Jack,
Bob Jackson will build custom steel to suit your exact specifications and the current quality of their framebuilding and paint is excellent, so I could certainly consider them to be a full-blown custom builder. Yes, they do have std models, but they also build custom track, road & even trikes. I've had custom work done by them over the past 5-6 years and I've been very pleased.
Like a lot of builders/brands during the bike boom, I think Bob Jackson was guilty of cranking out frames and slipping a bit on quality during that period. Colnago certainly ramped up production after approximately 1976, turning out some frames that were certainly lacking in both quality of build and paint. Both Colnago and Bob Jackson were picked up by a couple of mail-order/catalog bike operations in the U.S. during the late '70s/early '80s, so I suspect both builders were under pressure to provide an adequate supply of frames, which in turn led to some of the quality problems seen during that time period. Mercian and Condor were also carried by a few U.S. catalog operations during that same time period and their shops were going full-blast in an effort to keep up with demand.
I have an early '70s Bob Jackson track bike that is great and I also own a rare '85 Bob Jackson Golden Jubilee model that is stunning w/lots of chrome, flamboyant blue paint and red lug lining around the chrome Nervex lugs. I've also owned several other Bob Jackson framesets and I've always been pleased. Like most items, it helps to be knowledgeable about what you're buying.
Dave Patrick Chelsea, Michigan
Carb7008@cs.com wrote: Does anyone know where to find Bob Jackson serial numbers other than contacting them directly (very informative web site BTW). I did websearch to no avail.
Also, Jacksons don't seem to elicit much enthusiasm...kinda like italian Bertoni's...nice but eh. Sheldon B seems to damn them with faint praise. I suspect they may have been overproduced during the bike-boom but are currently regarded as a genuine custom english bike?
Jack Romans
Sacramento, CA