Fred James frame - what is it?
Tomek Li
531, which announces it's manufacturer as some "Fred James". The frame seem
to be some 20 years old (124 mm dropout spacing).
Anybody could shed some light on the manufacturer's wherebouts, whether
still in business, etc?
The web search shows just one Mr. Fred JAmes, involved in local cycling club
and bicycle shop in Yorkshire . I wrote an e-mail there, haven't got answer
so far.
Cheers,
Tomek Li
Rob Morley
lini...@rocketmail.kom says...
> I was lucky enough to obtain via e-bay a second hand steel racing frame,
> 531, which announces it's manufacturer as some "Fred James". The frame seem
> to be some 20 years old (124 mm dropout spacing).
124mm isn't a proper spacing, so it's probably been bent and you can't
really tell what size it started as - could be anywhere from 110mm to
130mm.
> Anybody could shed some light on the manufacturer's wherebouts, whether
> still in business, etc?
> The web search shows just one Mr. Fred JAmes, involved in local cycling club
> and bicycle shop in Yorkshire .
Lincolnshire according to the web search I did. It's quite likely he
has another builder's frames custom badged for sale in his shop, and
there's no easy way of telling who actually built it.
> I wrote an e-mail there, haven't got answer so far.
>
From the look of the shop website I don't think they're particularly
clued up about the internet - why not telephone the shop?
Tomek Li
"Rob Morley" <nos...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.206a19f1a...@news.individual.net...
> In article <7ZSLh.18635$j7.3...@news.indigo.ie>, Tomek Li
> lini...@rocketmail.kom says...
>> I was lucky enough to obtain via e-bay a second hand steel racing frame,
>> 531, which announces it's manufacturer as some "Fred James". The frame
>> seem
>> to be some 20 years old (124 mm dropout spacing).
>
> 124mm isn't a proper spacing, so it's probably been bent and you can't
> really tell what size it started as - could be anywhere from 110mm to
> 130mm
Most likely originally it was 126 mm.
>
>> Anybody could shed some light on the manufacturer's wherebouts, whether
>> still in business, etc?
>> The web search shows just one Mr. Fred JAmes, involved in local cycling
>> club
>> and bicycle shop in Yorkshire .
>
> Lincolnshire according to the web search I did.
Right. I quoted from memory. My memory isn't that great.
It's quite likely he
> has another builder's frames custom badged for sale in his shop, and
> there's no easy way of telling who actually built it.
>
>> I wrote an e-mail there, haven't got answer so far.
>>
> From the look of the shop website I don't think they're particularly
> clued up about the internet - why not telephone the shop?
Indeed, maybe I should.
Thanks,
Tomek Li
David Damerell
>lini...@rocketmail.kom says...
>>I was lucky enough to obtain via e-bay a second hand steel racing frame,
>>531, which announces it's manufacturer as some "Fred James". The frame seem
>>to be some 20 years old (124 mm dropout spacing).
>124mm isn't a proper spacing,
But it could very easily be 126mm - the discrepancy could just be in
measurement. That would not be implausible for a bike of _about_ 20
years' age.
--
David Damerell <dame...@chiark.greenend.org.uk> Kill the tomato!
Today is Gorgonzoladay, March - a weekend.
David Martin
forks.
Army green, with half chrome forks. Canti bosses and lots of clearance
so it may have been a 27" tourer. I have to change the rear dropouts
as one is broken, and will take the opportunity to modify a few other
bits as well.
According to the donor, Fred James was a Lincolnshire builder. The
frame looks like pretty much any other 531 lugged frame of that era.
Should be a nice tourer or cyclocross bike once it is finished.
..d
Rob Morley
David Martin
martin...@blueyonder.co.uk says...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130084785432
I don't think that frame was knocked together in a shed in deepest
Lincolnshire.
Simon Brooke
('nos...@ntlworld.com') wrote:
Top quality 531 frames /were/ knocked up in sheds all over the country; I
don't see why Lincolnshire should be any different. Reynolds used to sell
a tubeset which was in effect a complete kit for making a frame - all you
needed was a matching set of lugs (also available in kits) and someone who
was decently skilled with a brazing torch (or hearth) and a spray gun.
Welded aluminium? H'mmm... that's another matter altogether.
--
si...@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; single speed mountain bikes: for people who cycle on flat mountains.
David Martin
> Top quality 531 frames /were/ knocked up in sheds all over the country; I
> don't see why Lincolnshire should be any different. Reynolds used to sell
> a tubeset which was in effect a complete kit for making a frame - all you
> needed was a matching set of lugs (also available in kits) and someone who
> was decently skilled with a brazing torch (or hearth) and a spray gun.
OK, not 531 but similar quality. You can get a set of tubes and lugs
to build your own quality steel frame for a little over £100.
The brazing torch and shed have to be obtained elsewhere though.
Brazed steel frames are a craft skill where it is not hard nor
particularly expensive to build a functioning bike frame. Building
them quickly and well is a skilful job.
One day I will build my own frame rather than cutting up old ones..
..d
Rob Morley
Brooke
si...@jasmine.org.uk says...
thefla...@gmail.com
Mrcheerful
Kerr Mudd-John
wrote:
--
Bah, and indeed, Humbug