Pete Geurds wrote:
>>>Someone showed up at our club's New Year's day ride with an Alpine.
Made by Fred Kelly in Washington, DC.( I think that's what the owner
said)<<<
Then Mark Poore wrote:
>>>Alpine Cycles were a product of Georgetown Cycle and Sport. I believe
Alpine
might have been started and then GC&S bought them.<<<
There are, indeed, Fred Kelly Alpines and non-Fred Kelly Alpines. Fred custom built frames in Maryland under the Alpine name for several years. He built one for a house-mate of mine, probably in the late 70's or early 80's. Fred (still in Maryland and active on the local club racing scene) keeps a log of the serial numbers of the frames he built, and will supply decals to owners that want to have those frames refinished. Kelly's Alpines had a headtube decal that featured a white cross on a red field, if I remember correctly.
I'm not sure about all of the details of the GS&S/Alpine relationship, but do not believe that any of the GS&S Alpines were built by Kelly. I believe the Alpines sold by GS&S were made by various concerns. I have what I think is one of those Alpines, currently built up as a fixed-gear for my wife. It's a mid-line road frame from the mid to late 80's, build with Tange #2 tubes and labeled a Grand Record. A very run-of-the-mill, lugged, production frame.
Fred Kelly's Alpines, while not fancy, were still quite nicely made and finished frames.
One of these days I'd like to piece together a more complete Alpine history. Next time I see Fred I'll press him for some more info, but in the past he has seemed reluctant to talk about "other" Alpines. Did I sense some animosity?
I'm sure Larry B has another side to this story. Wassup Lar?
Wayne Bingham - Still looking for a 55 or 56cm "Fred Kelly" Alpine. Falls Church VA