Brian Rourke frame

[And1e]

Just bought this frame today. Plan to build it up over the next 6 months. The frame is in a bit poorer condition than I’d hoped, bits of chipped paint and rust spots. However there are no dents or damage. Will probably need painted.
I reckon it’s 1995 to 2001 based upon the style of Reynolds 531 decal.
I’ll need to decide whether to go 1990’s groupset or pick up something newer. Might try to find a suitable bike to strip for parts with a regular frame .

 

[NeilM]

Re:

Wonderful.

I have two Rourke's, one in 653 which is my winter bike and another in 853 which is my main summer bike.

 

[JSH]

Re:

Looked a bargain that one... well done
I’ve been slimming down my Rourke’s.

I’ve still got two 80s 531c, a 653 track frame to which I added a brake bridge cable guides and bottle bosses, a nice original 531 professional and a recent 953 built for me.

Great build quality, Reynolds don’t sell 753 and 953 to any old Tom, Dick or Harry

 

[And1e]

Wow you certainly like the Rourke.
I contacted Brian Rourke's shop and they reckon it's probably a 1997/98.
I've started picking up some parts for it, decided to go Campagnolo. I'll probably make a few mistakes in what I buy but can always sell unwanted parts on.
The more I look at the frame the more I see bits are chipped and have been crudely touched up. I'm tempted to go the whole hog and strip paint and re-spray red and go more modern with it.

 

[peetee]

Re:

That Reynolds decal is a curious one. It is very plain and reminds me of the earlier decal that signified that only the main triangle was constructed with 531 tubes. There is no way Rourke would have used lesser tubes on the stays and forks so perhaps the decal was used for frames entirely constructed with individually chosen 531 rather than a pre-allocated 'set' of tubes. Basically a latter version of Designer Select.

 

[And1e]

http://www.reynoldstechnology.biz/wp-co ... istory.pdf

The above link downloads a pdf of the Reynolds decals and years. My frame is 1995 onwards. It also has small Reynolds flag decals on the forks.

 

[peetee]

Re:

Cheers. Reynolds seem to have pared down their decal options so that it's a bit unclear what you are getting or looking at. Back in the eighties their full range showed whether or not the forks and stays were part of a set or just the main tubes.

 

[roadking]

Re: Re:

Doesn't remind me of the earlier decal. Reynold decals, very early ones, like on the rear of the seat tube on my Hetchins* doesn't have the stays and fork text, it only occured later on the budget conscious factory built frames when makers still wanted the cachet of Reynolds tubes - albeit only main tubes.

Not Designer Select either (concept creates by framebuilders - like Roberts - mixing and matching tubes), if I recall DS had a specific decal anyway, the OPs decal is simply the most modern (post-TI) 531 (full set) decal.

Rk.

*Hetchins only applied Reynolds decals at the customers request, after all they never built with gas pipe - that's only reserved for grey porridge...restorers these days get carried away with decals.