1992 Trevor Jarvis Flying Gate

 

 

The history of the Flying Gate frame goes back to the Baines Brothers from Yorkshire in the 1930s. They came up with a frame design which shortened the bicycle wheelbase, but did not have the more usual problem of toe overlap on the pedals/cranks. This was because the more accepted practice to shorten the wheelbase, was to shorten the fork rake and steepen the frame head angle which did indeed shorten the bicycle wheelbase, but created toe overlap. Why do I say more usual practice? Well track bikes for racing on a banked track were built this way, where large steering movements were unlikely to happen and be affected by toe overlap. By steepening the frame head angle, also made the bike much more responsive. Fine on a relatively smooth cycle track, but not great on unmetalled or rough road surfaces. 

 

 

Another advantage of the Baines Brothers unique frame design was that the National Cyclists’ Union, which regulated cycle racing in the UK in the 1930s had a very strict amateur policy. No advertising, no sponsorship, and riding grass track events, which were largely part of local community events and therefore unregulated by the NCU, offered prizes of goods or cash, which if the NCU found out would have the rider declared a ‘Professional’, i.e. riding for financial reward and lose their amateur status. The majority of riders rode these events under false names, as the events were reported on in the press. This ban on advertising even extended to coverage in the cycling press. H H England who was the editor of the ‘Cycling’ magazine at the time, was an ardent supporter of this policy, so even photographs published of riders competing in events, did not easily show the make of bicycle they were riding. 

 

 

By developing a unique frame design, the ban was circumvented, because everyone could easily see what the machine was. It also stimulated demand for these machines from other cyclists who wanted to ride what the top time triallists of the day were riding. The British Best All Rounder competition was started by ‘Cycling’ in the early 1930s, in which riders had to try and get the fastest times in open time trials over various distances. ‘Cycling’ magazine got competition from a new publication in the late 1930s, ‘The Bicycle’, which also featured coverage of continental road racing, massed start road racing being very much frowned upon by H H England and the NCU. This difference of opinion was ultimately to lead to the formation of the ‘break away’ BLRC and mass start road races promoted by Percy Stallard, a situation not resolved until the two organizations merged to form the British Cycling Federation, now British Cycling.

 

 

The Baines Brothers eventually went out of business and Flying Gate frames stopped being made. In 1979, engineer, Trevor Jarvis bought the rights to manufacture Flying Gate frames from Baines Brothers and started to build the Flying Gate frames again. Trevor initially built the frames in Burton on Trent, but later moved to Tenbury Wells. Each frame Trevor built is unique, as the frame lugs are all hand cut, each set differing slightly. Trevor trained others, Firstly Jeremy Cartwright and then Liz Colebrook, with a view to have them take the business forward, but due to circumstances beyond his control, his plans to retire were frustrated. I understand that position is now changing. I know that Trevor regarded Liz Colebrook very highly and she built some very nice Flying Gate frames. Liz built a pair of forks for me for another bike and she is a very good framebuilder and skilled artisan.

 

 

The Flying Gate in the Springhill Cycle Collection was purchased from the estate of the original owner over 15 years ago. It was returned to Trevor for some minor work and re-enamelled. The parts fitted are largely what came on the bike, but the handlebars, stem and saddle were changed from the 1950s components to more contemporary components to the age of the frame. The original wheels had Argentinian Savedra hubs (Campagnolo copies) laced into Wolber Model 58 rims. The rear axle is bent and there is a lot of wear to the cones. As the thread is unique, (a bit like Zeus), standard Campagnolo cones will not fit and are not deep enough if they did fit. I will have to get new cones made and use a 10mm x 1 metric cro-mo rear axle to cut the costs down. It is my intention to eventually refit the original wheels to the bike, once the problem is sorted. The current wheels were built by me, using 1990s threaded hubs, stainless steel spokes and Chrina rims. It is a lovely bike to ride and a fantastic addition to the collection.

 

 

Original parts

Shimano 105 headset

Shimano 105 rear derailleur

Shimano 105 front derailleur with fixing bracket

Shimano 105 brake callipers

Shimano ‘Golden Arrow’ downtube levers

Stronglight 100LX chainset 48/34T

Sachs-Maillard 7 spd block 12 – 28T (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 23, 28T)

Sachs chain

SR pedals/red resin toeclips

Black/Orange mudguards

Gearing in inches

	34	38	48
12	74.9	83.9	105.8
14	64.3	71.7	90.7
16	56.4	62.9	79.4
18	50	55.8	70.6
20	45	50.3	63.5
23	39.2	43.6	55.3
28	30	35.9	45.2

Storage in Shipping Containers

 

I was watching a Youtube video on a channel I subscribe to and the content creator was discussing the subject of shelving and storage in a shipping container. He had several 44 foot containers in which he stored vehicle parts, tools and materials. For those who don’t have buildings in which to store materials, the shipping container offers a good alternative. The initial problem when loading them up with your valuable bits and pieces is vertical storage. Most items end up on the floor initially. It was a dilemma that I was faced with. 

 

 

My problem was where to get information about bike storage etc, in a 20 foot shipping container?

