Park your Davidson here!
#1
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,294
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,824 Times
in
1,709 Posts
Park your Davidson here!
I have a couple. I'd like to see yours here.
I think Bill's bikes deserve their own thread because (1) most are exquisite and (2) when he opened his new framebuilding shop after the closure of Elliott Bay Bicycles, my understanding is that he was going to discontinue building lugged steel. I don't know for sure if that's true. In any case, if you've got an older, lugged steel Davidson it would've been built in the old, now-defunct location - so it's something special in my book
Early 80s:
2002:
DD
I think Bill's bikes deserve their own thread because (1) most are exquisite and (2) when he opened his new framebuilding shop after the closure of Elliott Bay Bicycles, my understanding is that he was going to discontinue building lugged steel. I don't know for sure if that's true. In any case, if you've got an older, lugged steel Davidson it would've been built in the old, now-defunct location - so it's something special in my book
Early 80s:
2002:
DD
Last edited by Drillium Dude; 02-12-23 at 01:20 AM.
Likes For Drillium Dude:
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,223
Bikes: 2012 Moots VaMoots-74 Peugeot Mixtie U018-73 Peugeot U018
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times
in
7 Posts
Here's one for sale on Chicago's Craigslist:
DAVIDSON "SUPER LIGHT" BIKE
It's not mine, could be bigchainring's
DAVIDSON "SUPER LIGHT" BIKE
It's not mine, could be bigchainring's
__________________
Moots VaMoots 2012-Peugeot Mixte 1974-Peugeot Mixte 1973
Moots VaMoots 2012-Peugeot Mixte 1974-Peugeot Mixte 1973
Likes For gioscinelli:
#3
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,294
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,824 Times
in
1,709 Posts
I like that lilac color on the Chicago CL bike. I wonder what the deal is with the line "ALL transactions will be made in the presence of a local police officer to verify that your money is real" - perhaps the seller got burned with counterfeit money on a previous transaction.
DD
DD
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PDX
Posts: 13,035
Bikes: Merz x 5 + Specialized Merz Allez x 2, Strawberry/Newlands/DiNucci/Ti x3, Gordon, Fuso/Moulton x2, Bornstein, Paisley,1958-74 Paramounts x3, 3rensho, 74 Moto TC, 73-78 Raleigh Pro's x5, Marinoni x2, 1960 Cinelli SC, 1980 Bianchi SC, PX-10 X 2
Mentioned: 267 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4510 Post(s)
Liked 6,377 Times
in
3,667 Posts
According to the website,you can order lugged steel right now for $1800 to start and a bargain at that!
Likes For due ruote:
#6
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,294
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,824 Times
in
1,709 Posts
Thank you - cool fade on that one. Do you have any pics of the lug details?
DD
DD
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: San Jose (Willow Glen) Ca
Posts: 9,844
Bikes: Kirk Custom JK Special, '84 Team Miyata,(dura ace old school) 80?? SR Semi-Pro 600 Arabesque
Mentioned: 106 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2338 Post(s)
Liked 2,822 Times
in
1,541 Posts
Color coordination down to the yellow cable ends???? hats off to you DD
__________________
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
#8
is just a real cool dude
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: The Thumb, MI
Posts: 3,165
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 31 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 32 Times
in
14 Posts
I have a friend in Oregon who was thinking of unloading his Davidson. White with full Dura Ace 7400 that looks spotless. Where does Bill build now that Elliot Bay is closed?
#9
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,294
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,824 Times
in
1,709 Posts
@squirtdad: thank you. Yeah, I went a little nuts on that colorway, didn't I?
DD
#10
Full Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 236
Bikes: 48 Alleluia, 52 Blondin, 57 Cattaneo, 68 CNC, 55 Dujay, 46 Herse, 76 Singer, 48 LeGreves, 55 Metropole, 62 Holdsworth Cyclone, 49 Carpenter, 55 Condor, 65 Masi Special, 81 Sequoia, 76 Eisentraut, 72 Proteus, 60 Paramount, 77 Trek TX700, 82 Ross
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 79 Post(s)
Liked 137 Times
in
55 Posts
I had two Davidsons, and they were two of the nicest built and best riding bikes I've owned. Unfortunately I had to sell them as I became obsessed with French bikes and was exceeding my self-imposed limit (20). I vaguely recall some top racers around here riding Davidsons in the early 80s, but first really took notice of them when a collector friend bought one a few years ago. The PO had bead-blasted the paint off all the lugs, IIRC with the idea of clear-coating them or something, but then gave up and sold the frame to my friend. After inspecting the bare lug work on this frame, I decided I had to have one. I first found the blue 79, then later the green 73, which I think was the first year Bill was making frames under his own name.
