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user55467
GideonPARANOID
A bit of Donohue history as requested, we bought a few of Paul's bikes in 1997/8 I think. They were amongst the first built in Reynolds Millennium tubing, Patricia had a 531 winter bike followed by a 653 close-clearance summer bike. I had a 531 winter followed by an 853 which was built in the same series as the Team Brite bikes but with Donohue stickers. The colour was known as Brite Red.
When Paul heard that I was thinking of a Colnago frame he offered the 853 built with a complete Dura Ace group set for the same price. It was a good deal so I took him up on it.
We got quite friendly with Paul and met him several times over the next few years, he was a really nice genuine man.
He explained that he was having to compete with imported bikes but wanted to keep the Donohue name for his own builds. Just at this time Cougar went 'bust' and Paul bought what was left of the company in order to sell imports under the name Cougar. He inherited several frames with the buy-out, built I think by Terry Dolan, he sold one to me for the cost of the paint job (with the correct Cougar stickers). From here on he sold his imports under the Cougar name.
He had a lucky escape when he was awarded the contract to build the bikes for the LInda MaCartney team which was being formed. The team pulled out of the deal and the contract (for what it worth) went to a foreign builder. The rest is history - the team set-up was in fact a scam and there was no money behind it so the bikes were never paid for and the team soon folded. Paul also built all of the Graham Weigh bikes at this time including the junior track bikes for Manchester, this is why he was able to build the small frame for Patricia just as she wanted it.
I'm not sure when Paul gave up the frame building but he was a highly regarded builder who assisted Reynolds with test builds of new tubing. Having got away from the bike scene he soon lost interest completely and doesn't respond the requests for information. He did however hand over his decal/transfers to H LLoyd Cycles which helps restorers.