My 1955 Gillott

[Tel]

Just took delivery of this AS Gillott. Which cost me more than I care to admit. It is a 1955 according to the frame number and has Spearpoint lugs, but the forks have Fleur De Lys with a chromed crown, nice I still have yet to check that the fork and frame number correspond.

It has 27" wheels as you would expect but also has mudguard eyes, however if you take a look at the clearances there is no way I am going to get any guards in there, although he brake drop on the rear is massive! It also has braze ons for bar shifters of some type, perhaps I'll modern equip it with Ergo's...

Theres also a strange lug under the down tube. Any idea what it could be for?

 

[Wheelnut]

The braze on beneath the down tube is for a Pennine inflator. This was popular for many years and it used replaceable CO2 bulbs as used in 'sparklet' soda siphons. You can find out more about these on the Classic Lightweights website.

I also had a 1955 Gillott which I carefully restored using period parts but mine had Nervex lugs - you can see it on the same website under 'Readers Bikes.' Sadly, mine was stolen a year or so back.

 

[Tel]

Thanks for the reply Wheelnut. I didn't realise they had CO2 bulbs in use all those years ago! Thanks for the info.

I've written to the guys at CL and they have expressed a lot of interest in this bike due to the various unique braze ons. This was the clincher for me to decide to restore the bike to a period 50's racer. Should be fun/ interesting/ frustrating/ rewarding

Bad luck with your Gillott, I'm sorry to hear that. Was this it?

 

[Tel]

Just looking at that picture I notice your bike (if it was indeed your bike) had braze on rear brake cable guides. Could you please tell me whether the cable was exposed or completely covered by the outer cable? Thanks.

 

[Wheelnut]

Yes, that's my bike. It is shown as a single gear in that picture although it was equipped with Campag Gran Sport gears at the time it was stolen.

The cable stops allow for the inner cable to be exposed.

Good luck with your restoration!

 

[Tel]

I got in touch with the guys at Classic Lightweights and it turns out the braze ons on mine for the centre pulls and bar shifters are quite rare. I was also informed that the fork crown is in fact the RJB style not Fleur de lys.

I'm thinking about fitting Mafac Dural Forge centre pull brakes but the drop is different on the front and rear, does anyone know if this will cause me a problem?

 

[Tel]

Oh dear, have I really had this bike that long! Still untouched other than being partially stripped.

I have got the bars, stem, saddle, seatpost, front and rear gears, bar end levers and brakes for it now though. Most importantly I have now got a head badge!

Think I need to have a major sale and get some funds for a paint job

 

[Brendan]

Gillots are beautiful, I have my fathers 1956 Gillot which I had resprayed at Argos and it came up beautifully, currently running mine as a fixed, mainly because that is how my father ran it for a long time, though am slowly in the process of acquiring some 5 speed components, whether it will be truly period or not is questionable but undoubtably beautiful bikes.

The builder at that time was Ron Cooper, so its highly likely that yours was also built by Ron, he is still around and I managed to get a new frame from him last year.

He has been building frames now for 65years, mine are 45 years apart!

 

[Jonny69]

At this age wouldn't they have originally had 27" wheels on them? What wheels have you got on yours Brendan? They look too modern to be 27" but the clearances look nice and tight.

 

[Brendan]

The second bike is brand new, although it is made from retro tubing (531 professional) and lugs (Nervex - I think) that Ron had kicking around so it runs 700cc. The 56 Gillott runs 27 though as rims are getting hard to get it may well end up with some NOS Mavic gp4 tubulars on their in a 700.