I was headed out of Nimbin recently after a cycling trip down south and I had really wanted a fixie for a while. I saw on the side of the road a frame sticking out of a pile of garbage and pulled over to have a look. Sure enough it had track drop outs and 27x1 1/4 wheels with a flip flop on the rear. I found out that it was a Malvern Star, Five Star some time later, form 1952. It had a terrible respray on it and plenty of rust. I wire wheeled it with the grinder and shoved it in the booth when my van was getting resprayed. It came out pretty nice.
Sorry I didn’t clean it up before these pics were taken. All the components are a little rusty but I have yet to find a reason to replace any of them. The pedals are rusted onto the cranks but they still spin amazingly so I didn’t try too hard to take them off.
This is a horrible seat and post. I put it on to make the bike look normal.
I took the proper seat and post and stuck it on my other bike. I’m sure I have a seat post nut around somewhere.
It’s on the rear drop out. Not drive side.
I found out that mine has a coded serial.
52M53XX (I don’t want anyone ripping off my serial)
52 = 1952
M = Melbourne
53XX = number of frames made up until that point, or at least this is what the guy from epic cycles told me
You have some sweet paint on that too. a very rare find in my experience.
I can’t get the pedals off, but they are still excellent, so no attention required. I was going to do a full restoration on this but after coming to the conclusion that the original wheels were too bent and warped to come true and looking at the cost of re-chroming the cranks and chainring and pedals, I can’t afford this one. It’s too nice to do half assed. You are right the wheels belong on something else. They don’t make the 28" wheels that should be on it, and getting a cheap set of 27" wheels with tyres and tubes is also costly. For a bike that I found and put about $160 into already, I don’t think it’s that bad. At least with the 700x28c tyres on it now I can get up to 80km easy.
AFAIK those pedals should have a nut at the outside, undo it and the pedal will slip right off the spindle. Whether the spindle is attached to the crank or not is academic.
Would have thought you could probably find a set of 27" wheels for bugger all or even free - most people chuck 'em out. Schwalbe and continental make tyres for 27" in 28c. With some hunting about you could probably find a set of better 50’s era wheels for a resonable sum.
Yes, it is far too nice to do half assed so therefore give it the respect it deserves and give it some period-ish components. It doesn’t need to have a full resto to be a nice bike - ever heard of rat rodding? This would make an amazing rat fixed. Right now it’s like wearing flouro high-tops with a vintage 3 piece suit. I rest my case.
