Information wanted about Beryl Burton & the frames she used

[stringfellow1946]

Anyone know anything about Beryl Burton & the frames she supposedly used?
I’ve just got hold of a frame that was supposedly built for the great lady by Raleigh SBDU. (yea & the worlds Flat).
I’ve done a bit of checking on Google but I can’t find any photos or references to her using this particular frame or any low Pro frame.
What I know about English built frames you could write on your small toe nail, so if any of you Raleigh experts have any information or could through any light on this particular frame I would be very great full.
Its in Raleigh Panasonic color’s, 753 Reynolds tubed with a 24’ front wheel frame No SB6303.
If this is an ex BB frame (which I very very seriously doubt) I would like to rebuild it with the make & model of components that she would have been using back in the 80’s.
IE the make & model of Hubs, Brakes, Rims, Rear Gear, Saddle, handle bars etc etc. (I don’t think bull horn bars can be correct)???

The only other information I have is that it was originally sold to the guy I obtained from by HS.
This is what HS had to say about it

RALEIGH ILKESTON LO-PRO Reynolds 753 built for Beryl Burton
Seat Tube (ctt): 20in (51cm) 
Top Tube (ctc): 21.55in (54cm) horizontal, 22in (56cm) along tube
Frame tubing: Reynolds 753
Frame number: SB6303
This Raleigh lo-pro frame was made at the Raleigh Ilkeston plant run by Gerald O’Donovan for Beryl Burton, the top British women’s rider of the 1960s–80s. 
In autumn 1974 Raleigh established a specialist workshop (SBDU) capable of frame building to the very highest standards at Ilkeston in Derbyshire. Frames were built for the Ti-Raleigh continental pro team from the very beginning. The unit worked with Reynolds in developing Reynolds 753 and the first frames were tested by the Ti-Raleigh team in 1974. For a company as large as Raleigh, the SBDU was quite an unusual operation. Its production capacity was modest – at a maximum only about 1000 frames or so a year from about four framebuilders.
This frame dates from late 1983 and features unusually an oversize (1 1/8in) top tube. Some of the original equipment has been replaced – the brakes, bars, BB, seatpost and chainrings are all replacements – Beryl Burton was known for using a large single chainring for time-trialling so it would probably have originally been fitted with a 56T chainring. The front wheel is obviously original – it has a Raleigh Ilkeston decal, the rear gear is Zeus which were imported by Ron Kitching who was a long time sponsor of Beryl Burton. This is really a very special lo-pro built by one of the best high end builders in the world in the late70s/80s... SOLD.

Any HELP or reliable INFORMATION would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

 

[gavr]

Re:

She rode Raleigh Time Trial Specials apparently and the low pro in later years. Don't know about the early days.

On the cover of her autobiography you can see her on a SBDU in Team colours

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Personal-Best-A ... 190308847X

 

[stringfellow1946]

Re: Re:

She rode Raleigh Time Trial Specials apparently and the low pro in later years. Don't know about the early days.

On the cover of her autobiography you can see her on a SBDU in Team colours

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Personal-Best-A ... 190308847X

I know that she rode Raleigh bikes, BUT did she ever ride a Raleigh Low Pro with a 24" front wheel? every photo that I've seen she is on equal wheeled bikes with drop bars.

 

[bagpuss]

Re: Re:

She rode Raleigh Time Trial Specials apparently and the low pro in later years. Don't know about the early days.

On the cover of her autobiography you can see her on a SBDU in Team colours

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Personal-Best-A ... 190308847X

Classic typo...Amazon ..£3,810.82 for a copy :shock:

 

[FINNEY1973]

Re:

http://hilarystone.com/bikesold.html - 2nd bike from the bottom of the page.

your frame as sold by Hilary Stone about 4 years ago. I know, as I nearly bought it.

 

[stringfellow1946]

Re: Re:

http://hilarystone.com/bikesold.html - 2nd bike from the bottom of the page.

your frame as sold by Hilary Stone about 4 years ago. I know, as I nearly bought it.

Thanks but I already know all that Finney, what I want to know, is it a genuine BB frame? thats the 65,000 dollar question.
& what makes & model of equipment did she use?

 

[gavr]

Re: Re:

Perhaps try to make contact with her club - Knaresborough CC in later times, someone will surely remember what she rode at that time...

That frame is extremely rare, why doubt that it was made for BB? It seems impossible to me that she wouln't have experimented with the fashions of the day

 

[FINNEY1973]

Re:

I couldn't find any association between BB and that bike when I was looking at buying it. If I recall it was £1100 or thereabouts from HS. Maybe HS can confirm where he purchased it from and provide a backdrop to some of it's history. A rare frame, but not that rare - there's one here in Nottingham running as a fixed gear :shock:

http://velospace.org/node/42367
http://radpropaganda.org/raleigh-team-p ... fessional/ (bike # 50)

Gavr makes a good point on contacting her club, they would surely have all sorts of artifacts and history.

 

[stringfellow1946]

Re: Re:

Perhaps try to make contact with her club - Knaresborough CC in later times, someone will surely remember what she rode at that time...

That frame is extremely rare, why doubt that it was made for BB? It seems impossible to me that she wouln't have experimented with the fashions of the day

People can say anything they like about who owned a certain item to try & sell it. BUT without any Provenance to prove who owned it etc, its just another Frame.

All I am trying to do at this moment in time is to try to find out some accurate information about the Great Lady & If she did actually ride this thing? & what make of equipment she might have used. As of now I personally can not find any supporting photos or documentary evidence that
1, This was her frame and
2, that she actually rode it

I was hoping that some on here might be able produce some evidence to confirm or reject the original sales statement.
Like you say hopefully someone out there might know.
But until that happens its just another Raleigh frame in my book.

 

[stringfellow1946]

Re: Re:

A rare frame, but not that rare - there's one here in Nottingham running as a fixed gear :shock:

My sentiments EXACTLY,