Re: [CR]Flying Scot picks up the American gauntlet

(Example: History:Ted Ernst)

Date: Thu, 24 May 2001 10:41:38 -0500 (EST)
From: "Brandon Ives" <monkey37@bluemarble.net>
To: Bob Reid <bob.reid@btconnect.com>
Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]Flying Scot picks up the American gauntlet
In-Reply-To: <B732E534.6A52%bob.reid@btconnect.com>


This is just the kind of stuff that needs to be answered off list, what should I do. I just posted a picture of a bike if you want to believe it's a "real" Flying Scot do or don't but don't shoot the messenger. If you don't appriciate my controbution why did you ask for me to post pictures of this bike, I'm confused. I never stated this bike was one of your Flying Scots I just said it was A Flying Scot. I never attacked your "brand" or it's history. I asked if they ever made cheap department store bikes. You said ,"No." I replied Well I have one in my complex, then you asked for pictures. I provided them. . . what did I do wrong here. whatever, Brandon Ives

"Nobody can do everything, but if everybody did something everything would get done." Gil Scott-Heron

On Thu, 24 May 2001, Bob Reid wrote:
> Brandon,
>
> I only asked an honest question, I neither started, nor was I involved in
> any "stupid battle" as you so eloquently put it. I only asked through
> genuine interest nothing else.
>
> Thank you so much for your courteous reply. Don't bother next time as I
> don't appreciate these contributions as I'm sure other don't when they are
> of this nature. Perhaps your 15 years would have been better spent in
> politics.
>
> Bob (feels no insecure need to tell people how long I've been or done
> anything) Reid
> Stonehaven
> Scotland.
>
> > From: Monkeyman <monkey37@bluemarble.net>
> > Date: Thu, 24 May 2001 07:23:10 -0700
> > To: Bob Reid <bob.reid@btconnect.com>
> > Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> > Subject: Re: [CR]Flying Scot picks up the American gauntlet
> >
> > I really don't want to get involved in another stupid battle. Look,
> > it, may one of "your" Flying Scots, but it is A Flying Scot. It's a
> > cheap bike boom Japanese built, it's not a relabled anything. After
> > 15 years as a mechanic I can tell relabeled bikes. I'd love to send
> > you perfect pictures, you send me the camera. . . better yet if
> > you're willing to pay the shipping I'll send the bike to you. The
> > bike can be yours for shipping. My guess is someone in the US during
> > the bike boom saw a Flying Scot and liked them then had a bunch of
> > bikes label Flying Scot in Asia to sell in his auto parts store.
> > Again, if you want better info on the bike send me a camera or
> > shipping money.
> > enjoy,
> > Brandon"monkeyman"Ives
> >
> > PS: I don't mean to be harsh I'm just getting a little tired of the
> > fire storm surrounding me.
> >
> >> Trust you guys, to pick a fight when I'm away from the computer.......
> >>>
> >>> OK, at my apartment complex is a Flying Scot and it's an absolute
> >>> department store bike. What's the story with these? It seems like a
> >>> strange name to licence out to POS bikes?
> >>> enjoy,
> >>> Brandon"monkeyman"Ives
> >>
> >> (Brandon) Despite your rather poor quality pictures from what I can see that
> >> is not a Flying Scot. If you knew even the remotest bit about the company
> >> or chose to take the time to look at the marque, or even my Website you
> >> would be very suspicious as well. Give me the frame number (and the
> >> location of them) and some decent photographs of the lugs, frame ends, BB
> >> shell and head tube badge I'll let you know.
> >>
> >> Now for a very brief :-) history lesson ;
> >>
> >> At no time were Flying Scot's ever built under licence - The original
> >> company ran solely with the name until around 1983 and from this time the
> >> trade mark "The Flying Scot" was purchased by a local Cycle shop owner - who
> >> on a rare occassion has them built to order by Dave Yates at M.Steel's.
> >>
> >> At it's peak David Rattray's (small) company produced Flying Scot frames
> >> and cycles from 1928 to about 1983 (war years excluded) at a maximum rate of
> >> 1000 units a year - one year only (though I've never seen any with a frame
> >> number above 700) and 5-600 a year seem a bit more realistic.
> >>
> >> The companies products were so succesful (club, touring, road, track) for
> >> it's size that there was no need to (a) advertise globally or in fact in
> >> anything other than local cycling publications (b) Bother attending the
> >> annual cycling show in London. If you didn't know what a Flying Scot was
> >> (and I don't mean a "bicycle") you were certainly not a club cyclist.
> >> Quality and reputation alone sold these bikes in volumes that there small
> >> factory (the back shop) could cope with
> >>
> >> ALL frames were made from Reynolds H.M. / 531 or K.R.O.M.O. (briefly for a
> >> few years after WWII) and ALL used quality lugs. almost every lug style
> >> available from a variety of manufacturers during the production years was
> >> offered as an option and appears on a frame somewhere - remember these were
> >> almost all custom made.
> >>
> >> Many Flying Scot's were exported abroad, including many to the U.S and
> >> Canada - a lot of these were bought "blind" by letter - again sold on
> >> quality and reputation alone.
> >>
> >> As Flying Scot's were never cheap, from time to time you do come across
> >> fakes - These were not fakes in that they were intended to be sold as such,
> >> just some folks thought if they badged up their cheap bike, everyone would
> >> think they had one - such was the attraction of the name. There was a short
> >> spell before the companies demise, when Steyr-Puch (who took a 49% share in
> >> the company in the 70's and whose manager kindly burnt all the frame records
> >> one day) were "alleged" to be pushing out any old junk with the Flying Scot
> >> badge on it to get money in - This is unsubstantiated, but considering they
> >> had difficulty selling there own crap bikes, not beyond the realms of
> >> possibility. I am interested Brandon - to know If that bike is one of the
> >> SDP products as I've never seen one.
> >>
> >> If you think this is all B.S. the 12th International Cycling History
> >> Conference is scheduled to be held 26-28 September 2001 in Sanremo, Italy -
> >> And one of the proposed papers to be presented is on David Rattray's company
> >> - not bad for a KRAZEE-KUTS MART bike ?
> >>
> >> I'll make two offers ;
> >>
> >> (a) If your ever end up touring Scotland and your in the North-East of
> >> Scotland, call in to the shop. I'd gladly allow you a spin on one for
> >> "nominal" refundable deposit as security.
> >>
> >> (b) I'll back Bruce up in his offer to Brian of a frame when the next one
> >> comes up. I must admit that a non-Scot evaluation of the build quality
> >> would be of great value if a little naval gazing.............you know
> >> watching ships.....
> >>
> >> Well, thanks for winding me up..............
> >>
> >> Bob Reid
> >> Stonehaven
> >> Scotland.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >
> >
> > --
> > Huge Spring Cleaning Bike Parts Sale
> > http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~mkirklan/salepage/sale.html
> >
> > !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> > Nobody can do everything,
> > but if everybody did something
> > everything would get done.
> > -Gil Scott Heron-
> > !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!