[CR] Frank Hoste & 50+ Cafe Conversations

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From: <inexpertbrit@tesco.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR] Frank Hoste & 50+ Cafe Conversations
Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2006 19:33:51 +0100


Frank Hoste road for the following Professional teams which the CR list period covers. 1977 & 78 IJsboerke-Colnalgo. 1979 Marc Zeepcentrale Superia. 1980 Marc VRD they were supposed to ride Eddy Merckx bikes but these were not available at the start of the season so they rode their old Superia's at the start hence the doctored photograph. 1981 & 82 T.I. Raleigh. No need to explain the make of bike is last. He had many great seasons but most of his career is off topic but in 82 he won the Ghent-Wevelgem, Dunkirk 4 Day and a stage in the TdeF (St.8).

Reg Harris in his last days as an amateur got considerable assistance from Claud Butler. When he signed pro forms with Raleigh he wanted to ride an all chrome Raleigh. He loved all chrome frames or ones with all chrome front forks. Raleigh told him in no uncertain manner that he would be riding Raleigh RRA deep flam red but they did concede the RHH transfer on the seat tube, something that Claud would never let him have.

Les Ephgrave made the majority of Claud’s Specials at the old billiards Hall in Clapham High Street. They were drawn up full size on cartridge paper from which the frames were tacked, consequently most of the drawings were badly scorched and not re-useable. Courtesy of Doug Taylor ex Claud Butler Draftsman when Stuart Purves was in charge of Butler’s Drawing Office.
>From another ex Claud Butler employee who wants to remain nameless. Butlers made trade frames for umpteen lightweight firms and when Les Ephgrave started up on his own he did the same. He said that three out of five frames that were made in Ephgraves works were destined for other firms and this figure was sometimes even higher. They made for George Brooks, Dave Davey, Rory O’Brien, Stuart Purves, Algurn and D.K.Swann. This same source said that if a lightweight shop were an agent for say Ephgraves, Butlers or Holdsworth one of these makers would be making and supplying their own brand frames. George Brooks was definitely an agent for Les Ephgrave and so was Rory. Another interesting point he made was that he was positive that Les in the early years made more welded Ephgraves than lugged ones. He also mentioned Stoke Newington Engineering as another trade builder who made the Toledo for a Tottenham lightweight shop and also for Ivor Holmes.

Welded I know is not strictly the correct term but it is what most British cyclists of a certain age call a lugless constructed frame. I was always told that the term welded came about because of the following. With the reveal of the cycling market in 1923 Raleigh were at the forefront. They introduced into their range chrome plated bicycles, lighter construction, attractive colours, rustless rims and spokes, and better quality tyres and saddles, which all helped to create demand for the company’s products. Their lightweights were particularly adaptable to racing machines a range which the company had dropped during the Great War but had now restarted making. In 1924 they produced a lightweight of advanced design at a very modest price of £11.5.0. It had a very rigid light and lugless frame and was acetylene welded. Hence the term welded for lugless.

I find the Reg Harris drug and race-fixing piece rather disingenuous and distasteful especially when he is no longer with us, equally the same of Our Tom. I was lucky enough to be at Saffron Road Leicester in 74 when Reg won. Most of his opponents were on Carlton’s including Trevor Bull in the final. I am positive it was his pure track skills and better brilliant sprint tactics that won it. Next year Trevor took no chances he went for flyers and left him for dead!

Drugs were not uncommon in time trials here in the early 60’s. Most commonly used were “Purple Hearts” Drinamly or Yellows Dexetrin and Ephedrine, which you could buy easily at the chemist counter then. The other two you needed a doctor’s prescription but they were very easily obtainable without this. Most large factory night shifts were run on them especially where excessive overtime was being worked.. Cycling is probably the cleanest sport of all lets face it we have had all the bad media and drugs testing over the years but you can’t tell me athletics, rowing, rugby or football are any cleaner, it’s just they are not in the public eye as much. I would let them all take what they like. How can you race on those mountains without some performance-enhancing agent? You might be interested in doing a search on Valetin Huot a very good French cyclists form the 50’s shaded of this years Tour? http://www.dopage.com/dopa4/fr/internet/03/model/index.php?id=0101_detail&position=2&iddossier=11&idrub=89

Taraa Bert Palmer Greenford Middx.
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