[CR]Ellis-Briggs framesets

(Example: Racing:Jean Robic)

From: "Norris Lockley" <Norris.Lockley@btopenworld.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2004 22:53:25 +0100
Subject: [CR]Ellis-Briggs framesets

Ten days or so a go a newcomer to the List, in introducing himself and his machines, mentioned his Ellis-Briggs frame and asked, as I recall, if anyone could date it for him.

Ishould have replied at the time, but forgot, so maybe another List member has replied direct as i haven't seen a post here on the List.

Ellis-Briggs are still going strong at their Otley road shop in Shipley, just across the road from where Messrs Briggs and Ellis started up way back in 1936. They have a website and, presumably an email address - I think the forrmer is something like http://www.ellis-briggs.co.uk, possibly without the hyphen.. but Google can find it easily.

Back in the 50s Ellis-Briggs were at their peak, sponsoring a team of "independents" ( not full-time pros) such as Ken Russell, a frame-builder at the shop, who went into the 1953 (or was it 54) Tour of Britain as a one-man team, and won it convincingly.Ken is still riding around the lanes of the Yorkshire Dales as a member of the celebrated "Autumn Tints" - that league of old-timers who never know when to drop onto the inner ring. Another Briggs rider is Brian Robinson, who became the first Brit to win a stage of the Tour de France and who went on to have a very successful career. Brian too rides with the "Tints" and still has the Ellis-Briggs frame that he took with him when he joined the "foreign legion"> Not to be outdone, Ken Russell still has his T-o-B winning bike, complete with original Cyclo front and rear gears.. and he still uses it.. when the "Tints"' ride promises not to need a gear less than he used in his prime.

One of the grandsons of the Briggs branch of the company is still involved with the shop and I have been advised that most of the sales records are available. Unfortunately the memorable D/T transfer used in the 50s is long out-of-stock

Good hunting

Norris Lockley, Settle, Yorkshire Dales... where the "Tints" were seen today at the "Naked Man Cafe"