Rapparee87
Retro Guru
This is my Rapparee in Columbus SLX 56cm c/c. Made to measure for me in April 1987 by Des and Ken Maye, Rapparee framesets.
Based in Clonard, Co. Meath, Ireland, the frames were very popular as cycling boomed in Ireland due to the Roche and Kelly factor. They built in Reynolds and Columbus. I think they were still going up to the mid late 90s but cycling in Ireland had fallen away and also aluminium frames came in.
The vast majority of Rapparees are probably in sheds at this stage I think as they are extremely hard to find now. Mine has never been off the road through the years, apart from 6 months earlier this year while I figured out how to get a seized fixed cup out. It's always been kept indoors.
I previously had a Mercian 531SL in orange/white which I started racing on as an U14 in 1981. I was a 2nd year senior in 87 when I got the Rapparee. I raced until 1989 when I packed it in. Didn't stop riding though and have just rode on my own ever since, 2/3 times a week, about 20/30miles a time.
In 87 I had a mixture of Shimano 600/Campag with a Gipiemme chainset. I put a Mavic chainset/rear mech on in the early 90s and Dura Ace 7403 dual pivot calipers in 93 which all stayed on until 2012 when I started finding Record stuff online, mixture of NOS and second hand.
It's all Campag now, apart from the headset. Some of the Record Ergopower is NOS and some second hand. If I'd carried on racing to the mid 90s then this is what I would have chosen (in my dreams)
The Ergopower levers and rear mech are Record Titanium. The frame is in original condition. An odd paint chip here and there but no dents. It's a beautiful comfortable ride, it's still set up in race mode.
The trendy frame paint job for most Raparees at that time was a 'flare job' like Stephen Roche's 86/87 Battaglin. But me never being one to follow the crowd chose a deep blue. The chrome chainstay and rear dropouts are still in excellent condition.
Rapparees were highwaymen and bandits who originally fought against William of Orange in Ireland in the 1690s. On defeat they turned to guerilla warfare initially and then to banditry. It's not known if they built any frames themselves though!
This isn't a project or a restoration, it's been my everyday bike since 87, apart from 6 months earlier this year when I took it off the road to finally get to grips with a seized B/B fixed cup. I honestly thought I wouldn't get it out without damaging the paintwork as I'm not mechanically minded, but I did eventually. I was lucky enough to find a NOS Look Kg233 here in Ireland to ride during that time. I will post pictures of it at some stage.
I will post more pictures and information when I get the chance. The pictures are all October 2020.
Based in Clonard, Co. Meath, Ireland, the frames were very popular as cycling boomed in Ireland due to the Roche and Kelly factor. They built in Reynolds and Columbus. I think they were still going up to the mid late 90s but cycling in Ireland had fallen away and also aluminium frames came in.
The vast majority of Rapparees are probably in sheds at this stage I think as they are extremely hard to find now. Mine has never been off the road through the years, apart from 6 months earlier this year while I figured out how to get a seized fixed cup out. It's always been kept indoors.
I previously had a Mercian 531SL in orange/white which I started racing on as an U14 in 1981. I was a 2nd year senior in 87 when I got the Rapparee. I raced until 1989 when I packed it in. Didn't stop riding though and have just rode on my own ever since, 2/3 times a week, about 20/30miles a time.
In 87 I had a mixture of Shimano 600/Campag with a Gipiemme chainset. I put a Mavic chainset/rear mech on in the early 90s and Dura Ace 7403 dual pivot calipers in 93 which all stayed on until 2012 when I started finding Record stuff online, mixture of NOS and second hand.
It's all Campag now, apart from the headset. Some of the Record Ergopower is NOS and some second hand. If I'd carried on racing to the mid 90s then this is what I would have chosen (in my dreams)
The Ergopower levers and rear mech are Record Titanium. The frame is in original condition. An odd paint chip here and there but no dents. It's a beautiful comfortable ride, it's still set up in race mode.
The trendy frame paint job for most Raparees at that time was a 'flare job' like Stephen Roche's 86/87 Battaglin. But me never being one to follow the crowd chose a deep blue. The chrome chainstay and rear dropouts are still in excellent condition.
Rapparees were highwaymen and bandits who originally fought against William of Orange in Ireland in the 1690s. On defeat they turned to guerilla warfare initially and then to banditry. It's not known if they built any frames themselves though!
This isn't a project or a restoration, it's been my everyday bike since 87, apart from 6 months earlier this year when I took it off the road to finally get to grips with a seized B/B fixed cup. I honestly thought I wouldn't get it out without damaging the paintwork as I'm not mechanically minded, but I did eventually. I was lucky enough to find a NOS Look Kg233 here in Ireland to ride during that time. I will post pictures of it at some stage.
I will post more pictures and information when I get the chance. The pictures are all October 2020.
