Other equipment include Mafac centre-pull brakes with Weinmann levers. Chainset is a chrome single cottered item, whilst the pedals are French Lyotard fitted with GB professional clips and well worn straps from esteemed north London frame builder H R Morris ....whom Dad built wheels for!
New addition or welcome home? Saved at the eleventh hour from the threat of ending up in a skip, this bike was collected from Berkhamsted where the it had been stored in a basement for the last 17 years. It was built up by my Dad for an ex-girlfriend of mine 35 years ago! The frame is a 22.5" Viking Severn Valley and a mixture of components raided from Dad's parts bin. The frame, built in Wolverhampton with Reynolds 531 tubing and beautiful Nervex lugs features optional 3/4 chrome ends with Campagnolo drop outs, at extra cost, including the little adjuster screws, which so often goes missing. According to the excellent Viking cycles website http://classicvikingcycles.com/ the frame number 178187 denotes it was built circa 1962. A decal on the seat tube states Ist World Championships and Olympic Games. Angles are 73 head and 75 seat with a 41.5" wheelbase. Other equipment include Mafac centre-pull brakes with Weinmann levers. Chainset is a chrome single cottered item, whilst the pedals are French Lyotard fitted with GB professional clips and well worn straps from esteemed north London frame builder H R Morris ....whom Dad built wheels for! Talking of wheels, these are a rather heavy and clunky steel 1 1/4" Endrick rims with Sturmey Archer hubs. The rear mech is another Simplex Prestige derailleur from Dad's box of gears. Saddle is a Selle Royal item on a standard alloy seat-pin. Also fitted to the frame are a set of period Bluemels mudguards. One of the most fascinating items fitted to the bike is the handlebars and stem combination. The stem is a steel/chrome plated short reach Titan with aluminium bolt. This was sold with the alloy handlebars which has a raised central ferrule with engraving. The inscription on the left hand side refers to Sylvere Maes who won the Tour de France in 1936 and 1938. The engraving on the right hand side refers to a professional Belgian road racer Marcel Kint who was World Champion in 1938. So possibly these bars date back to the late 1930's early 1940's? Detail showing lovely Nervex lugs and chrome fork crown. So what are the plans for the bike? First is to clean the frame and polish the components, then the wheels need replacing with something a little lighter and narrower! So I'll be keeping a look out on E-Bay and put an advert on the Matlock Cycling Club's forum. Maybe the chainset could do with changing for a period double set up, possibly alloy cotterless as the frame has braze-ons for a front changer. Then it will be Eroica ready....as they say! The following link is to another Viking Severn Valley machine which has the frame number 178186......one number before mine! http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/avtviking.html
12 Comments
john k
4/14/2015 08:52:01 am
Made my evening. Bought what I now believe to be the Severn Valley frame from your photos. Heart ruled head [the lugs and feather weight frame did it]. Finished rebuild, first ride tonight,fantastic ride, completed by finding your blog which at last has something very similar to my rebuild, frame wise, after hours and hours of searching!
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phil cushway
4/14/2015 07:31:27 pm
Hi John
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john k
4/15/2015 08:29:59 am
Hi Phil
phil cushway
4/16/2015 12:48:40 am
Hi John
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johnk
4/16/2015 07:41:56 am
Hi Phil
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Merle Hiebert
2/21/2023 07:45:10 am
Your site helped me identify my own newly acquired Viking Severn Valley. Mine is serial # 178175. It has the same stem and handlebar as yours which is how I came across your post. I live in Manitoba, Canada and bought the bike from an old gentleman who had no idea what it was. It's in great shape except for the Tremclad paint job he gave it many years ago.
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Phil Cushway
3/8/2023 08:24:56 am
Hi Merie
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3/27/2023 02:05:55 pm
Hi Phil Lovely bike. I note there is also Viking Severn Valley Frame no 178186 on Classic Lightweights https://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/readers_bikes/viking-severn-valley-c1962/
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Phil Cushway
4/4/2023 03:34:23 am
Hi Steve
Steve Williams
4/4/2023 03:49:26 am
Thanks Phil, indeed you are. It would be great if you could share these pictures on the Facebok page. Its a lovely SV.
Keith Durrant
5/4/2023 03:15:58 pm
You get around Steve. Brilliant.
Keith Durrant
5/4/2023 03:29:46 pm
Hi Phil. For you and others with a similar 178... serial number.
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AuthorI have been riding bikes since I was 11 years old and used to race my Allin in time trials back in the early 1970's. CategoriesArchives
January 2016
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