Not closing down anymore: Bob Jackson Cycles

[rogerzilla]

I know Argos quite well as they have done a lot of work for me in the last 12 years. Most of their current business is refurbs and repairs because few people are going to spend thousands on a steel frame; although beautifully built, an Argos frame is quite plain-looking compared to a BJ frame, which doesn't help. Garry does the framebuilding work (he took over the business from his father) and is very meticulous. I have had many frames modified for new braze-ons, a couple of new forks built and two steerer swaps on existing forks (sometimes you can't find a threaded fork with the right length steerer). They also resprayed a Brompton without any trouble, and oddities like an alloy stem to match my Kona MTB. They currently have my Eddy Merckx Strada OS, which came with a rather old carbon fork so I found the correct Merckx steel fork for it and a long NOS SLX steerer, which they will braze in, cut to length and thread.

They were VERY busy when I took the frameset to them in October and said it wouldn't be done until February. If BJ is closing then they will no doubt pick up more refurb business from there too.

 

[Shreds]

My custom built 531c frame was made to measure for me in 1983. Its still good and never needed more than the usual maintenance and new tyres/tubes/chains etc. Needing a new sealed bearing bottom bracket axle now though (RJ Chicken distribitors at the time claimed sealed for life!) and the thought of damaging the frame extracting it means as soon as BJ’s offer a custom option again, I think I will be in the queue.

Why anyone who baulks at the custom prices quoted by Argos is beyond me, yet they are happy with some over priced marketing hyped plastic bike that will last five minutes really says a lot about them.

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning,

Why anyone who baulks at the custom prices quoted by Argos is beyond me, yet they are happy with some over priced marketing hyped plastic bike that will last five minutes really says a lot about them.

Given that what I paid for my plastic bike is well documented on this site, a quick scan of posting history would have told you that and why I bought it, I am confused by this comment.

It appears to me that you have posted a personal insult without making any effort to understand the conversation.

For the benefit of others it was £850 for a virtually unused Jamis Xenith Pro with Ultegra Di2 and from https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/g...enith-pro-carbon-ultegra-di2-10-speed.235754/
If I do buy it the sole reason would be to try something pretty modern with gizmos as I wonder if I am missing out on something. I am not a club member and have never ridden an aluminium framed bike, a carbon fibre one or tried electric shifting,

Bye

Ian

 

[Ajax Bay]

I will likely ride my plastic bike more as I already have it and get a beater for the shopping duty. I might buy a Genesis steel frame but I won't be coughing up £2.7k on a 525 steel frame from Argos (https://argoscycles.com/new-frames/reynolds/)

Why anyone who baulks at the custom prices quoted by Argos is beyond me, yet they are happy with some over priced marketing hyped plastic bike that will last five minutes really says a lot about them.

a quick scan of posting history would have told you that and why I bought it, . . .
It appears to me that you have posted a personal insult

You are being a tad paranoid. @Shreds makes no reference to you with his use of 'anyone' and to infer he's getting at you personally is an unreasonable inference. I quote your text in a post buried upthread which merely says you think an Argos frame is overpriced (and I'd agree but presumably the market is there). The idea that people spend time researching "posting history" to understand a poster's "why I bought it" is unreasonable.
Of course your response suggests that, underneath the justification for your carbon Jamis (lovely bike btw and amazing value for money as well with that spec and cost) you subconsciously fear (think) that there is merit in @Shreds' poke at plastic.

 

[classic33]

Seems like they'll be operating under the new name, in co-operation with Woodrups.

27 January 2021, 10:57
"Bob Jackson cycles saved again, following two previous closure announcements
bob jackson bike - via bob jackson.PNG
After announcing its closure, being saved and then announcing its closure again, the Bob Jackson Cycles saga has took another turn, after fellow frame builder Woodrup Cycles reportedly stepped in to save the legendary brand.

Less than three weeks ago, a Bob Jackson Cycles representative told road.cc that "the new buyers/management team who were due to sign and take over last Monday pulled out at very last minute"... however in an interview with Cycling Weekly, Tony Woodrup of Woodrup Cycles revealed that he is heading a group of local investors that will save Bob Jackson from closure, with its frames set to be made in a new Leeds factory by mid-2021.

