Passing of Jack Taylor
 

I missed this until today, but Jack Taylor died earlier this week. Here's a nice piece on his life and work:

The Retrogrouch: Jack Taylor: Loss of a Treasure

"Jack began building bicycles in 1936" Amazing.

yeah. i saw that the other day. sad. but he had a long life.

How old was he? 106?

From Jack Taylor Cycles:

While Jack Taylor started the business, and built the first frames back in 1936 at the age of 18, Norman soon took over the framebuilding position of the trio.

So that would have put him around 96.

Found some photos:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UU3iauDt7r...+Bike+Bros.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vnyqyD_8oB...d2e75cfef2.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wirA-Bo001...e+Brothers.JPG

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2LW00EAIfN...40/Taylors.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r23GjbVD7X...ack+Tandem.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QxAAHAWPod...Tube+Model.JPG
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WIgPCXetcW...rack+Model.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-raz1OUcWet...dies+Model.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LcqoDIfYPS...tain+Model.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WwZc6y5g-W...r+Club+Man.JPG

Here's to you, Mr. Taylor:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2932/...bdf18318_h.jpg

Beauty!

"Twenty-one gears! You don't know what gear you're in!"

I love it.

Oh my God, watch the video on the page that [MENTION=383514]icepick_trotsky[/MENTION] cited. It is worth your 25 minutes. It is so sweet and funny and informative. Wonderful. Even non-bike-lovers can love the video.

The world is now a much smaller place.

I never owned a Taylor frame/bike (came close, once), but I've always respected their work and contribution to cycling's history.

Ride in peace, Jack.

I love the Taylors, everything about them really. The men and the bikes. Unpretentious, they did things the way they wanted to, not because other people were doing it. Sure, they had lots of french bicycle influence that made up what they did, but they were Brits with no question. Plus how cool is it that three brothers worked so closely together for so long? Maybe some builders like Weigle or Sachs have more artistic flair , but the Taylors built bikes for everyone with a purpose. And for the most part they changed very little over the years. I can respect that. Those are some of the reasons they are my favorite builders. My Taylors:

'80 Super Touring Tandem
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-M...EEF1BCDB5D.JPG

'99 Super Tourist
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3862/...b36f4285_b.jpg

'78 Tour of Britain project
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5569/...f6a0134f_b.jpg

a cool curved tube I got to visit during a California trip, where you find more Taylors than other locations.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5571/...2caeba72_b.jpg

and this one I used to own (now in @ColonelJloyds hands) might not have been built by them but it definitely passed through their hands.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-L...1000002883.JPG

In the video, you see one of the brothers adding the lining (paint) to a frame. Absolutely amazing.

This video was posted on an FB group with Jack Taylor featured.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0Qj...s&noredirect=1

yes, that's Jack.

I'm trying to find someone who is good at that to repaint said Tour of Britain above.

Few Places In the UK have Storefronts that sell frames and Building Bikes made in their own shops anymore.

Ask Weigle. If he won't do it, he probably knows someone who does. Where have you looked so far?

been there done that. I'm talking to Brian Chapman and tom Kellogg next, based on Peter's suggestion.

There's someone in VT who does the box lining for Hubert d'Autremont's frames. Forgot her name. You could contact him and ask. He knows Peter Weigle personally and his work also ranks up there, at least among the young builders.

Bicycle Archives | Cycles d'Autremont

Waterford? The lining work on this Paramount restoration sorta reminds me of your JT.

You might try Keith Anderson -- he painted the Jack Taylor-inspired bike that won best in show at the '09 NAHBS. He even did box-lining on it. Dan Polito built the bike, but as far as I know kind of dropped off the map after that. Anderson does nice paint work, though
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=417496

In the street in London I'm staying in now they're just opening exactly such a shop. It's a well established, extremely cool high end cycling shop for a few years now, and now they're starting with homebuild frames. Nice to see this kind of fabrication making a comeback.

They priced everyone but the High end out of London ?

FW Evans had their own stuff in the late 80's it was reasonably Priced . not high end.

1991 in Newcastle the lads at Joe Waugh knocked out a Quick Custom front Rack for me in 48 hours .

then I took a Ferry to Norway, thats Gone Now Too..

[MENTION=197614]fietsbob[/MENTION] what are you saying? You totally lost me on this post.

Each were small regional shops, making their own steel bike frames .. Un famous in the US it seems.


Or were you confused by stating the Fact, now there are No Seagoing Ferries connecting the British Isles with Scandinavia?