My Carlton 'Fixie'

Old Ned

Old School Grand Master
I've now managed to get this into a (more or less) finished condition and thought I'd let you see it. It's the first fixed wheel bike I've had for years so I hope I can manage to ride it without forgetting I can't freewheel!

I'm not sure what model it is but the lugs look like 'Flyer' ones and the style of track ends seem to indicate an early 70's date. I can't find a number - yet!

I got the frame earlier this year along with the back wheel. A job-lot of sprockets from Legrandfromage helped it along and a couple of NOS chainrings from the CTC Forum was a great help. The main concern was getting the chainline right as I haven't got a track chainset but I've managed to get it pretty good with some 105's on a 107 BB using the inner ring position.

Most of the other fittings come from the 'stock' in my shed drawers and are a bit of a mix of old and modern(ish). Hopefully I can back date them sometime. The front wheel especially is to modern but I don't have a nutted one which isn't a problem riding on the road. I can always put one of my 'period' ones in if I'm showing it.

I'm having a slight problem getting a front brake shallow enough to work well. You can see that the blocks only just hit the braking surface on the wheel. Even the Weinmann 500 I've fitted is to deep. The only stirrup I have that is shallow enough is a Dia-Compe Aero one - but that's allen-key fitting so no good. I may have to file the slots on the 500 to allow the blocks to go a bit higher.
 

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Old Ned":ta7eqfd4 said:
I DEFINITELY don't want it to be hipster!! :shock: ;)

Nope, you didn't strike me as the type to have an arm full of tattoos and wear ladies jeans (unlike well known Hereford fakenger Ed 'NYC' Edwards).

On closer inspection looks an interesting frame. Is it a track frame with a road fork?
 
John":19o3h3wg said:
Old Ned":19o3h3wg said:
I DEFINITELY don't want it to be hipster!! :shock: ;)

Nope, you didn't strike me as the type to have an arm full of tattoos and wear ladies jeans (unlike well known Hereford fakenger Ed 'NYC' Edwards).

Suddenly things are slotting into place...

That Carlton looks really clean... Just ripe for some gold luglining... (Ignore me, I am obsessed with Jps team colours!)
 
John":3d0gym1z said:
Old Ned":3d0gym1z said:
I DEFINITELY don't want it to be hipster!! :shock: ;)

Nope, you didn't strike me as the type to have an arm full of tattoos and wear ladies jeans (unlike well known Hereford fakenger Ed 'NYC' Edwards).

On closer inspection looks an interesting frame. Is it a track frame with a road fork?

Why stop at jeans, my wife has a very full wardrobe................. :shock: ;)

I think it's a Road/Path model, the fork drilling looks factory done.

But it is very shallow.
 
Very nice!

I was going to suggest a Dia Compe aero brake...

I don't know how feasible it is and I have not tried it myself but I have read a suggestion to use a nut on recess brakes up in the middle of the fork (I hope that makes sense).

Alternatively drill the fork out with a 10mm bit (not as bad as it sounds).
 
Just to bring this up to date :)

I bought the bike from Old Ned and after tooling around the village decided that it such a nice frame needed a bit of TLC.

Back in the day we sold Carlton Track frames and looking at the geometry, threaded seat post and lugs I thought it matched what we sold in the 70's. Back then Carltons were dripping with Chrome and the last Flyer frame we had was all chrome. This frame was black as a black thing.

Stripped a fork blade and under the black / blue / white was nickel and chrome.....

vclt5.jpg


Stripped some more and the whole frame seems to be chromed, well it was but mostly nickel / chrome. The fork blade number was obliterated but the BB number is F8900. Searches say late 50's but they repeated the numbers in the 70's so I'll plump for 1971 :)

I'll post a few more pics tomorrow but might just have to re-chrome the frame :)

Shaun
 
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