| Hello everyone, Several months back, I purchased a 'Camel Brand' childs bicycle. A rod brake roadster, its very well-built and finished. The shop selling it is an old Chinese-owned bicycle shop in Singapore. The very nice proprietors have been in business for over 70 years, and until recently, were rather well stocked with vintage Raleigh products and parts from many other brands and eras as well. 'Camel Brand' was their house brand, which they badged their house branded bikes, which were sourced from post war Japan. Many such beautifully built bikes - all closely following Raleigh pattern sizes, threading, etc. were sold to expatriate Brits, many of them servicemen and their families from RAF Changi. The childs bike has rather unusual (by todays standards) 18"x1-3/8 tyres and a springed mattress saddle with a badge that says "Special" riveted onto the rear. The chain is from the famous 'D.I.D.' company now still making motorcycle chains, and pedals from "Misugi Iron Works'. Why these Japanese imports? Raleighs and other English bicycles proved very expensive for most locals in the years prior to the 1970s/80s. Also, supplies of English bikes trickled to a standstill during the Korean War (perhaps ships coming over from England had to carry more precious war supplies?). This led bicycle dealers to jack up prices of the few English-made bikes that did find their way to this faraway colony. Speaking of which, collectors here are fortunate to be on an island which was once a centre for English bike distribution to the Far East. Unfortunately for me, most of the older collectors have already purchased the best bits... By the way, following my purchase of the Camel childs bicycle, I have been looking for an adult sized version - most were 21" frames with 26x1 3/8 (the shop sold all of them a long time ago). If any readers know of such a specimen in your country, please send some pics, and - if you happen to come across one and wouldn't mind selling it, please let me know. Thanks for reading. Ken by: 218.186.12.253 |
| Ive posted links to some pictures here: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2465/3681580272_9eaf898c6c_b.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2618/3681580518_ff796a878a_b.jpg [p][a href=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3596/3680764905_c321c03ff4_b.jpg target=_blank][img src=the_camera.jpg][/a] by: 218.186.12.253 |
| http://cgi.ebay.fr/DUO-PLAQUE-DE-VELO-ANCIENNES-A-SAISIR_W0QQitemZ130337995036QQcmdZViewItemQQptZFR_JG_Sports_Collection_Foot?hash=item1e58bff91c Well a start---I guess---sam by: 69.149.106.146 |
| Really nice little bike! I don't suppose the shop owner knows which Japanese make manufactured their house brand? -JS http://www.flyingpigeonproject.org by: 193.23.43.4 |
| Gee, I see.........Raleigh's lamp bracket early type as found on Robin Hoods and other high quality Raleigh produced bikes. that is stolen/ copied that lamp bracket should only be seen on Raleigh's from England. the fork is Raleigh tubular fork crown a Raleigh fork same with the fork the crankset is Schwinn or Schwinn ish no that is Schwinn the pedal is not British but is of the Schwinn era it's a Persons or similar mudguards are deep early pattern Raleigh nice paint nice Westwood rims by: 69.153.86.42 |
| Jeff, I havent checked with the shop owners about this particular bike, but one of the vintage steel roadbikes a friend recently bought from them had a lugged frame made by Kuwahara. Chris, I took a closer look at that lamp bracket and suspect it may be a genuine Raleigh part. Or a very close copy. The pedals are a Japanese copy of the Persons you mentioned. I kept the original cardboard box it came in. Coincidentally, the tyres are "Camel Brand" as well. They are not the same company. The shop owns the brand name in Singapore and Malaysia. Years ago, some businessmen asked to buy the rights to the brand but the shop owners refused. We suspect the businessmen must have set up shop in Thailand or someplace else in Asia and registered that trademark there. This is because I found these gumwalls for sale (in NOS condition) online earlier this year. A very lucky find indeed as the original tyres - branded "Junior" like the saddle - were so brittle they cracked under the slightest pressure. by: 218.186.12.253 |
| Close copy indeed on the bracket not original can you take a picture of the box the illegimate bast... pedals came in? very interresting bike, I want to cut it up with a saw myself. like the Bigwhigs from Tube Investments T.I. were at Raleigh leaning over the Moulton Copy bicycle they had it on the table and they cut into the tubing to examine it in detail. Needless to say they were not happy at all but I don't know anything from there on what happened if anything could happen but they did make a trip to have it cut open and they looked it over and I'm sure the language was not so sweet either. by: 69.153.86.42 |
| Cut it up? Ouch. Attached pics of the box. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2715/4052734500_dcc8eb9e66_b.jpg [p][a href=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2611/4051993449_6c07e084b7_b.jpg target=_blank][img src=the_camera.jpg][/a] by: 218.186.12.253 |
| Heres a pic of the boxes the chain and freewheel came in. Freewheel made by "Amtraco". [p][a href=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2570/4052735440_e42427bf48_b.jpg target=_blank][img src=the_camera.jpg][/a] by: 218.186.12.253 |
| I am quite interested in all this enjoying the ride so to speak. Thanks for the pix of the boxes I have run across the d.i.d. chain before and I was not to keen with their quality- it kept breaking! but they got better with time. I would like to see the reaction of the Persons company and hear their comments on the subject of the pedals. He almost got ahold of the bike but then he paused to notice where the hacksaw was made (China) and we managed to escape with the bike intact! by: 69.153.86.42 |
| Kuwahara is known for chainsaws isn't it? Motorcycles too? perhaps I am wrong, where have I heard that name before? by: 69.153.86.42 |
| Kuwahara = E.T phone home... :) http://www.dreamgate.ne.jp/kuwahara/ http://kuwahara-bike.sakura.ne.jp/xoops/ by: 164.78.248.57 |