[CR]Frame sleuthing update: Bob Jackson

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From: "James C. Chaney" <jchaney@thechaneyfirm.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2006 07:14:27 -0800
Subject: [CR]Frame sleuthing update: Bob Jackson

I've posted a couple of times in the last month about an eBay find which was listed as a no-name 1980's Italian bike, but which turned out to be an English lightweight from the early 1970's. At first, I was suspecting MKM or Kitching, but based in part on input here, I realized that wasn't the case. The mystery seems to have been solved: it's apparently a Bob Jackson (the current iteration of Bob Jackson Cycles in Leeds agrees that it's probably a BJ, and I've asked them to check the job cards ... ah, the joys of having a vintage bike made by a company that still exists ...) dating to mid to late 1972. I'll let everybody know the outcome of my request for specific production data, and my inquiry to them about availability of transfers.

Just in case anybody needed to know a basic range of BJ serial numbers from this era, I offer what I have so far as a public service:

370 - 1954 (bearing "JRJ Cycles" headbadge; JRJ are Bob Jackson's initials, and were used as an earlier version of the Bob Jackson marque) 7300 - July 1970 (road, bought as bare frame) ???? - 1971 (time trial; contact pending) 7742 - Bought in 1972 (track, bought as frameset) 8200 - November 1971 (road, bought as bare frame) 8648 - Mine, probably 1972, probably time trial 8751 - 1973 (road) 9812 - 1974 (road) 15052 - 1979 Grand Prix (road)

The numbers are sequential, as you've probably figured out. I've gathered that the acceleration from about 1973 to 1979 was a product of a big jump in exports to the US as part of the "bike boom". It's been commented upon both here and elsewhere that the quality of Bob Jackson frrames was spotty during this period because of the jump in production. The shop went from one or two framebuilders to as many as five at a time. Later, the company was sold to complete outsiders, and quality really went in the trash; Jackson and others bought the company back in 1993, and while Jackson himself passed away in 1998, the brand has made its way back, and Bob Jackson Cycles is a respected builder of new steel frames.

As a final aside, one of the bikes listed above turns out to be owned by another guy right here in Eugene, Oregon; it hangs in the foyer of his office about a half mile from my office. I've seen the bike, it's gorgeous, and it's an inspiration to me to do a good job on this restoration. It amazes me that it took the Web for me to find it, but there ya go.

Which is probably far more than anyone needed to know .....

James C. Chaney

Eugene, Oregon USA

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