Ian May cycles

[irjmac]

Great photos. Alot of memories coming back. I lived in the Wirral/Chester area for years and remember many frame builders in the general area. I used to call in to Ian May' s shop to look at all the stuff I couldn't afford back then (I blew my teenage savings on a RJ Quinn with a mix of Campag Victory, Shimano 600, Mavic MA40s. Still going strong after 28 years, but now ridden by a friend in UK.)
I did hear that the shop had closed, but good to see some of his frames are still going strong.

 

[biggs682]

Great photos. Alot of memories coming back. I lived in the Wirral/Chester area for years and remember many frame builders in the general area. I used to call in to Ian May' s shop to look at all the stuff I couldn't afford back then (I blew my teenage savings on a RJ Quinn with a mix of Campag Victory, Shimano 600, Mavic MA40s. Still going strong after 28 years, but now ridden by a friend in UK.)
I did hear that the shop had closed, but good to see some of his frames are still going strong.

he died a few years back , cant wit for the dry weather so i can get mine out again its way to clean to ride whilst its wet and dirty

 

[DonSchwann]

Hi guys, first post on this site! Just got an Ian May 531 racer with a fairly diverse mix of Campag Victory/Athena and Shimano, ITM 'Mod Europa Super Racing' bars, Campag Record/Mavic wheels, forged Tange drop-outs... just got to do it up a bit now and get riding!

There's not much on Ian on the web and I'd love to know (since it appears he didn't build his own), who made his bikes. Does anyone know - or know how to find out?

 

[DonSchwann]

Hi again - does anyone have a really decent image of the Ian May Cycle Specialist head badge that they could put up on here? I'm probably going to have to get a decal maker to reproduce one for my racer and good photos are impossible to find on the net! Much appreciated if anyone can sort an image. Ta!

 

[biggs682]

Hi again - does anyone have a really decent image of the Ian May Cycle Specialist head badge that they could put up on here? I'm probably going to have to get a decal maker to reproduce one for my racer and good photos are impossible to find on the net! Much appreciated if anyone can sort an image. Ta!

there are some of mine on my flick r https://www.flickr.com/photos/68734341@N04/10379492575/in/photostream/

Hi guys, first post on this site! Just got an Ian May 531 racer with a fairly diverse mix of Campag Victory/Athena and Shimano, ITM 'Mod Europa Super Racing' bars, Campag Record/Mavic wheels, forged Tange drop-outs... just got to do it up a bit now and get riding!

There's not much on Ian on the web and I'd love to know (since it appears he didn't build his own), who made his bikes. Does anyone know - or know how to find out?

it seems some of his frames MIGHT have been made by Simonici

 

[DonSchwann]

Thanks biggs682 - that's the best head badge photo I've seen so far!

Living close by, I made the pilgrimage to 170 Bebington Road - it seems that Ian May Cycles is now Suede Hairdressing...

 

[biggs682]

well done more miles in last 2 days on my Ian May now sporting sprints and tubs rather than clinchers ,

must admit rides well

 

[DonSchwann]

Nice to hear, biggs682 - your Ian May is a proper beauty! Mine is a little rougher around the edges and there's still work to be done to get it in the shape I'd like... got to do something about the pitted chrome forks, the rust on some of the rear spokes and source some white-walls for starters. But the bike's up and running, and I have to say it's a beautiful thing to ride!

 

[biggs682]

@DonSchwann any pics of yours yet ?

 

[DonSchwann]

Haven't taken any decent pics yet, biggs682! This is the best I have at the mo, which doesn't do justice to the bike... Taken whilst fiddling with the rear mech etc, hence chain slack.

 

[biggs682]

looks very nice @DonSchwann with or without slack chain .

does yours have the aero tubing or just normal round tubes ????

 

[toeknee]

Is that in lower bebington by the station Don Schwann...?

 

[DonSchwann]

@biggs682 - sad to say mine is lacking the aero tubing... It's pretty standard, I think. 531 with Tange forged drop-outs. Not in the same league as yours maybe, but it's a lovely thing!

@toeknee - the bike image? No, that's Sefton Park, Liverpool. I'm just commuting on my Ian May and doing small weekend rides until it's totally fixed. I have the Campag Record/Mavic wheels to repair properly and new tyres to buy when funds allow - some lovely white-walls I think! Also, I have the Ian May Cycle Specialist headbadge design now, just got to get it printed and stuck on the bike!

The shop is located a short walk inland from Bebington centre, facing Lever's Port Sunlight houses, close to the Lady Lever Art Gallery. Someone on this thread mentioned that Ian May's might have morphed into K Cycles, but the latter is still going (selling Raleighs and Diamondbacks, from the shop signage) and is further south on the Wirral, in the Eastham area.

It would be fantastic to gather all these Ian Mays for a Wirral day sometime, no?

 

[DonSchwann]

Incidentally, here's a low-resolution version of the Ian May head badge (36mm x 36mm) - I don't have the high res version yet, but I'll be sending it to a decal maker once I have it. The design is taken from one of biggs682's pics (thanks @biggs682) and the remnants of my own tatty head badge:

I think it's a pretty accurate likeness... any thoughts?

@George Blackwell, is that your Ian May that's currently on Preloved? Looks like you've re-specced it since your last pics. Looks lovely and if I had a spare £350...

 

[biggs682]

@DonSchwann i wonder how many Ian Mays there are ?