Browning Trials Unit - Built by Swallow

[retrobikeguy]

Been a while since this has an update.

Since last she was out I have changed a few things.

as suggested chainrings, now sporting some black sg rings on M730 arms.

Wheelset changed to XT on M231

tyres changed to the lesser renowned brand of innova .... But they're clean and have great tread.

Onza bar end bungs finally found (the oval ones)

And small change, a long cage XT m735 derailleur.

 

[raidan73]

Love this one Lee

 

[retrobikeguy]

Cheers fella, as do I.

Thing is it's a while since it was last out and it has developed a sticky freehub so have gt85'd it and done a few ride and glide miles to convince it to unsticky.... We're getting there I think

 

[narcotitlan]

A work of art that is.

 

[retrobikeguy]

But who's art?

I still know little about the frames roots apart from its made in England, and that comes from the fact its a British fork design and a sticker under the clear coat on the seat tube, apart from that I don't know what its made from or by whom?

So super sleuths ... I would like you to look at some of the details of the frame at see if we can try and pin down a frame builder.

Fillet brazed front triangle, sleeved seat tube.



Very basic brake bridge, which is wierd as the fork doesn't have a hanger assembly for cantilever brakes



Seat tube takes a 31.8mm front derailleur, 28mm seatpost and is ovalised at the bottom



Rear triangle looks to be std brazing, I sort of recognise the chainstays configuration but can't place it right now



Head tube as you should know is 1-¼ and fillet brazed



Rear dropouts are pretty standard, cant see any logos stamped in them



Can't see any frame numbers stamped into its BB shell either.

So.... Over to you chaps

 

[narcotitlan]

But who's art?

I can't help you there, But Arthur 'Art' Browning would be a top name for an inventor.

 

[Cheshire1980]

Corr thats a belter, love the Browning

 

[boy"O"boy]

Been a while since this has an update.

Since last she was out I have changed a few things.

as suggested chainrings, now sporting some black sg rings on M730 arms.

Wheelset changed to XT on M231

tyres changed to the lesser renowned brand of innova .... But they're clean and have great tread.

Onza bar end bungs finally found (the oval ones)

And small change, a long cage XT m735 derailleur.

View attachment 589807

Looks great Lee.
Nice tweeks have made an already sorted bike even better. Great source of inspiration when I was doing my own Browning Pine Mountain.

As for frame builder. @rrrroberts suggested on my PM thread that the prototype (s) could have been built by Roberts.
I've dug these images out from my research. I think these would have all been prototypes too.
They all feature fillet brazed front ends but these all feature the front mech cable guide on the headtube....which yours doesn't have.



Marin prototype from MBUK review. Article mentions a British frame builder. Headtube is fillet brazed.


VTT Magazine (don't know issue)
Muddy Fox prototype in the same colours as yours. Cable guide to side of headtube.
Appears to be fillet brazed too but the definition of the screen capture isn't great! Headtube logo?
Unfortunately I Don't have this mag so I can't give you more info.



Another Muddy Fox prototype from MBUK Nov.91
Showtime feature on up and coming 92 models.
Difficult to confirm but looks fillet brazed again.
Cable guide to side of headtube. Is that a magura straddle hose too?

Maybe all of these prototypes were made by the manufacturer mentioned in the Marin review?
By the time the production Marin Pine Mountain and Team special editions were released, the tubes are TIG welded and not fillet brazed.


Doesn't help define the builder of yours, but maybe someone else can add further.
I'm interested to find the frame builder behind the Marins too. The serial number doesn't match the Marin frame numbering system and seems to be from a low volume production. Wether it's in house or Marin sourced- nobody knows. Emails to Marin have met a dead end so far.

Cheers.
boy"O"boy

 

[retrobikeguy]

Looks great Lee.
Nice tweeks have made an already sorted bike even better. Great source of inspiration when I was doing my own Browning Pine Mountain.

As for frame builder. @rrrroberts suggested on my PM thread that the prototype (s) could have been built by Roberts.
I've dug these images out from my research. I think these would have all been prototypes too.
They all feature fillet brazed front ends but these all feature the front mech cable guide on the headtube....which yours doesn't have.

View attachment 590952

Marin prototype from MBUK review. Article mentions a British frame builder. Headtube is fillet brazed.

View attachment 590953
VTT Magazine (don't know issue)
Muddy Fox prototype in the same colours as yours. Cable guide to side of headtube.
Appears to be fillet brazed too but the definition of the screen capture isn't great! Headtube logo?
Unfortunately I Don't have this mag so I can't give you more info.

View attachment 590956

Another Muddy Fox prototype from MBUK Nov.91
Showtime feature on up and coming 92 models.
Difficult to confirm but looks fillet brazed again.
Cable guide to side of headtube. Is that a magura straddle hose too?


Cheers.
boy"O"boy

Wow!

Blown me away fella, that front cover bike is uncannily similar isn't it! And I have that magazine article about the Marin se.... How did I miss that note about being handmade british manufacture on a Marin! And it certainly does look like a magura front end on the inset pictured MF doesn't it..... Ooooooh

Thank you B'o'B

 

[one-eyed_jim]

Lovely work.

VTT Magazine (don't know issue)

That's Issue 30 from September 1991:

http://museedelapresse.com/vtt-magazine-no-30/

I had a look on ebay.fr, but there are no copies listed at present. Might be worth keeping an eye open though.

My first guess at a builder was Dave Yates, but that's only a guess, and I've nothing to back it up. That's not a crack developing under the seat cluster sleeve, is it?

I did a little googling, wondering if it might be possible to find out from Mr Browning who built the frame. I found a picture of the man himself, with a Moultonesque road prototype, and even an address in Camberley:

https://tinyurl.com/39n7chvb

and then this interview with his son:

https://archive.ph/DUDaX