Searches online at the time didn’t deal with the topic, so the solution had to be custom made. The first job was to measure the internal length and height of the container. I decided on building wooden shelving, 8 foot long by 2 foot wide, by 7 foot nine inches high. This would allow me to cut all the timber to size, build the shelves outside, but assemble them inside the container. I used 18mm OSB for the shelf surface and all shelves had cross member bracing, for corner uprights and one upright at the back of the shelving unit at 4 feet. I built two shelving units which gave 16 feet of shelving, the shelf spacing being determined by the size of the plastic storage boxes. These were placed along one side of the container. I did not finish the top shelf on the second unit as I intended using it for storing rims and some matters needed to be worked out.

 

 

I also had a small space left between the shelving and the container door in which wheels were piled. Not an ideal solution, so I again I gave this some thought and decided to build a 3 shelf unit in which to store wheels and tyres. I did this during the summer of 2021, so determined to use as much spare/scrap timber as I had lying around. Any new timber purchased would have to be the minimum because of the current very high timber prices. I initially built one shelf to test and prove the concept, before embarking on building more shelving and assembling the shelving. Once the concept was shown to work, I finished the top shelf of the 8
foot shelving for storing rims, before assembling the wheel shelving. 

 

 

My wood working skills are basic to say the least, but I am satisfied with the shelving. It will hold all of the weight entrusted to it and it is sturdy. I am pleased with the wheel storage unit and would like to build a bigger unit as it is a tidy way to store wheels and tyres. It does the job I want and also used up a lot of timber which was lying around. It has organised the container much better and has allowed me to get my work bench out of a damp shed into the dry container. The work bench will get a make over in the spring, with a new top and a machine vice fitted. All the necessary timber is in the container as well, so once spring arrives with drier weather and longer days I will get to work and get the job completed.

 

 

Some thoughts on cleaning heavily rusted steel parts using electrolysis

The one problem that anyone who undertakes to restore any kind of old machine or tools is rust. The problem, if there is a lot of corrosion, is how to get the thing disassembled without doing any damage. A penetrant is usually the first option such as WD40, or my preferred choice Brunox, then Plusgas. On the scale of escalation, according to the severity of the problem, is heat, using the gas axe. But what happens if that doesn't work? How do you get things apart without destroying it completely or partially to get the part required?

I have to say that YouTube for me has been an education, in mostly how not to do things. There is the odd pearl amidst swine, but the majority is mostly how not to go about doing things.  The go to tool seems to be the wire wheel in the bench grinder to clean anything rusty, the vlogger's confidently grind away any patina and finish in their quest to 'restore'.  I am not a fan and it is not an approach I advocate or use. That is not to say a bench grinder with a wire wheel does not have a place in the workshop, as it most certainly does, but it should not be the tool of first resort.

One of the methods I use to get heavily rusted parts cleaned or to get apart is to use electrolysis. It is the best method I have found to clean back to bare metal, where you are not trying to preserve the original finish. It is a simple, inexpensive and non destructive method to clean corrosion off steel and cast iron. It doesn't work on aluminium. You will need a tank for holding the electrolyte solution. I use a plastic hot water header tank sold in plumber's merchants for use with a central heating system.  It is big enough for most bicycle parts. It will hold the warmed electrolyte without reacting to it - IMPORTANT. The power supply is an old car battery charger, the non-smart type, which doesn't know a battery is not connected to it. If you only have the smart type, connect it to a battery, but take your power feed from the battery.

The type of electrolyte you use is important for two main reasons. The electrolyte allows the electric current to flow through the solution which facilitates a chemical reaction to take place. A by product of that chemical reaction is the release of gas, which is why electrolysis needs to be carried out in a well ventilated area. The electrolyte consists of a liquid and an additive. Most hot plating processes use an acid as the liquid. You can use acetic acid (vinegar) with table salt. It will work, however, two caveats. Firstly, if the metal is pitted by rust before you start, using an acid electrolyte will make the pitting worse, because, although the method is quick, and will do the job, it is aggressive. Secondly, table salt is Sodium Chloride. If you use salt in the electrolyte, the process releases Chlorine gas. Yes, that's right, the stuff that was used to gas troops in the First World War, so it is damaging to your health. A very good reason not to use it in my opinion, as there are other and in my opinion, better methods to achieve the goal.

The electrolyte I use is washing soda crystals, an alkali  These are much superior chemically to baking soda, which is much less effective.  Washing Soda is an alkali salt which does not appear to corrode the metal aggressively during electrolysis. Using this method also releases gases, which are oxygen and hydrogen. An explosive mixture! So you have to do it in a well ventilated area.


I suspend the part to be cleaned in the electrolyte solution. I use steel wire, NOT copper. I found that the flexible plastic coated wire sold in garden centres is ideal. The plastic has to be stripped off the wire wrapped around the part to make a good electrical contact. A portion of the wire at the other end has to be bare metal for the battery charger to connect to. I use a piece of scrap wood (a non conductor) which is wider than the tank to suspend the part from.

