Anybody know anything about this bike, GE Buck from Ipswich w/full Campy
05-27-09, 01:07 PM
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Anybody know anything about this bike, GE Buck from Ipswich w/full Campy
Bought this at a garage sale. G.E. Buck bicycle from Ipswich England with full Campagnolo form drops to hubs to pedals and headset. All chrome. Awesome bike. Bought it at a garage sale for $100. Wish it fit me. Never heard of it. Anybody?
05-27-09, 01:11 PM
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Nice looking ride, although I can't offer any info (a google search only springs up this post and your CL post)
05-27-09, 01:27 PM
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Looks really good! It's also my size...
I've never heard of it, but that isn't saying much.
I've never heard of it, but that isn't saying much.
11-24-11, 10:21 PM
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Don't know if anyone's interested in this after all this time but I came across the query by accident today and thought I'd reply anyway.
I'm an English guy now living in South Australia, but during the 1970s and 1980s was a member of the Ipswich Bicycle Club in Suffolk, England.
Bucks Cycles of Clapgate Lane Ipswich was the mecca for keen cyclists in the area then. It was a family business, run by Roland Buck his wife, and their son Graham, who eventually inherited the business.
Roland was a superb wheelbuilder and the Super Champion Arc-en-ciels on Campag Record hubs he built for me in 1980 were still running true in 2006.
His wife, only ever addressed as Mrs Buck, was in charge of day-to-day running of the shop. She was the epitome of that wonderful breed of shopkeeper we rarely see these days, carrying the location, price, merits and demerits of every item of stock in her head, never having to refer to any documentation.
I knew Graham (G.E.) Buck well. He was an ace bike mechanic, active on the racing scene, and he provided sponsored frames to top local riders, including Steve Lawrence, who was national road champion at the time. You could order a frame from Graham but I think they were actually built by one of the famous London frame builders, perhaps Condor Cycles.
Graham is semi-retired now and Bucks Cycles has gone. The last I heard of him (six months ago) he was working part-time in a cycling/running establishment in Colchester, Essex UK.
During the 1980s the USAF bases at nearby Bentwaters and Woodbridge were active and Graham sold a lot of GE Buck frames especially with Campag equipment to airmen serving there. I would guess that your bike is one of those.
I'm an English guy now living in South Australia, but during the 1970s and 1980s was a member of the Ipswich Bicycle Club in Suffolk, England.
Bucks Cycles of Clapgate Lane Ipswich was the mecca for keen cyclists in the area then. It was a family business, run by Roland Buck his wife, and their son Graham, who eventually inherited the business.
Roland was a superb wheelbuilder and the Super Champion Arc-en-ciels on Campag Record hubs he built for me in 1980 were still running true in 2006.
His wife, only ever addressed as Mrs Buck, was in charge of day-to-day running of the shop. She was the epitome of that wonderful breed of shopkeeper we rarely see these days, carrying the location, price, merits and demerits of every item of stock in her head, never having to refer to any documentation.
I knew Graham (G.E.) Buck well. He was an ace bike mechanic, active on the racing scene, and he provided sponsored frames to top local riders, including Steve Lawrence, who was national road champion at the time. You could order a frame from Graham but I think they were actually built by one of the famous London frame builders, perhaps Condor Cycles.
Graham is semi-retired now and Bucks Cycles has gone. The last I heard of him (six months ago) he was working part-time in a cycling/running establishment in Colchester, Essex UK.
During the 1980s the USAF bases at nearby Bentwaters and Woodbridge were active and Graham sold a lot of GE Buck frames especially with Campag equipment to airmen serving there. I would guess that your bike is one of those.
11-24-11, 10:40 PM
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Is it fillet brazed because I don't see any lugs? For $100 you did pretty good even if the frame isn't the greatest. The parts alone are easily worth over double.
11-25-11, 12:04 AM
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Henry, this post is two years old - Roy the Gorilla-boy only posted this (back in the day) to get a value for his CL ad. Wow, a total of 4 posts since 2009 for that guy 
harryquinn is supplying some good information in the event that some real vintage bike enthusiast gets his hands on a Buck someday.
DD
harryquinn is supplying some good information in the event that some real vintage bike enthusiast gets his hands on a Buck someday.
