1986 Allin custom

[sletti]

ANd this is my other bike...

This one is mostly retro (RD-7900 being the most obvious anomaly) and I think most of it falls within the pre 1998 vibe. Despite my dislike of funereal black componentry, I clearly thought it was cool once upon a time, but in hindsight, the black stuff looks dull and uninteresting but it serves this feller admirable (actually, now I come to look at a photo of it, it does look kinda cool).

The frame is an 531c Allin and was built for me by Cliff Shrubb in 1986. It has had three paint jobs, has carried me in endless time trials throught the 80s, has had racks and panniers (difficult without mounts by not impossible) mounted and been touring around the Massif Centrale, Has been converted to fixed for one winter, and in 92 was snapped in two (along with my collarbone), repaired and refinished in this rather sultry flamboyant green. The Cannondate chainset was a triple that has been converted to a double with a dremmel and lots of patience. The Mavic wheels have needed zero attention in well over 10 years. Rest of drivetrain is Shimano (new DA rear mech, Old DA front mech, 600 brifters, and a mongrel cassette made by butchering several knackered ones (including some IG or UG sprockets) but it seems to work fine). Brakes are Dura Ace 7400 and are the oldest thing on here dating back to 1985. Campag seatpin. Fairly modern Deda bars and stem (great shape), with two layers of gel tape to protect my deliacte musicians hands. Stem is runnign with a quill adapter as I couldn't get a Cinelli 1A to grip the deda bars. An original Flite saddle rounds off the whole thing.

So, an old, dear friend that has seen more of my arse than anyone has any need to...

 

[otherself]

Cool story bro. Looks real nice like. Any close ups of the frame?

 

[timkich]

allin

Where abouts are you in kent and how much is it?
timkichenside@yahoo.com

 

[sletti]

Re: allin

Where abouts are you in kent and how much is it?
timkichenside@yahoo.com

It will never be for sale; It'd be like losing a bollock!

 

[toomski]

Nice bike. I lost a bollock once. Well nearly... it dropped back down n everything is a ok. Been offered cash sums for my pug ou 10. But we will never be separated

 

[Ross 1964]

Very nice indeed. Looks like it would be lively - I guess the big frame always makes the wheelbase look shorter.

I've been considering, in my modernising my trusty old 1985 Raleigh Gran Tour for use as my only mudguard bike (or, in Scotland, known as one's main bike!), getting a quill to Ahead converter, but can't find one outside of the US. Where did you get yours?

Cheers.

 

[Midlife]

........Fastback seat stays always make for a class look

Shaun

 

[roadking]

........Fastback seat stays always make for a class look

Shaun

Shot in bro, shot in.

Fastback stays don't meet the binder bolt. For example, the SBDU would generally only use shot-in stays for a light(ish) rider on a TT frameset.

I have a Geoffrey Butler built by Cliff Shrubb, I didn't think he built for Allin after the business was sold; the last"true"Allins were built in 1980/81(by Peter Cobb). Then the business was sold.

Cliff built frames in Whitehorse Road BITD (60s) near Allin Cycles, and then he moved away. Jenson were also in Whitehorse Road, Croydon, Allin were the favoured builders and hangout of the Norwood Paragon CC.

Very nice though - especially with the"fairground"style lettering.

Roadking.

 

[sletti]

I have a Geoffrey Butler built by Cliff Shrubb, I didn't think he built for Allin after the business was sold; the last"true"Allins were built in 1980/81(by Peter Cobb). Then the business was sold.

Cliff built frames in Whitehorse Road BITD (60s) near Allin Cycles, and then he moved away. Jenson were also in Whitehorse Road, Croydon, Allin were the favoured builders and hangout of the Norwood Paragon CC.

Very nice though - especially with the"fairground"style lettering.

Roadking.

I had my first Allin built at the end of 1984. At that time the Shop was run by John Hutt, and Ray Moore built frames out of the rear of the shop. Ray built very good frames and was always very interested in any ideas that were slightly different.

If fact in 1985 I wanted a mountain bike but all you could get were lumbering Motobecanes, Ridgebacks, Muddy Fox and Highpaths and none met with what I wanted, so Ray built me what I wanted (73 degrres, short wheelbase, sloping top tube, OT tubing), but that is whole 'nuther story (thread and pics to follow).

John and Ray dissolved their partnership towards the end of 1985, but John kept the shop and ran it with Linda, his parter, but because they had a reputation for building and repairinf steel frames they passed their work to Cliff because he was just a few doors down. He still built of Goeffrey Butler's and also under his own name.

Because I was a regular at Allins I got to know Cliff and we struck up a rapport becuse I was interested in the whole framebuilding thing, so when I said I was thinking of a new racing frame he invited me down to his workshop for a bit of measuring and a chance to rifle through his countless boxes of lugs and crowns, and this is where this particular beauty was concieved, and eventually born.

I stayed in contact with Cliff for a while but our paths diverged. I know he went to work for pearsons in sutton, but after that the trail goes cold. I'd love to meet up with him again, but I was probably just one of a million hangers on and I doubt that he'd remember me.

At sometime in the early 90s John Hutt died from throat cancer and Linda persisted with the shop for some years with Glen Bates, but concentrated on selling cheap, easy to shift bikes but just before the turn of the millenium the shop closed and I think it is a educational book shop now.

As you say, popular with the Norwood Paragon and my club at the time, The Old Portlians. In fact whn I first went to Allins I was served by a chap called Neil (his surname escapes me now) who was the person that steered me towards the Old Ports, but everyone in the Croydon Distict Cylcing Association were a pretty friendly bunch (Norwood Paragon, Old Ports, South East Road Club, Addiscome Bicycle Club, Addington Wheelers).

So there you have it, a loose 80/90's history of a much loved and much missed LBS (dates are based on my my memory so figure a +/-2 years ajustment potential ).

 

[roadking]

Allin.

Allins were my family LBS from the 1930s, until we moved from the area in the late 1970s. We were well-known in the area, having several businesses and bought many bicycles from Allins over the years...both for business (tradesbikes), and leisure - my Dad had an Allin tandem.

I have an old-timer friend who worked for Allins for over 20 years and another friend who is a member of the Davey family (associated with Allin pre-war).

I myself own a super rare Allin Belgique from 1964 and one of the last true Allins, a Stan Butler Special, built by Peter Cobb in 1980. And so we don't forget Cliff, I have a rather nice '67 Geoffrey Butler built by him - bought new by a friend of my Dads.

See this link for more Allin info -

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/bu ... allin.html

Roadking.