J F Wilson Frame ID?

[jwc]

Hello All

I recently bought this frame and would like some help identifying it please.
It has decals for the Sheffield workshop of J F Wilson but I'm not entirely sure of its identity, as the decals are stuck a little crudely on top of what I think is original paint, and doesn't feature the Wilson 'Double Diamond' on the headtube.
Its very well made with nice simple lugwork and has Campag dropouts. I havn't had weighed the frame yet.
Wheels in the pictures are 700c
Frame number is 2231.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Jonathan.

 

[roadking]

Hello All

I recently bought this frame and would like some help identifying it please.
It has decals for the Sheffield workshop of J F Wilson but I'm not entirely sure of its identity, as the decals are stuck a little crudely on top of what I think is original paint, and doesn't feature the Wilson 'Double Diamond' on the headtube.
Its very well made with nice simple lugwork and has Campag dropouts. I havn't had weighed the frame yet.
Wheels in the pictures are 700c
Frame number is 2231.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Jonathan.

Would have thought calling them would be the best solution.

Roadking.

 

[Ian Raleigh]

Give him a call! Nice chaps to talk to.

http://www.wilsoncycles.co.uk/shop/index.php

 

[jwc]

Yes thanks I have emailed them too.
For general reference could anyone recommend a website that is a good resource on classic British frame builders and for frame markings?

 

[Midlife]

Has a touch of early Mercian about it

Classiclightweigts is a good place to start.

Shaun

 

[jwc]

I built the frame up and took it out today for a quick go around the block. Its a very nice ride and good to be on a steel frame again- my regular ride for the last year has been an old aluminium Ribble.
And it turns out it is a J F Wilson frame. I got this nice email from Wilson Cycles:


Hi Jonathan, yes that's one of my father's frames, he was the first builder in the UK to shoot the seat stays into a lug low on the seat tube. Jim used to call this style fast back...he also was one of the first to cut off and braze the gear hanger on the rear dropout years before it became commercially recognized.

The frame is circa 1979/80.

Please look after it, hand built frames always go up in value, esp one built by master builder...unlike the disposable carbonfire rubbish the pros are paid to ride...and which they have to have reinforced with light weight steel for them to do the job.

an American emailed us out of the blue last year to say he thought that J.F.Wilson is up there in the top 4 best frame builders ever!

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/ri ... iders.html


Regards from all @

www.wilsoncycles.co.uk

 

[roadking]

J F Wilson Frame.

I built the frame up and took it out today for a quick go around the block. Its a very nice ride and good to be on a steel frame again- my regular ride for the last year has been an old aluminium Ribble.
And it turns out it is a J F Wilson frame. I got this nice email from Wilson Cycles: Hi Jonathan, yes that's one of my father's frames, he was the first builder in the UK to shoot the seat stays into a lug low on the seat tube. Jim used to call this style fast back...he also was one of the first to cut off and braze the gear hanger on the rear dropout years before it became commercially recognized. The frame is circa 1979/80. Please look after it, hand built frames always go up in value, esp one built by master builder...unlike the disposable carbonfire rubbish the pros are paid to ride...and which they have to have reinforced with light weight steel for them to do the job.

Wilson's do make nice framesets, a good shop with knowledgeable and ethusiastic staff - not sure I agree with the American's comment though.

The frameset is not that unusual in the treatment of the seatstays and Wilson's weren't the innovators of this style - this subject has been debated for a while in the V-CC and the current consensus is that Tom Board was the innovator.

I have a Cliff Shrubb frame dating from 1967 that has a fastback"cluster", another V-CC member has an earlier frameset (an F.W Evans) that pre dates my frame.

Glad you're enjoying the ride - you should post images of the bike as you've built it.

Roadking.

 

[Old Ned]

Didn't the Mercian Vigorelli have fast-back stays in the late 50's? This is their 1958 advert. How does this relate time-wise to Tom Board and Sid Wilson?

 

[pigman]

How does this relate time-wise to Tom Board and Sid Wilson?

Sid (Syd sctually) is the late Jim's (framebuilder) brother. Syd still rides his bike in the peaks regularly even tho he's now in his 80's. Jim rode the tour of britain in the early 50's as an independant (same year as the infamous Saville IIRC). I think they also sponsored some independants in the 60's - the name Ron coe rings a bell, but it was all before my time.

 

[Old Ned]

How does this relate time-wise to Tom Board and Sid Wilson?

Sid (Syd sctually) is the late Jim's (framebuilder) brother. Syd still rides his bike in the peaks regularly even tho he's now in his 80's. Jim rode the tour of britain in the early 50's as an independant (same year as the infamous Saville IIRC). I think they also sponsored some independants in the 60's - the name Ron coe rings a bell, but it was all before my time.

Sorry, wrong one! Syd is Nigel's uncle isn't he. Last time I saw Jim was in Belgium ('92 or '93) at the start of Kurne-Brussels-Kurne in a snow storm (the race was cancelled because of it). A car drew up alongside me, the window opened and a broad Yorkshire voice said - 'Ah knows thee, tha's from Wakefield'. Quite a surprise when you're not expecting it!

Yes, Ron Coe was a Wilson rider - and very successful he was too! I seem to remember he was having a go at a veteran comeback (in the 90's?) and had a heart attack? Both Syd and Jim rode as independents, generally sponsored by themselves.

But that's a whole different story from the OP