Re: [CR]Arthur Metcalfe and "MM" cycles or MKM Cycles?

(Example: Framebuilders:Richard Moon)

From: <rodk3d@comcast.net>
To: "David G. White" <whiteknight@adelphia.net>, Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]Arthur Metcalfe and "MM" cycles or MKM Cycles?
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 18:38:31 +0000


Hey David, I'll shoot you the serial number of my remaining frame tonight. The headbadge and seat tube decal are the same and say MKM. There is also a made in England sticker and a made my MKM Cycles Harrowgate sticker on it. Workmanship on my road frame is very nice, very thin stays, nice crisp lugwork. The track frame I sold was a bit cruder. I recall someone mentioning a while back about a certain builder MKM employed in the later years who was very good. Can't recall his name though......

I have many more pictures of both frames if you should want some more pics.

Rod Kronenberg
Fort Collins, CO


-------------- Original message --------------


> Norris' thought of my Arthur Metcalfe frame being from 1981 is a

\r?\n> plausible theory, but I wonder....

\r?\n>

\r?\n> I note that the serial number starts with 18, not 81. Also, looking more

\r?\n> closely at the MKM frames on the CR website, I see that Tom Adam's

\r?\n> headbadge is identical to mine and says only "MM Cycles", not MKM and

\r?\n> the photos of the original finish of his frame (seen on Tom's own photo

\r?\n> site, not the CR site) show that it's original downtube decal said

\r?\n> "MKM", so his frame appears to have been made using both names.

\r?\n> Furthermore, the two seat tube decals on Derel Wilburn's MKM on the CR

\r?\n> site are also identical to mine saying only MM, not MKM. It's

\r?\n> interesting to note, however, that webmaster Dale's MKM has a head tube

\r?\n> decal that clearly says "MKM". Separately, another listmember has mailed

\r?\n> photos of a couple MKM frames he owns, one of which shows the remains of

\r?\n> an "Arthur Metcalfe" decal on the downtube, like mine. But I can' quite

\r?\n> see the decal on the seatube to see whether it says MKM or MM Cycles.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> All of this leads to my current working theory: Perhaps the business

\r?\n> started simply as MM Cycles. They ordered decals and head badges.

\r?\n> Perhaps soon afterwards Ron Kitching added his backing and the name

\r?\n> quickly became MKM Cycles. But they already had a supply of MM decals

\r?\n> and badges, so they used them until they ran out. Thus, perhaps, there

\r?\n> is no real difference between MM Cycles and MKM Cycles.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> How does that sound? Does anyone know the actual history so we can cease

\r?\n> positing theories?

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Along the way, I'd be grateful if those of you who have MKM bikes (Tom,

\r?\n> Rod, Derel, Dale and others) would email me off list with the following

\r?\n> information:

\r?\n>

\r?\n> 1) serial number

\r?\n> 2) year of manufacture, if known

\r?\n> 3) do decals and head tube badge say "MM Cycles" or "MKM Cycles"? Or a

\r?\n> mix of both?

\r?\n> 4) model name, if known (for example, mine is an "Arthur metcalfe Tour

\r?\n> de France"

\r?\n>

\r?\n> I'll post a summary to the list if I get enough info to make that

\r?\n> worthwhile.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Thanks!

\r?\n>

\r?\n> David

\r?\n>

\r?\n> David G. White

\r?\n> Burlington, VT

\r?\n>

\r?\n>

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Norris Lockley wrote:

\r?\n>

\r?\n> >Having just posted my last email in which I assumed that the "MM" cycles

\r?\n> >pre-dated "MKM"..I am having second thoughts, having just browsed

\r?\n> >through some of Wes Mason's catalogues, and reread the original CR post.

\r?\n> >

\r?\n> >When Wes, Arthur and Ron sold on the MKM venture, Wes opened his own

\r?\n> >retail shop in Coldbath Road, Harrogate, and continued to produce frames

\r?\n> >from a workshop in the cellar of the shop, these frames bearing his own

\r?\n> >name. The top model resembled the top model Benotto of that era with its

\r?\n> >champagnme metallic finish and blue and white D/T decals. This might

\r?\n> >have been the "Gold Medal" model, named after his victory in the

\r?\n> >Copmonwealth Games,

\r?\n> >

\r?\n> >It has occurred to me that the number on Mr White's "MM". involving the

\r?\n> >numbers "1" and "8" indicate that this was made in 1981, the following

\r?\n> >numbers just being sequential. That date would be just about right for

\r?\n> >Wes' retail venture. So I am assuming now that Wes did a deal with

\r?\n> >Arthur--or maybe Arthur was involved as well-- to produce the "Arthur

\r?\n> >Metcalfe" frames. The "Tour de France" model name obviously referring to

\r?\n> >Arthur's participation in the Tour as a member of the English team.

\r?\n> >

\r?\n> >Yes... I reckon that is the explanation.

\r?\n> >

\r?\n> >Norris Lockley.the old grey matter isn't as good as it used to

\r?\n> >be...Settle, Uk