All posts in category retro

Midnite bicycle league 2023

Earlier this year I once again joined the Midnite Bicycle League challenge created by Urban Adventure League. I really like those kind of events that Shawn starts, they are plenty of fun and you as a rider do not have to attend any big event for completing the tasks. In fact those challenges feels like they are more interesting and demands more of me as a rider in a way, because you have to plan and figure out the route for your ride an consider a way to complete the different sub-challenges that are included.

Among the challenges we usually are given have some ground rules. For example you have to ride in total of at least 3 rides (or more) and every ride should be at least 5 kilometers long (or longer). Then we have the extra sub-challenges where we have to take a photo of a street sign with a fun name and so on. All depending what type of challenge you attend.

First of January this year the Midnite Bicycle League challenge 2023 started. This is the challenge I really like, not only because it is fun to ride my old bicycles here and there trying to do all sub-challenges, trying to complete as many as possible. It is also because it is a ride in the night, in the winter, in the snow. Living in northern Europe, the night riding part is not a problem. The snow might be a bit tricky, but that is a part of the fun.

My first ride was on 4th of January.
The weather was perhaps not the best for a bicycle ride. There were a blizzard with about 10 centimeters of newly fallen snow on the ground and the snow kept on falling with no intentions of stopping. I took my trusty old rusty Rex for a ride, following the narrow tire tracks made by cars in the snow.

It was a nice ride, even with the strong head wind all snow everywhere. The ride went smoothly for the most part, but on my way back I made an rather silly decision to take a shortcut via a walkway that had not been plowed for a while. As I was enjoying the pristine snow and the lovely night, my front wheel suddenly slipped on an hidden ice-patch underneath all the snow. My bicycle went hard to the left and I went hard to the right. There I was sitting all covered in snow on the ground at the side of the walkway looking at the bicycle, laying in a pile of snow on the other side of the walkway. Covered in snow and bruises I went home for a hot cup of tea to heal. Please ride you bicycles safely, ride along prepared bicycle lanes and use good clothing when riding bicycles in the snow.

*After the ride, time to remove some snow*

The second ride on 13th of January.
This time I brought along an old analogue camera for the ride. That was one of the sub-challenges this time. Sadly instead of snow, it rained. Since it was quite a while since I was out and about in the middle of the night with an analogue camera, I had forgotten about having to mount the camera on an tripod, adjust all settings according to the light conditions, compose the photo and adjust the focal length. All of the details that makes all the fun with analogue photo, in the summer. Not quite as fun while standing in pouring sub-cooled rain without any light at all to see all the settings on the camera. But I managed to take one or two photos during the ride in the end.

*The second ride was made in sub-zero rain*

Then we have the third ride on 18th of January.
One of the many sub-challenges of the #midnitebicycleleague2023 beside taking analog photos was to ride a tree speed bicycle. For this ride I dusted off and made sure that the Husqvarna from 1939 was working like a charm. It was really great to ride the old three speed bicycle again, the smooth shifting of gears and the peaceful ticking from the Sturmey Archer 3-speed hub.

As usual I took a ride to Skogskyrkogården (forest cemetery) wanting to get away from the busy streets for a calm and peaceful ride in a slow tempo. But I had not expected it to be so dark, there is usually streets lights on the cemetery. By some strange reason they were turned off this day, luckily I had a working dynamo on my bicycle that was providing power to the head light that gave me some guidance in the dark.

Shame that the vintage ASEA dynamo was rather un-oiled and screamed like something out of a horror movie from 1950’s. Time to make a mental note, refurbishing the dynamo is needed.

The ride went well, I had a cup of tea and a sandwich along the way. Since there were frames left in the analogue camera after my second ride, I took some photos. But as last time, they turned out way to dark. I can not blame anything else than a bad photographer.

But that is the charm with taking a photo and having to wait 2 weeks for the developed prints only to realize that you made errors when taking the photos.

Lastly the fourth and final ride was made on 1st of February.
This time I decided it have a relaxing and fun ride. Simply riding and visiting different restaurants located in my area. I found two new restaurants that I never had visited earlier. It was a nice to ride around and simply head in to a restaurant for a small beer and some snacks, having a rest inside a cosy restaurant for a while. Then heading out again in the snow towards the next place to visit by riding all kinds of different routes.

The weather was nice, during the rides it had been all kinds of weather, snowing, raining, really cold and thaw weather. But on this ride the weather was a normal winters day with about -4 degrees, packed snow on the streets and no ice-patches. No need for two crashes during the same challenge.

