They are mudguard (fender) eyes. This pattern was in common use from befor e the war, until superseded by the round eyes still in use today. They w ere designed to be used in conjunction with a special wingnut which had a r ectangular end on the bolt. When the wingnut was loosened, the bolt coul d be rotated so that its rectangular end lined up with the redctangular hol e in the mudguard eye, and slipped out, enabling the mudguard to be rem oved quickly, without having to completely undo each wingnut. In those d ays, many clubmen would use their one bike for club riding, touring, commuting and racing, so it was more convenient to be able to remove the mudguards quickly and easily for racing.
If you go tot http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/
Neil Foddering Weymouth, Dorset, England
> Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:46:04 -0700
> From: shrew13@yahoo.com
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: [CR]Odd British bike braze-ons
>
> This is probably an easy question, but here goes. On a number of older
British frames, such as the Carter Unilite Hilary Stone currently has fo
r auction, I've noticed a pair of rectangular braze-ons partway down the
seat stays. I'm guessing these have something to do with mounting fenders
or a rack, but have never quite figured it out. Can someone possibly con
firm what those braze-ons are for? And do you have a picture of them in us
e, whether for fenders or racks or whatever their intended purpose may be
?
>
> Thanks all!
> Kurt Henry
> Lancaster, PA