I have an early/mid 80's Woodrup. Nice bike, but does have a very high bottom bracket. Haven't measured the actual BB height, but the standover height is what I'd expect on a bike with a seat tube about 2 cm longer. No one else has mentioned this, but were high BB's typical of Woodrup? On the other hand I also have a 52 cm ctc 1988 Mercian KOM with a standover height about the same as a 55 cm French of Italian frame, so maybe the high BB's were a British thing in the 80's.
Regards,
Jerry Moos Big Spring, TX
Barb & Dan Artley <hydelake@verizon.net> wrote: I can't say how pleased I am hearing so much of Woodrup Cycles. A Woodrup was my first really nice race bike replacing what I considered more of a tourer, my PX-10 (Sorry Peter K.). It was unfortunately crashed, badly repaired and sold, but recently repurchased. I'm hoping that someday it will get the restoration it deserves for the fond memories of my only race season back in 1973. Thanks to all who've provided this information. Does anyone know if they are still building keepers of the flame in lugged steel? ... More?
Dan Artley in Parkton, Maryland
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The subject of Woodrup frames reminds me of my own experiences visiting their framebuilding shop when I was learning to build at Ellis Briggs. I wanted to learn how to do a fluted seat stay top like what was on my Masi and Jack Briggs rang up Woodrup to see if one of them would be willing to show me how. What I vaguely remember Jack Briggs telling me was that somehow Jack's father helped Woodrup get started. The date around 1953 or 4 sticks in my mind from our conversation about it. Leeds is about 15 miles to the east from the much smaller town of Shipley where Ellis Briggs is located. The good size city of Bradford is about 3 miles to the south. In other words, these places are one big megalopolis. 15 British miles is not 15 American miles. The roads are not laid out on a square because of the shape of the land and going to Leeds seemed like a big trip. It was lots of stop and go city driving on winding roads in my old Morris Minor. This generosity (to help others when it wasn't to his own advantage) was part of Jack's character too and something I've been deeply grateful for (since he did the same for me).
I was a little shy going in the door and was glad Jack had asked permission for me. One of the sons (I don't remember which one) spent several hours of the afternoon showing me what to do. That day he was the only one there. I had some seat stays with me and he demonstrated how to miter the end and braze another piece of tubing in that place and then file off the excess. I looked around a bit and realized they did things a bit differently than Briggs. I also remember him suggesting to me that there wasn't much need now days (as in 1975) to pin frames together before brazing since hearth brazing was replaced with oxyacetylene brazing. As he explained, a spot isn't likely to break or move. All in all a valuable and pleasant afternoon. As a newbie, I was respectful of his advice and didn't try to argue how we did things a bit differently at Briggs. My impression was that Woodrup was a bit more production oriented - meaning that they concentrated on getting a certain number of frames made in a decent way in a week. It was the primary thing that brought in money for them. The frame shop at Briggs when I was there was a bit more of an extension of the bigger business. There was the regular retail sales on the ground floor with several sales people. There were the regular Raleigh and other bikes and another area had pro stuff. In the back was the repair shop with 2 workers. Upstairs in one room was Bill and Rodney the painters and in another, Andrew mostly made the frames one at a time to a particular person. The result of not having framebuilding be the center of the business was that it allowed a bit more individual attention to be paid to each frame being made. Jack never pressured Andrew to be more productive, he just wanted him to make them right. Jack himself also helped out in there but mostly he and his wife kept an eye on the entire business. When he was in the frame shop, it was primarily to teach me and share his considerable knowledge or finalize instructions about another frame for Andrew to build. Those circumstances really were a benefit to me which I have always deeply appreciated. Another advantage was the ability to wander into the paint room next door and observe all the steps in painting. Bill and Rodney always enjoyed company and Andrew and I also ate our lunch in there.
There are lots more memories of that time but not more time to write about them now. About the other framebuilders in West Yorkshire and the area itself.
Doug Fattic
Niles, Michigan USA