A funny thing happed at one of the restaurants. Suddenly I was approached by a man that asked me if I was involved in tweed events. Is it Scheebremse – he asked me? It turned out that he had been an participant at one tweed events that I organized be before the pandemic. Fancy that, I was a celebrity.

After completing all the rides needed, after receiving all the photos I sat down and wrote my journal on a old typewriter since my handwriting is impossible to read. Also it is fun to write an official journal on a type writer. Later that week I posted the journal over to Urban Adventures League HQ for approval.

That is one more advantage with al those challenges, there is no possible way to rush things. The rides take their time, writing and posting as well. It is a stark contrast from the digital everyday life we are living in today. I really enjoy the slowness. After all, why rush on an vintage bicycle? We should enjoy the journey more, have a look around when going from place to place, even during the vinter.

Until next time, ride safely and happy tweed.

*Completing #midnitebicycleleague2023. Greetings from a wintery north*

1 Comment

by schneebremse on April 9, 2023 • Permalink

Posted in A bit of this and that, Articles, bicycle, bicycleblogg, bicycles, chronicle, column, retro, Transport, Transportation, travel, travelblog, Uncategorized, vintage, vintage bicycle, weusetweed

Tagged bicycle, bicycles, mblc2023, Midnite Bicycle League challenge 2023, midnitebicycleleague2023, Schneebremse, stockholm, Urban Adventure League, veteran

Posted by schneebremse on April 9, 2023

https://schneebremse.wordpress.com/2023/04/09/midnite-bicycle-league-2023/

Using a Sturmey Archer three speed hub

I have been riding the old Husqvarna bicycle for a while now remembering the advantages with three speeds. Riding up hills on the low gear and selecting the high gear when going down the hill at an rather high speed. Suddenly remembering, whilst the wind flutters the trouser legs, that old drum brakes might not be the best alternative if a sudden urge emerges to stop quickly. Who needs brakes anyway? It is the speed that count, after all. Fangio was not known for braking.

*Summertime, green grass and a red bicycle*

When riding the old Husqvarna, I treat the Sturmeay Archer hub in a special way. First of all, I always shift to the high gear when the bicycle is not used. That is to release the clutch spring inside the hub when not in use. If it is the right way to do it or not, I have no idea at all. But it feels like the right thing to do.

Later when I am riding the bicycle, I shift to the low gear right before starting peddling. After a few meters and gaining some speed, I slide the shifter into the neutral gear position. That is the gear that is the most useful one, going up slight uphill is no problem and the same goes for riding down hills.

But if there is a long stretch of going down a hill, or if I have a nice tailwind that helps to pick up some speed, I will slide the shifter into third and highest gear, or the overdrive if you like. When you shift into the high gear and there is a good downhill you can easily pass the modern Lycra-dressed-carbon-bicycle-riders. They always have a look of confusion, when a tweed dressed man blast past them on an 1930’s bicycle while sitting straight up at the handlebars. Tally-ho old chap, nice weather today, I say.

*Things memories are made of, summer and tranquillity*

Three gears, or two gears with an overdrive option is just enough when riding a bicycle. Simple, functional and useful. After all, the British Sturmey Archer company have been making hubs since 1902 and the A type three speed hubs since 1938. I am confident that they know what they are doing by now. Just like German Fichtel & Sachs got everything right with their first Torpedo hub back in 1903 and after some adjustments in the design, they celebrated over 50 million hubs made in the 1940’s. It is not a fluke that it works, there were people in white coats with slide rulers that designed the hubs.

My previous experiences with Sturmey Archer hubs when I was a boy made me think that the hubs were very complex and difficult to work with, they had gears and that must be complicated. But recently I have realized that the hubs are rather well made, sturdy in fact.

They will survive some rather heavy abuse and do not requires a university degree in engineering for a simple service and maintenance. A good schematics is recommended though, but the rest is fairly simple. Patience and logic makes it work like a charm. There is some delicate parts inside the hub like the hair fine pawl springs or the key-rod-thingy that fastens the control rod and makes you shift gears. But many of the parts are rather unbreakable.

*Sturmey Archer AB hub made in may 1950*

That is if you treat the gears well and use the shifter in a moderate and kind manner. In fact when I was riding and shifting gears I remembered back when I made my military service and we were transported back and fourth with an old bus that the military had bought many years prior to my visit.

