Pedalling for Palestine, June 2024

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The bike

In previous years, I've ridden a road bike (2021), a tandem (2022) and a recumbent trike (2023). This year, I intend to use a bike based on an ancient handbuilt Evelyn Hamilton* frame given to me by Mick O'Meara, a clubmate in Surrey St Christopher's CCC in 1963.

The build

The challenge to bringing it back to life was that the threads in the bottom bracket had become badly mangled, so I thought it was irreparable. You can see the welding where the bottom bracket had been repaired some years ago. Then I found out about threadless bottom brackets which overcome this problem.

So, having acquired one, I fitted it to the frame - it went in very nicely.

Next, the 32t wide/narrow chain ring and cranks

I have built it up with Campag wheels from my late brother Chris - a considerable upgrade on anything I'd have bought!

I fitted modern Shimano CUES transmission - one by nine gears - 32t chain wheel, 11t to 46t rear cogs, which give me a nice gear range.

Cog size Gear (inches)

11 80.0

13 67.7

15 58.7

17 51.8

20 244.0

23 38.3

28 31.4

36 24.4

46 19.1

Cog size		Gear (inches)
11		80.0
13		67.7
15		58.7
17		51.8
20		244.0
23		38.3
28		31.4
36		24.4
46		19.1

It was in need of a repaint, so I took it to bits again!

After a wire-brushing, the frame had three coats of silver Hammerite paint - Wickes didn't have any gold in stock :-(

When it was reassembled, there was a problem with the gears - watch the video (opens in new tab)

Gear problem

I realised the problem was that I had overtightened the bolt on the lower jockey wheel - loosening it sorted out the issue :-)

So, I am very happy that the bike is nice and light - 10.5 kg, compared to the 13.6 kg of my other road bike, 24 kg of the tandem and 25 kg of the recumbent, and so I should be able to go faster!

1/04/24

While out riding I noticed a knock/clunk at pedalling frequency. I identified the source - it's the bottom bracket coming loose. I removed the cranks and tightened it up - awkward, as you really need a bottom bracket tool for each side and I only have one! Then I realised that the bearing itself is very rough as you turn the spindle, so I have ordered a replacement - and a second bottom bracket tool.

Recently I replaced the handlebars, brake levers and handlebar stem, in order to have a shorter stem - I want a more relaxed upright position. However, I don't like the extra levers on the brake levers, so today swapped them back for the previous levers, and re-did the bar tape while I was about it.

30/04/24

My new threadless bottom bracket from St Johns Street Cycles arrived today, along with a new bottom bracket tool so I can make sure I'm actually tightening up the assembly, not just turning it around in the bottom backet shell. All fitted this evening, so the bike is back on the road ;-)

04/05/24

I wanted to have quite a lot of things on the handlebars - bell, cycle speedometer, front light, phone holder - essential for navigation! - and finally, the Very Loud Horn for Bad Drivers. I also wanted to be able to hold the top of the bars! So I repurposed some of extractor fan box section rectangular plastic tubing - the horn is inside, phone on top, light on the side, with the bike computer on the bars and the bell on the stem. I now have plenty of room on the top of the bars ;-).

It's two days before I set off, so I have given the bike a clean and lubed the chain. The pics show the miniscule clearance at the front - the shiny stainless steel forks are not the originals. (These were fatally damaged when I was on a bike tour of Ireland in 1965 - I was taking off a jumper while riding along, and a sleeve caught in the front wheel. I found myself balancing briefly on the front wheel, and the forks bent dramatically. We turned them 180 degrees so the front wheel cleared the frame. Ultra short wheelbase - very twitchy geometry!). So I have extended the slots on the brake arms so that the brake blocks sit hgher. At the rear, the opposite problem applies - I could do with extra long arm brakes, but as only short arm ones were available, I made an extension from an old crank. This arrangement works fine!

Next two pictures show the 32t narrow/wide chainwheel, and 11 - 46t cassette and rear mech. This works really well, without indexing, just the lever on the down tube. I find that while riding on the flat, I'm in the 7th or 8th gear (59 or 68 inches), with plenty of low gears for the hills!

Overall, I am pretty pleased with the bike - it is ready to roll, & so, I think, am I!
There's more bike pics/info on Day 5)

01/06/24

The JustGiving page is here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/tim-devereux-map

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(* I was fascinated to learn more about Evelyn Hamilton, who ran a bike shop with her husband in Streatham, London. From the thirties to the early fifties, she broke many distance records; she may or may not have been a member of the French Resistance!!!)