Reason Number 2 for Purchasing Philbert, the 1961 Phillips 3 Speed

OK folks – here’s reason number 2 for purchasing Philbert: 

Philbert has almost everything wrong that you would typically find with an older, used bike that you plan I riding on a regular basis, and I plan to go through each problem step by step so you, my dear reader, can make an informed decision.

Here’s a rundown of Philbert’s foibles:

Old Technology

Let’s face it rod brakes, although still used on new bikes in other countries, are heavy and not really that effective; especially when compared to other brake designs such as caliper, linear pull (V and canti) and disc brakes.

They also require the use of Westwood rims, which are especially made for rod brakes, since the brake pad contact surface is on the inside of the rim near the spokes instead of on the side of the rim near the tire, as used in caliper and linear brake designs.

Not only are parts for rod brakes heavy, the rims are difficult to find and there’s no selection.  But, if you want a heavy chrome rim without eyelets made in China that's hard to keep true with daily use, you’re in luck.  Forget about light double wall constructed rims made of more exotic materials like aluminum.

In case you’re wondering how rod brakes work on nice shiny chrome rims, they don’t.  In Portland during the summer dry season, meh; in wet weather, not so good.  Stopping when going downhill in wet weather...well, I hope your life insurance policy is current.

  

But despite their faults, I love the look of rod brakes.  Rod brakes add to the retro mystique with all the chrome bits and levers.  They look steampunk in a way.  That being said, there’s a lot of chrome parts that need to be replaced or re-plated on Philbert.

Anything with a bearing will need to be overhauled and repacked

I haven’t opened up the headset, bottom bracket, pedals and hubs, but let’s just say they’re a bit “crunchy”.  Hopefully the races aren't too pitted.

The paint is shot

The bike will need a complete repaint and new decal set, unless you’re into the whole patina look, which I’m not.  Let’s face it, Philbert has no  monetary or historical value, even though it’s 53 years old.

In my mind, patina should be reserved for museum pieces and other rarities.

Phillips cranked out bikes like Philbert by the thousands every year they were in business, so to leave a bike in this condition and call it patina, is like leaving a 1961 Ford Thunderbird with rusted quarter panels, sagging doors, missing trim and a ratty interior untouched and calling it “patina.”  Most people would think you were out of your mind, including me.  

  

The seat looks like a medieval torture device.  The pictures speak for themselves

I'm going to see if it can be put use as an actual seat but time will tell.

The wheels are shot and need a complete rebuild

That's a stick on the left side of the top tube not a random part of the bike.  I did a double take myself when I saw the photo 

At least the rims, although rusty in some areas, are the originals manufactured by Dunlop, and are fairly straight.  The tires are not original and dry rotted, so there’s no reason to bother with them.  I’ll replace the tubes as well.

The Sturmey Archer AW 3 speed hub doesn't shift.  It could be the shifter, the hub, or maybe just a lube and adjustment are all that's needed to get it up and running.  

The chain is old and rusty, so it’s not worth keeping on the bike for reliability and safety’s sake. 

The forks are bent.  At this point I’m not sure if they can be reset or are too far gone and need to be replaced.  I don’t see any damage to the frame but plan to get the frame checked out anyway for another concern...

There’s a small dent in the downtube next to the bottom bracket.

Since the downtube tends to be one of the more stressed tubes on a bike frame and it's near the bottom bracket, I plan to bring Philbert in to get a professional opinion on whether or not it compromises the structural integrity.

So there you have it.  Darn near everything that could go wrong with a bike wrapped up into one eyesore of a package!

Next up: what’s good about this bike that made me want to purchase it?

Used Bicycles and other Games of Chance

OK, I left you hanging in my last post. 

 

In case you didn’t read it, the question at the end was “why did I choose Philbert?”  Well there are a few reasons. 

 

Let’s start with reason number one.

What if you found a bike but:

A)     Other than a couple of mechanical issues the bike is perfect, or

B)      The bike is mechanically in great shape, but the frame needs painting

Would it be worth your time and energy to purchase a bike that needs some work?  What if it’s a piece of junk?  How long will it last if I get it fixed up?

 

Well unlike your typical purchase in this day and age, where most things aren’t made to last for more than a couple 2 – 3 years (think smart phones) or may work beautifully, but are obsolete (think Windows XP), bikes tend to be the exception to this rule.  Of course there are other exceptions to this rule, but I’m painting with a rather broad brush, so work with me. 

Think about this a minute.  When most of your purchases are for goods that won’t last more than a few years, how do you know when to buy new or used, especially when you're conditioned (like I am) to not trust anything used or old?  Like any decision, it depends.

Let me give you a perfect example of what I’m talking about.  Here is my youngest daughter’s bike which I found for $15.00 at a thrift store in North Carolina.

 

Nice huh?  It’s a 1972 Free Spirit Sheffield sold by Sears.

 

 

I can hear the groans now.  Why are you wasting my time talking about a bike from Sears?  Here’s a bit of knowledge you may find helpful:  this bike is actually made by a bicycle manufacturer called Puch in Austria.

 

 

It’s a fully lugged steel frame with a Sturmey Archer 3 speed with a coaster brake.  The front brake was less than useless, so I removed it.  When I purchased it everything was original, right down to the dry rotted tires and tubes which wouldn’t hold air.