The interesting thing with that old bus was that it was equipped with a Wilson type gearbox. That was a preselector gearbox that was very special and required the driver to “feel” the bus. To drive it you had to select the preferred gear very carefully and in the right manor, otherwise the comfort was compromised along with the life expectancy of the gear box. The trick was to let go of the accelerator at the right revolutions when applying the next gear. When the bus was operated by a knowing and good driver, the ride and gear shifts where smooth as silk.

When I was riding the tree speeded Husqvarna I realized that I shifted gears just as the driver did in the old bus. Selecting the first gear, getting up to speed, relax the peddling for a moment, then just a small back peddling and sliding the shifter to the second gear, feel the gear getting it to place and then, applying more force on the pedals as the speed picks up. Just like the bus driver did all those years ago.

The bus driver was later replaced by a new kid and he did not have the same delicate touch and understanding of the gearbox as the first kid driving, quite the opposite. He jammed the gears in place when applying acceleration and treating the bus like it was a regular car. Well, I guess it worked but the life of the gearbox were shortened by several years in a short time of abuse.

*Slightly abused planetary cogs and worn down sun pinion*

When riding a bicycle equipped with a vintage Sturmey Archer three speed hub, you have to respect the construction by not forcing the gears in to place. Simply slide in the gears in a calm way, that is why I use to back pedal just a little bit, just to ease the gears and cogs into place. If it is the right way to do it? I have no idea, but that is how I was learned to ride bicycles equipped with those three geared hubs and it works.

I imagine that treating the planetary cogs inside the hub like that, will make the entire hub survive longer and will silently tick along for years to come. After all it is a over 80 years old construction that is still works. In fact you can still today find wear and tear parts like planetary cogs, pawl springs and so on. That is amazing.

We should also remember that back then the British exported their bicycles all over the world, the Sturmey Archer hubs went along with spare parts of all sorts.

In the end, if the bicycles from that era still are in use today, with their three speed hubs still happily ticking along, after all those years. It must mean that something was rather well made in Nottingham back in the day when everyone were dressed in tweed.

1 Comment

by schneebremse on June 5, 2022 • Permalink

Posted in bicycle, bicycleblogg, bicycles, column, Journalism, renovation, retro, Transport, Transportation, travel, travelblog, tweed run, Uncategorized, vintage, vintage bicycle, weusetweed

Tagged bicycle, bicycles, learning, repair, Schneebremse, sturm, sturmey archer, sturmeyarcher, summer, three speed, veteran, we use tweed

Posted by schneebremse on June 5, 2022

https://schneebremse.wordpress.com/2022/06/05/using/

Norwegian Diamant

Today is the 17th of May, Norway’s constitution day, or Nasjonaldagen as they say in Norwegian. What better way to celebrate the day for me, rather than to tell you the story of my latest bicycle project from Norway.

A while back, for those who follow me on Instagram, I posted some images of an odd racer bicycle that I just acquired and was riding home in the snow. It was a 1930’s Norwegian Diamant that I rode home in December. The interesting thing about this bicycle might not be the bicycle it self, but more the interesting and rather special story behind it and is a large reason why I will not rebuild or refurbish the bicycle.

*Lots of nice details like the leaning frame, side wall mudguards and the “G” on the chain wheel*

*Most likely original Diamant saddle and saddle bag*

First of all, let us start from the beginning about the brand. Back in 1901 a successful Norwegian competition rider named Aksel Gresvig, started a bicycle and sports equipment shop in Oslo, the capital of Norway. A few years later he started manufacturing his own bicycles that he sold in his shop. The brand names where Diamant and Thor. Along the years the shop expanded more and more and even survived the economical difficulties during the 1920’s. The business went so well that he acquired other shops along the years and grew to become one of the largest sport retailer in Norway.

*A sticker on the frame with a list of achievements made by Diamant racers*

The bicycle manufacturing went rather well and the company had over 150 employees in the 1940’s and manufactured well over 10.000 bicycles yearly. But after the war the bicycles heydays were over, the manufacturing declined and finally after a fire that destroyed the Oslo located factory in the 1970’s, they stopped making bicycles completely. But the Gresvig brand continued as an sport equipment retailer up to 2020 when they filed for bankruptcy.

My bicycle is most likely made in the mid 1930’s. With the frame rather light weight and slightly leaning forward it is a rather sporty everyday runner. Or as what we in the Scandinavian countries say, a tourist or half racer. This particular bicycle has the typical drop handlebars with soft curves, freewheel gearing on the rear hub, toe clips on the pedals and no lights more than a cats eye reflector mounted on the rear fender. The bicycle is now just as I bought it, and the previous owner had not changed a ting on the bicycle during his time as owner as I understand it. The tires seems to be the original Viking tires, made by Askim Gummivarefabrik but are all cracked due to old age and standing on the rims with deflated tires. The original saddle and saddle bag are i good condition, after a rub of leather grease they look a bit more lively.

