Don Louis 1956 cyclocross frame

[Slimtim]

Does anyone know anything more about Don Louis?

According to classic lightweights, he ran a shop in Herne Hill and had framesbuilt effectively right in front of customers. He sounds like a bit of a character!

I just picked up a 1956 cylocross bike (or at least I assume that it is as it has canti bosses and plenty of clearance) and would like to know more - especially where I can get some frame transfers (I have dropped Nick at lloyds a note).

The frame has Campagnolo ends, Nervex lugs and feels pretty light (2.8kg for a 60cm c-t frame and forks). It has cable guides for front and rear mechs but no lever bossed and also no bottle bosses.

I have added some pictures and also a close-up of the guides at tehe top of the downtube which are mirrored by another pair of guides closer to the BB.

There are also mudguard eyes.

Rear dropouts are 120mm and there is a gear hanger.

Can anyone confirm that this is indeed a 'cross frame?

 

[Old Ned]

It sounds as if it could be but remember that CX bikes generally used handlebar end gear levers so lever bosses wouldn't be fitted. However, around the time you reckon this frame was built then braze-ons weren't fashionable. Bottle bosses certainly not around then. Is there any sort of a 'stud' or something under the down tube where the gear levers/cable stops would be positioned? This stops the bolt-on clip from slipping down the tube under the pressure of the cable.

Generally speaking, CX bikes in the 50's tended to be any old bike fitted with the owner's oldest components so a specialised CX frame is slightly unusual unless it was built for one of the top riders of the day (Don Stone is one name that springs to mind, he was from South London area). Do you have a photo? It will be interesting to see it as the brand is not often seen - especially north of Watford. In fact, I doubt if many people in Yorkshire have even heard of them.

(Sits back and waits for the howls of - 'oh yes we have!!')

Some info here on the site you mentioned -

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/bu ... ilder.html

 

[Johnsqual]

Is is possible this is a touring frame?

Tourers would also have used bar end shifters, and maybe
cantilever brakes in those days, and bottle cages were either attached to the
bars or to the frame with clamps.

Clearances could have been for mudguards

What are the angles of the head and seat tubes?

Sounds like a very interesting frame, please post some pictures.

Johnny

 

[Slimtim]

I think that it was probably built for bar end shifters as there is no 'stop' on the downtube for a set of band on levers. Also, there are guides pretty high on the downtube which look like they should receive cables from above.

I also thought it might b a tourer but while there are mudguard eyes at the dropouts, there are only one set and there are no corresponding points for mounting a rack on the seastays. Also, the fork does not have a lamp mount or similar which i would have expected to see.

I will try and post pictures later - off for a ride now before the rain comes!!

 

[Slimtim]

Pictures now added.

 

[Old Ned]

The DT stops etc. are definitely for bar end controls and these, along with the above bracket rear mech cable guide and the stop/loop for the front changer make me think that it is more likely to be 60's than 50's. Also, with the mudguard eyes still being fitted it could well be a tourer rather than a CX frame. Looks like a nice frame whatever.

However, the design of the rear brake cable loops look like a more modern fitting, even 80's possibly. Has it had a respray etc.? The style of name transfer looks more modern than the 'script' style shown on Classic Lightweights which would probably have been used in the 50's.

 

[Slimtim]

Thanks for the comments and tips.

The frame number is 10156 which, using the information on the Classic Lightweight site translates as the frame being made on 10 January 1956. The number stamped on the fork steerer is the same so I am 99.9% sure that the frameset is from then.

I would tend to agree that the frame has been resprayed. The transfers are not laquered over and the paint is thick with a heavy white layer underneath. Maybe the toptube was replaced - hence the more modern cable guides and the respray?

Also, there are depressions under the red (so possibly in the white paint underlayer) which corespond with where a bottle cage would have been sited. My only reason for questioning the respray theory is that there is only red overspray on the fork steerer.

The tube set makes an amazingly bright 'ting' sound when flicked.

I was out riding on my unidentified 531c steel fixed wheel with Nervex lugs this morning so took the opportunity to compare the geometry - identical except that the chainstays on the Don Louis are longer. I was stunned and have decided to give 'The Don' a respray as my fixie is the best fitting geometry ever (it is the same as the Dave Yates).

I think i will do a 'modro' singlespeed rebuild with a nice selection of modern parts on the frame - Campag fluted cranks and seatpost, Rolls saddle, large flange hubs, Cinelli stem and bars etc (unless of course someone has a set of 1950's parts.....)

 

[roadking]

I've read this thread with interest, I know most of the guys on the Classic Lightweights website - having contributed to it myself.

I rode with Pete Holland only a few weeks ago.

Pity it's having a"modro"(yuk)rebuild - would be nice to see it built as a tourer or as a cross bike.

As a matter of interest the earliest I've seen bottle bosses offered (as braze ons) is 1964 - I have them on my Allin"Belgique"options on their price list.

Shouldn't be too difficult or expensive to reproduce transfers - but do they matter if it's morphing into something...ghastly?

 

[Slimtim]

Only 'modro' if unable to find period parts!! Should be possible to make it look good without causing a sacriledge - it would have gone to the dump for recycling.....

No doubting the 1956 date on the frame so it's a mystery how it has more modern additions - maybe already partly modro maybe.....

Anyway, if you can recommed a potential source for decals that would be great.