[CR] F.C Parkes frame

(Example: Racing)

Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:56:47 -0800
From: "Norris Lockley" <norris.lockley@yahoo.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR] F.C Parkes frame


This Birmingham, or perhaps Coventry-based company had a very good reputaio n for building reliable lightweights, and produced some very respectable to p-of-the range frames until some time in the 50s/60s when they were taken u nder the SUN brand which in turn became part of TI-Raleigh.

The Ebay frame must be from the 30s, at a time when very many sporting ligh tweights would use Resilion cantilever brakes. When these were not fitted i t was quite normal to build at least one wheel, usually the back one with a hub brake. The bracket on the L/H chainstay is to provide a fixing point f or the security arm on the hub..not for a back-pedal brake.

I can't ever recall seeing such a brake in the UK in the 40s/50s/60s..proba bly not until someone started importing those 20inch wheeled folding bikes, called ROG, form Yugoslavia or Poland or somewhere in the 70s

Norris Lockley....Settle UK