Ken Bird?

PS you're right about the belly in my case too.

......and the pot in my case. I have a lovely KB built Shorter in the shed that deserves new paint and decals. dibs

Well, if Simon doesn't return, you could always try H Lloyd, right?

Would you put KB decals on if it was originally marqued a Shorter? Interesting thought. I've been considering repainting my tourer, think it might be a Dave Yates-built EGBates (only cos he told me he built a load of ST canti-ed tourers for that shop), but I'd assumed I'd put EG Bates stickers on it. It'd be nice to have two Yateses!

Weirdly there's another Simon Bird who's on this here forum, rides a stunning Cougar avec toutes Mavic.

I can tell you he was based on Anerly hill in the small parade of shops on the left as you go down the hill and was renowned for his wheel building. I used to pop in there now and again. Always seemed like a nice bloke.

Judging by all of your comments here you are all middle aged pot bellied men who never had the same success in the industry as my father did. I doubt very much you would have made the same comments to his face if he where alive today.

I do actually have full sets of decals for the restoration of my fathers frames but these have and will go to more deserving and respectful people.

Regards

Simon Ken Bird

Welcome to the forum SKB - don't take these things too seriously.

Turn this into an appreciation thread.

Check out this porn TT machine. Track geo..? Look at the HT angle and toe overlap.

That is lovely.

Since this thread was resurrected, I've been doing some reading on Ken Bird and he made some fantastic bikes:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JyZ5Odp1hMs/Ue7-prmC2wI/AAAAAAAACnU/CtFYmQLkJI4/s1600/Bird+(1044x1400).jpg

Thank you for educating me on the internet, I have been using it since 1989 or so and am a qualified computer programmer who built his first website back in the mid nineties but again thanks maybe you could teach me a thing or two. I don't really get your point though, I will on any level in any forum who ridicules my father defend his memory not something that I find to derogatory behavior at all and certainly not "babyish" I like the idea of people bringing cycles back to life and have helped many with providing them with the few decals I have left, my choice and because there is only one box, I am choosey with who I give them to, not babyish. The age of this thread also has zero relevance to me if I choose to comment on a thread that found offensive then I should be allowed to do so, the last time I checked we do still have freedom of speech in this country. This has annoyed me and I will no longer make any more comments on this thread regardless of what has been put up as I feel my point has been made.

Fair enough.

I could never ride or restore a frame with such humourless heritage so I'm pleased you've responded as that's a KB off my list.

Maybe it's best we ignore the son's attempts to defend his fathers name and stick to enjoying renovating the frames.
Ken Bird is doing a better job of looking after his heritage than his offspring...

I always really lusted after the Shorter and Bird bikes I saw at track when I was a kid, if one came up I'd be interested in saving it from oblivion.

To borrow from Jah Tim "Peace and love"

Ken made my first bike, I think his brother Alex made the frames it was a super lightweight road racing bike with the correct gears for road racing every Tuesday night at Crystal Palace cost me Mum 180:00 pounds and was all I needed to win Championships with on Tuesday at Crystal Palace and Sunday’s at Eastway, lea valley park. Two great road racing tracks that were once car racing tracks
I had plenty of help from Ken to keep my bike running smooth but it was super reliable although not campagnolia throughout like the best it had very efficient kit so for a true classic bike you need campagnolia hubs gears brakes but shimano will be just as reliable
Think my x boss may know where my bike is I left it hanging in his warehouse he bought me a brand new motorcycle for it sure was good
I remember meeting Kens son in the 80s nice one fella
Seamus O’Dwyer