Introducing 'The Rubylite'. A ladies' bicycle with a mix of opulent ruby red, silver, cream and natural brown colours. Designed and hand-built by me in the Gunn & Co workshop.
The frame is a hand-built example dating from the 1950's which had lost its makers identity long before being restored and re-engineered by me in my workshop. Finished in a vibrant ruby-red lustre that accentuates the ornate lug joints of the frame, and fitted with one of my hand-stamped silver plated Gunn (GN) head-badges.
Silver bicycle components and cream tyres have been chosen to beautifully compliment the ruby red colour. The bicycle is topped off with a new ladies Brooks saddle in brown leather and a comfortable pair of palm shaped cork grips for a comfortable and relaxed riding position.
For the wheels, I have always been a fan of the Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub. A simple bicycle hub gear still made today in various models since its first incarnation in 1903. The Rubylite bicycle has one fitted central to the rear wheel and is operated by quick change levers on the handlebars, giving the rider a simple set of gears from a twiddly low gear, to a nice cruising top gear.
Both wheels are hand-built by me in my workshop using hand cut and threaded silver spokes, polished aluminium 26 inch light rims and a Sturmey Archer front hub to match the rear hub.
The crank-set is a unique mix of Sturmey Archer and Stronglight components, and was born from my frustrations of not being able to find a cost effective single crankset with a classic style. It is detailed with anodised red and silver fittings to compliment the rest of the bicycle.
I have long been a fan of dimpled aluminium mudguards - a design dating back to the early days of cycling, particularly French touring and town bicycles. The Rubylite is fitted with a brand new set and they perfectly cover the silver wheels and cream tyres.
The brakes are silver calliper and operate by side-pull on the wheel rims from the silver and black levers on the handlebars. These are linked by silver braided outer cables and stainless steel inner cables and secured to the frame by a mix of stainless cable clips and the original braze on frame cable guides.
I source the handlebars from Italy, as I wanted a continental style handlebar in polished silver that was relaxed in profile, but with a comfortable width to suit the palm cork grips. They are matched with a silver quill style handlebar stem allowing the handlebars to be fully adjustable in height and angle for the rider.
The Rubylite is a unique modern-classic ladies bicycle built with love and care for the original frame by Gunn & Co in our Essex (UK) workshop.
Details of the components:
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Frame & Fork: Original 21" inch (53.5cm) lightweight steel tubing with ornate lugs and silver soldered. Reconditioned and adapted by Gunn & Co. Painted in Ruby Red flamboyant lustre dating from the 1950's.
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Hubs: Sturmey Archer 3 speed RS/RF3 hub gear on the rear wheel - Sturmey Archer large flange front hub with sealed bearings.
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Headset: Stronglight AD9 aluminium
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Bottom Bracket: Sunrace cartridge square taper sealed bearing
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Rims: Polished silver 26" x 1.3/8th" inch x 36 hole
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Spokes: Hand cut and threaded chrome silver 14g with nickel plated adjusters.
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Crankset: Sturmey Archer 170mm polished silver aluminium 5 arm cranks with 47 tooth Stronglight of France 7075 aluminium chainring and anodised red centre bolt.
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Brakes: Polished silver side- pull rim callipers with stainless silver braided cables and silver/ black brake levers.
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Saddle: Brooks B67 ladies in brown leather.
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Saddle post: Polished silver micro adjust.
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Handlebars and stem: Italian Milano 56cm wide semi-rise handlebars with 100mm polished aluminium quill adjustable handlebar stem.
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Grips: Ergon GP1-S Biokork ergonomic palm grips.
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Chain: 3/32" inch Sunrace Silver
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Pedals: MKS of Japan - Sealed bearings and anodised silver aluminium.
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Mudguards: 26" Anodised polished aluminium & fittings.
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Tyres & tubes: Schwalbe Delta Cruiser cream 26" x 1.3/8" with woods valve tubes.
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Bell: Stainless steel and brass 'Ping' bell.
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Pump: Silver chrome
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Lamp bracket: New old stock chrome original 1960's
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Cable Clips and various fittings: Stainless steel or chrome plated
