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Old 10-30-07, 03:48 PM
  #1  
cyclotoine
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Witcomb Cycles

I just happened to stumble upon the last shop making handbuilt steel in London (totally unintentional) while I was there a few days ago near the end of my 2 month vacation. Barrie Witcomb himself claimed there were only 12 names still making handbuilt bikes in England!

I took some photos.










I really like the seatstay caps
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Old 10-30-07, 03:58 PM
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very nice work, 3 cheers for Barrie! I love that candy-striped paint with the Capella lugs!
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Old 10-30-07, 04:01 PM
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Cool. I'm digging the barber pole paint, only on the seat tube though, it's too much for me on other the parts. And that head lug, is it flipping me the bird?
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Old 10-30-07, 04:06 PM
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Those are gorgeous frames. I almost wish my way-back relatives had stayed in Wales, then I could hop over and check those out. Alas, I am marooned in Ohio...
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Old 10-30-07, 04:17 PM
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I am glad Witcomb is still in business. I have seen very few Witcomb bikes in southern California, but they are indeed well-crafted.
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Old 10-30-07, 04:25 PM
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Witcomb do make some nice frames, and Barrie and Ernie are both great people.

However they've recently taken on a "Design Consultant" and doubled to tripled their frame prices almost over night. Starting price for frame and forks is £1500 ($3000 at todays exchange rates), and that's off the peg in their choice of colour. Anything else is extra.

By way of a comparison, Mercian's top of the line 853 frames are around £900 ($1800) with your choice of colour, lung lining, contrast bands etc
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Old 10-30-07, 09:00 PM
  #7  
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Originally Posted by tobydeemer
Those are gorgeous frames. I almost wish my way-back relatives had stayed in Wales, then I could hop over and check those out. Alas, I am marooned in Ohio...

If you pretended to be related to me you could visit virtually any area of the UK and know that you are somehow related to at least one person wherever you are .

Thanks for the photos, cyclotoine!

East Hill
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Old 10-30-07, 09:03 PM
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the raised ridges on the seatstay caps are very hetchinsesque...on the medium blue track frame, on the downtube...what is that thing that looks like a single coupler?
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Old 10-30-07, 10:14 PM
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Originally Posted by luker
the raised ridges on the seatstay caps are very hetchinsesque...on the medium blue track frame, on the downtube...what is that thing that looks like a single coupler?
That would be a Kashimax top tube protector. Probably placed there to keep the frame from getting dinged by the brake.

I'll take the yellow frame in a 58.
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Old 10-31-07, 02:11 PM
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Originally Posted by East Hill
If you pretended to be related to me you could visit virtually any area of the UK and know that you are somehow related to at least one person wherever you are .

Thanks for the photos, cyclotoine!

East Hill



Heck, for all I know, we could be related. And that would be unexpected.
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Old 12-15-07, 07:16 AM
  #11  
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Hey thanks for the cool photos of our work. Please feel free to drop in again!
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Old 05-29-11, 12:02 AM
  #12  
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I just went to a website for Witcomb Cycles that I found in Wiki and it's not active. Are you folks still around?
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Old 05-29-11, 04:19 AM
  #13  
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Yeah, I'm sure Witcomb dude will be visiting this 3 1/2-yea-old thread any minute now.
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Old 05-29-11, 05:03 AM
  #14  
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Hey, I'm still here! Unfortunately, I don't own a Witcomb, nor do I have anything to do with them.

Neal
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Old 05-29-11, 06:32 AM
  #15  
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I read this whole thing until I hit East Hill and new sumpin' was up. Worth revisiting the pics, though ...
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Old 05-29-11, 07:13 AM
  #16  
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This one's awesome:



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Old 05-30-11, 02:06 AM
  #17  
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This Classic Rendezvous entry is now owned by yours truly. It was sold to me as a frame set with BB, crankset and headset. It now sports wood rimed track wheels with a skip tooth cog. As soon as I finish it, in a couple of months or so, I'll post pics. In any case, if anyone knows why Witcomb Cycles closed or if they're operating under an alias please let me know.
https://www.classicrendezvous.com/Bri...ack_656269.htm
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Old 10-12-12, 09:39 AM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by Chilero
This Classic Rendezvous entry is now owned by yours truly. It was sold to me as a frame set with BB, crankset and headset. It now sports wood rimed track wheels with a skip tooth cog. As soon as I finish it, in a couple of months or so, I'll post pics. In any case, if anyone knows why Witcomb Cycles closed or if they're operating under an alias please let me know.
https://www.classicrendezvous.com/Bri...ack_656269.htm
I am restoring an old witcomb right now. I am eager to finish, it should just out pretty sweet.

Mike
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Old 10-12-12, 09:56 AM
  #19  
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However they've recently taken on a "Design Consultant" and doubled to tripled their frame prices almost over night. Starting price for frame and forks is £1500 ($3000 at todays exchange rates),
The British Pound is strong 1.606 as of today, but not 2.0 against the US $. So a frame costing 1,500GB would be $2,400, maybe $2,600 if you inclued shipping
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Old 10-12-12, 10:02 AM
  #20  
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Originally Posted by Velognome
The British Pound is strong 1.606 as of today, but not 2.0 against the US $. So a frame costing 1,500GB would be $2,400, maybe $2,600 if you inclued shipping
need to check the post dates . But I'm glad this was resurrected. Beautiful frames. And Mike, you have to post pics of your acquisition, too.
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Old 10-12-12, 11:44 AM
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Agreed, pictures are good enough to make it worth reviving this thread!
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Old 10-12-12, 03:51 PM
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I saw this one racked:


Witcomb by djk762, on Flickr


Witcomb by djk762, on Flickr


Witcomb by djk762, on Flickr


Witcomb- Brooks Conquest All Terrain by djk762, on Flickr


Witcomb by djk762, on Flickr

-D
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Old 10-13-12, 07:11 AM
  #23  
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I'm still waiting for some expert to step up and tell me whether this is, or isn't, really, a Witcomb.


The consensus seems to be that it is English, probably from the early 70's or so. Paint (and "Witcomb" decals) presumably not original, so we're left with... uh... well, it has the same serial number on both frame and fork: 1492.



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Old 10-13-12, 07:33 AM
  #24  
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RHM I think that is a rebranded huffy just send it my way
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Old 10-13-12, 10:59 AM
  #25  
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Silly me, I thought Walking Dead only showed on Sunday evenings! '07...Hmmmph, go figure? That said, the barberpole bike is really cool!

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