Re: [CR]Jim Redcay or Redkay?

(Example: Framebuilders:Norman Taylor)

Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:30:00 -0500
From: "Martin Walsh" <mowalsh@verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Jim Redcay or Redkay?
To: "CR List" <ClassicRendezvous@bikelist.org>


Dear CR list members, Concerning a newly acquired Jim Redcay bicycle that he recently purchased, Isaac Shell asked wether it hurts a bicycle frame to have more than one paint job.I'm not a frame builder or painter,but I doubt that it would hurt a steel frame to have more than one paint job.I've read that back in the day,amateur "racers" would repaint their bicycles in the off season with the "new team colors" for the next year. I've owned two Jim Redcay bicycles and they were both fillet brazed. I viewed the link that Steve Willis posted to the list (see below for Steve's lugged steel Redcay) and was truly, impressed by the cut outs in the lugs of Steve's, Jim Redcay. http://thebikestand.com/redcay.html I've read that,framebuilder, Tom Kellogg thinks "Jim Redcay as one of the top custom frame builders". http://www.spectrum-cycles.com/44.htm I've been told that Tom Kellogg has the correct replacement decals for Jim Redcay bicycles. There is a bicycle shop in Lambertville,New Jersey that is owned by the person,who was the original painter for Jim Redcay bicycles.I've been told that they have the correct decals for a Jim Redcay bicycle. I bought a Jim Redcay on ebay that I currently have that's been repainted with "no decals". List member Joe Bender-Zannoni owned several Jim Redcay frames at one point in time and is probably the Jim Redcay "expert" of the CR list on this "marque". This is the time of year to do a repaint according to the owner of the shop in Lambertville,New Jersey,USA,when the "humidity levels are low,and business is slow". Isaac I think if you could post photos of your Redcay somewhere several list members could tell you what you have. As stated the "Red colored capital "K" on the headtube" is the original way Redcays were painted.Some original Redcay bicycles had a "cluster of stars surrounding the "Red"colored capital "K" on the headtube as a second option.I've only seen "Redcay" spelt as "REDCAY". See this link for another article on the history of a Jim Redcay bicycle http://www.geocities.com/cyqlist/redcay.html

Some frame builders play around with the spelling of their name like Peter Weigle and "Wiggle" on their custom frames.

I'd say if you really have a Jim Redcay it's a "keeper" in my book!

Good luck and enjoy the ride. Yours truly, Marty Walsh in Vienna,Virginia of the United States of America http://www.spectrum-cycles.com/44.htm