1950 R O Harrison ‘project’

[Chdot]

(As mentioned elsewhere, I ‘discovered’ 50’s bikes this year. Not quite an obsession…)

Bought Frame and Forks on eBay

Photos below are sellers’, so I was under no illusion about ‘wok required’.



Obviously I was concerned about whether the rust was more than just on the surface. Also wondering about how much paint and decals could be saved.

One day I will get a frame and have it painted/powdercoated, but I’m still on ‘preserve rhe patina’

Frame arrived today

The fun begins.

 

[Chdot]

Close inspection shows no signs of rust digging deep. Gentle taps on tubes return that reassuring sound of lightweight tubing - maybe 531.

F&F weighs slightly less than 6lb - not bad for 24”.

No trace of a 531 decal. ROH frames on record have them (as is common) at the top of the seat tube.

Internally this is 27.0 which is sometimes the size for 531 plain gauge, also A&P (no sign of Kromo decal either) which some framebuilders used at the time.

Some builders used tubing from both manufacturers, though ROH catalogues suggest 531 was normal.

ROH built to order as well as ‘stock’ frames/bikes so anything is possible!



Frame numbering is clear. This is from the steerer and matches with the stampings underneath the BB.

So built April 1950 - now my oldest frame.

Always reassuring when there is proof of matching parts - not all manufacturers/builders mark forks. Obviously important for a custom build.

Don’t know if ROH did it for all frames.

Rear fork measures 124, so may have been sprung from 120.

 

[juvela]

-----

didst ROH offer complete machines or were they framesets only?

asking as it could be a clue to OEM kitting if complete cycles were offered




in this image of serial one can see numerals two and seven off to the left of the serial; assume this an indication of intended wheel size

given date it is possible that OEM rear spacing may have been slightly below 120 since this is the era when 4V gear blocks were the norm

have you been able to identify the lug pattern employed?

does the VCC have a marque enthusiast for ROH?

thank you for sharing this interesting find!


-----

 

[Chdot]

Thanks

Framesets, complete bikes and custom and customise options.

1949 catalogue here -

https://classicrendezvous.com/country-of-origin/the-british-isles/r-o-harrison/

“one can see numerals two and seven off to the left of the serial; assume this an indication of intended wheel size”

I can ‘see’ in pic too!

BUT

Seems to be a trick of light!

Sanded the area and found different numbers -



Might have meant something to someone 75 years ago…

Can’t explain why the steerer has been painted blue and black. Steerers usually good indicator of original colour.

Forks seem to have been stripped and badly painted white and very badly painted green.



So whole frame ‘deserves’ to be ‘restored’ as much as possible.

 

[Midlife]

Black on the steerer might be some of the old phosphate “bonderised” finish ?

 

[juvela]

-----

crown appears EKLA model Oval (offered both with and without recess in front/back)

"some" EKLA crowns exhibit a raised marking on their undersides




-----