*Askim Gummivarefabrik, they made all sorts of rubber items, including rubber boots. Just like Finnish Nokia.*

Here comes the interesting story about this particular bicycle. I was told that this bicycle was used as an model for a statue on display in Oslo called “The man with the bike”. The reason of this being a historical event that occurred in the early morning of 9 April 1940.

That was when operation Weserübung started, the German invasion of Norway. There is a famous photo from the 9 April 1940 where German troops are marching down the main street in Oslo, Karl Johans gate. On the photo there is a bicycle with its owner standing as bystanders and looking at the marching German troops. Right from the start of the invasion, small groups of resistance was formed and one of the main transports for the resistance was the bicycles. Bicycles were rather inexpensive, needed no fuel, were quiet, fast and you could transport items over a large distance quickly.

The man on the photo is not known, but Gunnar Sønsteby aka. number 24 or Kjakan, one of the most famous resistance fighters during the war, was known to ride a similar bicycle during his actions in the resistance.

*German troops marching on Karl Johan in Oslo 9 April 1940, notice the bicycle to the left in the photo. Foto, Norges Hjemmefrontmuseum*

My Diamant has many features that matches with the bicycle on the classic photo. The soft curved handlebars, the brake leavers, the position of the bicycle bell along with the chromed lower parts of the front fork along with the drum brake in the front wheel. The chance of being exactly the same bicycle are miniscule, if not impossible. But, it is the same style or even perhaps the same brand of bicycle. An half racer with typical Norwegian traits such as drum brakes and the placement of the bicycle bell.

*Dropbar handlebars with odd brake leavers, the one of the right is most likely not original*

*Close up on the left brake leaver with an arrangement that might missing some parts*

*What I can tell an original bicycle bell, with the same placement as on the statue “The man with the bike”*

*On the chain wheel there is a G – as in Gresvig. The pedals have pedal cages for even more race experience*

Further more about the bicycle. As I am told, it was owned by the owner of an local Oslo bicycle shop and was used as a model for the statue “The man with the bike”. A statue made by the artist Per Ung in 2007 portraying Gunnar Sønsteby with his bicycle. A nice detail is that the location of the statue today is about exactly where the young man was standing with his bicycle in the photo from 1940.

*“The man with the bike” Photo – T . Hansen*

There is some differences, for example the statue bicycle have a luggage-rack. My bicycle do not have any luggage-rack. But that is an part that might have been lost along all the years. Age is an factor for different wear and tear, parts come and go, and as I mentioned earlier the tires are cracked and rotten due to old age and bad storage.

If I would like to renovate the bicycle, but there is problems right from the start. The tires are in the just as old as odd sport dimension of 28″ 1 3/8. It is rather impossible to find new tires in that dimension today. I think there is a shop in Italy that have them, but I guess those Italian tires are not made by Askim Gummivarefabrik. Then we have the brake leavers which are two different types, one original rather old looking and the other seems to be a motorcycle handle of some sort.

Then we have the mystery of the English made drum brakes. First of all, it is rather counter productive to have heavy drum brakes mounted in the wheels of a light weight racer if you ask me. But the part that really surprised me was the rear brake linkage. It is clearly designed as an “pull to brake” brake with an arm that manoeuvrers up and down when applying or realising brakage. But here we find on the end of the rear braking wire, a strange solder-less barrel nipple that were way to large to fit the brake leaver so it could apply the brake pads in a sufficient manner.

In short, the rear brake have not been working for really a long time. Lastly there was the mystery of every spoke in the front wheel was loose. I have seen one, two or even three spokes. But all of them, every one? I have never experienced that.

*Braking cable and barrel nipple on the rear hub*

*I do not know what maker had that symbol*

*I guess it is not an original design, but a cool hack from 1930’s, use twine*

What will I do with the bicycle? I have no idea at all, it is such a unique bicycle with such powerful and interesting lore about it that I might just keep it as is. Just refurbish the bearings and other ware and tare parts, only to make it a fairly usable bicycle again. Will I buy new tires to replace the old ones?

No, I think they are a part of the mojo of the bicycle. The look now is just like it would have been in Oslo back in the 1940’s, without headlight due to the restrictions of travel and blackout during the war. The bicycle is ready to be used to deliver pamphlets, underground news papers and other dangerous items.

