For Sale 1959 Ken Ryall 531 frame

amedias

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I'm a bit sad to do so but I need to move this on as our expanding family means I'm having to make room for kids bikes in the limited space we have!

This is a 1959 Ken Ryall 56cm frame, it's an excellent quality British clubmans bike from one of the slightly lesser known makers, although Ken did build some early frame himself he also outsourced building to a number of other English builders (Stan Pike, Holdworth, Gillot and Hearne) although I do not know who actually built this one.

I've had it built up as a rider for a few years, the repaint was done by the previous owner and although it's been a regular rider of mine the paintwork has held up really well and still looks great. It's a lovely deep very-slightly metallic? blue with almost white seat tube panel and head tube with gold lug lining and decals on the down tube.

Built from 531 tubing with some lovely slim seat stays and a beautiful riding fork! Nervex lugs and BB shell, it has pump pegs under the top tube, and top tube cable routes for rear brake with a hanger/stop for centre pulls. It's also got a somewhat unusual old-school mount on the rear of the seat tube for a Pennine style CO2 inflator. As is normal for a traditional clubmans race bike it also has mudguard eyelets at both ends year-round use.
It has a single top-of-bb cable guide for the rear so requires a bolt on guide for a front derailleur if that's how you want to build.
It has a Campagnolo headset fitted and included in good condition.

It has what I assume are the original Simplex dropouts but at some point in its past, well before my ownership somebody as modified them by welding on a different hanger. I genuinely do not know if this was a result of a damaged hanger, or a conversion from Simplex to more compatible offering (this was quite common). have a look at the pic for details, it's not the tidiest modification but it's perfectly functional and nobody would notice unless they inspected closely.

It's a 56cm/22in, but I'll run a tape measure over all the tubes later and update with exact measurements.
It is built for 27in wheels but has a relatively high BB and I've had it built with 700c and taken advantage of the extra clearance allowing me to run 35mm tyres (with mudguards!) using either Mafac or Weinmann centre-pulls.

I have really enjoyed owning and riding this bike, it's very comfortable but still surprisingly quick and I've used it for audaxes and the occasional club run as well as solo rides. For the last year or so I've had it built Fixed/Single speed for shorter audaxes (see last pic). It's very typical of a late 50s/early 60s bike of this type, with relatively long stays and wheelbase, it's feels like a proper old-school clubmans bike, comfy, stable but still sprightly and lovely over longer distances, rather than a twitchy race bike.

Asking £275 collected (Devon), but can post at cost using a mutually agreeable service (I have a spare frame box to post it in).
 

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It's a lovely old thing. But the way we've all seen prices plummet of late makes me think you're aiming a bit high. I reckon 150 - 175 might generate some interest (though not from me I should add).
 
Thanks for the feedback. I’m in a position where I’m not desperate to sell (yet) so optimistically holding out for a good price as it’s not ‘just’ another old 531 frame and especially as it doesn’t need a costly repaint factored in.

But I am open to offers, especially if people can collect and save me the hassle of posting.

It may be doomed to live another 5 years in my pile of nice frames and get built up again when I have space again, and that wouldn’t upset me ;-)
 
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