Rory O'Brien bike

[pubrunner]

amazing how this thread just keeps going and going.....

Yes, but sadly, Peanut & I were slated for suggesting that we might have a sub-section for older bikes. '**** off' to Retro Bikes was the attitude of many.

That's a real shame. I have to say that this is the most interesting thread I've read on CC in quite a while so thanks to all the contributors.

I was informed that there 'wouldn't be enough interest' for a sub-section for older bikes.

. . . . . . . meanwhile, this topic alone (of only 8 pages), has had 13,257 viewings . . . that'd be 'not enough interest' - not as if they got here by chance. The number of viewings on this single topic, is considerably more than the entire viewings on some of other sections.

Who'd have thought that there'd be so much interest in Rory O'Brien - I wonder how many bikes he sold ?

 

[pubrunner]

For anyone looking for a Rory O'Brien frame, there is one listed here - only £40 ono.

It looks (to my eyes) like a fifties or sixties frame - it might be good tubing - difficult to tell from the pic.

Oh yes, it has Rory O'Brien decals that I've not seen before - perhaps the same as Raindog has shown in the above posting.

(It is towards the bottom of the page, so you'll have to scroll down).

My link

I've emailed the seller, he tells me that he might put up some more pics of the frame soon; by the way, he mentioned that the price for the frame does not include posting. P&P would be 'no more than £15'.

 

[raindog]

That Ron Cooper looks the business.

 

[pubrunner]

That Ron Cooper looks the business.

It certainly does, if you were to buy that frame and get it finished, you'd be lucky to do it for less than he's selling it for. I'd be happy to own any of the bikes that he's selling.

Shame he's not provided more info on the O'Brien - I wonder how old it is - and what's the tubing ?

The bike that Northern Chief has looks very interesting; again, I wonder what age it is - I've never seen those decals before.

How's your own O'Brien looking, Raindog ? I love the look of that frame. In fact, not too long ago, I decided to get myself a split-tube frame (see below) - not as 'classy' as yours though.

 

[Firestorm]

Excellent thread and , tbh, the type of thing I signed up on here for.

My Dad had a Rory in the 50's , Mum had a curly stay Hetchins. Both were very active in the East london / essex racing scene of the 50's . Vic Gibbons has been mentioned in this thread a lot, Dad talks of him.

Dad was in the Penguin , Mum the Bucaneers (later became Redbridge) when they met, Dad later joined the Buccs

Mums parents were in University CC and Roslyn Ladies.

In the 60's we all used to marshall the TT's and support one particular Rider in the 12's and 24's (Pete Reeve) in the days when Nim Carline used to dominate.

 

[pubrunner]

I've just seen an interesting clip on YouTube - a guy has found a Rory O'Brien at his local tip.:

My link

Sadly, our local re-cycling centre no longer allows the acquisition of bikes/frames - for the price of a few quid. If stuff goes into the skip, it has to stay there. The Council workers there, are as much upset as anyone about this. It was a 'win win' situation all round. They made a few bob out of it and a bike or frame could be put back into use.

 

[pubrunner]

My Dad had a Rory in the 50's

An O'Brien of that period, would almost certainly have been made by Ephgraves - very sought-after bikes and highly rated.

 

[Firestorm]

An O'Brien of that period, would almost certainly have been made by Ephgraves - very sought-after bikes and highly rated.

I'll have a chat with him about his old bikes next time I see him, Unfortunately, lets just say, the old fella's memory isn't what it used to be

 

[raindog]

Sadly, our local re-cycling centre no longer allows the acquisition of bikes/frames - for the price of a few quid. If stuff goes into the skip, it has to stay there. The Council workers there, are as much upset as anyone about this. It was a 'win win' situation all round. They made a few bob out of it and a bike or frame could be put back into use.

How bloody sad is that? I mean, what's the reason? That's really a reflection of the ignorant, stupid, consumer society we all live in these days. Makes me mad, so it does. Imagine how much other usefull stuff, not just bikes, must get destroyed when it could be recycled and used again.

The bike in the vid shows yet another type of transfer with Rory in script and O'Brien in blocks! Looks like a very nice frame.

My Rory? It's still hanging on the wall looking pretty. All I need is a pair of tubs and I can ride it again. I'll get round to it some time.

Firestorm - it would be great if you could post about some of your dad's memories, and even put some photos up, if he has any.

 

[pubrunner]

How bloody sad is that? I mean, what's the reason? That's really a reflection of the ignorant, stupid, consumer society we all live in these days. Makes me mad, so it does. Imagine how much other usefull stuff, not just bikes, must get destroyed when it could be recycled and used again.