Just what is needed in the resistance, a quick and quiet orderly bicycle.

Winter Photo Challenge 2022

Here is a long story about nothing.

Some years ago I wrote a series of posts here on Schneebremse, comparing old and new cameras and the advantages and disadvantages in using them. The different cameras I tested were an old Kodak Box camera from 1920’s, a modern Fujifilm x100 digital camera from 2010, a 1950’s medium format Rolliecord and lastly my fairly modern Iphone. During the tests I used the lady blue bicycle and a the lovely Vendela as models. It was a fun to compare and later write a series about the cameras. The reason why I combined bicycles and cameras, was not by coincident.

Long before the internet was a thing I was often out and about riding vintage bicycles and taking photos with vintage cameras. So to write about the two things were quite natural for me in this new digital era.

The cameras I used back then was often old and broken broken, just like my bicycles. I bought the cameras cheaply in different flea-shops in Stockholm and tried to mend them as well as I could. Vintage cheap cameras is just like vintage bicycles, it is easy to understand how they work. The only difference is that the screws, nuts and bolts inside a camera is way smaller than a bicycle. After making the cameras work I loaded them with Kodak Tri-X film, the classic black and white film and took the camera out for a test run. Sometimes they worked, sometimes it was a wasted roll of film.

Why I used that specific film was because I could develop and print my own photos back home in the basement. Since they were in black and white it was easy to get going in developing the film. Standing in a dark bathroom while mixing chemicals and pretending to know what I was doing was quite fun and I could do it a lot becasue I bought the Kodak Tri-X film in large quantities and got affordable deals on the price. After using it all the time in every type of camera I had it simply became “my” film, learning how to develop the film and how it worked in different lights.

One camera I often used was a Rollieflex Standard that was made in Germany back in mid 1930’s that I found in one shop that sold heaps of vintage old technic and electronic apparatus. It was laying in a plastic bag along with a tripod, different filters, cable releases, old film boxes with film from the 1950’s, all beaten up and in a really well used condition. After fixing the shutter and cleaned the lenses and mirror on the Rollie, I loaded it with a roll Kodak Tri-X 120 film and it quickly became my favourite camera.

The Rollieflex often followed me when I was riding my vintage Panther bicycle, the backpack was packed with the sandwiches, tea and the camera. Always loaded and ready to take photos and having a cup of tea. It was relaxing to stop along the way, setting up the camera and taking a photo of something interesting, a tree, an house or a special view of some sort. My photos was not so great in quality (the camera) or in composition (no idea what I was doing) or developing the film in the basement (mixin´ ´n´ fixin´ ) .

But at least it was fun to ride my bicycle here and there, taking photos of this and that, ride back home, closing the door to the bathroom, listening to jazz while developing and print the few good photos from the day. Almost feeling like a journalist back in the 1930’s, standing in the red glow, watching the prints slowly be visible in the chemicals.

I even bought some old books from the -30’s on how to compose a photo, take portraits, lighting, develop negatives, copy prints and a lot more. My interest on taking photos had awaken, slowly I understood how to take photos and how things worked with focal lengths, lighting and settings.

*Panther bicycle, Rollieflex camera with tripod and an rucksack, all from 1940’s Bike in Tweed before it was a thing*

The years went by, I had no longer the possibility to stand in a bathroom for hours mixing chemicals and printing photos. The digital cameras came along and made the old analogue cameras obsolete over night. Slowly I replaced my old cameras with new digital ones. Cameras where the images was viewable right away. No more, “I only got 8, 12, 24, 36 frames and let us wait and see if I measured the light correct or held the camera steady during long exposure times” – moments.

With a digital camera, if a photo is bad, simply take a new photo, take 10 photos. Take 100 photos whilst you are at it! The memory card can contain 4000 photos. Go ahead, just let the shutter hammer away with restrains. Now days mobile phones captures great images and got storage for thousands of photos or even ten thousands photos if using a cloud service.

*Air soldier W. with his 1930’s Contax taking real photos at Uppsala Vintage Biking 2021*

Some time ago I read about a new club created by Urban Adventure League called Bikes and Film Cameras Club. That sounded interesting to me so I had a look at it. “The Bikes And Film Cameras Club is open to all types of cyclists who use all types of film cameras anywhere in the world”. That sounded like fun so I decided to join. After paying the entry fee, I received soon a letter in my letterbox containing a notebook, some stickers and a letter welcoming me to the Bikes And Film Cameras Club and I was admitted to receive different challenges via electronic mail during the year.