You will also need a piece of sacrificial steel in your tank. This is needed as it will attract all the rust particles.  I would recommend that it has a flat surface and secondly that you use as big a surface area as you safely can. DO NOT allow the sacrificial steel to contact the part you are trying to clean.  I welded up a frame which fits around the sides of my tank, which is removable for cleaning. (You can use one or more sacrificial pieces, wiring them in series if you prefer.) Cleaning the sacrificial electrode is an important point, as heavily corroded parts will need a longer time in the tank.

You connect the black lead to the part to be cleaned and the red lead to the sacrificial electrode. Once you turn the battery charger on, you will see bubbles coming off the part. I usually set the charger to work on trickle charge. If the charger has an Amp meter you will see the needle move up the scale. As the sacrificial electrode becomes contaminated with rust off the part, the amperage will fall. Turn the power off before removing the part from the tank to check progress. If the part still has surface rust, remove the sacrificial electrode and clean off the accumulated crud.  The wire wheel on the bench grinder is good for cleaning the metal after the crud has been scraped off, before you put it back into the tank. The surface of the part will go black as the rust is removed. This is an inert chemical coating replacing the rust, which will clean off.

The electrolyte can be left in the tank for re-use. The plastic hot water header tank has the option of a lid, which is useful for covering it after use. I remove the sacrificial plates before covering up the tank after use. You will have to periodically replace the sacrificial steel electrodes, but you should get a lot of use from them before that happens. Cleaning them after use is also important as the process works better when the sacrificial electrode is clean.

Once you are happy that your part is thoroughly clean of rust, it will need washing in warm soapy water. Brush the part using a brass brush and then clean it with WD40 or Brunox. Electrolysis will take off any plating or paint as well as rust, so electrolysis will get your part back to bare metal.  If you use it to clean any cast iron such as old tools, once you have the part cleaned with WD40/Brunox, wipe the cast iron part over with boiled linseed oil on a bit of kitchen roll. Make sure it is evenly coated and put it near a radiator or other heat source to dry. It will seal the cast iron ready for painting and should ensure the porous cast iron doesn't start to rust under the paint. I was told this by an old man who maintained machinery in the workshop during his apprenticeship nearly 70 years ago. I have found that cast iron I had media blasted and immediately primed, then painted has all rusted from below the paint over time. Boiled linseed oil was a component in both old paints, varnishes and of course Japanning laquered finish.

I have used the boiled linseed method on cast iron and found it to work very well. If cleaning old cast iron, any paint residue will likely be lead based paint. Not something you want to inhale as dust through sanding or using a wire brush in an electric hand tool or bench grinder. Once the boiled linseed oil has dried, it will take paint no problem, I generally give the item two coats of boiled linseed oil allowing each to dry before the next application. The item should not rust once coated and will stay stable if there is any delay in painting it.

Cleaning alloy cycle components

I was doing some internet searching in relation to a bike I had to work on for the Springhill Cycle Collection. The bike, an early 1970s model, had been stored in less than ideal conditions and the alloy components were showing signs of surface corrosion - not been cleaned before it was stored. The components were a Spanish copy of Campagnolo and in parody of the great Roman cycling god, the copies were named after the ruler of the Greek Olympian gods, Zeus. Frank Berto in his tome 'The Dancing Chain' doesn't rate Zeus components. Zeus components were never very common in this part of 'the oul sod', so to get a bike equipped with Zeus is unusual. The bike is local, has been ridden and used judging by the layers of dirt and wear to the parts. Anyway to return to the point, the large flange hubs are not Zeus and turned out to be of Japanese origin. I haven't seen photos of this particular model of hub on the web.

However, here at Methuselah Towers I have a confession to make. I haven't bought a news stand cycle magazine in 10 years and don't frequent internet forums, so therefore cannot claim any kind of expertise other than experience. So I have to defer to the 'experts' on the web, who advocate using various grades of abrasive papers and buffing wheels to polish alloy components. Personally I would have grave reservations about such an aggressive approach, as I have experience of alloy components such as Campagnolo and Stronglight cracking and failing. I also don't agree with re-polishing old alloy to a very high surface shine, far removed from the original finish. To me it detracts from the originality of the parts/machine and can, in my humble opinion, be a case of 'over egging the pudding'.

I prefer a more subtle approach, one advocated by a long forgotten source. I was told to use a brass brush to clean alloy and then wipe the surface with oil. I now prefer to use WD40 or an equivalent solvent, on a soft cloth or a bit of kitchen roll, to wipe the burnished alloy. The brush will get rid of the surface bloom and expose the nature and extent of any surface pitting and corrosion. A decision can then be made about re-polishing if deemed necessary. It is surprising how much the brass brush will clean up the alloy, whilst still leaving a sympathetic finish to the metal. Where the corrosion is not too deep it can be polished out after cleaning, using Autosol and a soft cloth. A final clean with a silicone based car polish will give it the final seal as you have in all likelihood removed the original anodised finish. I have tried to show a few before and after photos to illustrate the point. The Maillard small flange hubs are ones I rescued from the scrap bin of a cycle business. 

Remember that you will need to keep an eye on your repolished alloy as it will now be more susceptible to corrosion as the anodised coating has been removed!