Fred James frame - what is it?

In article <[email hidden]>, Tomek Li
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I was lucky enough to obtain via e-bay a second hand steel racing frame,
531, which announces it's manufacturer as some "Fred James". The frame seem
to be some 20 years old (124 mm dropout spacing).

124mm isn't a proper spacing, so it's probably been bent and you can't
really tell what size it started as - could be anywhere from 110mm to
130mm.

Quoted message said:

Anybody could shed some light on the manufacturer's wherebouts, whether
still in business, etc?
The web search shows just one Mr. Fred JAmes, involved in local cycling club
and bicycle shop in Yorkshire .

Lincolnshire according to the web search I did. It's quite likely he
has another builder's frames custom badged for sale in his shop, and
there's no easy way of telling who actually built it.

Quoted message said:

I wrote an e-mail there, haven't got answer so far.

From the look of the shop website I don't think they're particularly
clued up about the internet - why not telephone the shop?

"Rob Morley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Tomek Li
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I was lucky enough to obtain via e-bay a second hand steel racing frame,
531, which announces it's manufacturer as some "Fred James". The frame
seem
to be some 20 years old (124 mm dropout spacing).

124mm isn't a proper spacing, so it's probably been bent and you can't
really tell what size it started as - could be anywhere from 110mm to
130mm

Most likely originally it was 126 mm.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Anybody could shed some light on the manufacturer's wherebouts, whether
still in business, etc?
The web search shows just one Mr. Fred JAmes, involved in local cycling
club
and bicycle shop in Yorkshire .

Lincolnshire according to the web search I did.

Right. I quoted from memory. My memory isn't that great.

It's quite likely he

Quoted message said:

has another builder's frames custom badged for sale in his shop, and
there's no easy way of telling who actually built it.

Quoted message said:

I wrote an e-mail there, haven't got answer so far.

From the look of the shop website I don't think they're particularly
clued up about the internet - why not telephone the shop?

Indeed, maybe I should.

Thanks,

Tomek Li

Quoting Rob Morley <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I was lucky enough to obtain via e-bay a second hand steel racing frame,
531, which announces it's manufacturer as some "Fred James". The frame seem
to be some 20 years old (124 mm dropout spacing).

124mm isn't a proper spacing,

But it could very easily be 126mm - the discrepancy could just be in
measurement. That would not be implausible for a bike of _about_ 20
years' age.
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> Kill the tomato!
Today is Gorgonzoladay, March - a weekend.

Strangely enough I have just been given a Fred James 531 frame and
forks.
Army green, with half chrome forks. Canti bosses and lots of clearance
so it may have been a 27" tourer. I have to change the rear dropouts
as one is broken, and will take the opportunity to modify a few other
bits as well.

According to the donor, Fred James was a Lincolnshire builder. The
frame looks like pretty much any other 531 lugged frame of that era.
Should be a nice tourer or cyclocross bike once it is finished.

...d

In article <[email hidden]>,
David Martin
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Strangely enough I have just been given a Fred James 531 frame and
forks.
Army green, with half chrome forks. Canti bosses and lots of clearance
so it may have been a 27" tourer. I have to change the rear dropouts
as one is broken, and will take the opportunity to modify a few other
bits as well.

According to the donor, Fred James was a Lincolnshire builder. The
frame looks like pretty much any other 531 lugged frame of that era.
Should be a nice tourer or cyclocross bike once it is finished.

Here's a Fred James:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130084785432
I don't think that frame was knocked together in a shed in deepest
Lincolnshire.

in message <[email hidden]>, Rob Morley

(') said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
David Martin
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Strangely enough I have just been given a Fred James 531 frame and
forks.
Army green, with half chrome forks. Canti bosses and lots of clearance
so it may have been a 27" tourer. I have to change the rear dropouts
as one is broken, and will take the opportunity to modify a few other
bits as well.

According to the donor, Fred James was a Lincolnshire builder. The
frame looks like pretty much any other 531 lugged frame of that era.
Should be a nice tourer or cyclocross bike once it is finished.

Here's a Fred James:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130084785432
I don't think that frame was knocked together in a shed in deepest
Lincolnshire.

Top quality 531 frames /were/ knocked up in sheds all over the country; I
don't see why Lincolnshire should be any different. Reynolds used to sell
a tubeset which was in effect a complete kit for making a frame - all you
needed was a matching set of lugs (also available in kits) and someone who
was decently skilled with a brazing torch (or hearth) and a spray gun.

Welded aluminium? H'mmm... that's another matter altogether.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; single speed mountain bikes: for people who cycle on flat mountains.

Simon Brooke said:

Top quality 531 frames /were/ knocked up in sheds all over the country; I
don't see why Lincolnshire should be any different. Reynolds used to sell
a tubeset which was in effect a complete kit for making a frame - all you
needed was a matching set of lugs (also available in kits) and someone who
was decently skilled with a brazing torch (or hearth) and a spray gun.

OK, not 531 but similar quality. You can get a set of tubes and lugs
to build your own quality steel frame for a little over £100.
The brazing torch and shed have to be obtained elsewhere though.

Brazed steel frames are a craft skill where it is not hard nor
particularly expensive to build a functioning bike frame. Building
them quickly and well is a skilful job.

One day I will build my own frame rather than cutting up old ones..

...d

In article <[email hidden]>, Simon
Brooke
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Rob Morley

(') said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
David Martin
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Strangely enough I have just been given a Fred James 531 frame and
forks.
Army green, with half chrome forks. Canti bosses and lots of clearance
so it may have been a 27" tourer. I have to change the rear dropouts
as one is broken, and will take the opportunity to modify a few other
bits as well.

According to the donor, Fred James was a Lincolnshire builder. The
frame looks like pretty much any other 531 lugged frame of that era.
Should be a nice tourer or cyclocross bike once it is finished.

Here's a Fred James:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130084785432
I don't think that frame was knocked together in a shed in deepest
Lincolnshire.

Top quality 531 frames /were/ knocked up in sheds all over the country; I
don't see why Lincolnshire should be any different. Reynolds used to sell
a tubeset which was in effect a complete kit for making a frame - all you
needed was a matching set of lugs (also available in kits) and someone who
was decently skilled with a brazing torch (or hearth) and a spray gun.

Welded aluminium? H'mmm... that's another matter altogether.

My point precisely.