A shed for the local frame builders
 

A thread for small or obscure hand built frames, built locally, or no longer in existence etc. The Webster's the Wilson's the Stoke's the Selbach's of the world. What constitutes small, you may ask. I'd be more than happy to see something like a "real" Claud Butler. When the man himself was at the helm. Pre 57 I think. But that would be about the limit of the more famous marques. This is not in any way designed to be exclusive, on the contrary. More a celebration of some of the lesser known makers who generally do not receive the wider respect or recognition which befits them.
Anyway here's mine. Early seventies J F Wilson 531 of Sheffield. Built by the man who's name is on the frame. Now how bloody good is that? I'd like to see you find Mr Trek. Wilson's is now run by his son, the family name is still making frames after almost 60 years. http://www.wilsoncycles.co.uk/
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...n/DSC02395.jpg

Excellent idea!
Gives me an excuse to show some of mine:) this one from the Rawtenstall, Lancashire builder Johnny Kay.
Don't know a lot about him but he made some beautiful machines.
This one was made in 1959 and was a classy bike in its day.
Still is if you ask me.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...ofNewTyres.jpg
Bought it for £10 in a pretty dirty state, but it's looking good here in the sunshine.
I also have a pic of it in an exhibition at the Royal Albert Hall (London) in 1965 ridden by it's second owner for nigh on 50 years.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5.../jkfrom60s.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...ronttorear.jpg

Was called Ruairi (pronounced Rory I believe) and sounds Gaelic/Irish to me.
Or possibly Maori?
I think one of our NZ contributors might expand on that one!!

Lovely Viscount. Must admit it's a new one on me. That's just what I was hoping with this thread. The frame has obviously been resprayed, but looks all original other than that. What a bonus to have an old photo of it. More please.

I want more Lanky bikes, please!

East Hill

It was new to me when I bought it!
The frame was repainted in the 60s by the guy you see at RAH.
He was a proper enthusiast, doing thousands of miles per year in his heyday.
Now he is a retired teacher, selling cactus seeds on ebay!

http://members.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISA...erid=6333roger

I'm ashamed to say I have had no communication with him for a long time:(

Didn't say before but I sold the bike when I moved from Worcester last year....
Along with my 47 Rudge Sports, and several other machines I could not accommodate in my new small 'retirement' flat. (Still got toooooo many!)

OK, more pics by request!
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...heeldetail.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...59/JkBars8.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...attubeLogo.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...dlecloseup.jpg

Some not very good quality but you can see it was a smashing bicycle, now owned by an enthusiast in the West Country.
In good hands I'm sure.

I will mail the original owner tonight and provide him with a link to BF.
I'm certain he will be pleased with what he sees.

Now he is a retired teacher, selling cactus seeds on ebay!

http://members.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISA...erid=6333roger

That's absolutely brilliant. You couldn't make it up.
The bicycle is a gem. Hope we get some more this good coming through.

Don't need to make it up, you know.
Things just have a way of happening.

One of my favourite sayings:
"Do the right things, the right things happen."
I'm sure it's true!

In two minds whether to tell everybody about Kevin Gundle!??
Should I? Such a lovely story.

I think this thread will get some surprises!

Stop teasing us! Oh, and take a look here:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=369318

East Hill

You might not believe this, but I thought I'd take a look at other threads before I got to cook my daily food (I'm currently starving, not even had breakfast yet at 16:30 or so!!) and came across the Pletscher question. Answered it then came back here!
Is that ESP again?

The thing about Kevin Gundle is one of propriety/ethics of telling stuff publicly.
Not a tease, I promise. (This time)
Shall I PM you and then you can judge for yourself?

Yes, ESP for sure!

A PM would be good :) .

Have your brekky first though!

East Hill

Can we have photos of lesser known frame makers with your hijackings?

ok, small dutch builder Jan de Reus. One time racer, retired started building frames and
then tragically died (hit by car? I think).
This is one of 2 known de Reus bikes in the U.S. (the other is owned by BF member CV-6)
http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/d/...2/P1010078.jpg
Another small Dutch builder Ko Zieleman, learned framebuilding from his father who reportedly
was a better frame builder than his son (and I have no idea how to tell their work apart).
imported less than 300 bikes to the U.S. total.
http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/d/132949-2/Ziel1.jpg

Do any of you Brits have a good photo of a Bespoke (brand) bike? I'd love to see
an example of Norris' work. Maybe a Jack Hearns? Hurlow?

