Not an Ellis Briggs - but what is it+?

[bobbyling]

Hi. My first post on here so I hope I'm putting this in the right place.
I was recently given an old bike to play with/restore but first step - identify it.
Help greatly appreciated.
5 digit serial number (all numbers) leading me to the conclusion, confirmed by a bloke at their shop, that it isn't an Ellis Briggs bike. I say 5 - possibly more hidden under the label (see pic)
0274 telephone number for the Briggs shop located on a frame label dates it pre 1995 when the numbers got their 01 prefix.
Internal cabling to rear brakes

 

[Hugh Manatee]

Is it me or are some of the joins lugged and others tig welded?

It looks good though. Is it going to be the correct size?

 

[biggs682]

Is it me or are some of the joins lugged and others tig welded?

It looks good though. Is it going to be the correct size?

as per above comments it looks to be a mix of construction types

i dont mean this nastily but it doesnt look classy enough to be an Ellis Briigs

 

[bobbyling]

It is a mixture of lugs and welds and that's what made me think it wasn't a Briggs originally.
Then it seems all their frame numbers are 4 digits and this is at least 5.
The size is fine and the kit on it is good quality - SunTour VX derailleur, San Marco Rolls saddle - made me think it must be something decent for those to have been on there in the first place, or added later. And I thought if it was a pile of bobbins, why would someone go for the Briggs respray (assuming that's genuine).

It's cost me nothing so far so it's not a worry - it would just be nice to know what it is I'm looking at

Thanks for the replies.

 

[raleighnut]

It's a frame they've re-sprayed/re-enamelled for a customer going by the decal on it (the one by the BB)

 

[classic33]

Building on Station Road went before '88. Well before it. Where they are now, is where I took a frame to be resprayed then. They've moved twice since Station Road, pictured below.

Frame builder out towards what was The Five Flags, name I can't remember.

There's also at least one other number under that sticker. You can make out a 4

Company named on the side ceased trading in 1970's
Picture from
http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/oldbicycleshop/Interesting

 

[bobbyling]

Love the photo. I've got a few of my home town from the 60s - was everything dirty then and we just didn't notice?
I'm guessing that shop would have had a standard house number? Unit 2, Station Road does still exist as an industrial prefab type thing so is it a fair guess that was their temporary home when they moved out of that shop?

Try as I might I couldn't see a 4 under the label, even in 3-D, so I peeled the label back. You were right about another digit - but it's a 1.
So the whole number is 167665.

Also while it was out of the shed I took the opportunity to weight it - comes in as it stands at 25.3lbs (11.5 kilo).
Don't know if that helps to narrow it down in terms of quality?

 

[classic33]

It's trying to pin a date down. Go to their home page and they say they moved out of Station Road in '65.

The shop may have moved out, but did the workshops. For a while their workshop was out somewhere near where Chris Wrights, road planers are now.

You damaged neither frame nor sticker in peeling it back? Non of this modern lightweight stuff in use there.

What's the telephone number on the address sticker.

You'd only take something worth it to them, to get that paint job done, and they'd not put their name like they have done, on anything cheap. A respray there in 88 cost me £75.

 

[classic33]

Possible error made, Sagar, the shop next door are showing as being on Otley Road. Corner of Otley Road & Station Road.

The arrow points down Station Road to what is now a long disused platform at Shipley station.

 

[biggs682]

Try as I might I couldn't see a 4 under the label, even in 3-D, so I peeled the label back. You were right about another digit - but it's a 1.
So the whole number is 167665.

Also while it was out of the shed I took the opportunity to weight it - comes in as it stands at 25.3lbs (11.5 kilo).
Don't know if that helps to narrow it down in terms of quality?

as @classic33 not many people would send a pile of rubbish to be repainted by them so it cant be that bad , shame you dont know for sure when it was done as you could go and ask them to look back through the records of work done etc etc

 

[bobbyling]

I peeled the sticker back gently and it's gone back in place like nothing happened
But really it wouldn't matter anyway.
There are 2 possibilities, one being it gets a professional respray because it's worth it (ideally back at EB's), & two being it's not worth it, in which case a sticker is neither here nor there.

Contacted the company currently at the address on the sticker and the trustees of that property, but one is out for the day and the other went to answerphone so waiting to hear back. I'm hoping they'll at least know when the buildings went up and the trustees should be able to date Ellis Briggs involvement (I'd have thought).
Telephone number on the sticker 0274 588580

I agree that underneath the paint job and back in time it must have been a decent bike - the fact that it earned a respray at EB's, and the other kit on the frame suggests it had to be worth it.
I'm going back to EB today and see exactly what detail they need to track the bike down (if it's even possible).

Many thanks for your pondering on this vital matter

 

[Steam Pig]

Eliis Briggs have recently moved (01274 583221) no longer beside the canal but through the main junction, towards Saltaire on the left, much smaller shop now (very sad to see) google maps is up to date as far as I know

 

[bobbyling]

Thanks Steamy.
Yes - I managed to get in the shop the other day - when they confirmed it wasn't one of their bikes. I didn't go into any more detail then so another trip is on the cards. Just hoping I can learn a bit more about the bike beforehand to give them so more detail of when they'd have done the work.

 

[classic33]

I peeled the sticker back gently and it's gone back in place like nothing happened
But really it wouldn't matter anyway.
There are 2 possibilities, one being it gets a professional respray because it's worth it (ideally back at EB's), & two being it's not worth it, in which case a sticker is neither here nor there.

Contacted the company currently at the address on the sticker and the trustees of that property, but one is out for the day and the other went to answerphone so waiting to hear back. I'm hoping they'll at least know when the buildings went up and the trustees should be able to date Ellis Briggs involvement (I'd have thought).
Telephone number on the sticker 0274 588580

I agree that underneath the paint job and back in time it must have been a decent bike - the fact that it earned a respray at EB's, and the other kit on the frame suggests it had to be worth it.
I'm going back to EB today and see exactly what detail they need to track the bike down (if it's even possible).

Many thanks for your pondering on this vital matter

Is that the only number on the frame?

Can you give the full details as they appear on that sticker you peeled back. Where that building in the picture stood is now supposed to be The Noble Comb pub/restaurant, which doesn't tie in.

 

[classic33]

as @classic33 not many people would send a pile of rubbish to be repainted by them so it cant be that bad , shame you dont know for sure when it was done as you could go and ask them to look back through the records of work done etc etc

We do know for certain it was before 1965. That's when they moved out of Station Road.

So there's some age to it.

Ephgrave? anyone