Gallery – dated Carpenters | www.carpenterbikes.com

John Gill, the Carpenter Marque Enthusiast for the V-CC, maintains the authoritative register of Carpenter bikes, as well as compiling the wealth of information which formed the basis for his very informative section on Peter Underwood’s site www.classiclightweights.co.uk . This gallery gives more details on some of the Carpenter bikes in our collections, owned by contacts we have made, and spotted for sale. If you want to add another, or more details on one already included, contact us on petersbed(at)aol.com

The frames have been dated by their frame number – in a very few cases dated receipts are available, others are done by interpolating between these known instances, so will just be approximations +/- a year or two. Williams and Sturmey Archer component dating is helpful where it’s original.

Carpenters of unknown frame number are shown in a separate gallery on a different page – see the tab above.

Carpenter bikes (PSB=Peter/Sonia/Paul Bedingfield, JJJB=John/Janet/Joe B).

Road: Forward facing rear dropouts. Wider dropout spacing after 1950s.
TT: Usually forward facing rear dropouts, single fixed then later, spaced for gears
Track: Upright geometry, rear facing dropouts, single gear, no drilling for rear brake, no need for mudguard clearances.
others; Tourers, tandems, ‘ladies’ framed’ bikes. Trikes if there are any?

… but of course most club riders’ bikes were built to cope with a range of uses.

1920’s

’29 #1949, Super Clubman Road/TT Fixed (PSB)

1930’s

’33 #2621 Road frame (Steve Broughton)
’34 #2748 Tandem Cyclo (Joshua Langley)
’34 #2805 Road SA 3sp (Martin Wikner)
’35 #2948 Road/TT frame (auction)
’35 #3021 Road/TT
’36 #3060, Clubman Road/TT Fixed (John Goldsmith)
’36 #3115, DP TT/Track Fixed (PSB)
’36 #3138, Road/TT (Ted Bather)
’36 #3228 Road/TT frame (Huw Evans)
’37 #3257, Ace Continental Road 1×3 (PSB)
’37 #3388, Clubman (?) Road/TT Fixed (Steve Harding)
’38 #3540 Road/TT frame (Terry K)
’39 #3642 Ace Continental Road
’39 #3680 USW Tandem Tandem (Graham Nevett)
’39 #3693, Supalite Tandem Tandem Fixed. (PSB)

1940’s

’46 #3756, Road 1×3 (Ian Bull)
’46 #3860 Tandem (Pete Davy)
’46 #3862 Road (Peter Wilkey)
‘c39? #4002, ladies Club Girl Tourer SA3 (Lorna Wray)
’46 #4006 Road/TT Fixed (Louay Robinson)
’47 #4041 Road frameset
’47 #4104 Tourer 2×6 (Diane Dobson)
’47 #4140 Road/TT Fixed (Mick Bradban)
’47 #4146, SA Speed Ace Road/TT SA3 (PSB) ex.Jack Manning
’48 #4215, Grand Prix Path Track Fixed (P Wagg) exJack Manning
’48 #4216, Super Clubman Road/TT Fixed (JJJB)
’48 #4220 Road (Clive Griffiths)
’48 #4240 Road frame (Paul Taylor)
’49 #4293 Road/TT Fixed (Peter Goodbun)
’49 #4296, Supalite Special Road/TT Fixed (PSB)
’49 #4306 Clubman Road/TT Fixed
’49 #4309 Road frame (eBay May ’24 – ‘remote_recordings’)

