nlerner

Sorry to clog the works with more threads, but I figured for future reference it would be helpful to have this project occupy some space. I bought this complete bike on eBay in the fall and was psyched to get a vintage English touring bike (from 1974 if the serial # is an indication). I didn't find much on Norman Fay other than that the shop is still in existence, run by the son of the founder, and they had some small English builder produce bikes in their name. Campy dropouts front and rear, light weight, and nice lugwork probably mean a Reynolds 531 frame but there was no sticker.

The bike and I had a bit of rocky starting relationship. First the seller, asked for more money for shipping than what the eBay calculator determined (we split the difference), then once it arrived, I saw that it had 27" wheels, not the 700c listed in the auction, and more discouraging the seat tube had a couple of ragged holes where some gorilla had torn off or tried to homebrew some bottle cage mounts. Well, I had that repair done by Peter Mooney in Belmont, MA, and then a powdercoat by my man Scott in Plymouth, MA. Scott had never done a contrasting head tube before, but I'm very pleased with how it turned out. The overall copper penny color is akin to one of the new Honda Element colors, fwiw. The custom front rack came with the bike.

In terms of the build, it has Mavic rims on Phil Wood hubs, first-generation Dura Ace crankset w/ new 48/38t rings, Phil Wood CHP pedals, Phil Wood BB, Shimano Crane GS rear derailer, SunTour Cyclone front derailer, SunTour bar ends, Mafac canti brakes, Tektro R200 levers, Nitto Technomic stem, Nitto Noodle bars, Bluemels mudguards, Brooks Conquest saddle, and a random Belgian headbadge (no headbadge on the original, just a decal). An amazingly smooth ride.

Neal

FlatTop

Looks great! Especially like the cantis and the little custom rack.

Chris_in_Miami

Very nice indeed! What kind of tires is it wearing?

pastorbobnlnh 

Neal,

Nice build. The color combination of black and copper is very appealing and feels very British. I surmise the the bracket on the front of the rack is for a headlight? Maybe Sammyboy can find you a great English lamp to do the trick. Man we need to connect this summer and get "Sporty" together with "Roberta" for a ride!

Noah Scape

Very nice! I remember seeing a Norman Fay years ago at a shop and thinking it was the nicest touring bike I'd ever seen.

nlerner

Those are Continental Ultra Sports 27 x 1 1/4". The Mavic rims don't have a hooked edge, so these are wire-bead tires. On my test ride yesterday at 80 psi, the front tire did the bulge thing, but I caught it before the tube blew.

Bob, the frame is also set up with internal wiring for a light system, so we'll have to do the midnight ride of Sporty and Roberta.

Neal

Charles Wahl

Did Scott paint the left side of the seatpost clamp bolt to the frame? or did you ask for that?
I've been waiting awhile to see this frame! Nice job, all around.

alanbikehouston

What a beautiful bike. Thanks for the great photos. Everyone should have a least ONE bike that is really, really special...

nlerner

That left side nut is brazed on to the frame/seat cluster, and the original was painted. Lots of cool little details on this bike.

More pics and details here.

Neal

harry lavery

I worked for norman fay as a frame builder back in 1974, your bike may be one I made , I made that ditty little carrier on the front as well. norman died just last month and at his funeral one his bikes was there along with i'ts original owner and it's current owner (a serious collector he's got over 70 very old bikes). he was totaly blown away and I showed him things about his bike he never knew . Im going to be riding it in a rally some where when he gets back to me . Also I had a good chat with young normy and we are thinking about setting up a web site to try and trace al his bikes, I think we made about 100.

harry lavery

I worked for norman fay as a frame builder back in 1974, your bike may be one I made , I made that ditty little carrier on the front as well. norman died just last month and at his funeral one his bikes was there along with i'ts original owner and it's current owner (a serious collector he's got over 70 very old bikes). he was totaly blown away and I showed him things about his bike he never knew . Im going to be riding it in a rally some where when he gets back to me . Also I had a good chat with young normy and we are thinking about setting up a web site to try and trace al his bikes, I think we made about 100.

FlatTop

Well, this is a pleasure!
I'm sure a lot of us would be keen to hear anything you'd wish to share. Welcome!

nlerner

Thanks for the note, Harry. I'm honored to be riding one of your bikes. It's a terrific piece of craftsmanship.

