Looking to date a Roy Thame frame.
 

I'm curious about the date of my frame and fork and I hope there is someone on this forum who can shed some light on it. It was once a complete bicycle and has been in the family since it was new.

This is no serial number on the fork steerer, but there is the number 17 stamped on it and a partially discernible oval stamp below the number nearer to the crown.
The bottom bracket shell also has the number 17 stamped on it and there is a partially discernible serial that I make out to be "SW 740727".
I've always thought this bike/frame was from the early '70s. Is it possible that the serial is a date in reverse order of the British style, i.e. 27th July 1974? Perhaps the SW is the frame builders initials?

There was a post a few years back from a lady by the name of Kelly Rowe who was Roy Thame's great niece. Tried PMing her but I think I need to post 49 more times to get that privilege!

Hi Jockie - Welcome to the forums. Everyone is going to ask for pics. Beat them to it and post a few here; it'll help tremendously.

Thanks for the advice tomd7. Nobody has asked for pics yet and there've been no more replies.
Hoping that this photo will prompt a response or two.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=219394
I've had the frame blasted, repaired and tracked just recently. Soon I will do a spot of cold setting to space the rear drop outs before having it painted by my urethane paint guy. Here's a picture of the last frame he did for me (it is an old, Tange steel, Nishiki).
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=219397

Good luck dating it by the serial number. A code, such as you intuit, may be involved; but not necessarily, and not necessarily what you think.

Generally speaking, though, 1974 frame would not have top tube cable guides, nor shifter bosses. I would guess early 80's. (But what do I know).

I commend you for your astute observation rhm but alas I had them added a dozen or so years ago. Frame is most definitely from the '70s, most probably early portion of said decade.

Where's a cipher when you need one?

I'm still on the look out for information regarding my Roy Thame frame, i.e. its date of construction, perhaps even its model name.

Here's a picture of me cold setting the rear dropout spacing to 130mm. Aferwards I aligned the frame with a Park FA6-2 tool ('6' is actually a 'G'). It was relatively easy.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=219676

I have a question regarding headsets: by my measurements the headtube is 168mm long, the steerer tube (measured from the base of the fat bit at the bottom to the top of the threads) is 205mm long, so does that mean I can fit a headset with a stack height of 37mm or lower?
Another gratuitous picture.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=219675

I was thinking about the Shimano Dura-Ace 7410, would its 37.6mm stack height preclude it? If so, then perhaps someone would be kind enough to suggest something else?

I thought I would add a photo of my repainted and rebuilt Roy Thame.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=291177

It looks great congrats!!

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...7&d=1357006846

That's a great looking bike, good job.

Hi - does anyone have any knowledge of the serial numbers used on Roy Thame frames? I have a frame that I am trying to ID and suspect is a Roy Thame... it is A 14270

Could you post a pic of the serial number? This could possibly be a frame built by Tommy Quick.

Thanks for the messages! I have got loads of pics on another forum but it won't let me post the links here or upload because I don't have enough points?!

Also the post before has pictures of the lugwork. I doubt it's old enough? It's 70s or even early 80s I think? But I have no idea!

Ok, is the serial number orientated East West across the BB shell or North South along the edge?

Also it may be an idea to post the bike on the UK site Retro Bike.

Some basic info here. I always have trouble navigating that site but think this should give you the right page--

https://www.nkilgariff.com/Holdsworth.htm

Scroll down to 1975.

Pic assist:

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fc91d3d8e4.png

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...03de20fe2d.png

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...21468313fd.png

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b3e448e6d4.png

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c488011576.png

Thanks!!

Just saw a note on Hilary Stone Cycles facebook page that most Roy Thame frames were built byTommy Quick. Looking at either of the frames in this thread that seems likely to me but I am getting out of my depth here. Quality build in any case. Right now HS is having trouble with his website, if you go to FB just scroll way down until you hit the Thame. Hilary would know just a lot about these frames, unfortunately he charges $$ for a full report.

Thanks! Couldn't see the Thame frame on there but maybe I need to keep scrolling haha.

If you have any of the original parts left, just look up component codes. Often people toss parts, but keep items like the seat post.

Do a search on this forum for the topic Holdsworth Frame Numbers. First post has a link to a google drive doc. The document lists the Thane serial Numbers as well as Holdsworth.

In that same thread, there is this post

“Wileyone,
The Putney shop numbering system beginning with 2 digit year began on or shortly after '65 and continued until 1975 when Roy Thame was told by Holdsworthy headquarters to stop branding shop models as Holdsworths. Following '75 shop frames were branded Roy Thame. “

So if the frame has to be post 75.

I'm also looking to date a Roy Thame frame. I'm just not sure if it is an older frame that had the braze-ons (brake cable guides, shifter bosses and bb cable guides) added later or if it is actually later 70s or even as late as 1981. Date code is 31281 and the NR crank arms are dated 81. First pic is the acquired state in 2018, second pic is bare frame (see the club cutouts in the fork tangs), and third pic is the date code on the bb.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1e059f41cf.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a24f51860d.jpg


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...113fd31a72.jpg