DD
11-25-11, 03:35 AM
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^ I just noticed your tagline - did you change it as a result of your thread input?
Awesome.
DD
Awesome.
DD
11-25-11, 06:05 PM
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Alex - your turn
DD
DD
11-25-11, 07:36 PM
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Great response Harryquinn. Love the name, my dad toured Europe on a bike with that name.
I can't wait to drop this one on someone looking for info on a particular English Track Bike.
Last night I had an extreme bike geek experience. A man and his wife drove into the small grassy area where I was camped on the back of his van was a very pretty Mercian. I struck up a conversation and bike geekyness exploded everywhere.
The man, age 70 and his wife Shirley had run a bike shop with a small scale frame makeing facility in the back.His house brand was called, "OLYMPIC" and they specialized in Lugged race/track bikes. "It took me a while to appreciate fillet brazing and I still don't like tig welding."
I can't wait to drop this one on someone looking for info on a particular English Track Bike.
Last night I had an extreme bike geek experience. A man and his wife drove into the small grassy area where I was camped on the back of his van was a very pretty Mercian. I struck up a conversation and bike geekyness exploded everywhere.
The man, age 70 and his wife Shirley had run a bike shop with a small scale frame makeing facility in the back.His house brand was called, "OLYMPIC" and they specialized in Lugged race/track bikes. "It took me a while to appreciate fillet brazing and I still don't like tig welding."
11-27-11, 12:52 AM
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Hi escii_35 and thank you!
I wish I still owned a Harry Quinn! My current road bikes are a Scott and a Felt - I doubt they'll ever be classic or vintage!
My last Harry Quinn frame was built for me at the end of 1979 and I sold it in 2006 just before I emigrated to Australia. It was one of the last frames built in Harry Quinn's Liverpool workshop. My son, lucky fellow, has three Harry Quinn bikes.
I wish I still owned a Harry Quinn! My current road bikes are a Scott and a Felt - I doubt they'll ever be classic or vintage!
My last Harry Quinn frame was built for me at the end of 1979 and I sold it in 2006 just before I emigrated to Australia. It was one of the last frames built in Harry Quinn's Liverpool workshop. My son, lucky fellow, has three Harry Quinn bikes.
11-27-11, 05:07 PM
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10-08-19, 04:53 AM
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Don't know if anyone's interested in this after all this time but I came across the query by accident today and thought I'd reply anyway.
I'm an English guy now living in South Australia, but during the 1970s and 1980s was a member of the Ipswich Bicycle Club in Suffolk, England.
Bucks Cycles of Clapgate Lane Ipswich was the mecca for keen cyclists in the area then. It was a family business, run by Roland Buck his wife, and their son Graham, who eventually inherited the business.
Roland was a superb wheelbuilder and the Super Champion Arc-en-ciels on Campag Record hubs he built for me in 1980 were still running true in 2006.
His wife, only ever addressed as Mrs Buck, was in charge of day-to-day running of the shop. She was the epitome of that wonderful breed of shopkeeper we rarely see these days, carrying the location, price, merits and demerits of every item of stock in her head, never having to refer to any documentation.
I knew Graham (G.E.) Buck well. He was an ace bike mechanic, active on the racing scene, and he provided sponsored frames to top local riders, including Steve Lawrence, who was national road champion at the time. You could order a frame from Graham but I think they were actually built by one of the famous London frame builders, perhaps Condor Cycles.
Graham is semi-retired now and Bucks Cycles has gone. The last I heard of him (six months ago) he was working part-time in a cycling/running establishment in Colchester, Essex UK.
During the 1980s the USAF bases at nearby Bentwaters and Woodbridge were active and Graham sold a lot of GE Buck frames especially with Campag equipment to airmen serving there. I would guess that your bike is one of those.
I'm an English guy now living in South Australia, but during the 1970s and 1980s was a member of the Ipswich Bicycle Club in Suffolk, England.
Bucks Cycles of Clapgate Lane Ipswich was the mecca for keen cyclists in the area then. It was a family business, run by Roland Buck his wife, and their son Graham, who eventually inherited the business.
Roland was a superb wheelbuilder and the Super Champion Arc-en-ciels on Campag Record hubs he built for me in 1980 were still running true in 2006.
