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Owner: John Johnson

Location: Sydney

Bike Brand: Bol D'or

Date of item(if known): Believed 1958.

Further Information(history/provenance of item): Joe Tait ran the Bol D'or business from 326 Forest Road, Bexley, Sydney from the 1950s to the early 1970s and his shop was the place all the riders from the St George Amateur Cycling Club frequented. St George was at the time probably the strongest cycling club in the country. This bike is believed to be one of a batch built for members of the club who were selected for the 1958 Empire Games road race in Cardiff. The club members selected for the road race were Frank Brazier, Col Wilkinson and Terry Flanagan. Brazier won the silver medal, Flanagan was 5th and Wilkinson punctured and did not finish. 

David Haworth, who was racing as a junior for St George and was an apprentice plumber, did all the brazing and assisted with lug filing on the bikes built for the club members. As a reward, David got his own frame, this one. This frame was built to David's specifications to be used as a racer and commuter bike. Hence it has a lamp bracket, eyelets, clearance for 27" wheels and guards, and pump pegs under the top tube. David had been racing a French bike that he had bought from another club member. When this frame was completed he transferred most of the componentry from the French bike and sold it. 

 

David raced this bike, his most successful outing is believed to have been second place "more or less by accident" in the NSW junior road titles in 1958. He commuted on it into the 1970s, after which it was stored. David retained ownership until he gave it to the current owner in 2010. It has been gradually refurbished and is now close to its 1950s racing form. The Simplex bidon, which David used when racing, was recovered from a box of junk and re-installed.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                    David Haworth pictured with John Johnson's 1958 Bol-D'or Road Racer 

 

 

Bike Build:

 

Frame:   Double-butted Reynolds 531 with Campagnolo 1010 road dropouts

Wheels:  Front: BH Racelite hub, Ambrosio? alloy rim, 15/17 gauge butted spokes 

Rear:  Atom hub (with Prior flanges), Ambrosio? alloy rim, 14 gauge spokes

Chainset:  Stronglight cottered with 50-tooth chainring

Pedals:  Lyotard Berthet with adjustable toeclips and straps

Gears:  Campagnolo Gran Sport rear with 14-16-18-21 freewheel

Brakes:  Universal Model 51

Stem/Bars:  Cinelli steel stem, unbranded alloy bars

Headset:  Brampton Alatet

Saddle:  Brooks B17 Narrow on Reynolds No. 4 alloy seatpost

Bottom: Bracket Prior M1 with hollow axle

Pump:  Bluemels alloy

Bidon:  Simplex