guygadois 

I have a Bob Jackson serial #10812 and would love to find when it was manufactured. The Bob Jackson factory couldn't find any info on it (so I tried that avenue). If you own a Bob Jackson and you know the serial number and verified the date can you post it here. I am assuming the used sequential numbering:

10812 - ?
11042 - 1974 (taken from another post)

The Bob Jackson in Question

unworthy1

judging by the fact of only that chainstay cable-stop brazeon, and are those the long Campy DOs, or Zeus? I'd guess mid-to-late '70s. BTW, the Campy cable guide on the seat-tube is backwards and should clamp on the down-tube.

guygadois 

There are two holes for water bottle brazes but it looks like they were added later? The rear DO is a long Campy. Everything as you see is how I picked it up. I am going to strip it of parts soon. Funny about the cable guide. The serial of another frame 11042 was dated 1974 and this number is 10812 so I would assume it is pre 1974. Make sense?

Guy

unworthy1

yeah, it certainly makes sense that it would be pre-74, but there's something that looks more "crisp" about this frame that strikes me as a later product. But since you say it has WB braze-ons, it might have had a complete re-spray done at the factory which would explain the look of it. Nice BJ, in any case.

guygadois 

I think this is the original paint. The paint is not in good condition. I was told by the guy I sold it to that it was a frame raced by the Bob Jackson racing team in the US. First, I have never heard of such a team and second the rear drop has what appears to be a braze for a rack. Is that what the extra braze is for. If so, I doubt it was created for racing. Who knows what they were thinking in the 70s though.

Guy

guygadois 

I just go this e-mail from the Bob Jackson factory:

"Yes sorry about that.It happens that cards get lost or removed and not put back correctly over the years.
From the master sheet I can tell you the frame was built for a Mr.C.Pratt in March of 1975. (33 years old)"

Fun to know.

drpaauwe

Hi y'all. I just actually picked up a Bob Jackson on Saturday. Based on the photos on the Bob Jackson site, I'd say it's a Messina.
Serial #20602.
I love that it's a palindrome.
I don't know the age and when I emailed the company they said they'd need 25 pounds to get the card that would tell me the age and tubeset! I'd guess it's early 1990's based on the component mix. Downtube shifters, Ultegra/600 and Campy (not sure which groupo) mix of parts. Rides fantastic.
Can I post links to flickr here? (sorry I'm a newb.)

guygadois 

I was working with them too but they were only going to charge me 10 pounds. 25 pounds is pricey!

bikerdoug

...better late than never....my BJ Messina was built in early 1973 in Leeds, England with a serial # 9359.

Bikerdoug

Mike Mills

Mine is 108X5 from 1975. That is, I bought it in 1975. When it was made is another matter, altogether.

guygadois 

Mike, can you confirm the "X" in the serial number. Mine is also a 1975 bike with a serial of 10812. I haven't seen a BJ serial number with a letter in it.

-GG-

Mike Mills

I used 'X' because I could not read the number. There's something there, I just could not read it in the lighting I had because it is buried under the paint.

oldschool76

How did you get the factory to email the build date to you? They wouldn't help me until I paid them

Mine is serial # 10899, so I'm going to start calling it a '75.

Pat M.

Mike Mills

I am the original owner of mine. Here is my original post which you should re-read. My dating of the frame does not involve the factory. It could not have been made after the summer of 1975, as that is when I took possession of it as a new (unused) frame set.

"Mine is 108X5 from 1975. That is, I bought it in 1975. When it was made is another matter, altogether."


P.S. - Since I made these photos a few days ago, I have posted them every chance I've had. You've given me one more chance:

stronglight

Serial No. 10109 ... from around 1974.

All original paint and decals, still in very nice condition.

I believe the Reynolds 531 decals with the gold bands stating: "Reynolds Tube Co, Ltd" were first issued in 1973, but may have appeared only later on many biikes if a manufacturer had ample stockpiles of the earlier versions. These were used until around 1977 when they were changed to include the "TI" logo - to reflect Reynolds' ownership by the parent company, Tube Investments Group.

{Don't worry... since taking this photo, I've changed the seatpost and saddle and pedals to less distractingly modern components.}

If anyone wishes to compare lugwork and construction details with those of their own BJ bikes, I have many more photos of this bike which can be viewed here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/strongl...7606749255200/

fieldrecordings

I got a Bob Jackson recently, serial #16052. Emailed BJ & they said it was built 82-83 & would supply a laminated job card for 10 pounds.



She's a little beat up but I can't wait to build her up & post pics!

YoKev

I love your Bob Jacksons!

I almost snagged one on eBay a few weeks ago, but it sold for more than I was willing to pay. It would have made a good companion for my Woodrup

tarwheel 

I just ordered a new Bob Jackson touring frame from England a few weeks ago. They are surprisingly inexpensive if you order an "off the peg" (non-custom) frame. Mine cost about $635 including shipping and insurance. They will paint frames just about any color/decal combination that you could imagine at no extra cost. Prices are better right now than they have been in years due to the rising value of the dollar vs. the pound.

YoKev

^^^^

This. The main reason I didn't up my bid on the aforementioned frame is becuase by the time I won it, shipped it over here, and put new paint on it, I could just buy a new one.

What rear dropout spacing and colors did you choose? Did you talk to them on the phone at all?

tarwheel 

I ordered a World Tour frame w/ standard 130 mm spacing and canti brake bosses. The color I chose was Celeste Cosmos, a light metallic blue, with white decals and silver lug lining (all standard). We communicated by email for a couple of weeks, mainly over sizing issues. Since they don't post geometry charts on their web site, it was confusing trying to pick out the correct size. When I found that the 23" World Tour had almost the exact geometry specs as my 57 cm Merckx Corsa, I ordered it right away.

I called them on the phone once to iron out some last-minute details since the emails were so time-consuming.

I was trying to decide between the Audax and World Tour models, since both had mounts for racks and fenders. However, once I finally got all of the geometry specs, the touring frame was a better fit for me. Prices have dropped even further since I ordered in early December due to rising value of the dollar.

miamijim

11947 I'll update when I hear back from BJ.

Charles Wahl

According to the folks at Bob Jackson Cycles my frame 12470 was made in 1977 (stock bike, not special order). One clue to dating seventies English bikes, of course, is the Reynolds decals (assuming the constructor wasn't using old stock up): they were different pre-1975, 1975-1977 (registered mark, but no TI), and 1977-1981 (TI Reynolds), when they changed yet again (C, SP, ST, Professional, etc.). You can look at this BF thread, this ClassicRendezvous page and this Gazelle Pages table for more information about that. Of course, that's no help for anyone whose bike lacks them.

desconhecido 

This is a relatively recent one, from 2003. Bob all set to go to Iowa. Just have to install the white bar tape to match the reflective sidewalls on the Schalbes.:

unworthy1

here's my addition: it's a BJ of another color, a Merlin from sometime in the '70s (I haven't asked or paid for the info from BJ).
Serial number is 15305 followed by a symbol that looks like a club (or 4-leafed clover) with no stem on the BB (and same number without the symbol on the steerer).
This is all 531, has semi-wrap stays and chrome Prugnat headlugs, chrome Zeus DOs and forkends. Repainted and decalled to match original, but lost some of the chrome on the stays. Came with braze-ons for Centerpull brake at rear, top of BB cable guides but that's all the braze-ons...made for 27" wheels. A very smooth rider!

Oh and BTW...I have additional pics in the photobucket album, and...
it's for sale!

miamijim

I heard back today: