[CR]Track Bike with San Marco rare "swallow-type" saddle

(Example: Books:Ron Kitching)

From: "Norris Lockley" <norris@norrislockley.wanadoo.co.uk>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2006 01:34:43 -0000
Subject: [CR]Track Bike with San Marco rare "swallow-type" saddle

I write to commiserate with Tam Pham about his missing track frame, but Tam should be pleased to learn that the frame wasn't a 1941 Claud Butler Internatiional Path model.

I'm not sure what it was..it was 50s onwards judging by the rear drop-outs, but those odd lugs dont sem to fit any "CB" that I have seen, although I have seen plenty of them on Sun. Parkes, and Carlton frames.

I have an early 40s CB International Path frame, but this one has cast, not pressed lugs, and, curiously, does not have round-to-round fork blades, but "D" section ones. The head angle is quite fearsome, being all of 75 degrees I reckon.

On the same Ebay advert, where the page gives details of similar frames for sale, I noticed that there was a Viking track frame listed. That one too wasn't a Viking, unless it was a "special" built for some top rider of other. It had Nervex Pro Mk1 lugs, apparently very well finished with the file, but the top eyes were of a very individual style, with waht appeared to be grooves filed at a 45 degree angle to the top-eye itself. I have only seen this treatment once before and that was on a frame I own which was identified by Hilary (I think) in the V-CC's "News and VIews" magazine as a Holdsworth Path from the late 40s early 50s. The "Vuiking" didn't make its relatively low Reserve price, but would have fetched better bids as a Holdsworth.

I think that someone somewhere...Michael, are you reading this?..should catalogue up all these notable top-eye features.

Norris Lockley..Settle Uk