The Sun is out...

Spokesmann

rBoTM Triple Crown
rBotM Winner
PoTM Winner
...and for the first time so was my 'new' Sun Snipe Prestige. I took it for a few miles to check everything was fitting fine and nothing rattling - well not too much. The brakes and rear mech need some very fine tuning, but apart from that all was fine. The old Brooks B5N saddle making everything relaxed and comfortable. Not much more to say other than that it is so nice to get a bike back on the road after it has been neglected and really special to get a Worksop built Sun running again (Im mainly a Carlton man!), as there don't seem to be too many of this marque riding about - at least where I live anyway! I took these pictures last night on a run through Plymouth's Central Park. Hope you like them.

PS. details of how I got hold of this bike, built up from just a frame and forks can be found here: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=257059

For Information the frame is a Carlton (Worksop) built affair, 22" in size with chromed head lugs, wrap over seat stays and finished in a lovely flamboyant orange and green. Its had new decals applied as well as getting its BB repacked. The parts are from my 'store' of bits, 27" wheels and tyres (WTs) are new. Its running a 28-tooth rear sprocket through a simple 49-tooth chainwheel and uses a Huret Svelto rear mech. The saddle - a Brooks B5N is well used but still serviceable and looks nice with the build. Mudgaurds are Bluemels Populars. Brakes are Weimann 999s, with some careful adjustments they make pretty good stoppers, although this machine will not be ridden in wet conditions. I've fitted a few period accessories to give the final look of a relaxed 1960s touring bike.

Im still looking for some 'S' nuts for the wheels, so have used Carlton 'C' nuts instead, if anyone has osme they dont want PM me!

P7040565_zps2561860c.jpg


P7040564_zps7913823d.jpg


P7040567_zps9e7c9db6.jpg
 
Wow, that's pretty cool! Shorten those cables, slam that stem, delete the mudguards and I'd say that would easily win RBOTM!
 
Very nice too!

What are s nuts? Got two old sets of wheels here that came with the Armstrong.
 
That is a top quality rebuild Mike! Love it!

I saw you kept the old YHA decal as well, a proper blast from the good ole days :)

If wheelnuts with a C are Carlton and S is Sun, what are T? I have a pile of those.
 
Jonny69":2hepwn0i said:
Wow, that's pretty cool! Shorten those cables, slam that stem, delete the mudguards and I'd say that would easily win RBOTM!

Might try it regardless! Are lack of mudguards a pre-requisite for RBOTM? I remember my 1975 Criterium winning a while ago and it had the shorty ones fitted!
 
Robbied196":3nkw4cw8 said:
That is a top quality rebuild Mike! Love it!

I saw you kept the old YHA decal as well, a proper blast from the good ole days :)

If wheelnuts with a C are Carlton and S is Sun, what are T? I have a pile of those.

Yes, part of the bike provenance I suppose.
 
Nice job, well done Spokesmann! And summers on it's way too, what more can you ask for :D


p.s. is there a RBOTM thread or something similiar? It'll be great to check out more bikes like this one.
 
Ugh, those mudguard stays need seriously shortening, I've seen them do folk a real mischief.

Roadking.
 
Early morning Sun...

Early morning Sun, out for another test ride in Central Park...

P7060575_zps8c0d25f0.jpg


P7060573_zpsab7cfa52.jpg


P7060570_zps4f26ef41.jpg


Out for another test in Central Park this morning.

The more I think about this frame Im thinking it may have been destined to be a Carlton since it carries a J prefix, which would denote 1961, which is in keeping with some of the feature on the frame such as BB oiler. SInce Sun effectively were renumbered along the lines of Carlton frames, once they were absorbed into Carlton/Raleigh this J prefix would put the frame at 1972, which some think is incorrect. Probably never know for sure. Anyway thats my theory...
 
Back
Top