Edison Cycles - Any links or tips on information

[jimfrandisco]

Hello,
I have an Edison Equinox road frame (in a lovely sparkly blue) - picked it up a while ago and currently in use as a single speed.
Other than Edison cycles being Chris Edison in Clowne and closing down in 2012, I can't really find out anything else about the bikes.
With the 1" aheadset rather than threaded, suspect late 80's or early 90's.

Saw a mention on here of an Edison Equinox as a tourer, but mine has no rack or mudguard mounts.

To be honest, I don't really know what more I'd like to know, but it'd be nice to know what the frame's made of, when it was made and if anyone else has any interest in them etc.
Cheers.

 

[otherself]

Sluething tells me they go back to at least 1984 in Derbyshire. Frame builder was the dad of the founder and he used to work for Carlton in Nottinghamshire.

Looks like 531 or 653 Reynolds. Best to weigh it; 2040g would be 531, 1850g would be 653. Unicrown fork screams 90's, likely the middle-late 90's.

 

[pigman]

As far as I'm aware, they were all custom frames rather than any mass production

 

[jimfrandisco]

Thanks for the responses both.
From is an average 56cm size, so will give it a weigh next time it's stripped down.
Nice to know the name of the person that built the bike you're riding - even if it wasn't built for you.
I was thinking of putting a shimano 600 arabesque group set on it, but with it being 90's guess the frame isn't quite as retro as I guessed.
May also switch to a threaded headset and fork so I can use a tall-ish quill stem rather the aheadset and a steep angled stem, but probably over thinking that.
cheers

 

[CTK]

I popped to his shop to get a little job done. Not long before it shut. I think his dad worked for Carlton or maybe they both did. He talked to me about making frames out of 953. In general he wasn't happy about having to charge so much for a frame nowadays!

Lovely looking bike btw.

 

[bagpuss]

Proper bespoke hand made bicycles .

 

[iveto1983]

Chris and his father were both framebuilders at Carlton. His surname is Hazlehurst, the bikes/shop were named for him being Eddie’s son.

Most likely a 90s frame but could be 00s too.

 

[jimfrandisco]

Thanks for all the replies on this.
So probably not as old as I thought, but still a lovely frame to ride.
Cheers

 

[pigman]

What I can't quite get is, all the Edison frames I've seen were fully transferred-up as Edison's. I'm wondering if his Equinox line were frames they didn't actually make, but we're bought in and sprayed to the customers choice. Still decent tubing etc, but a bit cheaper for those that didn't need or want handmade and individual sizing.

Other frame builders did this, eg JF Wilson had their Alp Sport line of bought in frames

 

[bagpuss]

Chris was only interested in quality never qauntity . His shop was more of a large front room than a retail one .
Mercians built frames for other cycle shops with their own brand name .

I have seen many a frame reputing to be something it is not .