Fanny B

Evenin` all and a merry Christmas to one and all. My Crusader is well on it`s way, by which I mean that I have reduced the base bike to its` component parts. My wheels are being prepared by Gerry Minshall as I write this but I have a query one of you types may be able to answer. Bearing in mind that I have a road box what rear wheel sprocket size would you recommend. I`ve no doubt the bike will climb but at the same time I don`t want it going beserk downhill and scaring the wotsit out of me. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Have fun, Hazel

I`ll probably have to mod or remake the swing arm anyway as the the hubs I am having made will fit the present gap like the proverbial p***k in a bowler hat, lol.

Umm, the only problem there is that I`d have to wait til new year to get the tubes cos everyone is shutting down at the moment. I`m not back to work til the 8th and I need something to occupy me. Good idea though, thanks.

Hi all and a very Christmas. I am in the throes of Building a RE Crusader trials bike and having got all the parts off the bike that I don`t need I`m just a little concerned about the width of the frame at the point where the seat will go. Is there any practical way of narrowing that part so that I don`t have to go bandy-legged to ride it? I have tools and a welder I just need a good idea. Many thanks, Hazel

I bought a kit that just adapts the alternator, looks a good bit of kit too.

Thank you Carl, that would be perfect. Thanks everybody, what a nice bunch we are on here, lol

Thanks for that Sergeant B. It`s a start. It`s just a shame that so much of it would be wasted as all I require is sparks and not lights. No hurry I`m just gathering advance info. Cheers mate.

Hello all, I recently bought a Royal Enfield Crusader 250 which I am going to make a trials bike of. Mechanical stuff I am fine with but am a complete dunce when it comes to electrics. What I want to do is convert the electrical system so that the engine provides its` own sparks. There are 3 wires coming from the back of the engine that originate at the alternator, can any of you please tell me how to wire things things up so that a battery is not needed. I have the rectifier but no clue as to where to start or what to do. Any help would be great.

I took the picture straight off ebay months ago. The London based seller had 3 very similar bikes up for sale at the same time and at good prices too. Perhaps someone bought one and like me with my AJS hadn`t realised just how big and heavy they are.

Thank you Carl. I thought that was the case but it`s nice to have it confirmed.

Hi all, will a WM3 X 18 X 40 rim be ok for a 4 inch trials tyre? I`m sure I used a wm3 on the back of my Matchless but it was a long time ago. Also does the "40" refer to spoke holes? If it does it`s no good for me. Thanks in advance, Hazel

He has retired.

Hi all, does anyone out there in the classic world know where I can get a replica Ariel HT trials frame from. Everyone I have contacted has either stopped making them or put the shutters up for an unspecified time as they are busy. I`m not afraid to pay but I just can find a source. Any help would be appreciated.

If you look at Barry Pickard`s videos on youtube there is occasionally one of these to be seen trialing. Not brilliant but not crap either.

Only once seen a broken Greeves frame before and that was halfway along the down member.

When I built my Matchless many years ago I bought a kit of consumables and did my own nickel plating using a battery charger with complete success. It was all done in a plastic bucket and if the item was too large to do in one go I plated one side then turned it up the other way to do the other half. Consumables consisted of granules to be mixed with warm water and a strip of nickel, it worked great.

Thanks Rusty. I looked at the pic carefully and there is just too much wrong with it for a serious trials bike. It`s also way too expensive for what it is Thanks again, Hazel

Thank you both. Basically you are echoing my own thoughts but I wanted to hear it from someone else, then I know it makes sense. Apart from being a lovely looking bike in its own right the buy it now price was a great attraction, just 3,800. That is a bargain by any standards. Many thanks, Hazel

Hi all, I`d like an opinion from some of you knowledgeable types. Re the bike in the photo - do any of you think it would make the basis of a good pre 65 trials bike or is it just too far "out"? Any comments are welcome.

Ha, thanks Craig, I was there just 5 minutes ago. Apart from being just out of my reach I noticed that it was built around a heavy, lugged, roadster frame. That makes it darn heavy and over-long in the wheelbase. I do appreciate your interest though. Many thanks, Hazel

Hi all. Has anyone heard any whispers of a trials Matchless for sale at all? I trawl the net every evening but nothing ever surfaces. I built one about 30 years ago and wish I still had it but that`s life. Any news gratefully received. Hazel

I Googled him but data protection meant I only got links that mentioned his name. Any ideas?

Thank you for your input. Funnily enough I got curious about my own hubs after posting and gave them the magnet test. It turns out that the centre parts ARE alloy, it`s just the spoke flange and brake parts that are steel. Easiest thing for me to do is clean up and paint what I have then get the appropriate rims put on.

Hi all. I intend to build a pre 65 trials bike using a 1959 Francis Barnett frame I have the original wheels and was going to use the original hubs but they are iron (heavy) and a bit bit clapped generally. Does anyone know where I can some small diameter alloy full width hubs? I saw some on a Cotton ( I think ) on this forum and they were lovely. I have been Googling for hours now and just keep going round in circles with no result. Any help would be appreciated.