Originally Posted by semroc

Thanks for the responses everyone. Especially Doug Fattic. Very interesting history, and information. Bicycling Rules! Most appreciative of this forum. Hey Doug if I buy that frame can you stretch it into a bigger one to fit my 6'3" size? Lol

Originally Posted by alexihnen

This is why handbuilt and custom steel frames from this era are so great. No one's ever going to have a story like this to share about a Trek OCLV 5500. And since steel frames basically disappeared from racing starting in the late 80s, the nature of custom steel frames themselves changed. At least this is how I justify buying the bikes I have.

Originally Posted by Doug Fattic

It would be convenient if this frame could talk in English. If you look close, you can see that the original customer's name is written in script on the top tube near the seat lug on the drive side. Unfortunately I can't quite make out the name. Can anyone else tell what the name is? What I can tell is that the rear triangle is Columbus. I sometimes made the front triangle with Reynolds because it is a little lighter and sometimes I kept it Columbus too. That seat stay treatment cost an extra $100 in the 80's. I can't see any frame I made in the 70's that matches those specs. I had to cut off the cast bolt system on the original Henry James lug and fillet braze on a longer one I made on my lathe.

I am curious how the seller (who I don't know) got this frame. It has been on eBay for some time and various people have sent me notices it is there.

The paint on this frame could be reconditioned without having to strip it all off to start over again (I painted this frame too). It is helpful that most of it is black that can be sanded to feather out all the chips. After masking the red (again) it can be primed with black primer before applying the black color. After replacing the decals a couple of coats of final clear can make it look almost new again. Typically a lot of clears go over the decals and sanded smooth before the final clears so they are smooth to the touch.

Originally Posted by alexihnen

OK nomadmax , let's go halvsies and we can adopt the frame together!

Originally Posted by RobbieTunes

Niles is also home to Swift Cycles, if it’s still there. BF C&V, at the very least, extended the shop’s life a bit.

Originally Posted by nomadmax

I figured it was the same Tom Yep, Pete DiSalvo and Tom were very good friends. International Pro is still in business, owned by Roger Schroeder (since 2009) and still the only place to get nice, high end stuff. Pete was no slouch on the bike either; I once would up in a five man breakaway that included Tom, Pete and Alan Kingsbury; it was punishing. I only managed 4th by outsprinting the 5th member of our group; I was never so happy to see a race end. Heck I ought to buy it just because I may have beat it or been beaten by it at some point I'd be surprised if you didn't make a frame for Alan as well.

Originally Posted by Doug Fattic

Yes I made Alan Kingsbury a frame as well as Wayne Stetina and Tom Lobdell (and his daughter Lisa) and I made a number for Tom Doughty. Both Wayne and Tom D. were not able to go to the 80 olympics because America backed out. Every time I made a another frame for Tom, he wanted me to lower the BB even more. He kept experimenting on how low he could go. He thought he could get through corners faster not pedaling through them.

It wasn't long before change came and bicycle racing started to attract decent sponsorship money and the top riders weren't looking to local builders any more to make their frames. I think Janelle Parks was the last national caliber rider I made a frame for in 1985. In those 1st 10 years of my career, I made a quarter of my frames for racers, a quarter for distant touring (Bike Centennial helped increase those numbers) and the rest were for what I called century riders - fitness cyclists wanting something to improve their ride and look good too. More than half of my output since then has been for women cyclists where finding something that fit them better than what they could find in a bike store.