Just bought a Ribble....

....for £90 posted and thus a bargain in itself. It's a 21.75" (57cm) 653 race frameset; very, very nicely built but different from cce's exmple here;

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=149422

Mine has "capped" seatstays brazed to the lug in the usual style rather than the "shot-in" pattern, plus horizontal Columbus ends rather than vertical ones; in terms of small details it's a much tidier build than my Orbit 531c. Otherwise, details such as pump peg on the head tube, double bottle mounts and lack of a front mech boss are pretty much the same as cce's bike. BB shell is a slotted type with cast-in gear cable guides underneath rather than a rivetted-on plastic guide. Any idea on probable builders? I seem to recall Mike Kowal and Autostrada being mentioned in association with Ribble 653 frames on RB some time ago.

David

sounds like a bargain

biggs682":8qvgvp5o said:

sounds like a bargain

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I think I've done OK; paid about £25 less for it than I did for the Orbit - which is 531c not 653 - for a frame in comparable nick. Photos will follow after the powder coating and building-up processes....

David

UPDATE: Now coated, plus decals and lacquer applied. BB (Hope Ti, a bit of an eBay bargain), seat bolt and end adjusters are in place, hoping to do the bulk of the build this weekend or next. Shaping up well so far, frame is a pale glossy blue with red self-adhesive Ribble transfers.

Thanks to RBers Foz and Lazarus for the Reynolds 653 transfer and the end adjuster bits respectively!

David

autostrada built the 653 Record frames like mine

mine has no frame number, just a size stamped in the BB shell, so it's safe to assume the production run was short to say the least...

cce":34uedm5u said:

autostrada built the 653 Record frames like mine

mine has no frame number, just a size stamped in the BB shell, so it's safe to assume the production run was short to say the least...

Click to expand...

No frame number as such on mine either - it just has "653" stamped on the underside of the BB shell!

David

Finally have some photos of the finished article!!







David

nice

cce":119imyb2 said:

nice

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Cheers, glad you like it. It's already picked up a bit of road dirt, there are scuffs & scratches in parts and the carbon fork/threadless combo won't suit all tastes I admit. Then again it's a bike that has to "work for a living" as I use it in local TTs (as well as for the road and roller training elements of preparation for the 'cross season) rather than just wheeling it out occasionally during the summer 'cause it looks the part.

David