wwii axis reenactment forum

I have the opportunity to buy a 1960's Raleigh bicycle for $25. Does anyone think this bike could be converted into a Truppenfahrrad?

Anything can work, it just needs money and imgination......I'd certainly compare the frame first off to the issue bike and start from there. No point starting if its going to look like you've taken a tour de france bicycle and painted it field grey.....There's been some good attempts and completions on here for that type of project.

He emailed me back and said that he had sold the bike! Well now my quest for a bike continues!

The quick and the dead in this day & age.......

You would have had to convert that to rod brakes. Would have been one hell of a job. Keep your eyes open for a proper 1940's bicycle. They're not that expensive when you find one. And it doesn't matter where it comes from as the Germans knicked everyones' bikes. Ask the Dutch......

This is mine:-


She's a 1947 Raleigh and was looking very sorry for herself when I bought her for 50 UK pounds. However, after having restored her I couldn't bring myself to turn her into a Truppenfahrrad so now I just use her as is. When people ask why I'm using a British bike I just grin and say "Dunkirk." Seems to work.

After being turned down from the first Raleigh I forund another one for sale, this one did have rod breaks. But when I contacted the seller he said that it had been sold. Thats two times in a roll, lets see if I can get to three!

Bugger. Ah well, third time lucky!
We'll keep our fingers crossed for you.

Thank you very much for your support.

Get a Dutch "oma" bike. The germans Nicked over 500.000 bikes in Holland during the war. A large percentage of them where these:





Dutch bikes have one pedal brake. Adding a box to the frame, an army rack or a removable "Express-werke" steer does not make sence on a civi bike. The troops that received "military" bikes had these bikes listed in their soldbuch. The civilian bikes where either parked in huge bike parks for divisions and had other users every week.. British bikes i've never really encountered in the low countries, or they had to be ww2 military. Germans even used a lot "female" Dutch bikes. These go from 25 € and up on www.marktplaats.nl

swiss/swedish armybikes are a WHOLE other thing then a genuine "Truppenfahrrad".

Genuine Truppenfahrrader:
http://project1944.be/Rohren/Rohren_new.html

Dutch armybikes 1939:


If you want to make a good conversion, you need to start off with a german bike. British bikes are different from build. You could get nice german civi bikes on german Ebay.

I've owned 4 bikes untill now, 2 NSU bikes and 2 unbranded military bikes.

Thanks for all of your suggestions, I will have to keep my eye out for anything. If I am considering buying anything I will run it by you guys to see what you think.

I have recently discovered that the Dutch company Lepper who made original Truppenfahrrad saddles are still in business.

Are there any Dutch members on here who can :

1) Comment on their quality, I am getting lots of hits on the web suggesting they break after very little use
2) Suggest the best, closest modern saddle to the wartime one
3) Help with a source of supply (No UK dealer and the manufacturers website constantly shows all saddles as out of stock)

Lepper saddles are the best available. The Dutch army used them aswell on their military bikes.
http://www.lepper.nl/product.php?conten ... rk=8&cat=4
You should get the one on the bottom right. A friend of mine once restorated a bike and the leather on the original Lepper seat was rotten away, so he mailed them the rack of the saddle, and asked them if it was possible to re-leather it. A week later a brandly new restored saddle was sent back, without a charge. I think you should just email them and ask to buy one of the "classic" saddles.

The only difference with the german army fabricated one is that the Germans had a different set of rear springs.

Kind Regards,

Erik

Beltring, a top tip: Never hold both your and the bike of the Spiess when he goes to chat to old friends (disapearing into a tent) leaving you stood on the road with the fire truck doing its dust busting rounds...

Having a cross bar at Beltring is dangerous to the avarage Landser...

Im looking for a new saddle, is Lepper the ideal choice?

Thanks,
Nathan

I would like a truppenfahrrad!

I think the closest saddle to the original with the twisted rear springs is this:

http://www.brooksengland.com/catalogue- ... +duty/B33/

however even Brooks accept that they are a bit brittle in use due to the loss of the original machine tools to make the rear springs. I like the idea of using a Lepper saddle as it has the correct logo stamped into the leather and rear metal plate rather than 'Brooks made in England' on my German bike.

I would like a truppenfahrrad!

How about making one? Plenty to choose from on ebay that could be converted.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-BSA-1 ... 500wt_1413