[CR]Dick Clements

(Example: History)

From: "Norris Lockley" <norris.lockley@talktalk.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2006 12:06:15 -0000
Subject: [CR]Dick Clements

hello, Sam..

I live in Yorkshire and have always been up this end of the country, but have never heard of a Dick Clements as a framebuilder, but that is not to say that he didn't exist.

However don't hold your breathe on the bike in the photos, as it isn't a handbuilt one, but a generic one used by Raleigh, Carlton, and on occasion Falcon.

The lugs look to be a variation on a Nervex pattern..but possibly not Nervex, the tubes are one of Tube Investment's high-end mild steel, was it "True-Temper", but it is the tubular wrap-over seat stay eyes that really identify this frame. They can be bound on frames badged up with all the brands I gave above.

Perhaps the give-away is the steel 3-arm chainset..a regular pattern used by Raleigh and Carlton in the 70s.

Falcon also had this type of frame around the same time..a time when Ernie Clements was the Managing Director there. I don't recall any frames at that time being badged up "Ernie Clements", ..those came in the early 80s and were variations on a theme from both Falcon and Coventry Eagle ( the same group of companies). However many of the Falcon frames in their heyday when they were producing some excellent top-end machines , had headbadges bearing the statement "Designed by Ernie Clements" placed just under the main "FALCON" name,.

Of course Ernie had been a very famous road racing man in his time, in the late 40s, and a very elegant rider. Based on his renown there were Ernie Clements frames around in the 50s, and some of them were very well made..certainly the products of a craftsman builder. I think they came from somewhere such as Wiltshire, or Gloucester..some where down that way.

Hope that this helps

Norris Lockley, Settle UK