His wife, only ever addressed as Mrs Buck, was in charge of day-to-day running of the shop. She was the epitome of that wonderful breed of shopkeeper we rarely see these days, carrying the location, price, merits and demerits of every item of stock in her head, never having to refer to any documentation.
I knew Graham (G.E.) Buck well. He was an ace bike mechanic, active on the racing scene, and he provided sponsored frames to top local riders, including Steve Lawrence, who was national road champion at the time. You could order a frame from Graham but I think they were actually built by one of the famous London frame builders, perhaps Condor Cycles.
Graham is semi-retired now and Bucks Cycles has gone. The last I heard of him (six months ago) he was working part-time in a cycling/running establishment in Colchester, Essex UK.
During the 1980s the USAF bases at nearby Bentwaters and Woodbridge were active and Graham sold a lot of GE Buck frames especially with Campag equipment to airmen serving there. I would guess that your bike is one of those.
Now I know that I am 10 years late to the original post
, but yesterday I have purchased Raleigh Time Trial Special. I did not know much about the bike before buying it, but then by researching, I discovered that this is built by Specialist Bicycle Development Unit in Ilkeston, UK. Bike has Reynolds SL frame, so pretty special bike! Amazingly, There is a sticker on the bike which says it has been supplied by R.E. Buck, Ipswich. This is how I found this post Thank you very much for sharing, it is so amazing to discover those stories!
01-31-21, 10:10 PM
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I join this thread WAY late, but I do have something to offer.
harryquinn definitely has it right. I was stationed at RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge around November 1981 for a temporary assignment (U.S. Air Force). So I went over to England, and thought it would be cool to get a local, UK-made custom frame and found R.E. Buck Cycles in the phone book. I think I had to take a taxi down to Ipswich from the base; I didn't know squat about how to get around. I remember the gent stepping out from the back of the shop wearing a white lab coat. I then thought, "This is the real deal as far as British bike shops went. I didn't have the guts to order a frame because A- I was too cheap and B-I owned a Richard Sachs at the time and after paying a lot of 1981 dollars for it, even if it was an ill fitting frame (long story, not Richard's fault.) I couldn't see replacing a one year old frame. Anyway, later during my temporary duty time at Bentwaters I managed to find my way to London via the train, on the hunt for a frame for a buddy back in the states. Can't remember the name of the shop but it was relatively close to a subway stop. They had tons of frames hanging in the shop, and I wound up buying a Raleigh Reynolds 531 Team frame (red with the black decals) for him. It was around $400 at the time. My next stop was supposed to be Chas. Roberts Cycles in South Croydon, I believe, where I was definitely going to get/order a frame for myself. I even called the shop on a pay phone to get hours and directions. Never managed to figure out how to catch a bus or taxi to get there in time.
Thanks to harryquinn for filling in all the details of Buck Cycles!
harryquinn definitely has it right. I was stationed at RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge around November 1981 for a temporary assignment (U.S. Air Force). So I went over to England, and thought it would be cool to get a local, UK-made custom frame and found R.E. Buck Cycles in the phone book. I think I had to take a taxi down to Ipswich from the base; I didn't know squat about how to get around. I remember the gent stepping out from the back of the shop wearing a white lab coat. I then thought, "This is the real deal as far as British bike shops went. I didn't have the guts to order a frame because A- I was too cheap and B-I owned a Richard Sachs at the time and after paying a lot of 1981 dollars for it, even if it was an ill fitting frame (long story, not Richard's fault.) I couldn't see replacing a one year old frame. Anyway, later during my temporary duty time at Bentwaters I managed to find my way to London via the train, on the hunt for a frame for a buddy back in the states. Can't remember the name of the shop but it was relatively close to a subway stop. They had tons of frames hanging in the shop, and I wound up buying a Raleigh Reynolds 531 Team frame (red with the black decals) for him. It was around $400 at the time. My next stop was supposed to be Chas. Roberts Cycles in South Croydon, I believe, where I was definitely going to get/order a frame for myself. I even called the shop on a pay phone to get hours and directions. Never managed to figure out how to catch a bus or taxi to get there in time.
Thanks to harryquinn for filling in all the details of Buck Cycles!
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01-31-21, 10:56 PM
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Jeez, this is a great place. Thanks for the interesting story.
