Identifying Viking bike

I have acquired an old Viking frame - I'd love to know the age (approx.) and the model.
The rear dropouts are spaced at 115mm.
It is built with Reynolds 531 Butted tubing
It has a sticker "Supplied by The Lightweight Shop Ipswich"
Has anyone of heard of The Lightweight Shop in Ipswich - during what years was it open ?
There is a serial number on the near side rear dropout 5 84 R
I'd be very pleased to know any information that anyone can provide.
Thank you !
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/files/viking1_898.jpg
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/files/viking2_914.jpg

Try here - lots of info. There's also an SWB in identical colours in Classiclightweights.

http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/ ... Viking.htm

I've been told by a very knowledgeable guy, that my Viking could be a very early Severn Valley or more likely a Viking Master Series SS model. He is certain that it is is pre-1953.

Does anyone know anything about the Viking Master Series SS model ? (Please no sarky comments about the model name).

I bought a Viking Severn Valley (or to be more accurate, my father bought for me) from Geoff Mercer (I think that was his name) at The Lightweight Shop Ipswich in 1965 0r 66. That would have been right at the end of Viking's Wolverhampton production I guess. As I recall the shop was off to the south of the main street in the Buttermarket/ Tackett Street area.

I left Ipswich in 1968 to go to university, so my knowledge of the place is a bit limited. The bike was stolen at university and I wasn't able to replace it until 1979 when I bought a Viking Vision - one of the Irish built ones. I still ride this machine on high days and holidays and very good it is too. (That one is my modern bike!)

I often look out for Vikings, which were a very popular and well-respected marque at the time. Perhaps in the attempt to recapture (long) lost youth I would love to get hold of a Wolverhampton built Viking.

Just found this with Google:

I bought a Dawes cycle, and later traded it on a Claud Butler. Next came a Hollingsworth and then, the most remarkable cycle I ever owned, a Paris Galibier.

This was certainly one of the most distinctive of bicycle designs. The Galibier had been designed by Harry Rensch. He began making the Paris marque cycles around 1936. The prototype Galibier was made during the war years but the cycle did not appear on the market until after the Second World War was over.

I purchased mine around 1947 from Geoff Mercer who operated The Lightweight Shop in Ipswich, Suffolk. Mercer, I am told, now lives retired in Australia.

From:
http://www.countyweeklynews.ca/ArticleD ... spx?e=3492


Ken Nicholls (who was local secretary of the Ipswich CTC in my day and still is!) mentions the shop here:
http://www.wolseyroadclub.co.uk/Newslet ... 0news.html

Interesting!

Does the 115mm OLN mean its for hub gears or could you get deralier geared hubs for that narrow a spacing back then

You Retro roadies are proper oldschool with your bikes that go back to the 50's and beyond, keep up the good work

Hi, I have just got my hands on a very old looking Viking, has a sticker 'Rambler' on the top tube, the frame looks exactly like yours, except a different color, I can't find any Viking Rambler online anywhere. I was going to strip it down and turn it into a singlespeed or fixed wheel road bike, but it is a complete original, so not sure what to do!! would be great to know how hold this bike is

pm sent

Hi, here are a few photos of her... cheers!!!

Fascinating info on Reg Davies there.
J.