[CR]Fw:Re Old Track ( Gash) Bike

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme:2004)

Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 08:16:35 -0400
From: "Alan Gosley" <gosley@accesswave.ca>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Fw:Re Old Track ( Gash) Bike


----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan Gosley"
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 11:05 AM
Subject: Old Track ( Gash) Bike


Norris said :

...but this frame is not a beater..or whatever you call a knocking-about-town bike.

In the early '60s we used to call our beaters "gash" bikes. Usually a winter fixed to put the miles on, with mudguards and underslung brake, (I never saw a track in Yorkshire other than grass at the York Rally) a bike you wouldn't worry about throwing down the road when you came upon a well treed downhill with black ice on a winter club run.

My Gash bike that I bought in '63 or '64 for 5 bob in York, is an old Claud Butler track , I thought it was '40s or '50s vintage but never knew exactly how old it was until joining the bike list and seeing John Crump's '37. I'm open to suggestions as to actual year. Mine has the identical lug work but instead of spearpoint seat stays mine has concave caps with a hole. it also has a welded seat brace support, the forks I had chromed in the '70s, I always thought were later vintage, but maybe not ? It came with a Chater Lea chainset, drop titan stem with alloy track bars, & Mansfield sprint saddle with alloy frame, no wheels! I remember riding home with it over my shoulder when I was 12 or so ! I did have a set of L/F Chaters on Weinmanns for it, that I don't seem to be able to find now !

Any guesses as to actual year?

There seems to be two sets of numbers on the bb, one set raised & close together 650 or maybe 850, the second set stamped 1285 or 9 ( hard to see, as the frame was painted with bath tub paint back in the '70s ! )

Also, my dad used to have a Bates BAR I believe the serial # was14213 if anyone out there has it I would be interested to know, I have photos of it in battle, I believe it had copper plated ends .

Cheers from frosty Nova Scotia (home of Keith's beer, not exactly Black Sheep Ale! )

Alan Gosley

ps Tan Hill, England's highest pub used to be a popular club run , I agree with Joe:

"Beer and Bikes like it or not are forever linked."