Harry Hall

[1988_Ben]

It seems things have changed from the days of the ever helpful Harry Hall himself!

Very true unfortunately. I rarely hear anything good about that shop and personally avoid it. Sometimes if you're lucky there's one nice friendly person who might serve you, but certainly don't expect anyone to show an interest in HH frames, that's a completely different era of the business.

It'd be like sending a photo of an F. W. Evans 60's touring bike to Evans Cycles. At least the staff there are probably into road bikes...

 

[Old Ned]

Here's a photo from an old advert showing Harry and Roger Kowalski who was his builder in the 70's at least. Harry is the one on the right. When Roger went elsewhere I suspect Harry bought his frames in from people like - as said - Bob Jackson for instance. Roger Kowalski also built for the Stoke branch of Clive Stuart - which Brian Rourke managed until they collapsed and he went on his own.

Also attached is a photo of Mike Gadd from 1968. He was a fearsome sight in a time trial, pure effort all the way, super rider. On a stock Carlton frame you will see.

 

[drumnagorrach]

Blown away by the photo's. Do you suppose Mike Gadd is still with us ?

 

[Old Ned]

Blown away by the photo's. Do you suppose Mike Gadd is still with us ?

Yes he is.

As a small point of possible interest, when MG started cycling it was as a junior with Clevelys CC. One of his young clubmates was a lad called Roger Uttley who turned out to be quite fast as well. He also turned out to be a very good Rugby Union player and played for England etc.

 

[Technokitten]

Re:

Hi I think I can assist you with the approximate age of your bike. You will find your frame number stamped at the bottom of the BB shell
I own a HH frame number 832 this frame looks very similar to yours and the decals look similar as well. Mine is made of Reynolds 531 in 1977 and "smuggled" into NZ as a "used bike" at a time when imported sporting goods were severely restricted and taxes thereupon were nearly the cost of the goods.
Oliver Hall now runs HH cycles and as others have discovered he is disinterested in the old custom frames. I am in need of a decal set at present as I have recently (oh sacrilege) powder coated my best and favourite bike so it will survive the acidic volcanic atmosphere in my new home town. Oliver Hall pointed me toward a company in Manchester called Atlantic Boulevard who he says do a very good job of making retro bike decals.
Cheers all from Sunny New Zealand

 

[mrkawasaki]

Very fond of Harry Hall - the older shops were a haven of lustful loitering! Here's my HH 531c restomod around and about its hometown - a lovely riding machine, certainly the 'go-to' roadbike in my collection. Originally white with red decals and a smattering of mid-range Campagnolo as I bought it (£100), stripped and powder coated in a Specialized team pink. Curiously this bike was left behind in last year's shed break-in - colour saves lives! Updated with Harry Hall decals last year, in time for the 2014 Pendle Witches Easter ride.

Have a lugged 531 HH mountainbike (unrestored) to sell soon - it's 18" and resolutely still too small for me.

 

[drumnagorrach]

Re:

Interesting post's.
My frame no is either 608 or 809 depending on which way up you look at it,and the dropouts are campag. It's been a few years since I restored mine,but not long after ,when out riding it,my chain jammed between the lower rear derailleur wheel and its frame. I was standing up peddling hard and the result was that the derailleur rotated up and tore off the bottom half of the drop out at the point where the adjuster is threaded through.
I veed it out and tig welded it back together and it has been o.k. but am sad that it had lasted so well up un till I got it and now it's sort of botched up.
Great to see the pics of the pink one, I know exactly where the photo of it being ridden over the nick of Pendle was taken. Small world eh, although I live in north east Scotland now, I was born and raised in Pendle and lived a couple of miles north along the ridge from the photo near Newchurch in Pendle.That's some climb!
Most of the time I ride my modern Sabbath Silk Road,but find that the time I take to cover my evening training route is often less on the H.H.,can't explain it ,the Sabbath is lighter and being T.I. should be stiffer,maybe the "old man " just got it right.

 

[drumnagorrach]

www.hlloydcycles.com/ Forgot to mention , this is where I got my replacement frame stickers.

 

[theweekendhaslanded]

I can tell you all about that Harry hall racing bike! It used to be mine back in 1990! Cannot believe I found it here!

When Harry Hall was at Hanging ditch Manchester my dad went in and asked them about it off the frame number. It was originally blue and cream I think and built specially for a guy in 1977 or 79. It had already been painted red and I bought it from a high school friend and upgraded the brakes, rear mech shimano 105 iirc and had the wheels built on the original campag hubs. I still have the original campag rear mech somewhere that I took off.

Great to see it. I sold it to a friend at the times dad who wasn't really a biker just used it for transport to and from work. How did you come across it?

Still cannot believe I'm seeing this ........

 

[theweekendhaslanded]

Also just to add now I have read the whole thread.......it had tubs on that's why I had a new set of wheels built by Mike gadd when he had his own shop on Dickson road Blackpool. I think the spokes were dt? I may have changed the forks after an accident, not sure tho it was a long time ago! It had a brooks leather saddle too and I think that's a specialised water bottle carrier? I must have some pictures lurking about somewhere. I remember it being a lot cleaner when I had it!