Mystery Bicycle Help

[frances1966]

Hi Does anyone have an idea what this bike might be?
Serial number seems to be SW16 4 UZ154 just above this number is an upside down 744 (hard to see in photo) The lugs are a little like a Gillot Fleur de Lis - but not quite close enough. It seems to be really well made and is light, I think it might be 1950s.
Cheers
Frances

 

[Midlife]

SW16 4JZ is likely the post code and 154 the house number........The frame is a bit before my era but something rings a bell.

Shaun

 

[frances1966]

Thanks that's very interesting. Perhaps if the owner was in in South London then it came from a South London builder. The post code is Norbury nr Croydon.

 

[OldTel]

Hi, I can't give an answer, but a possible area to research would be Youngs of Lewisham ( South London shop ) they did a model called 'Trophy'. There is one on the classic lightweight site ( similar but not quite, but similar enough ) http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/bu ... lders.html, your bike looks early fifties, so if they did this model in the fifties, the earlier ones may of been slightly different. Just a thought. Terry

 

[keithglos]

Certainly looks early 1950s. Long rake fork, probably 73 x 71. Those Brampton headsets were terrible. very poor design.
The seat cluster looks later.
Keith

 

[Midlife]

Does it have an oil / grease port on the bottom bracket? As Keithglos says the seat cluster does look 60's ish

Shaun

 

[frances1966]

Thanks very much for your help, I will definitely looking in Youngs of Lewisham, the lugs on the one on Classic Lightweights do look quite close.
I think the bike is probably early/mid 50s, it does have a grease port on the bottom bracket. The seat cluster is quite similar to my 1954 Mercian.