Roberts Road bike build

After many months of searching, I've finally found a secondhand Roberts in
my size, for the bargain price of £150 for the frame.

(sellers pic not mine... more pics when I can get the camera from my brother)

The plan is to build it up relatively cheaply, a la Spotters Joze Alvarez, with second hand Campagnolo Veloce 10spd, carbon forks, compact bars, and a durable low profile rim wheelset. The build will be as an all round road bike, with a view to reliability rather than it being a lightweight race bike.

Will be updating the thread as I go, hopefully with some detail pics soon.

lovely frame

Nice frame. Bargain, love to see how this turns out.

I look forward to seeing this, frame looks lovely whats it made of?

The previous owner says it is Reynolds 525 front triangle with possible other reynolds tubing for the stays. (525 was a new tubeset in '97 dubbed the replacement for 531)

I'm going to email Roberts with the frame number to see if they can shed any light on the subject!

I was watching this on eBay to see what it went for, you've got a good buy there. I'll have some spare Roberts decals going soon, if you plan on refurbishing the frame? Just recently bought a used Roberts frame myself, so standby for a twin project thread. Might start it this evening.

I wouldn't bother emailing Roberts to ask about frame numbers, btw, I did and they just ignored me (even though I was also trying to buy a carbon fork off them). Might be worth phoning.

I was watching this on eBay to see what it went for, you've got a good buy there. I'll have some spare Roberts decals going soon, if you plan on refurbishing the frame? Just recently bought a used Roberts frame myself, so standby for a twin project thread. Might start it this evening.

I wouldn't bother emailing Roberts to ask about frame numbers, btw, I did and they just ignored me (even though I was also trying to buy a carbon fork off them). Might be worth phoning.

Yeh I lucked out on this! There were 31 watchers, but I was the only bidder! I'll bear that in mind, but I don't think I'll refurb it any time soon, will concentrate on getting it rolling!

Yes I'll probably ring them, my father has a Roberts and has dealt with them before and said that ringing them was easier, just because of the way the shop works!

I'll be watching your thread with interest!

Lovely frame and I've not seen that font on the decals before.

The decals were home made by the previous owner after a respray.

Be nice to see some more pics of the Frame, always a celebratory moment finding a Roberts in your size. Nice one!

off topic i know, I want B'jammin and Eamesy's avatar's to combine

what and create lots of little avatars ... no thanks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7eTOnNBwYU

When I spoke to Chas Roberts (via email admittedly) they didn't seem able to confirm what material my 1990 frame was made from, despite supplying them with the serial...

I was in the shop with a friend who took his Roberts there to see if they could tell him what it was. I got the impression that they get a lot of these requests and don't have the system available to service them all all the time - certainly all of the details on mine were done on handwritten bits of paper.

Chas has an eagle eye though, glanced at the bike and instantly took an interest as it had a slightly different shape dropout that he'd only used briefly 15 years ago.

This one is pretty - and great price. I've seen Roberts frames go for shockingly low prices on ebay, they (inexplicably) don't seem to hold their value.

It seems the trend on eBay at the mo that bare frames are going cheap, but built-up bikes are going for good money.

I'm pretty sure all of the Roberts records are stored on paper in filing cabinets in a room above the shop.

There are a couple of Roughstuff bikes on eBay at the moment which are (thankfully) too small that will probably end up selling for a fair penny.

All these second hand road bike builds are making me mighty tempted to do one myself. You can get an awful lot of bike for not much money if you're patient and pick the right parts. I'm sure this will turn out lovely.

All these second hand road bike builds are making me mighty tempted to do one myself... ...I'm sure this will turn out lovely.

Cheers, go for it, there's a lot of bargains frame wise at the moment!

More pics to come this weekend hopefully! Picking up the front and rear mechs tomorrow and have sourced a campag bb for under a tenner!

^^ tbh I think it depends on your definition of not very much money.

If youre patient you can get good deals on used frames and wheels, but the rest adds up fast unless youve got an extensive parts bin.

Youre usually best off buying a bike for parts to strip.

...anyway moar pics please.

Finally got some photos sorted...

Have made some progress on getting the bits for it, now have front and rear Veloce mechs, and a temporary seatpost. Next up is wheels and forks... any suggestions welcome, would prefer a complete wheelset with an eye to durability as I'm not a little lad...

Finally got some photos sorted...

Have made some progress on getting the bits for it, now have front and rear Veloce mechs, and a temporary seatpost. Next up is wheels and forks... any suggestions welcome, would prefer a complete wheelset with an eye to durability as I'm not a little lad...

ftfy, looks lush. what are you going to do for forks?

Cheers for that Spotter, minor flickr failure there...

Not sure on the forks front, probably carbon of some kind, may as well bid on the ones the seller had on before... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-one-inch-Tifosi-carbon-forks-mudguard-eyes-205mm-steerer-VGC-RRP-104-99-/130678148475?_trksid=p4340.m444&_trkparms=algo%3DCRX%26its%3DC%252BS%26itu%3DSI%252BUA%252BLM%252BLA%26otn%3D5%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D7601853286737103225#ht_500wt_1161

I really dont like those forks, i have to say sorry.
what about columbus minimals'