Comments on: Hobbs of Barbican: The Strength is in the Spine http://www.ebykr.com/2005/12/hobbs-of-barbican/ Bicycle Artistry Sun, 20 Jun 2010 07:16:28 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Derek Hagar http://www.ebykr.com/2005/12/hobbs-of-barbican/comment-page-1/#comment-160280 Derek Hagar Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:40:32 +0000 http://www.ebykr.com/?p=40#comment-160280 itoo have been trying to track Mervyn Cook as I have a 1930s(?) Hobbs frame #326. Legend has this cycle was used to set the 50 mile record . Can anyone help or is it of any interest to anyone? From what I believe this makes it one of the oldest ( and possibly tidiest ) around. Please feel free to e-mail me if you would like more info or pics, or if you can steer Melvyn or anyone else interested in it. I am unsure what exactly to do with it at the moment. itoo have been trying to track Mervyn Cook as I have a 1930s(?) Hobbs frame #326. Legend has this cycle was used to set the 50 mile record . Can anyone help or is it of any interest to anyone? From what I believe this makes it one of the oldest ( and possibly tidiest ) around. Please feel free to e-mail me if you would like more info or pics, or if you can steer Melvyn or anyone else interested in it. I am unsure what exactly to do with it at the moment.

]]> By: Neil http://www.ebykr.com/2005/12/hobbs-of-barbican/comment-page-1/#comment-159935 Neil Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:26:42 +0000 http://www.ebykr.com/?p=40#comment-159935 Hi. The Hobbs bicycle is mentioned in a song by a band called The Buff Medways. The track is called "Medway Wheelers" , which I believe was a cycling club around in the 30s - 40s On youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOo7DepCd9w .... cycling on a Hobbs Supreme, light weight, made to measure fixed wheel ???? crossbar .. ???? can't make out this word.. I'm not a cycling buff but I think it's a great song Hi.

The Hobbs bicycle is mentioned in a song by a band called The Buff Medways. The track is called “Medway Wheelers” , which I believe was a cycling club around in the 30s – 40s
On youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOo7DepCd9w

…. cycling on a Hobbs Supreme, light weight, made to measure fixed wheel ???? crossbar ..
???? can’t make out this word..
I’m not a cycling buff but I think it’s a great song

]]> By: joe morrow http://www.ebykr.com/2005/12/hobbs-of-barbican/comment-page-1/#comment-155065 joe morrow Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:49:04 +0000 http://www.ebykr.com/?p=40#comment-155065 I have in my possession a Hobbs Superbe model tandem with quite fancy lugwork. I have owned this machine since about 1954. The lugwork is idntical to the Blue Riband type. I bought the tandem scond hand from A F Mills cycles (owner Sid Batham). The story was that this was Hobbs own tandem but I have no evdence of this. It did have 27in. bamboo sprints with it but the original wheels were 26in. steels with hp tyres. The tandem was equipped with a Cyclo 4 speed eighth in. chains. It now has 27in. srints with tubular tyres, Weinmann side pull brakes and 60 tooth driving chainwheel. I had the frame re-enamelled round about 1980 but has been little used since then. In the restoring process the original head badge was lost so I had a stick on type made up with the original Hobbs scroll. The tandem was extensively raced in the 50's & 60's both on the road in time trials and on the track(mainly Herne Hill. the numbers on the front bottom bracket are as best as I can tell are 3-643. I have been trying to contact mervyn cook with no success to find out any further info. I have a photo of it in racing action but am unable at moment to attach it. look forward to your response Cheers Joe I have in my possession a Hobbs Superbe model tandem with quite fancy
lugwork. I have owned this machine since about 1954. The lugwork is
idntical to the Blue Riband type. I bought the tandem scond hand from A
F Mills cycles (owner Sid Batham). The story was that this was Hobbs own
tandem but I have no evdence of this. It did have 27in. bamboo sprints
with it but the original wheels were 26in. steels with hp tyres. The
tandem was equipped with a Cyclo 4 speed eighth in. chains. It now has
27in. srints with tubular tyres, Weinmann side pull brakes and 60 tooth
driving chainwheel. I had the frame re-enamelled round about 1980 but
has been little used since then. In the restoring process the original
head badge was lost so I had a stick on type made up with the original
Hobbs scroll. The tandem was extensively raced in the 50′s & 60′s both
on the road in time trials and on the track(mainly Herne Hill. the
numbers on the front bottom bracket are as best as I can tell are
3-643. I have been trying to contact mervyn cook with no success to find out any further info. I have a photo of it in racing action but am unable at moment to attach it. look forward to your response
Cheers Joe

]]> By: Alan http://www.ebykr.com/2005/12/hobbs-of-barbican/comment-page-1/#comment-152456 Alan Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:26:28 +0000 http://www.ebykr.com/?p=40#comment-152456 As a new owner of a 1950 Superbe tandem frame I'm delighted to find your pix, which will help with my rebuild/restoration project. Can you put me in touch with the owner of this tandem, who I guess is in the USA (I'm in the UK)? Or any other Hobbs tandem owners? BTW I also own a solo Hobbs frameset, and rode many miles on a Hobbs as a teenager. As a new owner of a 1950 Superbe tandem frame I’m delighted to find your pix, which will help with my rebuild/restoration project. Can you put me in touch with the owner of this tandem, who I guess is in the USA (I’m in the UK)? Or any other Hobbs tandem owners?

