What the Heck is CBS?
#1
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2018
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What the Heck is CBS?
I got this bike from the original owner, who bought it as a frameset c. 1980 here in Canada. It's a Reynolds 531 tubeset, with the pantographed stays, Campy dropouts and double crown fork. It's in pretty rough shape and has already been resprayed. Anyone ever heard of this company? I haven't been able to find anything.










#3
SE Wis

Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 11,556
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From: Milwaukee, WI
Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970
#6
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From: Point Reyes Station, California
Bikes: Indeed!
Judging from the thread suggested by [MENTION=28167]dedhed[/MENTION] it seems that [MENTION=384338]Duke7777[/MENTION] will be able to shed light on the origins of this bike.
Brent
Brent
#7
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Hardy, VA
Bikes: Mostly English - predominantly Raleighs
Possibly a previous owner's initials? If that's the case, lightning may strike you two or three times before you figure it out.
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In search of what to search for.
In search of what to search for.
#8
Full Member

Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 245
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From: Vancouver, BC
Bikes: 48 Alleluia, 52 Blondin, 68 CNC, 55 Dujay, 46&67 Herse, 76 Singer, 48 LeGreves, 55 Metropole, 62 Holds Cyclone, 55 Condor, 65 Masi, 81 Sequoia, 76 Eisentraut, 72 Proteus, 60 Paramount, 77 Trek TX700, 81 Ross, 82 CBS, 70 Cinelli, 77 Merz, 83 Proctor
See my post on the Larry Ruble frame thread for some info on CBS (Canadian Bicycle Specialists). I recently found both Gay Wise and Larry Ruble on facebook, tried contacting Larry, but didn't get a response. You could try contacting Gay on facebook - she now lives in Shawnigan Lake BC. The two frame builders I knew at CBS were Koichiro Seki and Tony Hoar, although I suspect there may have been other sources for CBS frames, especially in the 1970s.
#10
Old Bike Craphound

Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 209
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From: Vancouver, Canada
Bikes: 1974 Teledyne Titan, 1970's Sekine, 4 tandems including 1980's CounterPoint Opus III, plus a few dozen
I am the OP for the Larry Ruble thread that dedhed mentioned above. I have asked the folks at Super Champion Bike Shop on Main St, near E. Cordova St. in Vancouver, Canada, to reach out to Larry Ruble for me (they confirmed they know him), but I have received no reply in the past 3 weeks, but I am still working on my mystery.
Any other leads are welcome.
-Will
Any other leads are welcome.
-Will
#11
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Thanks for all the tips. Regarding the blanket, it's from Harmony House and was retailed by Simpson-Sears back in the '50's. I have a few vintage blankets. Anyway, I do know about Tony Hoar, and I live not far from Shawnigan Lake, so things are starting to make sense. The frame itself is very straight, no dents etc. I'm also having trouble figuring out what BB is in there. The bike came with Ofmega CX cranks.
#12
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Joined: Jul 2013
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From: SGV SoCal
Bikes: 2013 Wilier Gran Turismo, 1983 Trek 760, 80's Colnago Super, 90's De Rosa SLX, 2009 Waterford 22 Series Singlespeed, 85 Medici Pro Strada, De Rosa Alumino frameset, Dave Molten Fuso frameset, 70's beater Peugeot PX10, Zizzo Liberte, 2022 Yoeleo R12
Thanks for all the tips. Regarding the blanket, it's from Harmony House and was retailed by Simpson-Sears back in the '50's. I have a few vintage blankets. Anyway, I do know about Tony Hoar, and I live not far from Shawnigan Lake, so things are starting to make sense. The frame itself is very straight, no dents etc. I'm also having trouble figuring out what BB is in there. The bike came with Ofmega CX cranks.
#14
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 245
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From: Vancouver, BC
Bikes: 48 Alleluia, 52 Blondin, 68 CNC, 55 Dujay, 46&67 Herse, 76 Singer, 48 LeGreves, 55 Metropole, 62 Holds Cyclone, 55 Condor, 65 Masi, 81 Sequoia, 76 Eisentraut, 72 Proteus, 60 Paramount, 77 Trek TX700, 81 Ross, 82 CBS, 70 Cinelli, 77 Merz, 83 Proctor
For comparison, I've uploaded some photos of my previously owned CBS: https://www.flickr.com/photos/577760...57716940876373
I suspect this frame is earlier than VtwinVince's, and there are definitely some differences.
It's also a very nicely made frame, custom built as a touring frame for the person I bought it from. It originally had bosses for Mafac cantilevers. There doesn't seem to be anything stamped on the bottom bracket.
I suspect this frame is earlier than VtwinVince's, and there are definitely some differences.
It's also a very nicely made frame, custom built as a touring frame for the person I bought it from. It originally had bosses for Mafac cantilevers. There doesn't seem to be anything stamped on the bottom bracket.
#15
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Just to resurrect this thread, I recently picked up a few bikes which Gay Wise had been storing since Tony's death in 2019, including two of Tony's road bikes and an interesting mountain bike which was apparently made for the '88 Olympics in Calgary. I'm just restoring these now, so I'll update my progress as I go.
#16
Full Member

Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 245
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From: Vancouver, BC
Bikes: 48 Alleluia, 52 Blondin, 68 CNC, 55 Dujay, 46&67 Herse, 76 Singer, 48 LeGreves, 55 Metropole, 62 Holds Cyclone, 55 Condor, 65 Masi, 81 Sequoia, 76 Eisentraut, 72 Proteus, 60 Paramount, 77 Trek TX700, 81 Ross, 82 CBS, 70 Cinelli, 77 Merz, 83 Proctor
Just to resurrect this thread, I recently picked up a few bikes which Gay Wise had been storing since Tony's death in 2019, including two of Tony's road bikes and an interesting mountain bike which was apparently made for the '88 Olympics in Calgary. I'm just restoring these now, so I'll update my progress as I go.

#17
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Joined: Dec 2019
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From: Los Angeles, CA.
Bikes: Only Track bikes and Trick bikes in the collection - about 35 or so left out of 130 approx
CBS = Canadian Bicycle Specialties
I took this photo early 1980's when we were riding the Juan De Fuca Velodrome Victoria, B.C.
We brought out the CBS, a Flying Scot, Flying Gate, Frejus and a Limongi that day.

I took this photo early 1980's when we were riding the Juan De Fuca Velodrome Victoria, B.C.
We brought out the CBS, a Flying Scot, Flying Gate, Frejus and a Limongi that day.

#18
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Pretty cool stuff. Yes, I bought the bikes directly from Gay, and they are all in a pretty sorry state. One of the road bikes is 753 and has some interesting features, including internal cable routing on the derailleurs. I will be getting in touch with Seki as well, as I'm interested in the details on these bikes.
#19
Full Member

Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 245
Likes: 177
From: Vancouver, BC
Bikes: 48 Alleluia, 52 Blondin, 68 CNC, 55 Dujay, 46&67 Herse, 76 Singer, 48 LeGreves, 55 Metropole, 62 Holds Cyclone, 55 Condor, 65 Masi, 81 Sequoia, 76 Eisentraut, 72 Proteus, 60 Paramount, 77 Trek TX700, 81 Ross, 82 CBS, 70 Cinelli, 77 Merz, 83 Proctor
Pretty cool stuff. Yes, I bought the bikes directly from Gay, and they are all in a pretty sorry state. One of the road bikes is 753 and has some interesting features, including internal cable routing on the derailleurs. I will be getting in touch with Seki as well, as I'm interested in the details on these bikes.
From the info in the article I would guess this bike was built in the early 80s by Seki, who still seems to be around and has a record of all the frames he built. Here is my wife's race bike, built in 1983 I think.



#20
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That's a beauty Duke. I'm looking forward to getting in touch with Seki, as the bikes I'm restoring all have no serial numbers, so essentially one-offs. I believe they made three of the mountain bikes. I did follow that story about the stolen bike, and Gay also got her custom tandem back that she campaigned with Tony. Right now she's in Europe, and had planned to ride the Dalmatian coast, but she broke her wrist in a training accident in the summer.
#22
Touring Rocks

Joined: Aug 2019
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From: Okanagan Valley BC


Here is my CBS. Original Campy components and seat. I am not sure the wheels are original, as they are Saturae rims with Shimano hubs and freewheel. It might have come with tubulars and was converted later.









