My 1930's Saxon.

My great Uncle died last year. If it wasn't for his influence I don't think I would have the interest, passion or obsession with cycles and cycling.

He bought the bike in the 1940's, I'm sure he said it had been stored somewhere for ten years before it became his, that's why I'm guessing it's a 1930's bike. The re-paint that has been done is worse than awful, so it will get changed when funds allow.

It's amazing, a Simplex three speed, GB Hiduminium calipers and levers and Brooks B15 saddle that were all upgrades.

I have photo's of him with this bike touring Ireland in 1949 and also following the 1952 Tour de France. It's awesome to think that the Italian and Austrian Alps could be tackled on a bike with these gear ratio's and total weight.

The bike has more sentimental value than anything else, but when I restore it would it be wrong to have cable guides brazed on and fit more recent equipment to make it a usable bike?! It would be sad to have an unused museum piece as opposed to a bike that would make me smile with every ride

wow. that's some history right there

Of course its not wrong to modify it...

Tourers should be added to and modded!

Just not with aero/carbon fibre/record...

El Niño: So, you feel certain the Simplex 3 speed gearing was added on??

I've seen those French 3 speeds before on ebay or ebay.fr. It was a new concept to me. I like the interplanetary gears but if the shifting is good with a derailleur then alright.

I guess Fixed gears are always reversible, but it's good to try to get the bicycle in the way it came out, it's just that even a simplex derailleur that old might have parts thinking the jockey wheels that would be difficult to find. It almost looks like it has one of those round jockey wheels and it may well still be functioning.

In fact, http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/de ... ex-hs.html seems to have some reading material/illustrations related to those Simplex 3 speeds. I use to think it was a possibility the 3 speeds were done by Simplex in response to the English 3 speeds. They sold a lot of Raleighs and Rudges in France in fact. Sometimes, you can see those on sale at ebay.fr. I think Rudge had a real network there. I couldn't find the exact ad with a street address to buy a Rudge back then in France but the ad below seems to reflect they were over there.

id say restore it why would you not be able to ride it in original spec? that would put a smile on my face

I'm not sure but I think the cage on the gear is upside down. The long part should be at the bottom? This is certainly true for the Huret version of a similar gear.