DougMorley
Reged: 15/12/2006
Posts: 324
Loc: BC Canada
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I may have asked this or a similar question in the past.
I am curious to know if it is possible to build a modern bike from scratch using all components from only one country, preferably Britain. That's not to say designed but built or made elsewhere. All components would have to be made in the UK and be current.
I'm thinking that this might have been possible in the past but cannot be done now. In fact I can only think of two counties where it could be done - the USA and Italy.
Thoughts anyone?
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wuverley
Reged: 16/05/2008
Posts: 4043
Loc: Man of Kent
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Japan surely
Taiwan, likewise
France, possibly
China, definitely
Probably India and Russia too.
Whether you'd want those bikes is another matter.
British gear parts are non-existant, as far as I know.
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Invicta
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DougMorley
Reged: 15/12/2006
Posts: 324
Loc: BC Canada
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From your list I would guess that the only acceptable country's stuff would be Japan. Is that all components? I'm surprised.
I do remember France as a major manufacturer in the past, presumably the only gear available now is cheap nasty stuff.
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DougMorley
Reged: 15/12/2006
Posts: 324
Loc: BC Canada
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That does beg the other question that I should have asked: was it ever possible in the past and, could it be possible therefore to build a bike using old parts, good nick ones of course, now?
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aphextwin
Reged: 13/06/2006
Posts: 1071
Loc: pH 0.1
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Great question. I reckon it would be possible to build a British bike with only a few components missing - which could perhaps be sourced from France, making an Anglo-French Eurofighter perhaps?
British
Frame/forks - various bespoke companies (eg Roberts)
Middleburn make chainrings and cranks
Hope make hubs
USE make seatpost, bars, saddle
X-Lite make skewers
France
Mavic - chain, rims, brakes, cassette
Am struggling with shifters & mechs - anyone got any ideas?
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The drukqs don't work
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brummiedave
Reged: 13/06/2008
Posts: 175
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Quote:
That does beg the other question that I should have asked: was it ever possible in the past and, could it be possible therefore to build a bike using old parts, good nick ones of course, now?
There's a good resource for old components (including Brit ones) here:
classic lightweights uk
Looking at the reminds me of an old pair of Barelli pedals I had on a track bike in the 80's. Damn spindle snapped at the start of a handicap sprint.
Edited by brummiedave (13/11/2008 08:52)
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DougMorley
Reged: 15/12/2006
Posts: 324
Loc: BC Canada
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Wasn't there a firm called Williams that used to make groupsets back in the sixties?
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Smokin_Joe
Reged: 09/06/2006
Posts: 2143
Loc: Fishguard
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Quote:
Wasn't there a firm called Williams that used to make groupsets back in the sixties?
They used to make chainsets and other bits and bobs, but not mechs or anything like that.
There was no such thing as a groupset in the sixties, most bikes were mongels with a variety of componants on them.
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Nobody ever got laid because they rode Shimano.
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DougMorley
Reged: 15/12/2006
Posts: 324
Loc: BC Canada
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So, at this early stage in the thread it would appear that a complete bike from British sources has never been possible, apart from perhaps Victorian/Edwardian times or with crap stuff.
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Smokin_Joe
Reged: 09/06/2006
Posts: 2143
Loc: Fishguard
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I think Benelux were a British firm despite the froggy name. Their rear mechs adorned low end bikes and were pretty agricultural by any standards. Today they would be looked on as a sick joke.
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Nobody ever got laid because they rode Shimano.
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bfergie
Reged: 19/04/2008
Posts: 3653
Loc: Sticks ,Scotlandshire
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Quote:
I think Benelux were a British firm despite the froggy name
Why does that sound like a make of a washing machine??? No Obree jokes, I know that's what you were all thinking!!!!
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I now accept PAYPAL!!!!
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thatwomanagain
Reged: 30/07/2006
Posts: 2335
Loc: Hugh Porter country...
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Quote:
Am struggling with shifters & mechs - anyone got any ideas?
Sturmey Archer?? 
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If you want something done, ask a busy penguin...
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DougMorley
Reged: 15/12/2006
Posts: 324
Loc: BC Canada
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Well said TWA. It may not be trendy but it was very ingenious. I remember an engineer telling me that he had great admiration for SA hub gears, admittedly much more complicated than dérailleurs but compact and, most and best of all, British.
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DougMorley
Reged: 15/12/2006
Posts: 324
Loc: BC Canada
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Also I've just remembered that there's a Welsh firm that makes cassettes and other assorted parts right now.
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goblin
Reged: 31/03/2007
Posts: 1389
Loc: down yur me anzum
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Quote:
and, most and best of all, British.
Isn't Sturmey Archer now owned by SunRace?
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thatwomanagain
Reged: 30/07/2006
Posts: 2335
Loc: Hugh Porter country...
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Quote:
Isn't Sturmey Archer now owned by SunRace?
aaargh.. yes..looks like they're based in California now. http://www.sunrace-sturmeyarcher.blogspot.com/ But do they still have a manufacturing base in Nottingham??? 
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If you want something done, ask a busy penguin...
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brummiedave
Reged: 13/06/2008
Posts: 175
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Quote:
But do they still have a manufacturing base in Nottingham???
Sadly not. According to the history , final production at Nottingham was in 2001.
Of course, Henry and James were very pleased with their new home.
Edited by brummiedave (14/11/2008 08:53)
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thatwomanagain
Reged: 30/07/2006
Posts: 2335
Loc: Hugh Porter country...
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Thanks for the info, but isn't it all just so depressing.... 
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If you want something done, ask a busy penguin...
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Eastway82
Reged: 08/01/2007
Posts: 187
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Quote:
There was no such thing as a groupset in the sixties,
Campag started the groupset thing off - efectively in the fifties but 'officially' in about 1960 when they started calling stuff 'groups'.
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Eastway82
Reged: 08/01/2007
Posts: 187
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Quote:
That does beg the other question that I should have asked: was it ever possible in the past and, could it be possible therefore to build a bike using old parts, good nick ones of course, now?
I rebuilt my 1982 race bike a couple of years back using all new old stock parts, mostly from Ebay – including some race bit like Huret Jubilee gears, Concor saddle, Universal brakes etc. The only non-european bit is the freewheel (original Dura Ace 6spd!). So there are definitely lots of new/old bits out there.
It was probably possible to build an all-british bike in the fifties and maybe sixties, with (for example) GB handlebars/stem/brakes,BH Airlite hubs, Williams chainset/BB, Brooks saddle etc.
You couldn't do it now, sadly. As has been said, the biggest problem is the gears/shifters. If you don't want Campag, ShimaNO or SRAM, you're a bit stuffed...
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