“My grandpa [Woodrup founder, Maurice] was in partnership with Bob after World War II,” said Woodrup.

“We’ve always had that connection even after we split. They’re a real iconic brand.

“The old factory needed massive investment to be fair. It wasn’t in a great state of repair. Even if we’d gone in there we would have had to gut the place. So we’ve already found a new building that will incorporate a state-of-the art paint shop and new tooling. We’re looking at opening in around six months.”

The Bob Jackson Cycles website still carries a message that says it has ceased trading with immediate [e]ffect... will their be another twist in the tale? We'll keep an eye out for updates of course."

https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-27-january-2021-280409#live-blog-item-22293

 

[Once a Wheeler]

I used to live just round the corner from here. Good to see the name will probably survive and the factory come up to the state of the art. With the right investment, there must be enough loyal Leeds cyclists to form a customer base and from there the way is open to become an international brand if the university business school just up the road can be enticed into the project.

 

[Gunk]

there must be enough loyal Leeds cyclists to form a customer base

I’m not so sure, the problem is their customer base is ageing and the majority of younger cyclists aren’t interested in hand built steel framed bikes. I think it’s a very limited market for them,

 

[DRM]

I’m not so sure, the problem is their customer base is ageing and the majority of younger cyclists aren’t interested in hand built steel framed bikes. I think it’s a very limited market for them,

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head, and those customers who buy such a frame are going to buy it once, it’s going to be a keeper, if it’s to be successful I think they are maybe going to have to offer a full range of bikes with the Bob Jackson name, maybe aluminium and carbon too, even if they are bought in and then painted and branded in house, I also think that they will need to jump on to the latest trends, sell a gravel bike, a hybrid, race bikes as well as the top end steel tourers, have a good shop where you can get parts and accessories from, not stupidly priced either, and for god’s sake not in Leeds City Centre, make it accessible with parking and a bit of space for test rides, an industrial unit would fit the bill, you need customers and money coming in, there’s not enough profit in hand built frames in the UK as a whole, never mind Leeds, some areas are wealthy, but there’s a whole lot more of the city where the residents don’t have the money for a used BSO, never mind a bespoke steel frame.

 

[Once a Wheeler]

I’m not so sure, the problem is their customer base is ageing and the majority of younger cyclists aren’t interested in hand built steel framed bikes. I think it’s a very limited market for them,

I share your reservations, Gunk. The new factory would have to be thoroughly recapitalized and enable carbon-fibre or aluminium frame production. The new investors would effectively be buying the brand, although the presence of some of the current management on the board would give genuine continuity. In the back of my mind was the fortuitous proximity to the Leeds University business school. It could be a case where local enthusiasm on the industrial and the academic side could combine to make a success story. Let us live in hope.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

These days buying your own frame and then building, or having someone build for you, a bike to your exact spec is a dying event. Guys will know what they want, but for the majority they have neither the aptitude nor the inclination to do it themselves. They would rather just tell someone what they want and ask when can they pick it up.
Putting together a steel framed bike is easy, but messing around with carbon, internal cabling and Di2 is beyond what most want to do.
They will have to move away from relying on selling custom frames or they will go to the wall.....again.

 

[classic33]

Maybe they'll be relying on more than just bikes.
BOB JACKSON CYCLES LIMITED
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/13045583

 

[DRM]

I do feel that custom steel frames need to be a specialist side to the business, spec both aluminium and carbon frames from the Far East, sell these at a a fair price with a smart paint job and get the customers in, I think they’re going to have to go down the value for money route first before the steel frames are considered, they can’t be the main offering otherwise the business will just go bust again

 

[DRM]

Maybe they'll be relying on more than just bikes.
BOB JACKSON CYCLES LIMITED
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/13045583

Another niche product with a lot of existing manufacturers in it

 

[classic33]

Another niche product with a lot of existing manufacturers in it

True, but how many might make cycles for disabled people.

 

[DRM]

True, that didn’t cross my mind, specialist ones for the special needs activity groups