Jack Taylor 'Rough Stuff' 1979 (1953-1974)

mrkawasaki

Retrobike Rider
As mentioned in CK's hyperlink to the '5th Seminar' article from december 1979 (as always in debt to our historic folk publisher!)

"There was even a lone foreign entry, this a Jack Taylor from England. For years the renown Taylor firm has built frames for English backlaners who tour historic unpaved roads, and who have formed an association known as the Rough Stuff Fellowship. For years Holland Jones, owner of Fulton Street Cyclery in San Francisco, had been badgering Taylor to ship a roughstuff bike. That which arrived a few months ago is probably the first in the country."

http://sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/seminar2.htm

Here's some additional material I have since found on the Jack Taylor 'Rough Stuff' bicycle from 1979. Check those design and production dates out!!! :shock:

Ties in with the Highpath mid-50s chronology and designs too.

"The 'Rough Stuff' model was first produced by the Brothers in 1953, and was made from the 1-1 drawings a Nature Photographer drafted and gave to them. Camera equipment was heavy; and he wanted to take it back country in the "roof stoof" It has the major design elements of a modern mountain bike: small diameter wheels, a high bottom bracket, a sloping top tube, cantilever brakes. and triple chainrings. Derby ordered one in 1974 but as it took about 5 years to arrive, saw only a year's use before being replaced by a mountain bike.

It is equipped with a TA Triple crank with Lyotard Pedals and doubled Christophe clips; Mafac Brakes and Levers, Campy Bar-end shifters, Campy NR Rear Gear, Suntour Surpurbe Front Changer, Wheels by Derby King with 650B Super Champion Rims. The front wheel has a Campy Track hub drilled to 48* and the rear wheel sports 36 spokes of 10 and 11 gauge."

http://derbyking.com/Detail/?n=56

Perhaps CK can enlighten us into Mr. King, a name I wasn't familiar with to date, being a fellow parishioner and all...?!

Looking for all the world like my Overbury Pioneer design which is at least 5 years later - the geometry of the JT appears 'on the money' to say the least!

Mr K

PS. Credits to the Derby King website - note that this bike is 'for sale' and might represent good value historic value at 800 bucks if it was the same frame that came down Repack on the 5th...
 

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Holland Jones was at the time the owner of the Fulton Street Cyclery in San Francisco. I don't remember the bike in question, but Holland had quite a collection, including 'cross bikes. I know nothing of the English components.

As far as I know, Gary Fisher, Holland Jones and I were the only RSF members in the US then. I even contributed an article to the club publication around that time.
 
great reading. the scan from the american magazine reads like its written now and the author has tried to cram as many "who's who" names in as possible. awesome
 
Nice one MrK.
The style and frame certainly mirrors the Highpath, English Cycles and Cleland designs.
Got an article in an old Bicycle Action somewhere about the Overburys Pioneer versus "The Rat"-Jeremy Torr's wonder with 26" front 20" back wheels; again both frames similar in design with long headtubes.
 
Top article, always good to know a little more historical stuff.

justbackdated":xlbpp0q2 said:
...Jeremy Torr's wonder with 26" front 20" back wheels; again both frames similar in design with long headtubes.

Different sized front and rear wheels - if you didn't already know differently you'd probably be convinced that Trek 'invented' the idea with the 69er
 
I spoke last night to Darryl Skrabak, who wrote the article. He says that somewhere in his files there are photographs from that ride. I told him to start looking, because I want them to turn up while I can still ride a bike.

If so, it will be an amazing snapshot from a transcendent era in cycling.

Darryl also gave me a clue as to the whereabouts of Holland Jones, so I'll try to get further info on the bike.
 
.

That'd be something - maybe you should just go around to his house and 'help' him turn them out?!

To think that a British designed and built bike was there or thereabouts pre-1980 is something of a revelation (to me at least)...! Checked the available Repack results and there is no mention of a DK or Holland in the top 10 though...

Mr K
 
ededwards":1rfyo42p said:
Top article, always good to know a little more historical stuff.

justbackdated":1rfyo42p said:
...Jeremy Torr's wonder with 26" front 20" back wheels; again both frames similar in design with long headtubes.

Different sized front and rear wheels - if you didn't already know differently you'd probably be convinced that Trek 'invented' the idea with the 69er

I thought Cannondale did with 24 rear and 26 front!
 
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