Greatest ever uk frame builder?

[Brucey]

Earlier in the thread Dave Moulton was mentioned....

I'd read a few bits and pieces on his blog before now, but not that.

If I made frames and I ever made one that was 'perfect', I'm not sure I would ever allow it to be built up and ridden. I like bikes that ride well, and spend a lot of time and effort on it. However some of my favourite framesets were bought used, and have never looked that good. Of course I'd be disappointed if a new one were obviously imperfect in any way, but it makes not one jot of difference to the way the bike rides; all that happens before the paint goes on.

cheers

[soapbox]

As an occasional visitor to the forum rather than a regular, I like it when old threads like this resurface. I'm going to put a late vote in for Field, of Sheffield. My friend bought a frame from them a couple of years ago and asked me to build it up into a bike. I was stunned at the beauty of the frame. I was always impressed by Longstaff's fillet-brazing on a mate's tandem, and I have a Neil Orrell that's pretty good, but the Field was flawless.
My mate rode it a couple of times, decided he didn't quite like how it rode, and that was the end of that, but I doubt I'll ever see a more beautifully-finished frame.

[Hobbs1951]

Roberts frames are rarely mentioned on this forum (it does surprise me). Chas was not the Roberts framebuilder: he managed the business. Prior to Charlie Roberts death in 1979 the two principle Roberts builders (including Charlie) were Geoff Roberts (Charlie's youngest son) and Derek Bailey.

Geoff Roberts has built all his life, and still keeps the Roberts name for quality and innovation alive from his East Sussex workshop. I have several Roberts framesets and Roberts must rank among the best builders of bespoke bicycle frames in the UK.

Other builders among the finest are Bill Philbrook (I have a Philbrook touring frame) and Ron Cooper - together with Cliff Shrubb and the little known Peter Cobb (of Allin Cycles).

Well built bespoke frames are a joy to ride, lively and comfortable. I am not a great fan of fancy lugwork (flummery), and I like to see a fillet brazed frame - the pinnacle of the frame builders art (I have fillet brazed frames by Hobbs, Phlbrook and Roberts), these ride better than most lugged frames.

John.

[Brucey]

I've got a Roberts. Lovely bike!

cheers

[landsurfer]

Raleigh / Carlton .. From Carlton-in-Lindrick .. Class frames for us all to ride ...

[pedalsheep]

Another vote for Roberts. I've got 2, one I had built for me in 2006 which has done 96,000 trouble free miles, and a very similar one I bought from this forum about 18 months ago. Both beauties!

[Sid Aluminium]

I've seen some beautiful work on Bromptons...

...and some other frames - no doubt structurally fine - that were aesthetically slapdash.

I wonder if, as part of their 'bespoke ordering', Bromptons would let one specify the brazer?

[hondated]

If anyone is interested in the difference between machine (robot) built frames and hand finished , hand made bespoke frames this video pretty much nails it. Though it's from the 80's the only thing that's really changed is the speed of manufacturing. Pulsed robotic welding machines can complete an entire steel or aluminum frame in under 10 minutes. Finishing and paint about the same. The Wester Ross frame you see in this video took about 35hrs for the same process, including design and working drawings. This is what you're paying for!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fL25BYkA6Xw

Ok its 3 years old now but I have only just found it. Its probably the best frame building video I have ever seen and I also never knew Halfords actually made their own frames
Seeing the late great Duffers as a younger man was a delight as well.
Well worth a watch if you too missed it in 2016.
Now about jap v brit motorcycles

[Kieron]

Hi all, any idea what this is. Saved from the scrap man. Is it worth spending a little bit on it. And any idea its value. Cheers

[Freddie]

Looks like a lower price 1960s Claud Butler. Probably be nice enough to ride, not particularly fancy though.

[tatanab]

Looks like a lower price 1960s Claud Butler. Probably be nice enough to ride, not particularly fancy though.

Into the early 70s when 531 fork blades were common. Don't be fooled, nothing else is 531. The late 60s version of that was my introduction to club riding. Value- frame alone about £10-20, built up £50-80.

[markjohnobrien]

In terms of mass produced builders, I’d go with Raleigh especially as the SBDU (including the framebuilders and Gerald O’Donovan) moved to and became part of Raleigh Special Products once Ilkeston was closed (as RSP offered a bespoke service and produced team bikes for not only Raleigh but across Europe).

One of the SBDU framebuilders who worked until RSP was closed down built all of the Tour de France winning frames (badged differently for sponsorship purposes) for Bernhard Hinault (sic) and became an expert at plasma arc welding Raleigh titanium frames.

[Brucey]

Looks like a lower price 1960s Claud Butler. Probably be nice enough to ride, not particularly fancy though.

I've done a lot of miles on a similar frameset and I've quite liked it. If it is like mine than cheap tubing in the main frame makes it about 1lb overweight but the fork and the lugwork save it from mediocrity. Mine was very 'gappy' so I put canti-braze ons on it. No monetary value, but as a bike, it could be 'priceless' of course.

cheers

[Trigger]

I think if I had the money and was in the market, Ricky Feather would be my first call.

https://www.feathercycles.com/bicycles

[Freddie]

Looks like a lower price 1960s Claud Butler. Probably be nice enough to ride, not particularly fancy though.

I've done a lot of miles on a similar frameset and I've quite liked it. If it is like mine than cheap tubing in the main frame makes it about 1lb overweight but the fork and the lugwork save it from mediocrity. Mine was very 'gappy' so I put canti-braze ons on it. No monetary value, but as a bike, it could be 'priceless' of course.

cheers

Why do you think 531 forks were often still used on cheaper models ? Obviously it is cheaper for the manufacturer, but does this way of doing things suggest that manufacturers thought (understood?) fork blade material makes a bigger impact than main tube material.