Hello All,
I was very fortunate to have Art Stump entrust me to his Gillott that Ron Cooper built. Art wrote a story about fancy lugged bikes in Bicycling back around 1980, and if memory serves me well, he discusses his exprience with Gillotts and Ron Cooper. It was this article that prompted me to inquire about his Gillott.
Regards, Dave Martinez Fall colors and gentle rain in Fremont, Ca
Mark Stevens <mountgerald@btopenworld.com> wrote: WoW I wish I could be there too. If he was wearing that apron in 1956 I would have been 3 years old. Maybe my first words were Goo goo gi gi gillott... Now here I am pondering on the connections that continue to come to light and show my ignorance of American frame builders. So Bill Philbrook taught Ron Cooper (at Gillott) and Jeff Lyon as well as Richard Sachs (both at Witcombs?). Add to that Art Stump ordering a Gillott (in 1964 so built by Ron )on his second tour of British frame builders and Gillotts' quietly build a sterling reputation. I notice Ron Cooper is the only British frame builder included in this pantheon. Is that because he is currently handing over the torch (so to speak) to Paul Young? What I would like to know is when Bill Philbrook left Gillotts? Please, please, ALL of YOU that meet Ron at this or any other event plead, cajole, persuade, bully him into writing his Memoires. He read my early attempt at a Gillott history and said it was very much from the management side, i.e, Harry Carrington. Harry is now in his nineties and registered blind. His last email to me was a few months ago and he said "Mark, please , no more questions, because there will be no more answers". Ron, its up to you now.
Mark Stevens Dingwall Scotland