Claud Butler Professional 1997

[KermitGKona88]

Hi Nice Bike and a lovely ride I had one and sold it a while back (still have the forks in the sale section )

Midlife the fillets on the lugs were purely for decoration but they really were very fancy lugs, I remember these frames got a slating at the time for using lugs on a tubeset designed 'specifically' for TIG welding (853), but they looked fantastic and rode very well

 

[Tel]

Thats a nice bike Andy. Does make you wonder what CB were thinking putting RX100 on it, guess wit would keep the price down although 899 seems quite pricey :?

Same lugs as my Omega build

 

[KermitGKona88]

I couldn't help but wonder if this would have sold better, if it had been badged as a Holdsworth rather than a Claude Butler :?: :?: After all Falcon held the rights to both names

 

[David B]

Re: Here's mine

Nearly all Campagnolo Chorus, swapping the stem for a Cinelli quill, when i can bring myself to remove the bar tape. Rides really nice, love the lugs! picture quality is poor sorry.

I've only just stumbled upon this topic, but have always liked these Butler 853s and once upon a time nearly bought one! Decent Campag kit certainly does it more justice than middling RX100 stuff - nice one.

David

 

[David B]

I couldn't help but wonder if this would have sold better, if it had been badged as a Holdsworth rather than a Claude Butler :?: :?: After all Falcon held the rights to both names

IIRC, at that time in the firm's history, the Brigg factory was pushing CB as the "performance" range for MTBs and full-on road machines, whilst tourers were badged as Holdsworth. A while before that the reverse was true; my first "proper" road bike was a 531 Holdsworth Corsair ca.1995.

David

 

[tim2]

raleigh

Very suprised to see the Raleigh badged bike. When this Claud was made this frame was made in the factory in Brigg. It was not contracted out or bought in from far east. The only way there could be a Raleigh version is a total copy( which I am unaware of from that time) or its a respray/ rebage job;. Certainly Falcon never supplied any frames to Raleigh.

 

[KermitGKona88]

The Raleigh picture I am 99.9% sure is a respray and re-badge those decals are easily found on Ebay

 

[AndyMart]

I sold the bike as it was a little small for me, regretted it since, loved the look of the campag gear would have transferred onto a bigger frame, you live and learn.

 

[tbc]

Thread dredge...this thread was really helpful in helping me find a bit more information on a bike I picked up over Christmas...and convincing sceptics that Claud Butler did make 853 frames.

I decided the frame deserved better, sold the wheels and groupset for 3/4 of what I paid for the entire bike, and rebuilt it with odds and sods Sram bits:

Please excuse the godawful mudguard positioning, I hadn't figured out Race Blade adjustment.

The bike rides beautifully, and is clearly meant for aggressive riding. It barely clears the 25mm tyres I've put on, and there's no room for a front mudguard.

 

[phoog]

Re: raleigh

Very suprised to see the Raleigh badged bike. When this Claud was made this frame was made in the factory in Brigg. It was not contracted out or bought in from far east. The only way there could be a Raleigh version is a total copy( which I am unaware of from that time) or its a respray/ rebage job;. Certainly Falcon never supplied any frames to Raleigh.

is that 100% ? I'm pretty sure that the CB one I had was made in Thailand (supplied with a made in Thailand sticker under the BB) I'd always assumed they were generic as I'm pretty sure I've seen a few with differing makes
a really really good frame . . . one of the best I've ever ridden