By joining the club I had to bring out my old cameras that I have saved for nostalgia. After my worn old Rollieflex Standard had fallen to pieces. I bought a Russian made Zorki from 1955 that often became my weapon of choice, loaded it with Kodak Tri-X. The camera have been around on my travels during the years and just kept on going with its rugged and reliable shutter and almost nuclear proof Industar 22 lens.

It was at least 20 years since I last bought any kind of film. Did stores even sell camera film today? To my surprise there are special shops that still sells analogue film today. Not only that, there is an ample selection of brands along with all possible and impossible versions of film today. It turned out that old analogue cameras is a trendy thing. I had completely missed out on that.

Back then when I was taking photos there were this movement growing, where photographers used cheap cameras to take artistic photos. I did not quite follow up on what the movement back then was all about. But read about it and it became what is known today as Lomography. Looking back, is was exactly what I was doing in late 1980’s. Using inexpensive Russian Lubitel, Zorki, Fed, Kiev and broken cameras that I bought cheep. Loading them with film and taking artistic photos. Without knowing, I was hip and in the loop before it even was a thing.

*Russian Zorki 2 with a Jupiter-8 lens, UV filter and a roll Kosmo Foto Mono*

I decided to buy two rolls of 135 film just to try out the camera. As always I ended up with one roll classic Kodak Tri-X, just for nostalgia. But among all other films I found a exciting new film by Kosmo foto called Kosmo Foto Mono. That is really a film that fits my Zorki in every way.

The first film loaded the camera with was the Kosmo Foto Mono and I brought it along for a trial run on a trip to Helsinki. For the first time in quite a while I had to think about how to take photos, adjusting the aperture the shutter speed and manually adjust the focus. But then the question struck me. What about a light meter?

That is where the modern technology comes in handy. There is a app available for mobile phones called My Light Meter. It works just as an old light-meter with all readings just as back in the days, it even has classic layout as an vintage light-meter and it is really easy to use. Set the ISO value of the film, point the lens on your mobilephone towards the light and press the measure button on the app. There you have a quick and reliable read of the light. Adjust the settings on the analogue camera, adjust the focus, compose the scene in the viewfinder, “click”.

Not knowing if it became a photo or not, I decided to do as I did back then. Simply take an extra photo with slightly changed settings, if the first one was blurred or compromised. Again, check settings, adjust the focus and “click”, there is one extra photo. Only 34 more frames before the film can be handed in for development and prints.

*One of the first trial photos, the Helsinki cathedral*

One day I received an email from Bikes And Film Cameras Club HQ, letting me know that the first challenge was about to start. The Winter Photo Challenge 2022, our mission was to take photos at night time, preferably with a bicycle in the frame sometime between January 15th through February 28th, 2022 during night time. The old Zorki camera had no slow shutter speeds, it all was depending on my ability to take exposures with long, 30 seconds or more, shutter opening. That demands a steady hand and good counting. No worries, I will place the camera on a firm stationary object, use the old cable release and my wrist watch to keep time of the seconds as so many times before. This was going to be fun.

*Loading the camera with Kodak Tri-X again for nostalgia*

Now the camera was loaded with the classical Kodak Tri-X film, it is more light sensitive than the Kosmo Foto Mono so it would be a bit easier to capture photos in the night. I put the camera in my jack pocket and headed out for a ride on the old bicycle for a night photo session. It is a great way to get out, getting exercise and have to think about what am I going to take photos of? How and where should I place the camera?

By using long shutter speeds and a small aperture, the images becomes really crisp. I took some images during the ride, and after the ride there were some frames left on the roll. To use up the film I pretended to be artistic and took some photos in the basement on my bicycles.

Some days after the ride, I sent the film roll away for development and prints. Would there be any images at all? Would they be blurred, over or under exposed? It was only a matter of waiting two weeks to find out. Finally it was time to collect the prints. After opening the envelope with the prints I was surprised.

There were actually images, some were blurred, but in general they looked rather good. The camera did it’s job by not having any light leaks or sticky shutter after all those years, the Industar-22 and Jupiter-8 lens I used had nice soft focus and a crisp clarity depending on aperture settings. Over all, the photos were rather good.

Next Bikes And Film Cameras Club challenge will perhaps be in daylight? Then I will use the Kosmo Foto Mono film just for fun. That is if Bikes And Film Cameras Club HQ accepts “artistic” black and white Lomo-esque photos.