1950’s

’50 #4474 Road/Path Road/TT. Fixed. (PSB)
(ex- Neil Fisher, Dave Lidyard, Richard Deayton)
’50 #4487 Clubman Road/TT. Fixed (Ray Miller)
’50 #4494 Road frameset (Steve Ball)
’50 #4510 Clubman Road/TT Fixed (eBay 9/2019)
’51 #4571, SA Speed Ace Road/TT SA3 (John Goddard)
’51 #4614, Ladies Tourer 1×5 (Sharron von Tutschek)
’52 #4649 Road 1×5 (Ian Bull)
’52 #4658 Road/TT Fixed (Ian Bull)
’52 #4718 Super Clubman Road 1×5 (Greg Folwell)
’53 #4756 Road 2×5 (Dave Buckingham)
’53 #4766 Road 2×5 (Mark Powell)
’53 #4775 Road (frameset)
’53 #4791 Road frameset (Andrew Jones, Sydney)
’54 #4806, Grand Prix Path Track (Mark Campion)
’54 #4808, Ladies Tourer
’54 #4809 Road frame (Tim Kitchenside)
’54 #4830 Clubman Road SA4 (Goldenage Cycles)
’54 #4835 Tourer
’54 #4845 Road 2×5 (Celia Jenkins)
’55 #4871 Road 2×5 (John Whiffen)
’55 #4875 Road/TT
’55 #4893, Olympic Pursuit TT/Track Fixed (Les Lazell)
’56 #4908, Olympic Pursuit TT/Track Fixed (PSB) ex.Tony Hunt
’56 #4921, Super Clubman Road 2×5 (PSB)
’56 #4922, Super Clubman Road/TT 2×5 (Don Green)
’56 #4933 Road 2×5
’56 #4962, Lightweight Tourer. Tourer 2×5. (Matthew Line)
’56 #4971 Track Fixed (Scott Hitchings)
’56 #5000, Lightweight Tourer Tourer 2x3xSA4 (PSB)
’56 #5002 Road frameset
’57 #5005 Road 2×5 (Brian Wright)
’57 #5007 Olympic Pursuit Track (SA hub) (Trevor Bailey)
’57 #5012, Olympic Massed Start Road 2×5 (PSB)
’57 #5030, Lightweight Tourer Tourer 1×5 (Gil Carter)
’57 #5035, Olympic Pursuit Road/Track Fixed (Rod Boot)
’58 #5045, Olympic Massed Start. Road 2×5 (PSB) (ex-Dave Lidyard,Richard Deayton)
’58 #5047, Road/Path Road/Track. Single free/fixed. (eBay)
’58 #5071, Olympic Pursuit Track(Pursuit)Fixed (PSB)
’58 #5085, Olympic Massed Start? Road 1×4 (“WyvernRH”)
’58 #5123, DP Road/Track Fixed (Paul Duchene)
’58 #5133 Road 5sp frame(Chris Pope)
’58 #5146 Road Geared (Ian Berry)
’59 #5169 Road 2 x 5 (David Buckingham)
’59 #5171, Olympic Pursuit Track(Pursuit)Fixed
’59 #5172 Track Fixed. (eBay – ekroberts)
’59 #5189 Road
’59 #5191 Road 2×5 (John Whiffen)
’59 #5201, Road 3×5 (Pete Kennish)
’59 #5203 Road (Barry Adams)
’59 #5223 Road frame (Eddy Fawdry)
’59 #5239 Road Fixed (John Bitten)
’59 #5241 TT/Grass Track (eBay)
’59 #5242 Road Frameset (eBay)
’59 #5252, Clubman Road 1×5 (Peter Evans) ex.Bill Wates EGCC.
’59 #59-3064, Olympic Massed Start Road 2×5 (Richard Restrick)

1960’s

’60 #5279, Lightweight Tourer, Tourer (Ian Bull) ex Bill Inder
’61 #5340 Olympic MS Road 2 x 5sp (Alan Percival)
’61 #5344 Olympic MS Road 2 x 5sp (Gerry Raymond-Barker)
’62 #5371 Road/TT Fixed (Jean-Paul Burch)
’62 #5376 Road frame (Barry Adams)
’62 #5397 Olympic Massed Start Road frameset (eBay)
’62 #5406 Road frame (David Buckingham)
’63 #5418 Road (Paul Ayers)
’63 #5421 Road 2×5 (Ian Bull)
’63 #5422 Road (Graham Mullender)
’63 #5425 Road 1×5 (Ian Murray)
’63 #5431 Track/TT frameset (eBay 8/5/24)
’63 #5435, Olympic Massed Start Road 1×5 (Simon Levy)
’64 #5441 TT/Road (Len Lawson)
’64 #5444, Olympic Pursuit Track Fixed (Richard Williamson)
’64 #5457 Clubman Tourer SA FC 4speed. (owner unknown)
’64 #5462, Super Clubman Road frameset (Simon Levy)
’64 #5479, Super Clubman Road 2×5 (JJJB)
’65 #5511 Road SA
’65 #5521 Road frameset (eBay)
’65 #5540 Road 2×5
’65 #5545 Road frameset (Herczeg Gábor, Hungary)

1970s
’70? #5767, Olympic Pursuit Track Fixed (PSB)
’72?#7274 Capes ‘Carpenter Olympic’Road 2×5 (Woody Peard)

Preserve or restore? PSB/JJJB policies are thus:

- Our bikes are used and enjoyed, not preciously buffed for showing.
- Where the paintwork is original and still protecting the steel, we just clean and touch in where necessary – especially if the bike has a known history.
- Where the bike has poor enamel or chrome, particularly if it has been restored in the past, we are more likely to re-chrome, re-enamel, then start the long job of enthusiastically ‘re-patinating’ them.
- Components fitted are preferably original if still serviceable, as original or at least appropriate to the bike and, unless stated otherwise, period correct using Carpenter’s catalogues for guidance. In reality bikes were custom built to order, then constantly ‘updated’ with new bits over a 10 or even 20 year competitive life as things like chains, chainrings & pedals, wore out or new fashions emerged. Some of our builds reflect this. For example #4921 has a ’55 frame, early ’60s bars and mechs, saddle, ’60s wheels, chainset and b/b, ’70s pedals & brakes.
- We use modern tyres and tubs. What a godsend that ‘Continental 27″/700c remains the most common rim size after 80+ years! We sometimes switch wheels between bikes to suit the event in hand.
- We use period correct chains where we can, sometimes having to resort to new ones. Another godsend – the half-inch pitch chain is still current. (Note: some of our older track bikes have inch-pitch transmission, block or roller chains).
- Once a bike is back in rideable condition, we make every effort to ensure that it is used at least annually in its design mode – track, TT, road, touring, etc.