I'm the Veteran-Cycle Club's Marque Enthusiast for R O Harrison cycles, and if you let me have the serial number of your machine, I should be able to date it.
As you may know, Reg Harrison died in 1955, and the business was subsequently sold. Post-war frames built during Reg Harrison's ownership were constructed on the premises, using Reynolds 531 tubing, and the seat post diameter will most likely be 27.2mm.
The new owner bought in frames, rather than build them himself, and used R O Harrison decals, so it's entirely possible that different tubing was used, and that seat post diameters may vary accordingly. The R O H history seems to parallel that of Gillott to some extent, in that whilst frames built under Harrison's ownership are of top quality, those sold by the subsequent owner vary, and I've been told that he had a reputation for having second-hand frames of dubious origin resprayed, and sold as new R O Harrisons. This is not to say that yours will be one of these, and you will be able to assess its quality readily enough by examination.
Neil Foddering Weymouth, Dorset, Engalnd
> From: paccoastcycles@sbcglobal.net
> To: trackstand@verizon.net; classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 20:25:29 -0700
> Subject: Re: [CR] R O Harrison Track frame seat tube sizing
>
> Kevin,
> I find that sometimes the seat lug ears need to be spread apart while
> checking for seat post size. You may have already done that. If a smaller
> than appropriate size post has been used, it will cause this problem.
>
> Chuck Hoefer
> Pacific Coast Cycles
> Oceanside, California
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "kevin mccaul" <trackstand@verizon.net>
> To: "'classic rendezvous'" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 2:04 PM
> Subject: [CR] R O Harrison Track frame seat tube sizing
>
>
> >I have a nice 1960 (?) R O Harrison track bike Reynolds 531 and Nervex Pro
> > Lugs, not drilled for brakes and has metal head badge. Very nice bike.
> >
> > Unfortunately, I cannot for the life of me determine the correct seat post
> > size.
> >
> > The sizing rod is in as far as I can push it and says 26.8.
> >
> > I put the 26.8 Campy seat post in and get movement.
> >
> > Do I need to shim this?
> >
> > Anybody know for certain what size it is.
> >
> > I know seat post sizing can be tricky sometimes, but I've never had a
> > problem before.
> >
> > Thanks for any help,
> >
> > Kevin McCaul
> >
> > Silver Spring MD
> >
> > _______________________________________________
>
>
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