avecReynolds531
Veteran
- Location
- Small Island
After many happy years with road bikes, I started hankering for a 531 lugged frame, preferably from the Brum/ Black Country area, and was delighted to find this:
a John Perks (early 80s?) - 531db frame & forks, Prugnat S4 lugs, Vagner DP fork crown, and fluted seat stay top eyes. The seatpost is 27.2mm, fork rake at 2.5 inches, dropouts are Gipiemme and the bottom bracket is stamped M 13.
I would like to know who the frame builder was: from the little I managed to find out, this was most likely been built by Knight Cycles of Wolverhampton, or one of the Dawes framebuilders at that time. It is too early to have been an Autostrada or Andy Perks built frame.
When I got it, there was sadly a lot of rust competing with the faded ruby red paint. Shotblasting and a new finish felt the best option.
Most of the original equipment has been kept: Weinmann centrepulls (stamped 7.83), Suntour (excellent!) gearing; Power levers, Cyclone II front derailleur and an ARX long cage rear derailleur. The 5 speed Perfect freewheel is 14 to a dinner plate 34. A SR custom chainset is interesting; a 36/50 double.
The wheels are 27" 36 spoked Weinmanns with Malliard hubs (stamped 82). They are anchors, and I reckon the frame deserves, and would be transformed with, a light wheelset.
The Selle Italia Anatomic saddle, shot mudguards and Lyotard pedals were replaced.
The full story of being stuck between keeping it as is, or as was my first & only idea, spring the frame out to 130mm for Campagnolo 10 speed gearing & light 700c wheels, is on another forum.
I'd be grateful please if anyone has any info on the Knight Cycles frame builders (Les Holland, Jim Gittins and Mick Hessen have been mentioned), or Dawes frame builders of the late 70s & early 80s.
Any further info on the frame, or more generally, framebuilding in Brum & the Black Country at that time, would also be much appreciated.
In any case, it rides beautifully and anytime out is a joy. As a novice to vintage bikes, that's all I could ask for from this lovely 531 frame.
a John Perks (early 80s?) - 531db frame & forks, Prugnat S4 lugs, Vagner DP fork crown, and fluted seat stay top eyes. The seatpost is 27.2mm, fork rake at 2.5 inches, dropouts are Gipiemme and the bottom bracket is stamped M 13.
I would like to know who the frame builder was: from the little I managed to find out, this was most likely been built by Knight Cycles of Wolverhampton, or one of the Dawes framebuilders at that time. It is too early to have been an Autostrada or Andy Perks built frame.
When I got it, there was sadly a lot of rust competing with the faded ruby red paint. Shotblasting and a new finish felt the best option.
Most of the original equipment has been kept: Weinmann centrepulls (stamped 7.83), Suntour (excellent!) gearing; Power levers, Cyclone II front derailleur and an ARX long cage rear derailleur. The 5 speed Perfect freewheel is 14 to a dinner plate 34. A SR custom chainset is interesting; a 36/50 double.
The wheels are 27" 36 spoked Weinmanns with Malliard hubs (stamped 82). They are anchors, and I reckon the frame deserves, and would be transformed with, a light wheelset.
The Selle Italia Anatomic saddle, shot mudguards and Lyotard pedals were replaced.
The full story of being stuck between keeping it as is, or as was my first & only idea, spring the frame out to 130mm for Campagnolo 10 speed gearing & light 700c wheels, is on another forum.
I'd be grateful please if anyone has any info on the Knight Cycles frame builders (Les Holland, Jim Gittins and Mick Hessen have been mentioned), or Dawes frame builders of the late 70s & early 80s.
Any further info on the frame, or more generally, framebuilding in Brum & the Black Country at that time, would also be much appreciated.
In any case, it rides beautifully and anytime out is a joy. As a novice to vintage bikes, that's all I could ask for from this lovely 531 frame.