Marty

Frame by Altinger, a part-time framebuilder from Munich/Germany (his full-time job is, i believe, facility maintenance at a hospital. a lot of local riders raced his frames in the 70ies to the 90ies. All built to measure with some unique features (the rear triangle is so tight that only 20mm tires will fit and have to be deflafted before removal, also note the rear brake cable routing thorigh the seatpost).
This frame is a 61cm from 1992, has seen approximately 120.000km on the road under a 80+kg rider. It has a Crit-like geometry and is made from Columbus SL, because Altinger felt SLX was too fragile for a frame this size.

http://www.tourgalerie.de/cpg132/alb...nikon__002.jpg

http://www.tourgalerie.de/cpg132/alb...nikon__006.jpg

http://www.tourgalerie.de/cpg132/alb...nikon__010.jpg

http://www.tourgalerie.de/cpg132/alb...nikon__012.jpg

http://www.tourgalerie.de/cpg132/alb...nikon__003.jpg

http://www.tourgalerie.de/cpg132/alb...nikon__005.jpg

http://www.tourgalerie.de/cpg132/alb...nikon__001.jpg

Room in the shed for a Nigel Dean?
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...g/NDean4th.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...g/NDean2nd.jpg
Not an obscure maker but not everyday either.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g58/duktig/NDean1.jpg
Given to me, but far too small.

My 82 Proteus...built in College Park, Maryland...

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h4...s/Proteus2.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h4...s/Proteus3.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h4...s/Proteus1.jpg

there sure is some nice eye-candy in this thread, keep it coming! Love all the obscure British bikes, and that German one is a stunner, too...what kind of stem is that, looks kind of Titanium (?) The Proteus scares me, and the neighborhood children! ;)

Ooh, ooh. Can I squeeze in my O'Brien 753? The name on the frame's Liam O'Brien but i think it was actually built by Eddie Bosomworth (eponymous to Kiwi cyclists everywhere). regards - Jeff

Lotek - I like the Reus, the paint is superb.
Marti- Love the chrome on your Altinger, very subtle.
Viscount- Always room for a little Nigel, me Granddad had a Nigel Dean. Very nice ride. It's like little & large compared with..
Barndoor- former jockey? What, of Shire horses? I'm 6'5 and I reckon I'd need to get me Cuban heels on for that thing. Wonderful.
Jeffieh- No need for lights at night. Amazing paintwork. 753 too. Very nice.
Keep them coming. It's good to have a bit of history with them too.

Cinelli Grammo... yep, its a Ti part.

Oops! Sorry:rolleyes:

1974 Van Staeyen
 

This bike stems from a belgian bike racers dynasty: each of the last three generations of the family have been racing successfully.
The builder of said bike, Joseph van Staeyen, was bike race pro from 1948 to 1957, his son Ludo van Staeyen earned his money with cycling from 1971 to 1977 and it seems as if Ludo's nephew Michael van Staeyen wants to add to that history, he's 19 and has been quite successful in racing since 2004.

The bike itself was made at the family's bike shop in Schoten/Antwerpen, about 1974, for the brother of the very nice elderly gentleman who gave me the bike.
It's made of Reynolds 531 db tubing and equipped with Campagnolo Record - mostly Nuovo Record, but with Super Record hubs and Super Record rear derailleur Pat.73.
Everything else is Cinelli, except rims are Mavic "Championnat du Monde Professionnel" (what a name!).
The little sticker on the fork says "Groene Leeuw", the last team Jos van Staeyen rode for - a nice personal touch in place of the common Reynolds stickers.
Head tube lugs and rear dropouts are not chromed, but seem to be sprayed with a very uncommon type of paint that makes those parts look very chrome-like.
The bike hasn't been used too much or even hard, everything is in original condition with very little wear (it's even possible that tires and bar tape are original, but I could be wrong at that.)

Some pics to the story:

The bike shop at Churchilllaan 16, Schoten, Antwerpen, Belgium.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-...urchillaan.jpg

Bike racers from three generations: Jos van Staeyen is the racer on the left ...
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-...dixitM.V.E.jpg

Ludo van Staeyen, Joseph's son and ...
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-...tayen,Ludo.jpg

Michael van Staeyen, Joseph's grandson (not very classic nor vintage, naturally);
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-...en,Michael.jpg

1974 Van Staeyen - the bike.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-...VanStaeyen.jpg

Sabatini, no longer mine.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d28/drong/side-1.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d28/drong/ht.jpg

Can't find anything on the builder. There's another Sabatini on Campyonly, and another was recently sold on the bay, but apart from that, nada.

early 70s corky gulbransen, now a champion waterfowl wood carver
http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/d/273753-2/Bike01.jpg

That is so freaking cool. Corky has my last name. I have to have that bike. a cinelli was just kicked off the top of my retro dream list. how popular are these bikes? do they all say corky or is there a fat g-u-l-b-r-a-n-s-e-n sticker. maybe only on the taller models. I'm dumbfounded. maybe I can talk him out of retirement to build a sweet bike for his long lost nephew?
for future reference the top of my non retro list is an Inglis Retrotec Half road bike. then a Iron Horse Sunday World Cup

Here's my local handbuilt. Not painted by Dr. D but cool none the less. is 1998 vintage?

edit: that was a Dr D painted bike? how much, right now is it a 57?

NOT ON YOUR LIFE! It's a 62cm anyway.

This is the later logo, as far as I know his bikes were all said corky. Corky was his nickname only. This is the only one I have ever seen. I know cycleart has restored one. The CR list all but ignored this bike save one or 2 members. There was no response to my suggestion to include Corky in the USA builders page.