The Roberts Cycles Handbuilt Bicycle Owners Club

that's really, really wonderful

Seconded, that ticks a lot of boxes. I've an older Roughstuff frame here with a stuck seatpost (it was like that when I came across it) which I really should get on and sort out. Thanks for the inspiration.

The pink one has now gone, I didn't really mean to sell it, it has been replaced with the newly refurbed White Spider though. Terrible photos I know.

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DIdn't work. The pink one:

Edit, still didn't work.

I should probably share my Roberts MTBs, poor photo but this captures an '89 basic 'bottom line' with Deore components, a '91 White Spider Ultralite (WTB/King, Cook Bros, xt, IRD, Salsa, Bontrager fork) and my '92 DogsBolx with xtr m900.

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I have literally rescued a 21.5" Roberts road bike when the last owner was clearing out to move, it was headed towards a large skip, a small charity donation had it redirected into my car. Unfortunately I will never be able to ride it as it is rather too small, but a subtle restoration and it will be well cared for in the future. It appears a genuine frame and from my reading the frame number 150 suggests it is quite early. It has some great features, the bottom bracket is drilled with a capital 'R', drilled drop outs and 'R' on the seat stays and fork crown. I am told it was repainted by Roberts in the 90's and has hardly been used since. It is built up with mostly Campag components and I have swapped the shimano gear set with some 80's Campag, I will keep the rather nice Dura Ace chainset though. The bike just has a feel of quality and it's a shame I will never know what it rides like.
Does anyone have any clue to it's history?

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That looks very nice indeed and well saved from the skip!
I've not seen Roberts of that age (in the 100's) marked there on the bottom bracket. Rather the marking is on a rear dropout (and fork steerer). Not saying you are wrong, of course!
I have frame #506 with the same 'R' drilled out of the bottom bracket, it also has drilled dropouts and the R on fork and seatstays, with a chrome fork and chainstay, like yours.
As a prior owner of #107 and #137, these were also numbered on the rear non-drive dropout.
I have a late-70's brochure, which I'll try to upload.
Cheers!

Lovely - and what an amazing rescue / find.

Thanks for your interest and comments, I cannot be sure of what work the frame has had over the years, the story of the 90's refurbishment at Roberts fits the condition and components attached. If it is as old as a 150 number suggests it must have had updates to the frame as the changer mounts are brazed on. That said any number could be struck on there later, but there are no other numbers visible on the frame. I have not taken the steerer out so maybe I should particularly as it has a manky Shimano 105 headset at present. At least it has a good home now and will be around for future generations to appreciate the engineering.

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Top drilling on the Dropout is for a portacatena, that sort of dates it late 1970's to mid 1980's.

You can see the frame number here...
Excuse the dirt, this was during an initial strip-down. The frame is having some small repairs at the moment.

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The drop out is really similar but no number on this one. If you wanted to copy a Roberts and went to all the trouble of drilling and machining you would put the number in the normal place. I will have to remove the steerer to see if anything is there. I guess its part of the variations you get with hand built stuff. As you can see from this image the frame and parts have cleaned up quite well.

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Thank you for all the comments, really helpful and interesting. I like the bike even more now.

I have this price list which given the workshop address and limited range, I reckon is from '76-'80 ish.
Might be of interest:

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http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292319231232

This frameset, #150 is a Charlie Roberts (Chas & Geoff's Dad) frame and was built during the Sydenham period - before Anerley and Croydon.
I have two early Roberts, both before #150, others have commented on #150s modifications and I'm sure they are correct - later than the frameset.
Jon.

Thank you Jon, it shows the quality that it is still around to be admired and hopefully back on the road again some time with someone having shorter legs than mine. Mark

That is a lovely looking frame - I love that green.
I found this place by chance a while ago, but never got around to posting. Anyways,

This is mine. I've had it for about 25 years now. It's been through a recent rejuvenation, tires, stem, cables etc, but otherwise, the vast majority has been in place since I built it up back then.
It's a Phantom essentially, just more to my spec, so a full Max OR frame, but including Max forks and a sloping top tube, as I really wanted that style/look at the time.

Gear is a mix of Campag and XT for the most part with a few randoms here and there.

Can't imagine riding anything else tbh.

Our Roberts tandem... got it on Ebay last year, has been well loved, original paint. I think it's from about 1980 at a guess. It has an oval top tube and boom tube, which I was told is unusual. I can't detect any whip in the frame at all. It's a beautifully light riding bike, as the captain, it's no heavier to handle than a single. Was planning a respray but it's in such timewarp condition I'm keeping it orange-red.

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stunning

Decent price

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=378109

Hi new here, back in 1990 I think I ordered the Roberts low profile pictured below , I think it was called a Kronos S but could be wrong, I used it a few times that season and did well 10 mile tt 22.31 on junior gearing, anyway at that age I got a car and cycling unfortunately was forgotten about, the 1st pic is in 1990 and the second is today 31/1/2017 anyone know if these are worth anything? Or just keep it?

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Sorry pic 3 is when it was new

Keep it!

'mazing, get back on it!