 

If I were to guess, the bike probably has less than 75 miles on it.  The few nicks and scratches on the bike are mostly from “Santa Claus” adjusting the seat with a pipe wrench and various bumps from being stuffed in the back of a garage for oh, about 42 years.

 

Here’s a list of the work I did other than cleaning the paint and chrome:

• Repacked the bearings in the fork, which I’m glad I did, since there was hardly any grease.
• Replaced the chain:  $8.00
• Replaced the tires (Kenda KP40) and the tubes:  $25.00
• Replaced the 20 tooth cog with a 23 tooth for handling the hills in Portland.  It’s no mountain goat by any means, but it’s a bit better than before:  $11.00

Um, that’s it.

The total cost to get this bike back on the road was $44.00 give or take a couple of dollars.  Of course, this doesn’t include the Electra bell, rear picnic basket picked up at the same thrift store the bike was found, quick release front basket, lights and Kryptonite U-lock.  So add another $100.00

 

I guess if my daughter wanted to remove the Free Spirit decals, I could grab a set of Puch decals and replace them, but if they don’t bother her, they don’t bother me.

 

So the total cost for a fully lugged, beautiful city bike that my daughter gets compliments on all the time and will last her a lifetime (assuming regular maintenance is performed):  $144.00

Let’s say you know nothing about bikes, and had a store perform the work and install the extras.  I would double the price.  Still, we’re talking less than $300.00 for a classic 3 speed with most of the trimmings.  Not bad!
 

The ride is sublime.

It’s the perfect representation of what a 3 speed from this era is all about.  It’s heavy bike at over 30 pounds, but it doesn’t ride heavy.  In other words, you don’t feel like you’re fighting the bike to sustain forward momentum.  It just moves right along without extra effort, until you start going uphill.  With only 3 speeds, the bike is no fun going uphill, but the downhill ride is stable and predictable.

 

This is why Philbert is such a perfect bike for this blog.

 

Philbert has almost everything wrong that you would typically find with a used bike.  The plan is to go through each problem step by step so you, my dear reader, can make an informed decision. 

Of course the risk I take is that Philbert is too far gone to salvage.  Knowing when to throw in the towel is also part of the learning process.  If that happens, I’m out $30.00.  Call it tuition.  I’ve spent more on a below average meal at the airport, and It’s still cheaper than restoring old cars.  If Philbert is restorable, I’ll end up putting more money into the bike than it will be worth, unless of course I become famous, then I’ll charge you way more than you should pay.

 

 

Granted, Philbert is a 52 old curmudgeon, but age doesn’t necessarily make him valuable.  Phillips was only second behind Raleigh for the number of bikes manufactured in England until Raleigh bought them out in 1960.  Since these bikes are so well constructed, there are literally thousands of old Phillips 3 speeds (and others of this generation) languishing in garages, barns and sheds.  You just have to keep an eye on your local Craigslist for a bit until one comes up.  If that fails, check eBay.  There are local auctions where the seller won’t ship and requires the bike to be picked up.

 

If you find a bike and want my opinion (FWIW), just send me an email re-cyclery@hotmail.com with some photos.  I’ll give you my thoughts.

Happy hunting!

Meet Philbert

I own one bike.

Philbert and I on a leisurely springtime walk. I have no choice, Philbert is too dilapidated to actually ride.
Just in case there’s any confusion, I’m not Philbert. If I'm in the same shape as Philbert when I’m 52, just take me out to the back 40 and put me down…

It’s an old Phillips 3 speed POS from the late 1950s or 60s, I’m not quite sure, but I’m thinking 1961. I picked it up on Craigslist for 30.00. The tires are shot, the fork is bent and the leather seat looks like a petrified feminine product. In other words, it’s completely unridable.


I know, I'm not quite sure how to sit on this either without seriously injuring myself.



 

Meet Philbert, my lab rat. I’ve got a serious case of bromance.

 

 

 

Philbert is also a perfect example of one of the great technological masterpieces in the biking world. You see, Philbert is an archetypical European “light roadster” 3 speed internal geared hub (IGH) from the middle of the last century that are so appreciated for their stable handling, yet built to last for generations.

 

Philbert dreams of better days without tattoos, body piercings or ear gauges, sigh... 
OK, he really needs to stop watching "Call the Midwife"

Seriously. This rusty pile of tubes, if given sporadic maintenance from day 1 (and major crashes are avoided) can easily outlive me if I live a good long life, which by the way, I plan on doing.

The Sturmey Archer hub dates to August 1961, but the headtube badge states Birmingham instead of Nottingham. This is significant since Raleigh purchased Phillips in 1960. Could it be the frame was produced before the takeover in 1960 and not built until 1961? Was the original wheel replaced in 1961? Maybe Phillips had a huge supply of headbadges and Raleigh decided to use them? Oh, the mystery; the drama!! Where’s Miss Marple when you need her?


Sturmey Archer AW IGH 3 speed.  Vintage: August 1961


My favorite question led to this blog: Why?

 

Why would companies make reliable transportation that an individual only needs to purchase once in their adult lifetimes? Planned obsolescence? I don’t think it was in their vocabulary.

 

Here’s another question for you:

How do current city bikes compare with the classic light roadster? I honestly don’t know, but that’s what I’m going to find out. And what a better way to understand this genre of bicycles than to own one.

 

OK, now to the question you’ve been pondering: Why this particular bike? Darn good question! But I’ll leave that for another time.

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