Tonard road frame info

[caer-mooman]

Hello, I recently bought an old steel road frame to build for a winter bike.
It was said to be a Tonard. Having never heard of this make, could anybody give me anymore info and potential re-sale price .. if any?
It appears to be very well made.
Here are a couple of pics. It was in a rather rough state when I got it, so has been sand-blasted clean ready for a re-spray.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Spokesmann]

Nice looking frame, that has similarities to my Carlton Flyer frame of 1964.

 

[caer-mooman]

Yes - its a lovely frame. The brazing and tapered seat stays are obvious signs of quality workmanship .. in a day of hydroformed alu its sometimes easy to overlook such detail.
Only thing I have been able to find out is that the campag drop outs are similar to the style they used in 1973 ... Not much details sadly.

I am in two minds whether to respray frame myself or try get my money back and put it on ebay

 

[David B]

Link to another bike forum here - seems that Tonard were based in Croydon and active around the late 60s;

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... p=15144832

Whilst a search for Tonard and Croydon threw this up:

http://www.smilelocal.com/architectural ... es/croydon

Could be worth phoning them, although they don't appear to be in the bike business any more.

David

 

[Rich34]

That's interesting - the wrap-around feature at the top of the seat-stays was a patented Urago detail. I've heard that it was used by other brands but not often. Here's a Rebour line drawing of an Urago showing the same detail:

And here on my Urago (similar lug too):

Are there any serial numbers on your frame, either under the BB or on the left hand drop-out?

 

[Midlife]

The wrapover seat stays look identical to my 1970's Falcon San-remo..

Shaun

 

[Rich34]

Ha! Just Googled "Falcon San-Remo" and so they are...! Maybe it's the "sharp" as oposed to "flattened" aspect of the wrap-around that Urago patented. They stopped making frames in the 1980s so I suppose we'll never know...

 

[caer-mooman]

Thanks fellas.
I guess I`ll put it on ebay and hopefully cover what I paid for it.

 

[Old Ned]

I've just remembered (along with reading the link to Don Farrell) that Tonard was the trading name of a company part owned by Keith Hardwick before Keith started his Elsmar Distributors company importing Campagnolo, Columbus etc. into the UK. Elsmar was a partnership with his wife who was Italian and before Keith married her and she came to live over here, I was told was secretary to Senor Campagnolo hence the trading connection.

 

[cyclecoach]

Re: Tonard Frame

I have a Tonard frame that I bought in 1974. I bought if from Richard Sachs who imported a few from England. From what I understand, the frame maker (not sure if his name was Tonard) worked at the Holdsworth and built frames by day and built his own frames by night in his garage. Hence the wrap-around stays similar to those on Holdsworth frames (see picture). I heard that these may have been made by the Tonard Brazing Company in Croydon, England but can't confirm that.