I think the details Don mentioned (as well as the use of Cantiflex tubing ) probably would, in the future, mark this frame as not the work of Les Ephgrave. Brians recreations really need an ID because they're so damn tru e in every detail to the real thing. The Ephgrave seems less a recreation than a tribute-and a stunningly beautiful and well done one at that!
Best regards,
Wes Gadd
Unionville,CT
From: donald gillies <gillies@ece.ubc.ca> Subject: Re: [CR]Cantiflex Ephgrave To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Date: Saturday, December 6, 2008, 12:16 AM
I think it would be better to call it a "Cantigrave" than an "Ephflex".
I'd like to compliment the builder and say it's the finest rear brake bridge I've EVER seen in my life. The arch and flow and simplicity make it PERFECT. Another nice thing I can say to the builder is, "I have never wanted an Ephgrave until I saw this paint job on this bike." I can think of almost no higher compliment.
But, if I were commissioning the replica, I would have tried harder to match the periods of the frameset features :
Campy BB Routing ~ late 70's That Reynolds 531 decal ~ early-mid 60's Downtube bottle mounts ~ mid 70's Campy 1010B dropouts ~ late 70's Solid (not hollow) seatlug ears ~ late 70's Colnago / Bruce Gordon type dropout brazing ~ early 70's. Chromed Dropout faces ~ late 70's / early 80's
These may not be exactly the right time periods, but they are the time periods that I associate with widespread adoption of these features.
- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA, USA