List Members- Having purchased, and raced on a brand new custom built Criterium Frame from Jim Redcay in 1975, and being told it is probably one of the top thirty frames made by Jim, I'll shed some light to this post. First, the Red K on the head tube originally was just the red K, no stars, they came about a few years later, probably late 70's early eighties. The down tube decals were spelled Jim Redcay, I don't believe that ever changed. Jim was also known for cut outs on his lugs. Hearts were frequently used.especially in the seat tube which he often used the fast back design. Also his attention to detail was pretty darn good. Fillet brazed and finely sanded. There is a Jim Redcay in the archives that belonged to Lou Deeter that is also a good example of Jims work. I also was at Jim's shop several times in the process of having my frame built and as I recall, in the early years he pretty much was a one man show. eventually sending his paintint to the guy from Wheel fine Imports.. As far as decals go. Both Tom Kellogg, who I believe learned some of his expertise from Jim, and Wheel Fine Imports in Lambertville, who I also believe used to paint for Jim, have period correct decals but will not part with them. The only way you can get your hands on thier decals is to have them re-paint your bike. The reason I know this is because I am in the process of repainting my Jim Redcay and have contacted both Tom and Wheel Fine Imports and that was the story. I was lucky to get a set of decals from another list member, who had a decal shop make him two sets. My only delema is that the Head Tube decal is the later Red K with the stars, and for all you perfectionists out there, that would make my refinish not period correct. Oh Well, watcha gonna do...I'm really not that concerned because my Redcay was always repainted in team colors with team sponsors names visable. This will be the fifth paint job for this bike and it will be in what is now our team colors with current team sponsors, even though she is retired....
Ed Busch
Vonore Tennesse USA
> 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/
> I've read that,framebuilder, Tom Kellogg thinks "Jim Redcay as one of
> the top custom frame builders".
> http://www.spectrum-cycles.com/
> 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/
>
> 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/