Rory O'Brien bike

[Goldfang]

Seem to recall from my club days in Essex, if you seny a frame to Rorys to be resprayed/rechromed/refurbished, unless you specified otherwise,it would come back with Rory o Brian transfers, head badge etc. It mat be that some of their frames may not be what they seem?
Regards, Goldfang.

 

[normgow]

What you shouldn't forget is that these frames were made in a workshop which was probably producing frames for several other customers. They were then sprayed in whatever colour was requested and the appropriate transfers applied.
Really whether you had name X,Y or Z on the down tube it didn't make any difference as they were all basically the same.
This is even more true today with the vast majority of frames being made in Taiwan with just different names added.
It just reinforces what Sean Kelly once said that the best bike is the one you're paid to ride.

 

[griffks]

having read these most informative posts about Rory O'Brien frames and nostalgic reminiscences of the company can anyone enlighten me if they had a frame numbering sequence that would help date one of their frames?

 

[pubrunner]

Hi griffks and welcome to the forum.

I'm pretty certain that they wouldn't have had a frame numbering sequence - because so many different makers built for Rory O'Brien.
If you have a Rory O'Brien frame, I'd love to see a pic of it. My Rory O'Brien frame had a grease nipple on the crank which to my knowledge is rare on bikes after the early 60s.

One way of finding an approximate date is to look at the style of the frame; at one stage there were four frames available; "Cadet" ,"DB Special " (Dave Bedwell), "Contessa" and "Championship". (Mine was a Championship frame).

I did have a copy of the Rory O'Brien 'catalogue' listing these models, but sadly, I passed it on with the bike.

IF you have an O'Brien frame and IF you want it dating, pm me and I'll give you the email address of someone who may be able to help you. He provided me with my copy of the O'Brien catalogue - which looks very crudely produced by the standards of today.

Best of luck with finding out more.

 

[limey]

pubrunners got it right, there was no logical numbering system for the reasons he states. If you can post a photo of the frame then some of the wise old men from that period, like me, can take a guess. I have the crude mid 60s catalogue here in my files.

 

[griffks]

.....will take some pics this weekend, I hope to build up with compatible componentry over the winter

 

[raindog]

When I stripped my dad's old frame for painting, I couldn't find a number stamped on it anywhere.

 

[limey]

....my eyes are dim, I cannot see......
....must be the wine, from around here....

 

[normgow]

Rory used to like adding little witticisms to the hand-written price tags for items of equipment in his shop window.
The first Campagnolo cotterless chainsets complete with bottom bracket axle, shells and bearings sold for the grand sum of twelve pounds which in 1960 was not an insignificant amount. On this Price tag was written "for nobs and barons only".
Perhaps a student of social history could tell us what the average wage was at that time.
These early cranks were of a much more generous cross-section than the models which came later, perhaps the engineers in Vicenza were playing safe and decided on this size to cover themselves. Also there was a cap which blanked off the inside end of the threaded pedal hole. This was later discontinued.
Later when I was able to afford Campag cranks I had two occasions to wish they had retained the old pattern , when my crank snapped near the pedal whilst out of the saddle , depositing me in the road . Both times it was the left hand crank.

 

[The Bear]

I can't recall ever seeing any Rory frames with numbers - but my Hetchins did. I also had a frame with a grease nipple on the BB, but I can't remember which to be honest.

Excellent thread this. Anybody remember Tony Phillips?

 

[pubrunner]

I can't recall ever seeing any Rory frames with numbers - but my Hetchins did. I also had a frame with a grease nipple on the BB, but I can't remember which to be honest. QUOTE]

My Rory O'Brien had a grease nipple on the BB. Wish that I'd had/got a Hetchins.

 

[normgow]

The lugs for Hetchins were prepared by Stan Broome who was a long time member of the Zeus R.C and later Havering C.C which was formed when the Zeus merged with the Romford Wheelers.
He was a stalwart of the Essex racing scene in the fifties and sixties ,later organising numerous events as well working as a commissaire.

 

[limey]

Hi Bear, I don't remember Tony Philips at all. Can you give a few clues that might jog the memory.

Hi Normgow. Remember Stan Broome well enough. In fact just found his signature on my 1964 and 1965 BCF Licences when I competed in the Zeus and Essex CRC road races, 6th and 1st respectively. As commissaires went he was kind off likable but didn't like me cutting corners, riding the wrong side of the road, or going over white lines! "Do that one more time and you're out of the race" . The other commissaire we saw frequently was J. Walker. Remember him? View attachment 4776 If I've done this right his signature is on the attachment as well.

 

[The Bear]

Tony Phillips is in that photo of Rory and Dave Bedwell at a grass track meet.

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/davebedwell.jpg

Tony was still a regular customer in Rory's when I worked there. He was a lovely fellow and amused me because although in his 50s? by then he still bought all the latest pop sounds like a teenager. However knowing what a dipstick I can be at times, all that's really need now is for somebody to say "No that wasn't Tony Phillips, that was.... "

I think by the late 70s, Stan Broome was in the Becontree?

I had this email from a mate of mine this week, a well known Essex hardman - and somebody who knows the Essex /East End scene better than me.
"Vic (Edwards) and Cliff (Shrubb) were both builders from their youth, both worked in places like Claud Butler long before they left school, and the two best builders I knew, in my opinion they made better frames than Jack (Denny), although they didn’t usually bother with the finicky lugs.
Cliff used to work behind Geoffrey Butlers, and built those track bikes used by John Nicholson, Tony Doyle etc. He later moved to behind Allins shop also in Croydon, and made frames with his own name. In fact he does sometimes still build frames in his garage when he can be forced into it. He works in Pearsons now a few days a week…"

 

[limey]

Tony Philips: still doesn't ring any bells. He was probably a regular in the Romford shop but not at Manor Park. Was he in any club? Did he race?