Bob Jackson's is shutting up - IT IS NOW (sob) !!

[pete75]

The new marina at Fosdyke seems a bit expensive

Yes I had my boat broken into in Boston.They took liferaft, waterproofs, VHF and a current at the time Macmillan nautical almanac. The theft of the latter made me think it was a boater who broke in. What use would a random thief have for a book with damn all second hand value?

Makes Boston a bit expensive then?

Fortunately the insurance paid for a new life raft and radio. In a way it did me a favour because that life raft was a couple of years away from end of life but they paid out for a new replacement.

[PH]

Some people just come to an age where they and every body else in a perfectly viable business are ready for retirement so just shut up shop without going through all the hassle of finding someone to hand it on to.

I've never known that to be the case. By viable, I'm thinking of a profitable business rather than merely providing employment for those concerned.
Whatever, as I said, if it'd been viable

they'd have been planning for it's continuation if they'd chosen too.

[pete75]

Some people just come to an age where they and every body else in a perfectly viable business are ready for retirement so just shut up shop without going through all the hassle of finding someone to hand it on to.

I've never known that to be the case. By viable, I'm thinking of a profitable business rather than merely providing employment for those concerned.
Whatever, as I said, if it'd been viable

they'd have been planning for it's continuation if they'd chosen too.

I know several people who have done just that. BTW if a business is providing a decent living for those involved then it is viable. Not everyone running a business looks at it from a capitalist point of view.

[thirdcrank]

One way or another, we're heading for the end of an era.

Once upon a time, JRJ, Woodrupp's and Walt Ormsby's were all in an area of Leeds 4 not much bigger than a football pitch. Only Woodrupp's is still going, having moved a few hundred yards to Kirkstall Road.

[markjohnobrien]

This is a minor disappointment to me, because:

1. BJ seemed quite a bit cheaper than other frame-makers.
2. They're nearby.

But as Mercian are at least oop north and also do made to measure, at least when I've settled on what I want, I can get the frame of my dreams made.

Mercian are not “...oop north” but are in the Midlands (East Midlands to be precise) and Derby has never been in the north.

I love some people at work, who didn’t do well at school, and aren’t the brightest, who insist with great mirth that the north starts at Watford gap...

I digress: very sad that Bob Jackson are closing. I once had a beautiful BJ tourer in 531 with suntour cyclone (which I bought second hand) and some bugger stole in York.

[markjohnobrien]

This is a minor disappointment to me, because:

1. BJ seemed quite a bit cheaper than other frame-makers.
2. They're nearby.

But as Mercian are at least oop north and also do made to measure, at least when I've settled on what I want, I can get the frame of my dreams made.

P.S - I totally agree with your choice of frame as Mercian are very good but very expensive.

[thirdcrank]

From the archives

Wahey! I am going to Mercian at last!

viewtopic.php?t=12204

Although the post has now been edited, after several pages of euphoria, the rot set in at the foot of p 4

viewtopic.php?p=141303#p141303

[soapbox]

Mercian's previous owners retired a few years ago, they'd been working towards the business continuing for some time. Though the shop has now closed, the frame building is busy, 10 months wait for a new frame.

Blimey, that's the first I've heard of that. I'm a Mercian fan, having bought four over the years, though the last one was back in 2008. Although I'm from Lancashire, I had family from Derby, which was possibly an emotional pull when buying a new frame/bike. Sad news -as is the news of Bob Jackson.

[Chat Noir]

Well, penultimate visit to BJ's in Leeds for me this morning, very sad day.

Probably my favourite bike, a Bob Jackson made with Reynolds 731os tubing, comfortable for the longest days and certainly the one I have used for my most memorable rides (a Pyrenean Raid, a double end to end, a 60 hr NC500 amongst many), not used for a long time because of crack in top tube caused by motorhome driving me off the road at the top of the Bealach na Ba. If I want this repairing by the original makers it's now or never so took forks and headset off and drove over. Needed a little discussion before Donald agreed to close examination, bit of shot blasting and confirmation of diagnosis and then said they'd sort the top tube but not able to promise to re-paint before they close because so much work on.

Any spare frames gone already but the usual display of stunning finished frames waiting for collection. Traditional skills, and prices, matched with outstanding paint jobs. They will be sorely missed.

[markjohnobrien]

This post makes me feel sad: all of that beauty and craftsmanship gone forever.

[Jamesh]

Supprised me that they don't sell it as a going concern to some younger frame builders from somewhere like Bristol or one of the many midlife crisis white collar workers looking for a change of business.

Just a thought.

Cheers James

[Arturo]

My wife and I were measured up for touring frames at Bob Jacksons in 1997. We were a bit concerned that the design dimensions for Kate’s bike were very different from her then steed, but the frame builder confidently assured us that all would be well. His experience was spot-on, and they are the most comfortable bikes we have ever ridden. They have toured extensively in Britain and Europe, making a pleasure of the ride, even when well laden. Resprayed by BJ in 2015, they look fabulous, and attract admiring comments wherever cyclists congregate. The bikes are part of the family, still in daily use.
So thanks Bob Jackson, for the best value purchase of my life.

[David9694]

Given the amount of young frame builders around the UK at the moment They could not have tried very hard to recruit staff to carry the company forward.

You can't move for hipsters building steel.

That’s what I thought, build queues stretching into months in some cases, a simple website that says “artisanal mystique” a price-list to match, a national shortage of sub £1000 bikes.

Maybe a Gravelissimo OTP frame would have helped revive their fortunes if the Audax stuff isn’t selling so well?

Is there really such a shortage of trainable new brazing talent?

You see this a bit with things like Rotary groups or a works retirement group my parents belong to for many years - 60 year olds don’t want to join something full of 80 year olds. In a market town near me the local Rotary which supported things like summer fairs/fetes decided to dissolve for what sounded like this reason - the crisis prompted others to appear and rescue the fetes, etc.

It’s called succession planning.

Happy retirement, guys - I never did get around to ordering that £1500 Vulcan 853 with all the chroming.

[JakobW]

Good news!

Bob Jackson Cycles have the great pleasure to announce that they will no longer be closing as planned on the 18th December.

Additional investment and support has been secured to ensure the iconic brand of Bob Jackson Cycles will be continuing well into the future whilst thankfully remaining at our historic Leeds factory. We will continue to build and restore frames to our exceptionally high standards and the current skilled team will be retained and expanded to allow us to take on additional work, whilst investing heavily and improving our processes and facilities to align with expected future demand.

With immediate effect – We are now open to all retail and trade orders and will be communicating some exciting news over the next few months as we realign the business towards future sustainability whilst protecting and building upon our amazing heritage.

We apologise and regret any confusion or distress our decision may have caused over the preceding few months – but we fully intend to be around for at least another 85 years – doing what we do best.

We look forward to welcoming both old and new customers to Bob Jackson Cycles as we begin a new chapter in the long story of this incredible company.

[markjohnobrien]

Very good news. Hurrah.