Here are my three entries for the The Winter Photo Challenge 2022:

Rex Duplex bicycle (Zorki camera, *Industar 22 lens*, *Kodak Tri-X, f8, about 15 seconds shutter speed)*

Riddarholmen, the round building in the middle was built in 1530 (*Zorki camera, Industar 22 lens, Kodak Tri-X*. *f11, 30 seconds shutter speed)*

An attempt to be artistic (*Zorki camera, *Industar 22 lens*, Kodak Tri-X*. *f5,6, about 15 seconds shutter speed)*

2 Comments

by schneebremse on February 15, 2022 • Permalink

Posted in A bit of this and that, Articles, bicycle, chronicle, column, Journalism, photography, retro, travelblog, Uncategorized, vintage

Tagged bfccwinter22, kodak, Kodak tri-x, Kosmo Film, kosmofilm, Lomography, The Winter Photo Challenge 2022, zorki

Posted by schneebremse on February 15, 2022

https://schneebremse.wordpress.com/2022/02/15/winter-photo-challenge-2022/

Recycling at it’s finest

I have been trying to build a certain bicycle for many years now. The base of the bicycle were going to be that old Hermes frame I bought many years ago, the one with white replacement front fork. My original idea back then was to build a black 1930´s standard bicycle, based on a memory I had of an bicycle my father used to have when I was a child. Then after a while the idea transformed in to building a racer, then to a roadster, then to a… In short, I never got around to build anything. The project ended up in the back of the storage, both in my mind and in the basement, forgotten and covered in dust. Later on the frame was traded away.

After building my black racer* based on a Crescent from 1927, other tweedians and bicycle lovers was inspired to build similar bicycle. It all ended up in a discussion of what to call this style of bicycle? Everyone knows the style, but not what to call it. Almost like when you are standing with a passion-fruit in your hand and you have no idea what it is called… The mind goes completely blank.

* I realize that I have never written about that bicycle

*1927 Crescent, in a home made racer-ish style*

Ever since the bicycle was invented, people have been modifying bicycles. So the manufactures started to make an entire special range of bicycles, from the most standard everyday bicycle to the top of the line racers used in tour de France. But what are the models in between called?

Here in Sweden we had manufacturers of all kinds of bicycles back in the day. Different makers with models ranging from the most basic standards bicycles to cutting edge competition racers. When buying a bicycle back in the day, you could not only choose the model, you could also choose what kind of options you wanted. There were wooden rims, steel rims, caliper breaks, drum breaks, front break, stainless steel, aluminium, chrome, coaster hubs of different makers and so on. You as a customer really had to know what you wanted right from the start. Or more accurately, what your wallet allowed.

When it came to the more sporty selection there were tourist racer, special racer, training racer, track racer and if that was not enough. There were the options to every model, including the sport racers, so in the end what is the models and how should we describe them?

We were struggling to find a term for a standard bicycle that lacks mudguards, chain guard, luggage rack while having either a drop handlebars or an upside down mounted handlebars? The bicycle is single geared, without any accessories that add to the weight. Perhaps a “poor mans racer”, the look is supposed to be slim, fast and could be filed under the “less is more” category. It is a racer? No, a racer have narrow tires, gears, plenty of them as well.

We started to mention all sorts of different bicycle styles. Everyone knows what a mountain bike looks like, or a BMX, Holland bicycle, fixie, camper, mini, tandem and the range of roadsters.

*My 1927 Crescent that inspired others to build half racer*s

After looking around the internet for a while, we quickly found a term that suits the style of bicycles we all had in mind. In English the model is called “path-racer”. The term most likely originating from the olden days, when amateur riders where racing along board tracks, wooden velodromes on a standard bicycle after they got rid of all the extra weight, with upside down turned handlebars for a more streamlined touch. There you have it, a poor mans racer.

Path-racer is the English version, but in Germany the same style of bicycle is called “halb-renner” (translates to half runner). That is perhaps the best name in my opinion. It is a half racer, not a complete racer or a complete standard more a combination bicycle. Perhaps the best term would be a combination racer, one that goes well on either public roads as well on race tracks? Or is that one definition to many?

*Crescent 1934 not a standard bicycle or a racer but a tourist racer*

Why do I keep going on about what to call a certain bicycle model? It is because after building my black racer earlier, a fellow tweedian got inspired by my build and decided to build a “halb-renner” him self from parts he had laying around. After talking for a bit it turned out that we were several tweedians in our amateur tweed society who had built bicycles in the same sporty style. All modified to a “less is more-runners”.

