Re: [CR]Charlie Gibb

Bruce,

Many of the framebuilders in the years between the wars, took to cycle framebuilding as a result of being laid-off from the yards following the Washington disarmament agreements in the 1920's. Most (thankfully) returned there with the build up of Merchant and Capital fleet with the onset of WWII and the need to put hard cash in their pockets taking precedence over art. Virtually the same thing happened again in the post WWII years when new shipping orders reduced (on the Clyde that is) from over 900,000 to less than 250,000 gross tons - Charlie would have then gone back to brazing pipes together I assume
>
> However, the Dundee street directories show quite clearly that “Gibb Cycle
> Dealers” opened up in 1936 and there is some evidence to suggest that Charlie
> was operating an engineering firm before that. It’s possible he started making
> frames even earlier than
> this.

A common dual-role (and the one that paid) of many of the builders was light engineering - for example Rattrays made Bailey Bridge pins at Millar street as a way to get an allocation of steel stock that otherwise was only available for essential war work. I'm sure if you ask a parent or old relation you'll find half the railings in Victoria street were used to supply the local foundry (or Charlie Gibb from what you describe) - Rumour also had it that Campagnolo re-cycled pan lids for seatposts which would explain their propensity to crack when left for five minutes at regulo 7.
>
> Whenever, there’s no doubt that his talents were well-honed over the years.
> His later frames were beautifully put together and quite delicate by
> comparison with the early stuff.

Though I have not seen the frame, I would suspect he used Reynolds High Manganese special lightweight tubing as opposed to the lesser 'A' grade tube. A typical 'A' weight single speed fixed "lightweight" in 28' was weighing in at 17.3/4 lbs ! and not a sniff of carbont, Titanium and that was with lugs that had more in common with Kaverner than Confente. Which leads me nicely to an interesting tale ; The McNeils were almost had up in court for pinching lead following a delicate operation involving filling a seat tube with the said lead in a molten state and bending it back to follow the shape of the rear wheel on a racing tandem - all worked succesfully however the local mothers were up in arms when the close nearby was flooded and it was discovered they'd pinched the cold water pipe from the wash hoose.
> I have a "Gibb" that belonged to the father of a photographer at The Courier.
> At least, it was definitely bought in the Victoria Street outlet. The bike is
> certainly early 1930s at the latest and possibly even late 1920s. The original
> owner, if he were still alive, would be 99 by now and used to race in local
> time trials on it as well as competing in the Law race and some longer events
> in Strathmore.

If it was the 20's you'll be certain to find more info in the Scottish R.R.A. records - this was virtually the only organised road racing going on at the time. Does Vic have any ex-Wheelers mates who might know ?
>
> It’s a small frame, fashionable at the time, with quite a long L-shaped
> seatpost and an adjustable stem with clip-type headset and Pelissier front
> brake but there is absolutely nothing on it to identify it as a Gibb. My
> cycling pal Vic Polanski, who has a lovely 1950s Gibb, is undecided but agrees
> that it might
> be a bit too basic to be one of Charlie’s.

Like a lot of the builders of the time, they were building with anything they could get - Reynolds was unavailable due war work and I suspect A&P tubing was similarly unavailable due to the rationing both during and in the few years after the war.
>
> I’d love to be able to confirm that this is one of Charlie’s bikes. If it is,
> it could be sufficiently important, at least in a local context, that it might
> be better on display in the McManus in the city centre. It would certainly be
> very sought
> after by Scottish collectors.
>
> Any thoughts about its authenticity would be welcomed.

A very difficult one. I'd suggest if it is quite deteriorated that you strip it back and look for the builders "signature" touches in comparison with a known "Gibb" - they all did it somewhere.
> P.S. First vintage ride of March at the weekend. Thought we would risk it in
> traffic instead of the Highlands. From the New Town, along Prince's Street on
> my fixed gear Claud Butler, the only fixed gear on the ride, up over The Mound
> and down the Royal Mile to the new parliament building without stopping at the
> traffic lights. No illegal moves, just good timing! We quenched our thirst at
> Deacon Brodie's-filled my bottle up with Guinness for the trip home!"
> Fixed on granite sets - boy you were taking a risk. Try the Blue Blanket (down from the Jurors Inn) next time or head North and I'll organise a drum-up.

Bob Reid
Stonehaven
Scotland.