A-1 Bicycles St Louis
10-12-10, 05:14 PM
#1
If I own it, I ride it
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Location: Cardinal Country
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A-1 Bicycles St Louis
Had occasion Saturday to pay a visit to A-1 in St Louis to pick up a box to ship the Jeunet to "The Colonel". While retrieving the box, I noticed three Raysport frames in another area of the shop. Ray took time to show them to me and some other "Family Treasures"
One was a frame only, 60cm that has a creased chainstay. They tried to spread it and one stay did, the other did not. There is also a frame with track ends, done by one of the workers at the shop. Forgot to photograph it, but I will be back.
Below is what Ray termed Raysport #1. He told me that this frame had no serial and he rode it in the 70s. There is another un-numbered frame that went to Ian Alsop. Perhaps an indication of early production problems, the braze at the fork crown has failed. Ray said he would eventually get it fixed and equip with Campag NR as it was in the 70s.
This is Raysport #244, the sole remaining complete frame at the shop that is for sale. It is 64cm and has had shifter bosses, top tube guides, and derailleur cable guides added to it. Ray could not recall why it was never completed. It is in primer.
Next is a tandem built by Ray Florman, Sr. Ray Jr recalled riding on it as a child and also riding it with his own daughter on the back.
This one has me a little perplexed. I cannot find this particular type of Schwinn Tandem in any of the catalogs. All the ones like this with the curved seat tube I have found are Paramounts, but this is not a Paramount. There is a similar model, but it has a slanted downtube in the stoker. Ray said the brown areas are where his dad performed repairs after a failure. Kurt probably has the answer....
And on that tandem was this, a Raysport saddle. A Unica Nitor knockoff poorly done. Ray could not recall who the actual producer was, but it was Mexican. It is not as slender before the sitbone area as a Unica Nitor. It now resides in my collection.
This is a Raleigh Lenton Special modified and ridden by Ray Florman, Sr. It has a three speed cog added to the IGH.
This Pierce with BSA components is out on the showroom floor. Someone found it and brought it in to Ray Sr.
More photos here
One was a frame only, 60cm that has a creased chainstay. They tried to spread it and one stay did, the other did not. There is also a frame with track ends, done by one of the workers at the shop. Forgot to photograph it, but I will be back.
Below is what Ray termed Raysport #1. He told me that this frame had no serial and he rode it in the 70s. There is another un-numbered frame that went to Ian Alsop. Perhaps an indication of early production problems, the braze at the fork crown has failed. Ray said he would eventually get it fixed and equip with Campag NR as it was in the 70s.
This is Raysport #244, the sole remaining complete frame at the shop that is for sale. It is 64cm and has had shifter bosses, top tube guides, and derailleur cable guides added to it. Ray could not recall why it was never completed. It is in primer.
Next is a tandem built by Ray Florman, Sr. Ray Jr recalled riding on it as a child and also riding it with his own daughter on the back.
This one has me a little perplexed. I cannot find this particular type of Schwinn Tandem in any of the catalogs. All the ones like this with the curved seat tube I have found are Paramounts, but this is not a Paramount. There is a similar model, but it has a slanted downtube in the stoker. Ray said the brown areas are where his dad performed repairs after a failure. Kurt probably has the answer....
And on that tandem was this, a Raysport saddle. A Unica Nitor knockoff poorly done. Ray could not recall who the actual producer was, but it was Mexican. It is not as slender before the sitbone area as a Unica Nitor. It now resides in my collection.
This is a Raleigh Lenton Special modified and ridden by Ray Florman, Sr. It has a three speed cog added to the IGH.
This Pierce with BSA components is out on the showroom floor. Someone found it and brought it in to Ray Sr.
More photos here
Last edited by CV-6; 10-12-10 at 05:57 PM.
10-12-10, 05:30 PM
#2
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Awesome stuff!
10-12-10, 05:38 PM
#3
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Man, I wish that 64 was smaller...I would love to have a piece of St. Louis cycling history!
Last time I was in there I asked if there was anything vintage for sale and was told no...
Lynn...Do you know of any smaller (57-60cm) frames for sale?
Last time I was in there I asked if there was anything vintage for sale and was told no...
Lynn...Do you know of any smaller (57-60cm) frames for sale?
10-12-10, 09:48 PM
#4
If I own it, I ride it
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Nope. Ray told me he had two calls in the last week from people who had their Raysports stolen. They were looking for replacements.
10-14-10, 01:44 PM
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PM sent with info on that oddball tandem.
-Kurt
-Kurt
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