1955 #4908 Olympic Pursuit

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Olympic Pursuit

Given to me by Fred Sawley (ex. Tooting B.C.). Fred’s recollection is that he bought it second hand in about 1954 and used it to do a 1-05 for 25m. But maybe his memory is fading……

 The frame number on the B/B and on the steerer (#4908) points to a 1955 frame The lugs pre-date Carpenter’s adoption of Nervex lugs for this model so that tallies.

Renovation.

Decal on seat tube states “Renovated by Cyril Wren”. When? The wheelset is Shimano/Weinmann Alesa, brake is Weinmann, both consistent with a 1970’s-80’s renovation. The GB bars are most likely later than ’55. The seat tube transfer is also from the last period of Carpenter manufacture (H Lloyd Cycles then bought the remaining stock of these). This suggests a mid-70’s date for this restoration. Carpenter bikes were no longer in production by the early ’70’s which would explain why Cyril Wren (just up the road) did the renovation.

Signwritten on the top tube is ‘Tony Hunt – Clarence Wh.’ There was a Tony Hunt who raced successfully for Clarence Wheelers (1970 Pool Whs. 25, 1:00:36; 1973 Rufus Whs. 30, 1:12:45). Was this his bike? Possibly, though this was well after the era of fixed wheel TT bikes.

 The bar stem and chainset are a mystery to me.