#11
Senior Member
@Duke7777 I can't open your attachments.
#12
Full Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 236
Bikes: 48 Alleluia, 52 Blondin, 57 Cattaneo, 68 CNC, 55 Dujay, 46 Herse, 76 Singer, 48 LeGreves, 55 Metropole, 62 Holdsworth Cyclone, 49 Carpenter, 55 Condor, 65 Masi Special, 81 Sequoia, 76 Eisentraut, 72 Proteus, 60 Paramount, 77 Trek TX700, 82 Ross
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 79 Post(s)
Liked 137 Times
in
55 Posts
I'll try again...
Likes For Duke7777:
#13
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,294
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,824 Times
in
1,709 Posts
If you do get pics, please share. I love looking at Bill's work
DD
#14
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,294
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,824 Times
in
1,709 Posts
Now that's what I'm talking about! Great colors, great builds - I particularly like the contrasting Benotto cello-taped bars. And just look at the thinning going on with those head lugs; beautiful!
Thanks for sharing.
DD
Thanks for sharing.
DD
#15
Senior Member
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 1,191
Bikes: 1987 Centurion Ironman Master, 1989 Centurion Ironman Expert, 1972 Motobecane Grand Jubilee
Mentioned: 66 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 119 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 171 Times
in
66 Posts
Sorry for the poor pic, but here is mine. Currently set up with a 7700 group. Not sure of the year or model, but I sure do like it
Likes For Brewsmith:
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,435
Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones
Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5888 Post(s)
Liked 3,471 Times
in
2,079 Posts
I've had a Davidson project bike sitting around in my basement for like forever. One of these days I'll get around to building it up. I'm thinking about modernizing it with a campagnolo chorus 10 speed group I own which needs a good home. The frame is certainly worthy of the parts; the rider, on the other hand, is a different story, :
#22
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,294
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,824 Times
in
1,709 Posts
So, um...well, if you do have one from the old EBB location, it's still mighty special. I mean, just look at some of the recently-shared beauties.
I don't know about y'all, but I sure would like to see details on these frames. In my mind, that's what American builders truly excelled at; the devil's in the details. So let's see those thinned lugs, smooth dropout transitions and beautifully-finished seatstay caps!
Thanks to everyone for their contributions so far
dd
Likes For Aemmer:
#24
Senior Member
Took a few close-ups, and a new fds shot with skinwalls. Geez, not sure why the pics are so big; sorry.
[IMG]Untitled by jimbo417, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]Untitled by jimbo417, on Flickr[/IMG][IMG]Untitled by jimbo417, on Flickr[/IMG][IMG]Untitled by jimbo417, on Flickr[/IMG][IMG]Untitled by jimbo417, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]Untitled by jimbo417, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]Untitled by jimbo417, on Flickr[/IMG][IMG]Untitled by jimbo417, on Flickr[/IMG][IMG]Untitled by jimbo417, on Flickr[/IMG][IMG]Untitled by jimbo417, on Flickr[/IMG]
Likes For due ruote:
#25
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Seattle
Posts: 15
Bikes: 1941 Roadmaster, 1995/2015 Davidson custom, 1980 Motobecane Super Touring
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
In 1995, I asked Bill to build me a Signature custom bike. I wanted bike I could use for long distance loaded touring but also for recreational riding. Here's the bike.
In 1996, I rode it on a solo tour 4300 miles from Seattle to Yorktown, VA.
In 1996, I rode it on a solo tour 4300 miles from Seattle to Yorktown, VA.
Last edited by 41roadmaster; 03-15-16 at 02:07 PM.
Likes For 41roadmaster: