/- 1955-ish, maybe earlier, in the new england area of the US (NY / MA area most likely) for sure. My grandpa also sailed boats and was really into nautical international signal flags. Our last name starts with "W" and he marked literally everything with the "W" signal flag. He had a flag he brought to events, to the airport to greet us, etc, that looked just like this:
View attachment 1179198
He marked his boats, his cars, his little piper plane... and I am just certain this bike too. So I'm comfortable saying the paint is very post-war in the US and related to my family history only. I'd like to reveal enough of the logo to show it's there but I definitely can't / don't have the patience to get all the paint off anyway.

Thank you again Adrian, I really appreciate your thought and effort to respond to this, and for followup later on. Looking forward to anyone else's idea about brakes as well. I realize I should have titled this thread differently, with the word "Question" in it!
-Sarah

I love this story about how your granddad painted the W marking on everything. It’s brilliant. Like an American family coat of arms . Thanks for sharing that.

 

[Mercian]

Hi @Burnsie

Just to let you know that the blocks arrived this morning, and are a perfect fit, just requiring tapping into the shoes with a hammer.

They are not rock hard, and can be compressed a little between your fingers, but are evidently harder than modern compounds. I am unable to test them out on a bike at this point, since this is a third or fourth in line project.

I hope this helps,

Best Regards,

Adrian

 

[Burnsie]

Hi @Burnsie

Just to let you know that the blocks arrived this morning, and are a perfect fit, just requiring tapping into the shoes with a hammer.

They are not rock hard, and can be compressed a little between your fingers, but are evidently harder than modern compounds. I am unable to test them out on a bike at this point, since this is a third or fourth in line project.

I hope this helps,

Best Regards,

Adrian

I'm so juiced! Thank you @Mercian ! I hopped onto ebay and purchased them immediately. Wow. A thousand thank yous for all your effort in relaying the information you did in this thread. Classy and so helpful. I'm glad you got the blocks for your bike and will post updated pics here once Stuart's grips and the brake blocks are in place. In the meantime I'm looking for a saddle too. This bike is almost rolling again!