Only a few weeks later I got a question from a member of Enskede Tweed Society who was looking for a bicycle just like that. He asked if I got one to spare. No, I haven’t as for now. But I can build one for you from my spare parts if you like. My friends was thrilled and excited.

That is where my earlier project that I never finished along with all parts I had been gathering over the years came to use. It became a bit of a therapy for me to build a bicycle like this. Figuring out what parts goes along with which parts. Are we going for strictly for a 1925 style? Or should we keep a general vintage feeling of the bicycle? Perhaps it is even possible to be flexible with the build by putting together parts that are from different makers and eras to make a nice and odd bicycle? Almost like a quilt blanket.

*1930’s Hermes frame and an odd front fork along with an Fram chain wheel and an Ideal saddle*

*Old used dust caps, bearing shells, locking nuts and other well used parts just waiting to be reused*

*The ever ongoing adjustments of Fauber cranks, not to tight, not to loose. Just about, right.*

For the project, I decided to use that old frame I mentioned earlier. It is Uppsala made Hermes frame, dated to about mid 1930’s. In a box I found an old crank and chain wheel from the 1940’s, made by Fram in Uppsala. The handlebars and stem came from my brothers old Monark bicycle that ended up in the scrap heap after the frame cracked. The wheels came from an scrapped 1960’s Crescent and the slightly used Schwalbe tires came from a bicycle I bought many years ago. Pedals, bearings, grips and other small parts was found in boxes all over the basement. I even found a set of spare tubes for the tires, still in their boxes. An old chain and a pair of wooden grips for the handlebar were found and mounted.

In a different box marked “bicycle bells”, I found an rusty old Pärlan (pearl) bell. Pärlan is an classic Swedish made bell that have been in production since 1930’s. It fitted the rusty look of the stem and handlebars, I mounted the bell on the stem like it should be on a racer so it is just to flick the bell with your thumb. After about 1 hour building the bicycle, it was finished.

There we had it, a bicycle completely made by spare parts I did not use. Recycling in the best way.

*The result, a mix of parts and eras. But it looks good and are solid*

Time for a test run. The riding position is slightly leaning forward in a true sporty style. Due to the shape of the upside down handlebars there is no other option then to lean forward. Two things is rather special with the build.

First, the wheel base is like a lorry. But it rides smooth, coasters great and keep balance well and runs like an arrow. I think my fellow tweedian will like the bicycle. Secondly, since the front fork is not the original, there is a slight issue with the fitting. Nothing serious. But it was a slight headache to make it 99% perfect. But it is a fun, beater, combination racer bicycle.

It is fun to build bicycles like this. If you find an old rather cheep 1930’s bicycle in a poor condition. There is no problems to remove rusty and destroyed mudguards along with all extra parts. Take a look in your drawers and forgotten boxes for some parts that might fit or add to the look of the bicycle. Then simply turn the handlebars around and there you have it, a poor mans racer, a path racer, halb-renner or, combination racer.

*Quite an adventure with out mudguards*, *but that is nothing a hot cup of tea can fix.*

In the spring we will arrange a meeting with our path-racers, halb-renners and combination- racers and ride along on our bicycles that had their heyday 80-90 years ago. Riding an vintage racer styled bicycle requires a vintage inspired relaxed style in clothing.

Why not use a pair of well used plus fours or breeches, or simply tuck down your regular trousers in the socks. Only hoping for good weather during the ride, after all with no mudguards while riding in heavy rain or on muddy roads, the ride becomes quite quickly an rather wet and spotty adventure for all riders.

Bringing along a backpack with an jacket and a sweater if needed and a small picnic is never a bad idea. Along with a spare tube and some tools, that is always a good thing to bring along. You never know when an old reused tube might get a puncture.

It is not only a great way to make use of all old parts laying in boxes collecting dust. It is also a great way to be creative. There is no guide lines to follow, no rules to abide, more than keep the look sporty. Recycling old bicycles, giving them a second, third or even tenth chance is a great thing. To make a fun project and to take care of old bicycles.

It is recycling at it’s finest, both with clothes and bicycle.

4 Comments

by schneebremse on November 12, 2021 • Permalink

Posted in bicycle, bicycleblogg, bicycles, chronicle, Path Racer, renovation, retro, social media, Society, Transport, travel, travelblog, tweed, Uncategorized, vintage, vintage bicycle, weusetweed

Tagged 1930's bicycle, bicycle, bicycles, halbrenner, Path Racer, recycling, renovation, veteran, we use tweed

Posted by schneebremse on November 12, 2021

https://schneebremse.wordpress.com/2021/11/12/recycling-at-its-finest/

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