Walvale cycles, Frames, wheels and parts

[suelou]

I have a number of frames, wheels and other parts from this bike maker
i am looking to re-house them
my brother and dad are both passed away and I need to have them gone from the house now
my brother was a junior champion in the 80s so his bikes were really well made then

anyone know of anyone who might be interested in these?

thanks

Sue

[geomannie]

I personally don't know about Walvale Cycles, but a web search suggests that the the frames were quality desirable items. If the other components are similar quality they may be of interest too.

However, they are old school and tastes have moved on. All the same, if you could photograph and describe them you might get some better advice here. The forum also has a for sale section which you could consider. viewforum.php?f=32

[Farrina]

Not addressing the request directly, but just adding a bit of background information (as best I know)

Walvale Cycles was a bicycle shop situated on Walton Vale in Liverpool. I recall visiting it in my teens (circa 1970’s) I believe the frames were made by a Norman Roberts who certainly knew what he was doing. Norman eventually moved onto owning The Cycle Centre in Frodsham, which unfortunately was not a great success.

Ultimately he used to build and repair frames in a garage (Aladdin ‘s den) at the rear of his home in (I think) Rexmore Road in Mossley Hill Liverpool.

No doubt someone more knowledgeable than I will be along shortly, but I think he was active as a professional team mechanic in the 1960’s and may have been involved with the Tour De France. I vaguely recall he might have been friendly/part of a group involving Phil Liggett (who I’m sure we’ve all heard about!)

Norman was a great guy and very good at repairing bent and broken frames as well as manufacturing bespoke carriers et al for the cyclo tourist scene.

Unfortunately he is no longer with us to ask.

Happy memories!

[steve.y.griffith]

Yes a well known Liverpool make . Depending on what you have the National Cycle Museum in Llandrindod may be interested . You can contact them via their website or via myself

[CJR18]

Bicycle Times No. 8; December 1980

[patricktaft]

Hi I am in the process of restoring my Walvale bike and would love to take on more projects - I would be interested in taking what you have off your hands!

could you private message me on here and I can give you my number / email?

Thanks!

[CLABHM]

Bicycle Times No. 8; December 1980

Walvale Page 1.jpg
Walvale Page 2.jpg

Reading through some posts and fell upon this one. For a long time I have been trying to find original copies of Bicycle Times articles related to Steve Gill around the early 1980s. Specifically about his annual rides from Liverpool, down through France and Spain. Then tackling an ascent of Veleta. All loaded with Karrimor bags
This is the first time I have seen anything mentioning Bicycle Times, and I even recall reading this very article about Walvale Cycles when it was published ! I would be delighted to hear from the original poster of these images, how they were obtained, and if there are additional issues in their possession for this magazine (or later on I think the editorial group released Footloose). Many thanks, Bill

[hamster]

Pop it on retrobike.co.uk for a group of enthusiasts.

[slowster]

Reading through some posts and fell upon this one. For a long time I have been trying to find original copies of Bicycle Times articles related to Steve Gill around the early 1980s. Specifically about his annual rides from Liverpool, down through France and Spain. Then tackling an ascent of Veleta. All loaded with Karrimor bags
This is the first time I have seen anything mentioning Bicycle Times, and I even recall reading this very article about Walvale Cycles when it was published ! I would be delighted to hear from the original poster of these images, how they were obtained, and if there are additional issues in their possession for this magazine (or later on I think the editorial group released Footloose). Many thanks, Bill

My memory is hazy, but I think I think the articles of that era which I read by/about Steve Gill, were in Cycling World, which at that time was published in tabloid size newspaper format. I vaguely recall write ups of at least a couple of tours (one in mid-winter to Switzerland), an article on his new MKM touring frame (which I think had an extra set of stays between the seat stays and chain stays to stiffen/strengthen the rear triangle with heavily loaded panniers, and which I think was briefly stolen and then quickly recovered, due possibly to it being so distinctive and identifiable), and an article on the then new wonder material, Goretex.

[CJR18]

You could make an enquiry with the National Cycle Archive in Warwick:
https://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/NCA
Bicycle Times:
https://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/NCA/4/11/33
Cycling World:
https://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/NCA/4/11/84

[CLABHM]

Thank you for posting these links to the National Cycling Archive. I was not aware of it actually. Definitely will be contacting them. What a great resource