[CR] Ellis Briggs Flyer '57: photos - info? Story?

(Example: Component Manufacturers)

Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:42:15 +0100
From: "W S Pulman-Jones" <simonpj@mac.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
In-Reply-To: <70AA7389C80789439D7E7BCBE48650C40370E7A9@DCEXVS01.OldcastleAPG.com>
Subject: [CR] Ellis Briggs Flyer '57: photos - info? Story?


I was very happy to be able to visit Ellis Briggs in Shipley on Monday to collect the Flyer (short wheelbase with off-set seat tube) that they were selling via eBay last week.

I have posted a number of photos to wooljersey.com including some close-ups of the rather beautiful transfers.

http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/simonpj/EllisBriggsFlyer57/

I would love to hear from anyone who can provide any history and background about Ellis Briggs' Flyer model. I know there are some real Ellis Briggs experts on the list! Ellis Briggs have dated the bike as 1957. I thought it might have been earlier.

And I would love to hear thoughts about who the bike might have been built for - either a specific rider, or a type of rider - and what type of use the Flyer model was intended for.

I went for a first 25 miles on it today. It's certainly extremely stiff, with those short chain stays and braced bottom bracket area, with a pretty unforgiving ride. The forks and the chainstays are pretty stout. (Look at the close up that shows the huge contrast between the ends of the relatively slender seat stay and the fat chain stay).

What type are the bars? They give an extremely low position in the drops, and are very wide too. Taking this together with the over-engineered rear triangle, might the bike have been made for a beast of a sprinter?

In its current training set up with 26" wheels and Bluemels Airweights the bike doesn't exactly have the responsiveness that's meant to come from the short, 39", wheelbase. I'm sure it's going to feel very different on sprints. Would I be right in assuming that time trials (on the nearby A1?) would what the Flyer was made for?

Do take a look at the close ups of the Ellis Briggs transfers. I think they are as beautiful as any bike logos I've seen. In particular, do you think the "E B Flyer" on the down tube is a very fine transfer, or hand painted? And, can anyone identify the bird of prey?

What type are the lugs? They show some nice filing/shaping.

Finally, I have included some close up photos of the stepped bottom bracket arrangement. How was this done?

All the best,

Wyndham Pulman-Jones
Girton, Cambs., UK