on 6/30/04 12:47 PM, Tom Martin at tom@wilsonbike.com wrote:
> Yup, Ross had 'singature' frames built all over the place.
> They ran a framebuilding shop in Allentown (similar to the Paramount shop)
> with road frames built by hand.
> They imported frames from Japan and built them up in their allentown factory
> They imported frames from Taiwan and built them up in their allentown
> factory
> They imported whole bikes from Taiwan and warehoused them in Allentown and
> in CA
>
> All this happened before their bankruptcy in the late 80's (maybe they
> started another trend....)
>
> After the bankruptcy Rand intl bought Ross and they resurrected the
> Signature line shortly thereafter, in 1992. It consisted of Mtn bikes almost
> exclusively. There were a few exceptions and trade show only samples,
> notably an Aermet 100 Waterford built frame for the 1994 year.
>
>
> I remember a Signature white lugged track bike built up with Dura Ace pitch
> 10 gruppo, and *think* I remember noticing the frame on the BB shell or
> maybe the rear fork end was signed or stamped with the builders name, hence
> the 'signature series'.
>
>
> Tom Martin
> Oakland CA
> Ross Bike Geek
>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Wiley Coyote" <wcoyote@pe.net>
>> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2004 8:23 PM
>> Subject: [CR]Re: Ross "signature" on Ebay
>>
>>
>>> As the "former" Warehouse Manager for Ross Bicycles (Los Angeles, CA). I
>> recall
>>> a low-end "Signature" road bike during 1985-1986 that sold in the
> $250-300
>>> retail price range, looked similar to the "Redcay" signatures, but was
>> cloned in
>>> Taiwan. It had a nice geometry frame built out of low end tubing,
> marginal
>>> low-end parts, and a decent ride, 25-26 lb bike. The paint was very
>> attractive
>>> in several metallic colors, especially for a bike in that price range. I
>> used
>>> one of these frames with a mix of 105 & 600 shimano parts as a racing
>> bike for
>>> several years, a cheap "claimer" sort of affordable racing tool.
>>>
>>> Jim Harlow
>>> Redlands CA
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> OROBOYZ@aol.com wrote:
>>>
>>>> In a message dated 6/29/2004 2:00:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
>>>> EdVintage63@aol.com writes:
>>>>
>>>> << Ross for sale on ebay:
>>>>
>>
> http://ebay.com/
>>>> rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
>>>> On the general topic of "caveat emptor,"
>>>> I don't see any real indication or proof this is a Ross Signature
> model
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> You are correct in your suspicions.. They may have called this bike a
>>>> "Signature Series" at that point in Ross' decline, but it is not a
>> handbuilt
>>>> top-of-the-line bicycle.
>>>>
>>>> Dale Brown
>>>> Greensboro, NC
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>> --
>>> ÿØÿà
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
Hi Tom,
I don't know if you knew this but when Rand first bought Ross out of bankruptcy, in 1989, they hired me to resurrect the Signature Division. I made several trips to the old Allentown plant with Jerry Ross to retrieve equipment... I didn't really fit in at Rand so I left and opened Centerport Cycles.
I do remember that white track bike with the Dura Ace 10. It was very nice. I am under the impression that it was a Kellogg. I wonder if it is still there.
Regards, Jamie Swan - Northport, N.Y.