Reynolds 653 Appreciation!

Hi all, thought this would be a good place to share pictures and details of our 653 frames, full builds, frame builders etc.

I think on last count I have 6x 653 frames in my stable. 653 is my favourite tubing - it's relatively lightweight, super comfy and made by decent manufacturers/builders. There's a Ribble/Dolan/Kowal theme with a few of the frames that I have

It all started in late 2012 with this beauty which was advertised on this very forum. I should've kept it as is, but it was tatty and I wanted to refurb a frame...





Which turned into this:



Which got a dent in the top tube and I decided to sell it.

Then came along my Z-Team Peugeot:



Which ended up like this:



The group is now on the black 653 later in this post and the frame is hanging in the garage (would like to get it repainted one day as it's my favourite frameset to date)

Then came along this beaut. Bought on eBay and came with relatively modern 9 speed stuff. Stripped it, sold it and fitted a period 8 speed RSX group to it. It's an absolutely great frame to ride, and very fast too...



Last spring I bought this frameset from eBay (user is also on here somewhere) and used it as a fixed gear for a few months, then mothballed it:



Then this spring I decided to go mad and paint it black (paint wasn't great from seatpost removal) and fit the black 10 speed Veloce group:



Came across this in May/June and didn't really know what to do with it. I had a Chesini that I built up with 9 speed Chorus, but it was slightly too large for me so it was built up:





Haven't had the chance to ride it in anger as the headset needs either new bearings or a replacement, but it's potentially a very decent ride!

Then came along a Dawes Linear 653 which I bought complete earlier this month. Top of the range in 1994 and extremely comfy to ride. This is my winter commuter - again a fixed gear. I may decide to build this up as a geared bike next year as it's sensational to ride (now fitted with front brake):



I also have this interesting beast. A Dawes Synthesis which came to me with a stuck seatpost. Kind of building it up for winter but have lost momentum currently. It's half built so ignore the seat and bars/bar angle:

Re:

I bought this 653 Rourke as a track iron. It has Campagnolo pista cranks and C-Record sheriff star hubs. Paint was a bit grotty so, when I had it painted. I had a rear brake bridge fitted, cable guides and some bottle cage bosses brazed on. I have changed the track cog for a White Industries freewheel. added some Campagnolo Potenza callipers and Campag carbon brake levers. It is now a nice usable single speed.

I have a 653 Peugeot Athena frame, cracking frames even though it's just hung on the wall now. Actually, thinking about it, it's been there for over two years, then there's the 653 Record ace moderne frame which has suffered the same fate, maybe next year eh!

Be careful putting too much cash into the Dawes synthesis it's worst bike I've ever rode.

Re:

This is my entry to 653 collection... Mercian Strada Speciale

Is that black one perched halfway up Naish Hill?

Southwestslacker1":1jhzefcl said:

Is that black one perched halfway up Naish Hill?

Click to expand...

No, it's heading across the M40 cut through in Oxfordshire!

I do know Naish Hill from my days living in Bristol. Brutal yet invigorating climb!

Re:

https

My Mercian Pro Lugless.
Built up to ride in Sweden this summer. Didn’t realise the seatpost was seized until I’d finished building it. About an hour before leaving for the airport !!! So ride 300km with it to high by quite a lot.

Re:

This is my first 653 frame and I must say I am liking it al lot.

I have an 853 Rourke which is my main summer bike and decided to build its little brother as a winter ride, it is presently plastered in ummm stuff, that cows leave on the roads, and has just been fitted with some different wheels, as the lightweight ones were a little flexy.

The Peugeot is nice, what happened with the forks though?