A.S. Gillott owners & appreciation club

I AM A DICKHEAD soz

That’s definitely the last time I @ you.

😝

lols

My ti swallow didn’t have the stitching- I don’t think.

Phew.

Well I did not know that, I thought he was on there oggling girls. At the time I thought it was a bit ripe for a pre 1950s bikes forum.

even Ti Swallow has a dodgy ring to it

... @absurdbird and yeah the Phil hubs are on the heavy side 😂 They look like bacon slicers though so worth the extra ounces.

Ti Swallow has a dodgy ring to it

Splutter.

They are very like them.

That bike is a great modern interpretation.
Nitto post?
I had my ‘54 Fleur De Lys Gillott built up with Superbe pro track gear and a dura ace stem in the early noughties.

It was great.
Until I crashed it.
😖😔

Thank you. Yep Nitto post, stem and bars. I spent a lot of time oggling stuff on https://www.tracksupermarket.com/ and when I got this frame it seemed too good an opportunity to miss. The bars are the closest bend I could get to the Reynolds "TT Special" bend - I've got one to go on another build in progress.

Bit of an odd one picking parts for a 90s repro - using period parts seemed wrong and using 90s parts just because it was a 90s bike also seemed off.
I suspect you've seen the modern Alex Singer bikes? Real knee rubbers. http://www.cycles-alex-singer.fr/catalogue.html I wanted to do something like that but for a British fixed gear.

It really is lovely btw @veloham. Envious!

Birdy is probably right that the Phils are the heavy bit.

Thanks. I preferred riding it clipless, I find it pretty unforgiving trying to get my foot in to clips on fixed! Need to work on my track stand.

My experience with getting into toeclips fixed is that heavier steel toeclips swing around on the pedal axle as you move off, and alloy ones don't so much, and the swing can be used to help scoop your toe in on the first or second revolution with a little practise.

But yeah clipless.

Bad news for me, I’m already using steel clips!

I nearly swapped them back today but I figure it’s all good practice for when I’m riding fixed with some fancy vintage clips. There’s a right hand turn crossroad junction on the (pretty flat) circuit I ride this round that’s the dodgiest but. Scrape round there fairly often 😬

I suspect you've seen the modern Alex Singer bikes? Real knee rubbers.

Yeah, they’re insanely nice.
As were the short lived René Herse reboot made by Mike Kone and Jan Heine.

It’s a shame that so much modern componentry is just fucking ugly imho. Chainsets and mechs especially.

The TA pro vis seemed too easy. I can't claim the Carmina as my own idea, that was straight from those Alex Singer bikes. I like it though, echoes of period stuff, cranks are a bit chunky. I ordered silver SRAM levers but they were black when they arrived, discontinued long ago apparently, just a dodgy ebay seller with the wrong pics. I stripped the ano and polished them. The gum coloured Hudz hoods are discontinued too, I've stashed another set. I haven't checked recently but a lot of the components on the Singer bikes was ~ 2000, from bitd when it was still polished alloy. Jeez, 2000, bitd.

Carmina is ok. 👍 TA is just quality regardless.
I liked the Alize and Zephyr a lot, I keep my eye open for a cheap Zephyr but I think that bird has flown. There’s always a sweet period after something is discontinued when you can pick it up for cheap -before it becomes classic and collectible. A guy I lived with in a Philly had a Serotta track bike and he picked up Campag BMX cranks and Sheriff Stars for next to nothing. It was 1999 tho’

2000 is definitely bitd, pre Fixie boom in bike terms snd before my nearly 20 year old daughter was born in personal history.

Beautiful Fleur de Lis with what looks like a Gillott stem (I think).

Collection in West London.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224378819609

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Wow

That is rather nice^

It’s a shame that so much modern componentry is just fucking ugly imho. Chainsets and mechs especially.

This is so true, it annoys the hell out of me.

That is a beautiful machine.
Already over £600!
9 days to go. Sky’s the limit on that one.
Apart from it being a totally useable beautiful frame in excellent original condition it’s got some dead nice bits too.
Mansfield alloy saddle and Gnutti splined cranks, Alatet headset I’m guessing early Campag mechs.

Oh my.

This is so true, it annoys the hell out of me.

Maybe it’s you that they’re meant to annoy (and me obvs).

We are old knuckle dragging retro grouches after all.

Those saddles are bloody interesting.

Those saddles are bloody interesting.

There used to be a Mansfield window display in Wilson’s on Peckham High St.
It was an amazing wrought iron affair with the company name and a selection of saddles mounted above it.
I had a 20s Humber loop frame policewoman’s bike with (actual) 28” wheels and rod brakes and I used to go there to get eye bolts, brake blocks and tyres.
It was my first bike as an adult.
Old man Wilson was almost blind and easily 80 something, totally cantankerous and pissed off in that way that all proper bike shop owners were back then. His eyes lit up when I first told him I had a 20’s Humber “have you, by Jove!‽”
the shop was chaos and a real Aladdin’s cave, I’m pretty sure his Father started the business in the C19th!!
When he died the collectors swooped, Mark Stevens (Edit it was AVT) bought the Mansfield sign I’m pretty sure.
There used to be a pic of it on line, I’ll have a look.

This was still on display in the mid 90s

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