The JRJ track frame, beautifully renovated by local framebuilder, Chris Mar shall, and now for sale on Ebay, is probably the Olympic Sprint No2 model, that was designed for track use and short road work ie 10 and 25 mile timet rials...on fixed gear.. With a 40.5 inch wheelbase, it was just 0.5 inches longer than the Olympic Sprint No1 model, destined for serious track use an d boasting a small lug on the top tube fore of the seat cluster, on which t o bolt the saddle support that held the saddle nose rigidly in position. Bo th models were very popular with British amateur riders, and used by severa l UK champions. A larger frame such as this one will have 74/72 angles, whe reas the midisized ones had 73//.
Bob Jackson who produced this JRJ frame (John Robert Jackson) also produced in the same range Olympic 25 Time Trial and Olympic International Road Racing models. Bob used to prefer to spray these frames with flamboyant tra nsparent enamels over a silver base-coat. For £1 extra that finish could be had over an all-chrome plate. His favourite colours, for road frames w ere flam ruby, flam royal blue, or flam emerald green. These finishes were accompanied by a white head panel, elongated diamond panels in white on the down and seat tubes, and long triangles in white on the fork blades. All f rames had double-box lining. He claimed that the white paint showed off the Olympic circles better.
The lugs on this frame are Oscar Egg Super Champion, model SC2 - this patte rn being the most popular in the range. The decorative pipes have been dril led and filed to produce small spearpoints.
In the Leeds and Bradford area there was much competition among the various framebuilders because the two large cities are less than ten miles apart. Bradford boasted Baines cycles, who were content to produce their short-whe elbase Gate design, while well-known road racer and framebuilder, Geoff Cla rke produced well-balanced sound, but unfussy frames. At Ellis-Briggs they produced their fancy lugged Superbe and International models, but preferred to nibble their fancy shapes out of Ekla or Brampton cast lugs.
The other popular Bradford builder, Whitaker and Mapplebeck ( later to beco me Pennine Cycles under Johnny Mapplebeck) was the preferred shop of the br eakaway road racers - members of the Britsh League of Racing Cyclists. They claimed that their frames were inspired by continental designs but this di d not prevent them from attempting to copy, rival and outdo JRJs, with thei r variations on Oscar Egg lugs - the brand that seemed. from memory, to be the most popular, more so than Nervex Pros.
I have frames from this era from both JRJ and Whitaker and Mapplebeck, with prettified Oscar Egg lugs that show amazing ingenuity and inventiveness. I f all goes well with the new camera I will post photos on my Flickr site.
Norris Lockley..wallowing in nostalgia..Settle, UK