Tuesday 5 June 2007

The British Isles

This is a good site that shows you a healthy list of vintage bicycles. Don't we all just admire the craftsmanship then as compared to our current soulless mass production?

Here's a Condor classic. Absolute beauty. The amazing
W. B. "Bill" Hurlow responsible for some of the fancy lug design while he was heading Condor back in the 60s.

Here's what 1962 Cycling weekly reported:

"In the heart of London, at 90 Grays Inn Road, W.C.1, is the modest facade of progressive, increasingly popular Condor Cycles. Their workshop, presided over by W. B. (Bill) Hurlow, is located at a less congested site little more than a mile away, at 211 Balls Pond Road, N. 1. 5 First class craftsmanship and up-to-date design have been the key notes of a reputation built up in the past five to six years and, as is the case with many lightweight specialists, Condor Cycles have based their business on a variety of frames rather than attempting to provide complete machines to standard specifications for their knowledgeable customers.

And Condor cycles still stand in Grays Inn Road today... Indeed, I'm a proud owner of Condor pista ;)



W. B. "Bill" Hurlow Lug designs




The chrome Condor badge. sweeto


What a beauty...speechless


What more to say...


Find out more here.

Source from Classic Rendezvous

I'm already sourcing for a vintage lugged frame now, of course this time with a relatively small budget and over a much longer period but more importantly I'll be piecing bits together with my own hands. Apparently the guy who Bee got her ladies bike from has a good connection with the Cambridge council & police there. Hence stolen or old unwanted frames / bikes will most likely go to him first. He has replied me that he has a few of them lying around, now I'm just waiting for him to snap some pics.

I must admit I'm already addicted to the simplicity and minimal beauty of a fixie. I just cant get enough of them. I need more fix' now...

[e]

1 comment:

® said...

Lugged virus detected.

Beware!
Difficulties to part from your built is unavoidable.

Prescription: None.