Yes, you could see a curly Hetchins in a skip, and be unable to retrieve it - all very frustrating !.

The bike in the vid shows yet another type of transfer with Rory in script and O'Brien in blocks! Looks like a very nice frame.

I think that it will be a bike from the 80s - yes, it does look a nice frame.

Firestorm - it would be great if you could post about some of your dad's memories, and even put some photos up, if he has any.

+1

It is important (in my opinion) to glean such info. whilst it is still available; your Dad might be surprised to know that over 13,000 visits have been made to this thread on Rory O'Brien, tell him to get his thinking hat on and make some notes. If he has any pics that could be scanned, I'd be very pleased to see them on this thread.

Going OT, RainDog, in which part of France are you ? Have you seen any Geliano bikes like the one that I have ? They were made in Argent-sur-Sauldre - which I believe is about 90 minutes south of Paris.

 

[Firestorm]

Firestorm - it would be great if you could post about some of your dad's memories, and even put some photos up, if he has any.

I'll scrounge some photos when I am round there next.

Dad was fairly good, He won the 1954 Eastern Counties 5 M track title and around that time was leading The Nationals by half a lap with 2 to go when he shed a tub, When I was younger he had made the odd comment about not making the Olympics because he wasn't in national service so I always had an idea at the back of my mind that he was useful but he didn't talk a lot about it.

A couple of years ago it was my 50th birthday, i got into a conversation with him and asked him how good he actually was, and told him that he was old enough now not to be too modest , Could you have made the Olympics I added,

Well , he said, lets just say that on the day the announced the team for the games, '56 I believe, One of the riders named (I forget who he said it was) was racing at Herne Hill. They announced over the Tannoy that he had been picked for the Olympics and he did a lap of honour, 3 hours later he came 2nd...he had a wry smile on his face at this point and I had to ask "You were first I presume" to which he replied "too bloody right I was, F****** stuffed 'im"

I won a Star letter in my Childrens comic (Sparky C 1967) for a discription of a 24 hour race where we were assisting Pete Reeve, sleeping in the back of the old Anglia estate and passing up bottled of lemon tea and Creamed Rice throughout the night,

As I have said in the previous post, I come from a family of Racers, There are family medals from two Grandparents and both my Parents and my brother Raced a bit in the 80's and 90's . In my youth I used to ride a lot and was going to Join theBuccs when I reached 14 , but I got asthma when I was 13 and couldn't exercise over distance for years after that , which combined ith my parents leaving the club soon after the merger with the Rapier in '72 curtailed my interest .

 

[Firestorm]

he has got a rather good story about hurtling down a hill on a tandem (Mum on the back) desperately trying to get to the level crossing before the gates shut ! and one about bending his alloy pump bluemels (?) over a dogs head .....

 

[pubrunner]

Dad was fairly good,

Masterly understatement !

A couple of years ago it was my 50th birthday, i got into a conversation with him and asked him how good he actually was, and told him that he was old enough now not to be too modest , Could you have made the Olympics I added,

Well , he said, lets just say that on the day the announced the team for the games, '56 I believe, One of the riders named (I forget who he said it was) was racing at Herne Hill. They announced over the Tannoy that he had been picked for the Olympics and he did a lap of honour, 3 hours later he came 2nd...he had a wry smile on his face at this point and I had to ask "You were first I presume" to which he replied "too bloody right I was, F****** stuffed 'im"

Brilliant !!! He sounds a 'character', does your Dad !

I'll scrounge some photos when I am round there next.

That'd be very interesting !

 

[raindog]

Going OT, RainDog, in which part of France are you ? Have you seen any Geliano bikes like the one that I have ? They were made in Argent-sur-Sauldre - which I believe is about 90 minutes south of Paris.

I'm 800ks from Paris.
Never even heard of them before and I assumed they were Italian but when you posted the pics I googled them and found they were indeed French. They seem to specialise in ultra short wheel bases like yours.

Another French make that do split down tubes is Mecacycle.

 

[pubrunner]

The downtube name in script sounds like the one that was on my dad's frame except it was in gold. You can still get Rory transfers but only the block capitals one, and I don't think it would look right on the frame I've got. I'll probably end up just putting two of the small ones on the seat tube and the head tube. I expect my frame had the same transfers as in your pics, but I believe the only ones available now are like this.

.

There are Rory O'Brien transfers currently available on the 'Bay - are these an original design and if so, for what age/era bike ?

I'm so tempted to get another O'Brien - they seem to be very popular at the moment !