RGS Conversion ( well sort of )

[A10 JWO]

I have an early swinging arm Flash 1954. Just ordered a correct brand new dual seat for this model. I want to order the chrome RGS rear mudguard from Burton Bikes Parts ( looks very nice and is pre drilled ) Will this new seat fit correctly with the mudguard or do I need some new brackets, bridges to match the new stays.

Ta Colin

[The pirate]

I have the same set up. I have a bracket that fits over the top of the mudgard holding it with two nuts and bolts. On the outside of the braket are two 'wings' that support the seat - the seat bolts to these wings with spacers to hold the seat at the correct height. Not sure if this is standard but both my SR have had this set up.

I have enclosed a photo - sorry not good quality. It shows the seat, bracket wing, bolt and spacer. The other bolt is a reflection on the chrome mudgard.

[kiwipom]

Hi guys, I have `Burton` mudguards on mine not 100% but passable, predrilled for what I don`t know I had a degree of difficulty fitting the rear used a bit of B.T.F. (bend to fit) supposed to be RGS guards. I made the required mounting brackets from stainless bar, I was happy with the result,cheers

[A10 JWO]

Thanks Lads
Pictures are great. Question for Kiwipom. Is your seat a standard Flash seat or a RGS. My reason for asking is that I have ordered a new Flash seat and it is already in the post ??

Thanks

Colin

[alanp]

Sorry to be a pain but, to clarify about the above photos from Kiwi and avoid Colin being confused, the mudguard stays are not RGS items. They are similar to the ones on Gold Stars and others but not RGSs. Maybe that's why there was a degree of BTF. The seat doesn't look quite right for an RGS or a Goldie. I guess Kiwi wasn't intending it to be like an RGS. Your '54 Flash will likely have mudguard stays like Kiwi and if you are staying (pun) with them, Kiwi's photos are fine.
Colin, if you ordered a standard Flash seat I doubt it will be like the RGS seat which was the same as the Super Rocket. Maybe I'm wrong but don't think so.
There are a wide variety of RGS conversions around and it depends on how close to an RGS you want to go but it doesn't matter what you end up with as long as you enjoy the build and riding.

[A10 JWO]

Hi Alanp
Thanks for the reply.
I am not going to build a replica at all, just a bike with clean lines for the time being. My old girl had been in storage when I bought it 2 weeks ago,  with a great running rebuilt engine.
It has alloy mudguards with odd stays, YUK. The seat was missing. I just want to make it pretty and establish if that all the bits I am buying will talk to each other. It is already fitted with RGS headlight and speedo.
One year when I have collected all the correct tinware I may do a total rennovation back to 1954 Gold Flash.
Regards Colin
Any further help would be nice.

[kiwipom]

hi colin/Alanp, (Question. Is your seat a standard flash) yes as far as i know, it came with the bike. I had to do some tidying up work on the pan then with a picture of a seat from a gold star i took it to an upholsterer who covered it, i liked the way that my seat pan followed the frame tubes closely, i think it looks good (my opinion)
 Alan you are right the stays are the origonals from the flash that were re-chromed seems to be the same as the Gold Star. A couple of pics of RGS seat and stays. 
 My initial post on the Guard that i have and was from `Burtons` was that i`m not sure whether it was what i had ordered but i was not going to send it back from NZ, cheers, Bob

[alanp]

i liked the way that my seat pan followed the frame tubes closely, i think it looks good (my opinion)
 

Hi Bob, yes you're right about the front part of your seat following the frame tubes more closely than the later Super Rocket/RGS seat which had a bigger gap between the bottom of the seat and the frame tubes. The older model's seat, including the Gold Star's looked better in my opinion as well. I don't understand why they redesigned it.
Cheers and trust all is well down there with summer on its way for you while we look out of the window at the rain. It caused our fish and chip run yesterday to be cancelled.
Alan

[A10 JWO]

I just went to order my RGS rear mudguard from Burtons, they have run out. BUT the lady said what bike is it for ? I mentioned my Flash and she told me that the Gold Star mudguard is used for these conversions ???? They are in stock, What a dilema, do GS fit, is she right. If so what stays do I want.

All good fun.

colin

 

[a101960]

I just went to order my RGS rear mudguard from Burtons, they have run out. BUT the lady said what bike is it for ? I mentioned my Flash and she told me that the Gold Star mudguard is used for these conversions huh2 They are in stock, What a dilema, do GS fit, is she right. If so what stays do I want.All good fun.

A Gold Star rear mudguard will fit, and what is more, the Gold star mudguard will match the stays that you already have. The RGS mudguard will require different stays (arrow head stays) are what they are known as. By fitting the Gold Star mudguard it will save you about £75 - 80 GBP! Not only that the Gold Star mudguard holes will line up with your existing seat and mudguard brackets. If you are not to worried about creating an exact RGS replica this would be the way to go.

John

[Topdad]

One of the few really poor bits i bought whilst rebuilding mine some time ago was, with the benefit of a few years down the road , the seat ,this was due to it being very fragile and when I sat on it the seat pan bent and is now just like Kiwipoms and follows the frame tubes ,by default.Now I could just have been a "f** B****** then , I have lost about 3 stone in the intervining 9yrs-10yrs but I don't think so it was just weak ,I also like the look of it now so I'll live with it. Re the mudguard I'd think about giving Cake St Classics  a call ,they are very helpful and have built up quite a few  RGS reps over the years which seem to be well received,  I bought a chrome rear of them and it is still excellent ,best of luck BobH

[duTch]

  Heya AL, too bad about your 'Fish'n chip run/sail, the fish would've been happy, but soggy chips don't cut it

 KiwiPom, is my eyes funny, or is that two different bikes/seats in the pictures, I personally like the profile of the first seat -post,what bike's that ? the second one looks like a plank ready for the surf !
 cheers, duTch

[kiwipom]

hi guys/Dutch, the first post pics are my flash/rgs rep, the second post pics are from a genuine (as far as i know)R.G.S.cheers

[trevinoz]

Are Gold Star rear stays really the same as standard A/B group stays?
I thought that they were shorter.

Trev.

[kiwipom]

hi guys, Topdad said:-(One of the few really poor bits i bought whilst rebuilding mine some time ago was, with the benefit of a few years down the road , the seat ,this was due to it being very fragile and when I sat on it the seat pan bent)
 The seat should not have bent if you had the seat buffers in place (see pic of mine)
Trev, can`t answer your question but someone will no doubt,cheers