Reynolds 753 – My TI-Raleigh SB4059

SB1500 1977 SBDU Ilkeston Reynolds 753 Time Trial Special – New Arrival

August 5, 2017August 5, 2017 by Neil McGowran 3 Comments

I have several frames and bikes in my SBDU collection that constantly vie for top spot. Should top spot go to JR178T, my Jan Raas frame? Should it be SB632, the earliest known Reynolds 753 SB numbered Track frame; the Beryl Burton connection on that frame alone should surely make that a contender? What about the bike that started all this blogging, SB4059, my immaculate 1980 Team Pro 753, or how about SB6398, a time capsule of an original bike with a 753R SBDU frame and a complete Campagnolo Super Record 50th Anniversary Group. Then there is the rare SBDU 753 Dynaflite with Ovoid tubing, SB4409. But what about SB664, an early Carlton Capella lugged Imperial tubed 753 frame, that is also a possibility.

It is a constant battle! And now another frame is fighting for top spot… SB1500, my newest arrival, this has so many possibilities that give it the right to be up there with all the others too.

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SB664 1976 SBDU Ilkeston Reynolds 753 – Geometry and Design

July 24, 2017July 24, 2017 by Neil McGowran 1 Comment

After working out that SB664 was built from an early type of Imperial Reynolds 753 tubing, I wanted to use the calipers and metal rule again to try and figure out what type of use the frame was built for. Was the geometry designed specifically for Road or Time Trial; the outward appearance such as the frame transfers suggest that it is probably an SBDU Time Trial frame. SB664 is an early SB numbered 753 frame and was probably ordered in first part 1976 or even in late 1975. Reynolds 753 was brand new, it had only just been shown to the public in trade shows and it wasn’t widely available outside of the TI-Raleigh team. So what was this frame designed to be?

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The Mysterious Carlton Capella Lugged Early Ilkeston SBDU Imperial Tube Reynolds 753 Frames

July 14, 2017July 18, 2017 by Neil McGowran 1 Comment

In the beginning there was Metric Reynolds 753 tubing, and then later in 1982, a new Imperial Reynolds 753 tube was introduced. The new tube, called 753R, had different diameters, different gauges and was slightly heavier than the original Metric tube. And that’s how it was always known… Metric 753 before 1982 and Imperial 753 available after 1982. That seems quite straightforward doesn’t it?

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Something Special Something Unique SB664 1976 SBDU Ilkeston TI-Raleigh Reynolds 753

June 28, 2017June 28, 2017 by Neil McGowran Leave a comment

There is no long winded waffle from me on this post, at least that is the intention… it’s hopefully just a short introduction about a new addition to the collection. There WILL be many more posts about this frame; this frame could fill my blog with new content for an entire year. It has some rather special and unique combinations of features that I have not seen on any other Specialist Bicycle Development Unit (SBDU) frame.

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SB632 1976 SBDU Ilkeston Beryl Burton Team 753 Track Pursuit Frame – Track End Repair

June 18, 2017June 18, 2017 by Neil McGowran 3 Comments

Back at the beginning of May, I had a weekend of frame repairs! SB4409 had new transfers and a bit of clear coat, while SB6560 had new gear lever bosses brazed into place. Before I tidied up and put the files away, I thought I’d squeeze in one more project; SB632. This is a special little frame that has had a modification at some point in its life to add a gear hanger and increase the thickness of the rear track ends to accommodate road wheels and gearing. This is the first step to restoring SB632 back to how it was originally.

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The SBDU and Their Use of Reynolds 753 Reynolds 753R and Reynolds 753T

May 17, 2017May 25, 2017 by Neil McGowran Leave a comment

There has always been lots said on the subject of Reynolds 753, and that doesn’t surprise me. This tubing had such an impact on the sport of cycling; the frames and their riders were breaking records before anyone even knew 753 existed! 753 frames are still sought after 40+ years following their introduction. You can’t go a day without the subject of 753 cropping up on the internet and the online debates and discussions mean that there are always stories and different opinions. But are these stories real and are the opinions accurate? What is truth and what is myth? What are these stories? Have I done enough research and accumulated enough data to either prove or debunk them?

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SBDU Ilkeston SB4409 1981 753 Dynaflite – Frame Transfer Restoration

April 16, 2017 by Neil McGowran 2 Comments

The Easter weekend has given me some free time so I decided to work on a couple of projects. SB4409 was the first frame to get some attention. It’s been sitting in the workshop for a few weeks while I continue to look at the amazing profile of these unique 753 oval tubes. The colour has grown on me too and it is now time to return the transfer scheme back to original.

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SB632 1976 SBDU Ilkeston Beryl Burton Team 753 Track Pursuit Frame – New Arrival (Part Two)

March 17, 2017March 24, 2017 by Neil McGowran 1 Comment

This is post number two looking at new arrival SB632, and I’m measuring geometry. How will this frame measure up? What size is it? How long (or short) is it? What angles does it use? What is the bottom bracket height? Does the fork clearance affect the frame geometry and size? More importantly, will the geometry give me any clues to enable me to pinpoint what this frame is? Lots of questions needing lots of answers!

Oh, and this is also my 100th published TI-Raleigh SBDU blog post! A small milestone that I’m very proud of.

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SB632 1976 SBDU Ilkeston Beryl Burton Team 753 Track Pursuit Frame – New Arrival (Part One)

March 1, 2017 by Neil McGowran Leave a comment

I’ve had another new arrival, not long after the 753 Dynaflite came into the workshop, I’ve found another rather special frame that just deserves to be in the collection. SB632 is much smaller than anything I would normally collect, but the significance of this frame meant I had to have it.

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SB3800 1980 SBDU Ilkeston TI-Raleigh Team Pro Reynolds 753 – Rebuild (Part Two)

October 16, 2016January 29, 2017 by Neil McGowran Leave a comment

Part two of the build for SB3800, a 1980 TI-Raleigh Team Pro 753; I don’t know if I prefer the first part of a build when the grease and dirt is involved, or the second part when you get down to the detailing. I like both parts but for me, it is all about the details!

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