Hello.This may be late in the day but may interest someone. I no longer have aJohnny Kay bike but I did have one some years ago. It was custom built and Icollected it from JK's workshop in Rawtenstall in 1956. (Why I was given it at14yrs old is another story). It was a thing of beauty: White with dark green panels,531 throughout with gold-lined Nervex lugs and uniquely scalloped seatstays atthe seat lug. It had Simplex gears, Stronglight cranks (steel), Weinmann brakes, Airlight large flange hubs and rims and a Brooks B19 saddle(which I have never seen since). The head tube and seat tube had a coat-of armsand there were stickers to say that the frame weighed 6 3/4lbs and that it wassilver brazed and could withstand considerable stress. I rode this bike withthe CTC C section, then B section and later with the Lancashire RC. This was inthe days of Cliff (and Ethel) Baxter, Tom Bridge et al. who, looking back now,were truly giants. (TB had offered me a Frejus frame but it was just too big).It was also the time of Gerald Kay, JK's son, who was super fast and won manyLRC events and trophies. He was several years older than me and something of ahero. (Some frames had his name on them). He went into the RAF at this time. Cliff Baxter had a terrible caraccident but made an astonishing recovery and continued to beat long distancerecords. This was also the time of Ron Kitching and his wonderful catalogues.One rainy day I rode from near Bolton where I lived to see his shop in Harrogate.About eighty miles. When I got there the shop was closed for the day. Nothingfor it but to ride all the way back, much of it in the dark!
I remain enthusiastic andnow ride a vintage Colnago Master and a carbon Giant (off road). But I would love to see somepictures of a Johnny Kay or exchange info. And of course I would be very keen to buy one.
Thanks for reading.