Neal

harry lavery

Take a look INSIDE your front forks at the top of each blade you should see a small shield one on each side. There may also be a very small hole under the top of your down tube near your front fork crown ( if it has not been filled in) this was for the electric cable that went to the front headlight fitted to the front carrier, this cable ran down inside the down tube and came out at the bottom bracket shell then up the rear mudguard inside the folded edge then out at the seat stay and down to the dynamo (genorator) The rear light cable ran up the seat stay into the mud garduard along the fold to the rear light fitted in the centre of the mudgaurd. I have often been asked about that little hole. I'ts almost 30 years since I worked for normam but I did go to see him now and again it was so nice to meet my old work mates and customers at his funeral and talk about the old days. hope this has helped you . will get on to young normy to set up a web site. we used to get cards and letters from all over the world like India, America, Australia, Germany etc.... would be nice to hear from them again.

harry lavery

I have had a good read of all your letters, your frame no 7427. The frame was made in 1974 and your's was the 27 to be built so I would gess it was made late in that year, also it was made above Norman Fays Cycle shop in Eldon St. South Shields , Tyne and Wear, England. The tubing was Renolds 531, the top tube and down tube were double butted ( thinner in the middle and thicker at the ends ) the seat tube was single butted ( thicker at the bottom thiner at the top ). That little lump on the top of your left seat stay is the remains of a cycle pump fitting .you look as though you have made a good job of restoring the bike. So pleased it is in good hands.

nlerner

Yes, Harry, it has shields inside of the fork blades under the crown, and the holes for the wiring system are still there. Actually, the wire itself was still inside of the downtube when I got the bike; it would be great to restore that function at some point. Do you know what sort of front lamp it would have used, particularly for that vertical bracket on the front rack?

Neal

John E

Harry, thanks for posting. It is great for Neal to hear from someone who really knows his bike!

harry lavery

not sure about the front lamp but will find out for you, I'm sure it was not a british lamp. Back in 74 one of the big bike mags did a full write up on one of our touring bikes and had all the specs, will try to track it down for you, I think it was cycling news. That bike in the write up was a canceled order and was bought by an Australian lady captain who was visiting the Tyne on a big sailing ship and wanted it to go sight seeing where ever she went, I would dearly love to hear where that bike ended up.

ps. norman fay made all the frame building jigs, his workshop was above the cycle shop. he started by repairing frames then went on to make complete frames from about 1972 . The shop in St. Eldon st. was pulled down in 1977. He moved to dean rd. the workshop there was under the shop, going there soon to see what is left .

harry lavery

Not sure about the lamp but will find out for you. Back in 74 one of the cycling mags did a write up on one of our touring bikes and had all the specs and some photo's, I think it was cycling news, will try and track it down for you. That bike in the write up was a canceled order and was later bought by an Australian lady captain who was visiting the Tyne on a very large sailing ship, she wanted a touring bike to go sight seeing where ever she went , I would dearly love to hear where that bike ended up.

ps. norman fay made all the frame building jigs himself ,he started by repairing frames then went on to make coplete frames from about 1972, his workshop was above the cycle shop. I started working for norman in 73 . In early 74 his business partner left, so norman had to spend more time running the shop so I was left to make the frames. The shop in St. Eldon st. was pulled down in 1977 and we moved to Dean rd. the workshop was below the cycle shop. Will be going there soon to see what is left.

harry lavery

Hi, I met up with Robin Coombs ( he spray painted the Norman Fay frames ) he still has his Norman Fay bike no 747 it is a tourer and his from new, he has not used it much in the last 30 years but his bike has the original lights, so I'm going round sometime to foto the lights and dynamo will try and get parts no's.
also went out with the Veteran Cycle club today and I used the Norman Fay bike that was at his funeral (nf 764) did about 30 miles on it . Got some foto's of me on the bike and it's present owner. The chap that owns the bike is going to research the Veteran Cycle Club's archives to track down the write up on the bike that was in Cycling news.
And Robin has a friend who is a researcher for the South Shield Gazett and we're hoping she will track down the Australian lady captain as I do remember she got a lot of local publicity because of her and her sailing ship.
You may not be aware but Norman was knocked off his bike on 20 th June and died later in hospital there has been a number of write ups on the internet about his death.
Will send you the foto's of the lights and the bikes when I get someone to show me how ...