Oops, it followed me home honest it did. Late 80's Ken James

[allenh]

Re: Re:

Some cool vintage hifi there!

Oh no don't go there again.

We went that way with the thread for my Geoffrey Butler build and it was very difficult to keep things on topic with some of the more mischievous contributors

 

[velofrog]

Re: Re:

Some cool vintage hifi there!

Oh no don't go there again.

We went that way with the thread for my Geoffrey Butler build and it was very difficult to keep things on topic with some of the more mischievous contributors

Lol, sorry!

Love the bike and story behind it too, have and old frame that was made for me hanging up in the back room which has sentimental value.

 

[allenh]

Re: Re:

Some cool vintage hifi there!

Oh no don't go there again.

We went that way with the thread for my Geoffrey Butler build and it was very difficult to keep things on topic with some of the more mischievous contributors

Lol, sorry!

Love the bike and story behind it too, have and old frame that was made for me hanging up in the back room which has sentimental value.

Ha ha no problem and glad you like it.

Have a read of this one, should give you all the HiFi you need

 

[howlindawg]

That frame is an absolute beauty.
Great colour and the forks are gorgeous!

 

[allenh]

That frame is an absolute beauty.
Great colour and the forks are gorgeous!

Thanks, I'm really pleased with it. I've had it out for a couple of short rides now and am really enjoying it.

Its a keeper so it may get some upgraded bits over time (the seatpost has already been changed for a Campy one) but its not going anywhere

 

[chickendrumsticks]

That's a smasher indeed. I like (?) the Jackson Pollock look tape.

 

[531Man]

No No No No No, I don't need any more bikes I really don't, but I always argue that need and want are such easily interchangeable words so that justifies it as far as I'm concerned.

This is one of two bicycle frame manufacturers to hail from my childhood home of Ashford in Kent, the first was a huge concern which was Norman cycles and then a small frame builder Ken James who was hand building frames long after Norman had been absorbed into the Raleigh empire.

I used to visit Kens shop a lot in the mid to late 90's before work took me overseas for a while and he rekindled my love of cycling at that time. I had one of his frames already (which I still have) a nice 531 Pro frame that was my regular use machine for many years but if I'm honest is a little on the small side for me. I've hung onto it because its a very nice thing and because of its ties to my home town and I do keep thinking about restoring it as its more than a little battle scared but haven't yet as I don't think I can get replacement decals for it.

I'd been casually looking for another Ken James frame closer to my size for a while now and this one popped up on ebay the other day so with a maniacal laugh I vowed it would be mine, and a bit of last minute bidding later it was.

The guy I bought it from told me Ken built it for him in 1987 and it went back to him to be resprayed in 2000 but didn't get a lot of use after it was painted and stayed in his shed until he decided it needed to go.

This frame is pretty perfect for me size wise, is a suitable quality being 653 and is in such nice condition I don't even have to consider painting it so as soon as the weather warms up a bit I'll get out in the garage and have a dig through my parts boxes and see what I've got to build it up with, I'm thinking 9 or 10 speed Campag and I'm pretty certain I've got the majority of a suitable group to go on it.

I'm expecting even though I haven't got to do anything to the frame cosmetically this one wont be a quick build but I'll add to this thread as I work out what to bolt onto it.

Hi allenh,
Lovely Ken James.
I've lived in Ashford now for 42 years and knew the shop and Ken fairly well.
My first house was in Christchurch Road (behind the Kentucky) just up the Beaver Rd. from his work/shop.
I bought some components from him just before he retired to France (where his son lived?) to "twiddle in the Alps" if I correctly remember how he put it.
What size is the previous smaller frame?
I'm a shorta**e, and seeing as you have a better sized one now................ I could well be interested.
I have desired one of his for a long while, but not for as long as I have for a bike frame from a builder who was an erstwhile member of my local Wigmore cycling club when I was a teenager - Bill Philbrook of Arden St. Gillingham. His lugless frames were a thing of beauty, as were his paint jobs. A shiny enamel rainbow on each tube - excuse me, I'm suddenly having a funny turn!
Regards,
Robin.

 

[allenh]

Hi allenh,
Lovely Ken James.
I've lived in Ashford now for 42 years and knew the shop and Ken fairly well.
My first house was in Christchurch Road (behind the Kentucky) just up the Beaver Rd. from his work/shop.
I bought some components from him just before he retired to France (where his son lived?) to "twiddle in the Alps" if I correctly remember how he put it.
What size is the previous smaller frame?
I'm a shorta**e, and seeing as you have a better sized one now................ I could well be interested.
I have desired one of his for a long while, but not for as long as I have for a bike frame from a builder who was an erstwhile member of my local Wigmore cycling club when I was a teenager - Bill Philbrook of Arden St. Gillingham. His lugless frames were a thing of beauty, as were his paint jobs. A shiny enamel rainbow on each tube - excuse me, I'm suddenly having a funny turn!
Regards,
Robin.

Hi Robin
We probably cycled past each other at some point back then, I lived a bit farther up Beaver road and then in Park Farm when I used to go into Kens shop.
The other frame I will be keeping as well. I've had it a very long time and although it is a bit on the small side its not too small that I can't ride it. Its in my to be restored queue and is only really waiting for me to take it down to H Lloyds so I can get them to do a new set of decals for me.

 

[531Man]

Hi Robin
We probably cycled past each other at some point back then, I lived a bit farther up Beaver road and then in Park Farm when I used to go into Kens shop.
The other frame I will be keeping as well. I've had it a very long time and although it is a bit on the small side its not too small that I can't ride it. Its in my to be restored queue and is only really waiting for me to take it down to H Lloyds so I can get them to do a new set of decals for me.

Hi allenh, quite understand.
I wouldn't be separated from my first 27" wheeled bike bought for me (by my ex-racer Dad).
A Dawes Star Realmrider.
Also a tad too small for me too, really.
That was what I did the clubby Iwade 10milers on (on the road to The Isle of Sheppey).
I'm sure you'll do the KJ's proud if the second one is anything to go by.
I used to patronise the Chippy at the Beaver lane junction, and only once ever had a beer on an outside table at 'The Beaver'. One glorious Summer's day back when we could.
Roll on release from lock down, please!
Regards,
Robin.

 

[KermitGKona88]

Robin

What size do you need ?

Mark