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Deleted member 69416
If the brake drop was shorter would the front wheel not get even closer to the down tube ? Because of the head angle?
Any interest in a 1970's Alan Shorter bike with a Barry Chick lugless frame?
- Thread starter Shorter Rider
- Start date
Shorter Rider
Retro Newbie
Well thanks for that, very decent of you, and you clearly have excellent taste too..
Shorter Rider
Retro Newbie
Yes, which is what makes it so unusual. The only other one I've seen is here (scroll down to find it)
https://www.lfgss.com/comments/9074781/
This is also the only lugless example of a Shorter I've been able to find, other than Alf Engers' bikes, though this one has a lugged bottom bracket, unlike mine, which makes mine something of a mystery.
Shorter Rider
Retro Newbie
From centre of bottom bracket to centre of seat pinch bolt and then centre of seat post to centre of stem are both 54.5 cm. What would you plan on doing with it, if it's the right size?
It would have been a respray and re build .Sadly its way too small.I need around 23" c to top so not for me.Should be a good ride when its sorted so someone is going to get a good bike out of this.Reminds me of a woodrup I used to have years ago. Best of luck with the sale
Shorter Rider
Retro Newbie
Well that's a real shame because otherwise I think you might have been the good home it was looking for, even if it would have had to move to God's own county. Maybe you could just hoik the saddle up a bit?
This bike has provided me with quite an unexpected journey. When I bought it I had no idea it was a TT bike, as I wouldn't have known what TT was, nor who Alan Shorter or Alf Engers were. We had given up our car to save the planet, and spent the next few decades with bikes as the only means of transport we owned, so thought we at least deserved decent bikes. I saw this in the local paper and knew enough to know that Reynolds 531 meant it was probably half decent, and when I saw the details of the frame and experienced the thoroughbred nature of the ride I had to have it, but I didn't think there was anything unusual about it, assuming it was just a normal 'Shorter', whatever that was, and my lack of both knowledge and respect is illustrated by my decision to obliterate its original identity and spray it plain Ferrari red.
When I recently decided it had lain unridden for too long I turned to the internet to find out what I could about it, an option that wasn't open to me when I first bought it. I was surprised to find that most Shorter frames were lugged, and that the only lugless frames I could find were those which Barry Chick made for Alf Engers. I found the single one I linked to above where the top frame joints are fillet brazed and the bottom bracket lugged, and I also found a few later frames made by Barry Chick and branded in his own name, with similar details. I have not, however, found a single Shorter frame which is fillet brazed throughout which leads me to the inevitable conclusion that this is something out of the ordinary, which warrants preservation, which is why I want a good home for it.
I'd be very happy if someone could prove me wrong by pointing out that there are simply loads of these out there, and that I'm just looking in the wrong place, but it hasn't happened yet, and most seem to agree that the details of the frame are not run of the mill.
Best option would be to ask Barry Chick or Alf Engers, both of whom are still out there I believe, so if anyone happens to have their contact details please do let me know...
Contact Shorter https://shorter-rochford.co.uk/ Alan Rochford is close to Alf as former team mates & had a hand in Alf’s bike & his record ride in 1978 of 49.24 for the 25.
Shorter Rider
Retro Newbie
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