BTW I also own a solo Hobbs frameset, and rode many miles on a Hobbs as a teenager.

]]> By: Eric Anschutz http://www.ebykr.com/2005/12/hobbs-of-barbican/comment-page-1/#comment-73 Eric Anschutz Fri, 28 Apr 2006 15:28:19 +0000 http://www.ebykr.com/?p=40#comment-73 Hello Timm, Sounds like a wonderful pair of Hobbs you have there. Thanks for rescuing them and sharing a bit of their past with us. We would happily add photos of these bicycles when available, either here in this Hobbs article or a separate Tech Specs feature. Kind regards, Eric Hello Timm,

Sounds like a wonderful pair of Hobbs you have there. Thanks for rescuing them and sharing a bit of their past with us. We would happily add photos of these bicycles when available, either here in this Hobbs article or a separate Tech Specs feature.

Kind regards,
Eric

]]> By: Timm Frenzel http://www.ebykr.com/2005/12/hobbs-of-barbican/comment-page-1/#comment-72 Timm Frenzel Wed, 26 Apr 2006 11:37:29 +0000 http://www.ebykr.com/?p=40#comment-72 Hello! Congratulations on a nice, informative Hobbs website which I have per chance just come across. I own 2 Hobbs, one a lugless Jan 1947 model, presumably a raceweight or sportweight, Mervyn Cook of the VCC cannot determine quite definitely which model it is. Mz next door neighbour gave it to me about 6 years ago, it was in a poor state, but I managed to restore it to its former glory. It is black with white panels and red script on the downtube, and it has feather lining. I ride it on 80" fixed gear, with an original double-fluted BSA crankset, which at that time was regarded as "the bee's knees." I even found an original 1948 GB handlebar in original wrapping and packing, which is now fitted to a chrome plated GB stem. The wheels (I built myself) feature Conloy rims on LF Racelite hubs. And it still has its original Brooks 57 saddle! It all looks rather nice. Once I got an electronic photo, I will send it to you. The second is an Oct 1950 "Savernake" model, which has not been mentioned in your website at all. The name "Savernake" is borrowed from an ancient forest in the south of England. It is in need of restauration, unfortunately Lytaloy components are now impossible to get hold off, "rarer than hens' gold teeth", as we say here in GB. Currently it features v. early Campagnolo gears, but of course they are not right for the period. Once the weather is warmer, I will strip down all the paint (tatty, hand-applied by a previous owner), and repaint it properly with primer undercoat and quality lacquer, applied with a special quality brush. It is going to be Brunswick green (dark British Racing Green) with light green panels and red "Hobbs of Barbican" script transfers on the down tube. Greetings and best regards. Don't fall off. Timm F Hello!
Congratulations on a nice, informative Hobbs website which I have per chance just come across.

I own 2 Hobbs, one a lugless Jan 1947 model, presumably a raceweight or sportweight, Mervyn Cook of the VCC cannot determine quite definitely which model it is. Mz next door neighbour gave it to me about 6 years ago, it was in a poor state, but I managed to restore it to its former glory. It is black with white panels and red script on the downtube, and it has feather lining. I ride it on 80″ fixed gear, with an original double-fluted BSA crankset, which at that time was regarded as “the bee’s knees.” I even found an original 1948 GB handlebar in original wrapping and packing, which is now fitted to a chrome plated GB stem. The wheels (I built myself) feature Conloy rims on LF Racelite hubs. And it still has its original Brooks 57 saddle! It all looks rather nice. Once I got an electronic photo, I will send it to you.

The second is an Oct 1950 “Savernake” model, which has not been mentioned in your website at all. The name “Savernake” is borrowed from an ancient forest in the south of England. It is in need of restauration, unfortunately Lytaloy components are now impossible to get hold off, “rarer than hens’ gold teeth”, as we say here in GB. Currently it features v. early Campagnolo gears, but of course they are not right for the period.
Once the weather is warmer, I will strip down all the paint (tatty, hand-applied by a previous owner), and repaint it properly with primer undercoat and quality lacquer, applied with a special quality brush. It is going to be Brunswick green (dark British Racing Green) with light green panels and red “Hobbs of Barbican” script transfers on the down tube.
Greetings and best regards. Don’t fall off.
Timm F

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