Denton (Mercian Built) 1959 Fr No. 59279

This is a lovely frame and very special to me as it is from the same decade as the start of Dentons in Newcastle.

I recently met up with Ron Robson who I worked with for lots of years at Dentons during the 80s and 90s. Ron is now 86 and has been retired for nearly 20 years but he has a huge wealth of knowledge. I knew a lot of the later history but wasn't too sure of the early stuff. We went over some of the history of the shop. I knew it came into existence in 1953 when Ron and Ces Jones took over Barrass Cycles on Westgate Road in Newcastle when George Barrass retired. Ron rode the Denton road race in Easter 1954 and he and Ces had been looking for a new name for the business - so in the Easter of 1954 he renamed the business and Dentons was born!

Ron built half a dozen frames himself before moving production of complete frames to Mercian and continuing with frame repairs in house at Dentons. This frame is a Mercian built 531 frame with frame number stamped onto the LH rear end of 59279. Nervex lugs and Simplex ends with lovely slim seat stays and a nice wrap around, in what I believe is original condition with original Denton decals. Beautifully lug lined with a nice lined diamond panel on the seat tube.







Colin Davison (my old boss) took over in the 70s and 80s. Colin was an ex pro and detail obsessed which is where I believe I've developed mine from - he was precise and strict with bike setup, saddle height and angle and stem length/brake lever position. His best year I think was 1973 when he had some success in the Milk Race, beating the likes of Aad van den Hoek who went on to ride for TI-Raleigh. Colin was from Bishop Auckland near Durham and in the 80s, he went into partnership with Paul Donohue of Paul's Cycles in Bishop Auckland - Ron believes his frame fixtures went there. From then, all Denton frames were built there until that partnership ended. Dave Yates (M Steel Gosforth) took over until we stopped making frames in the late 90s. Like many other shops, we just couldn't complete with mail order steel, aluminium and carbon from the likes of Ribble.

So anyway, I just wanted to share a beautiful frame and a little potted history of Denton Cycles.

Cheers
Neil

Seat stays don't come any thinner nor the New Vigorelli wrapover more elegant

Thanks for that, much appreciated

Shaun

Midlife":118cysco said:

Seat stays don't come any thinner nor the New Vigorelli wrapover more elegant

Thanks for that, much appreciated

Shaun

Click to expand...

You are more than welcome Shaun. I've been looking at this all afternoon, just looking at all the fine details. Absolutely beautiful frame that I want to preserve in this condition.

Just thinking about this and when I worked in a bike shop in the 70's.

Back then I was all Alf Engers / Aende / things with holes in / and when a bike came into the shop like your's I would *sigh* as it was my job to deal with block / chain / wheel truing / etc, blimey who would want a rear wheel with all those 40 spokes.........

never realised 40 years later I would marvel at the sheer class and time spent on such a thing as a frame

Shaun

never realised 40 years later I would marvel at the sheer class and time spent on such a thing as a frame

Shaun[/quote]


What he said. Would love to see it built up.

It's way outside of my comfort zone and well outside of my time but I have so many on the go at the moment, it is at the back of the queue. It will be a slow burner but It would be nice to give it a 60th anniversary ride out in 3 years time.

I might take it to Ron and get his opinion on parts and set up as he undoubtedly built it up into a bike once the frame was back from Mercian.

It's a beautiful looking frame, and agree with the above in that it ll be great to see it built up.
I'm glad your keeping it as is rather than repainting it.
Look forward to seeing it progress

Jamie

Midlife":dej2p546 said:

Seat stays don't come any thinner nor the New Vigorelli wrapover more elegant

Thanks for that, much appreciated

Shaun

Click to expand...

sorry to hijack the post

but on the other side of the channel, to do a comparison you got this

Urago ( Framemaker from Nice) wrapover



and seatstays from an unknow frame from the 1940's - the thinnest diameter is 7.35 mm :shock: curious to know this Denton frame seatstay diameter :idea:
Durifort tubing - light frame at 1.9 kg

unfortunately right stay is slightly bent - fork will probably move to another very nice frame from the same era with lovely lugs but quite a bit of work to do and salvage this one too ( remnants of a broken seatpost is stuck inside seattube !)