Rory O'Brien bike

[pubrunner]

Over on Retrobike, there is a Rory O'Brien for sale at a very reasonable price.

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=182563

 

[raindog]

Shame about the pink with the green logo.

 

[pubrunner]

What a fantastic thread. A pal sent me the link so I joined the forum just to post here.

I've been trying to get information on Rory O'Brien frames for a couple of years now. I inherited my dad's fixed wheel machine when he died and I've since restored it. Would love to have some transfers for it - any ideas anyone? - I remember when the bike was new, it was black with a gold 'signature' type script on the downtube. As far as I remember, the frame must've been built in '62 or '63. It was built to my dad's own spec, including angles and the split seat tube - a feature he'd allways wanted on a bike since he saw a similiar frame when he was track racing in his youth. It's got a really nice Stronglight headset with a 'toothed' adjusting system. Anyroad, here's a picture of the frame. (if I can manage it, that is)
Now I've joined, I may as well make the effort to join in on the rest of the forum, but it'll take a while for me to explore it.

Did you ever get this frame built up, Raindog ?

If so, what does it ride like ?

I'm so tempted to get another Rory - a frame, rather than a bike.

Meanwhile, on Ebay . . . . . . .

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-bike-Rory-OBrien?item=270957462745&cmd=ViewItem&_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo=LVI&itu=UCI&otn=5&po=LVI&ps=63&clkid=7761319052121965204

 

[raindog]

Did you ever get this frame built up, Raindog ?

If so, what does it ride like ?

Yes, it's built up and I rode it a couple of times, but the tubs are rotten and won't hold air and I can't afford new ones just to ride it a few ks twice a year or whatever. I've got several other bikes that need upkeep so this one just hangs on the wall looking pretty. It's very smooth and responsive, which is what you'd expect with a well built fixed wheel.

I suppose one day I'll have to let it go to a good home and let you buy it off me.

 

[pubrunner]

Yes, it's built up and I rode it a couple of times, but the tubs are rotten and won't hold air and I can't afford new ones just to ride it a few ks twice a year or whatever. I've got several other bikes that need upkeep so this one just hangs on the wall looking pretty. It's very smooth and responsive, which is what you'd expect with a well built fixed wheel.

I suppose one day I'll have to let it go to a good home and let you buy it off me.

H'mm, I never tried fixed wheel before. . . . . . . . and it's pretty hilly where I live. . . though al-fresco (who lives not far away) is a convert.

If that frame had 'normal' rear dropouts; I'd probably have to get it.

 

[Michael Lagdon]

Over on Retrobike, there is a Rory O'Brien for sale at a very reasonable price.

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=182563

i have a mid-seventies rory o'brien looking for a new home if anyone wants more info get in touch and i'll post info and pics

 

[pubrunner]

i have a mid-seventies rory o'brien looking for a new home if anyone wants more info get in touch and i'll post info and pics

Pics (plenty of them !), would be nice !

I keep telling myself, that I have enough bikes . . . but you never know . . .

 

[Tim Garrett]

I have a 1953 Rory O'Brien. I bpught it off of the son of the chap who bought it as a teenager in Rory's Romford shop and rode it all his life. After denting the top bar, I had Vaz repair and repaint it in its original black with gold detailing around the Ephgrave lugs. However, I had no pictures of the signature script decals and as this feed discusses - there are none currently in production. Last weekend, however, I found the holy grail - a Rory bike at Rob Sargent's in Highbury with the same original decals in red. I will post a picture when I work out how to do this. Is anyone else interested in clubbing together with Rob and I to commission Lloyds to have some made up?
Here's pictures of post-pimped Rory and I'll post some of here previous state as well as the holy grail of Rory O'Brien signature script decals, both in the gold that had faded from my bike and the red on the bike in Rob Sargents shop...

 

[pubrunner]

I have a 1953 Rory O'Brien. . . . . . . .

Wow ! That's an early one; it would be great if you could provide pics -especially of the lugs.

 

[Tim Garrett]

And here she is before her make over, provinging that you can get a mixed case of wine into a Carradice rear carrier and also some pictures of the early Rory O'Brien decals:

 

[david land]

Rory O'Brian certanly was in the Romford Road, I lived in Herbert Road Manor Park and was a fan of the other Bike Shop, Hobbs of Barbican. I had 2 of those bikes and worked in Hobbis as the cycle mechanic, after Alan Perkins who went to work at the Wholeside side of Hobbs in the Barbican. Alf Pettit was the Manager in Manor Park he left to open his own shop over at Leytonstone way. I had left by then (Back into Tayloring) I came back as the Manager for about 12 Months and left to go into the Royal Marines. I was a member of the Leyton C.R.C which Alan Perkins was also.
Whilst working at Hobbs I raced for 2 seasons as a junior and would go training Thursday After-noons with the likes of Dave Bedwell, Bob Thorpe and one or two others that I cannot remember their names, we use to meet at Bob's home on the Eastern Avenue.

I saw Dave ride at Herne Hill on a Good Friday event with Reg Harris commentating " He said no wonder they called him the Iron Man" when Dave 3rd from last in the Road Riders team against the Track Riders made up the the dificit and passed them.
My last place of work was with Royal Mail at the last I was still mending the Red Devils that the Postmen and women used

 

[Musrum]

Thanks to Everyone who's posted here. It has been 9 pages of some of the most interesting cycle reading I've done for years.
I've recently bought a bought a old Rory O'Brien bicycle and it's totally original in regards to the paint. I'm desperately trying to date her and work out who the frame builder possibly was. I'm also looking at renovating her but wan't to keep the bike as original as possible. I'm aware there are pro's and cons to repainting a bike, would it be philistine to repaint this one? The serial number is 9775 both on the bottom bracket and fork stem and the past owner thought it dated to the late sixties/ early seventies, I'm not so sure. I've uploaded lots of photos of it which I hope people will enjoy. Which pieces are original and which pieces aren't, I'd be so interested to hear any comments.

The bike has been dismantled so that I can clean and re-grease every nut a bolt before putting her back together. I'm holding off on the respray until I receive advice. Has anyone else seen these company decals as I can't find any other pictures of Rory O'Briens with the same decals. I've pretty much worked out that the bottom of the downtube decal says "BY RESERVATION" but I can't work out what was written on the upper left, adjacent to the address. Any help would be much appreciated.

http://s556.beta.photobucket.com/user/musrum/library/Rory OBrien Bicycle

 

[Musrum]

More Photos are here

 

[pubrunner]

Great pics of a very interesting looking frame. (It would be good if you could add in pics of the rear brake bridge - one of the builders for Rory O'Brien used a distinctive style) and a pics of where the rear stays meet the seat tube and the front & rear derailleurs).

The GB Synchron brakes came out in the early 60s; I believe therefore, that the frame dates from the early to mid 60s. The Synchron brakes were one of the first (if not the first) dual caliper brakes ever made. IMO, they are almost certainly, original components . . . . . . . . I believe that the same is true of the wheels and possibly the cranks. The only components that I don't think are original, are the gear shifters - they look rather later.

If it were my frame, I certainly wouldn't respray it. It would be easy to acquire another frame off Ebay to re-furbish & respray. I've never seen the transfers which are on your frame; in my opinion, you have a very rare frame and it would be a shame to lose the history that it displays

 

[Musrum]

Here are some more photos detailing some areas of the bike that I may have left out.