Yelbom15

I was gifted a bike from a friend who was once employed by a gentleman way back of the name of Ron Boi. I was told he use to make frames for Waterford Cycles and Schwinn or it was specifically Schwinn’s Paramount series frames. I’ll have to ask again. But, later on Ron Boi moved and began his own shop. I believe a fairly small shop but was the first to really dive into aerodynamics and such. Odd looking bikes but I guess it’s no different than the crazy tri bikes that have been coming out lately today. I figured I’d share some history.

I may have it sent out to be painted or keep the patina. We will see!

I oddly really appreciate the very bold, harsh lines. It’s built a lot like old frames from the 20s and 30s.

thinktubes 

Just up the road a piece…closed a year or 3 ago. Known locally for no-nonsense frame repairs and painting.

TugaDude

I wouldn't change a thing. I love it.

Wildwood 

2nd ^^^^^.

xiaoman1 

Bumps and bruises like an old warrior....Rode hard and put away wet....I would keep it that way.
Best, Ben

polymorphself 

That’s very nice patina and not even a great deal of it imo.

Lake Geneva, also the birthplace of Dungeons & Dragons in 1974, another favorite hobby of mine.

fvernon

Ron Boi did some great work! I grew up right near RRB; if I remember correctly he was already building in Chicago before he helped Schwinn move the Paramount manufacturing to Wisconsin. He also designed an in-house RRB brand and had the frames built and imported from Taiwan, but yours looks like a Chicago original.

I don't know if he or someone from RRB cycles runs it anymore, but here's the eBay store where you could find blemished Ron Boi designed framesets (Tange tubing, made in Taiwan) and other bits and pieces: https://www.ebay.com/str/truck2abicy...145687.l149086

Bad Lag

Why "harsh lines"?

Fast back seat stays, integral seat bolt, sloping fork crown,... it's a nice bike.

I'd clean the bike and polish/wax the finish, then reassess with an eye towards keeping it as is.

repechage

the rear track ends are rock stock as Campagnolo sold them - the entire frame is the same, built but not finessed.

Bad Lag

It looks very nice to me.

beech333

I would recommend that you keep it as is. It might also be worthwhile to track him down, as I recall reading an Ebay listing for a Gios that was repainted as a RRB, or maybe it was vice-versa. There may be a good story to the seatpost being from a Gios.

Senrab62 

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing. Don't repaint it, keep the patina. I agree, also, about the workman like quality to the frame. No lug filing, no shaping of lugs or dropouts. Straightforward fastback stays. Not elegant, but sturdy. Built for a purpose.

You might email Ron and see if he recalls your build. I know when the shop was open he was known to like to talk.

I too have an old RRB track bike, and I really appreciate it. Styling and design differs from yours, mine having Gipiemme ends, and not campy iirc and different finishing (more budget) all around.

Not only was he into aero in a big way, before it became mainstream, but also OS tubing. My frame is OS on stays, and TT a full decade or more before it became mainstream.

Are you from the Chicagoland area?

repechage

this is finessed-
that is minimum effort, so is the seat lug, could well be very well brazed and of smart geometry, just no effort beyond assembly.

bulgie 

Ron got a little fame from making the bikes used by Lon Haldeman to set the transcontinental record and win RAAM.
This from fallible memory so don't put too much stock in it.

Mark B

Yelbom15

Hey, thank you for all the feedback on it. It sounds like the paint will stay! After a couple rides and a quick lean against a tree for a picture, I’m definitely sold on the “worked hard and hung up wet” look(luckily no rust anywhere). I may switch out the seat and replace tape but everything else seems decent. The tubulars are relatively decent so I’ll ride them till they finally bust or puncture.

Like everyone has said, it is a very solid, no non-sense kind of build. I didn’t mean at all to say it was anything else but attractive. Really solid and handsome. The ride is incredible. I know it’s pretty “oh, whatever” when someone says one steel frame rides different than the other but on this, pretty darn night and day.

My friend who gifted me the bike still has Ron Boi as a contact which is cool so I may have to send a picture over to see if there’s any old photos or information on the build. My friend told me the bike was gifted to him as a final “paycheck/bonus” due to them being on the velodrome together a lot and I take it good sales.

cudak888 

We've seen so many thinned lugs these days that we've become programmed to associate this art form with quality.

While this isn't necessary a bad inclination, it also means we tend to forget that there's quality in a set of pressed Bocama lugs cleaned up to perfection and left completely untouched otherwise. It might not wow on first glance, but the craftsmanship is evident when put next to the same BCM lugset on a mass-produced frame (*cough* Raleigh *cough*). That's when you can realize just how rough-as-a-cob these pressed-and-welded lugs look without careful cleanup.

A nice way of building a frame with respect and care, but without excessive frills.

-Kurt

thinktubes 

I was at the velodrome a few weeks back, and one of the juniors was on a very similar RRB bike. Couldn’t get a better pic. I’m guessing a bunch of these were built as “house” bikes or loaners for the track.

big chainring 

Just a few weeks ago I ran into Ron at the Winnetka McDonalds, just up the road from his old shop. He looked good and was in good spirits. He had a couple health scares in recent years. We talked and laughed for a good bit.

Thats a cool track bike OP. The orange was the signature RRB color. Going back to the 70's I can remember the sea of orange RRB bikes at local Chicago bike races, and all the Velo Club Roubaix riders in their orange, black, and white jerseys. It was a huge club with many fine riders.

cudak888 

That brings to mind a question for Yelbom15 - is the BB on the RRB marked with its size, by chance? Oversized stamps or a Sharpie?

-Kurt

Yelbom15

The BB only has a stamp of ‘13’ but nothing else stamped besides the Campagnolo drop outs front and rear. Overall, the frame is 56cm. I’m 6’2” and super pleased with the over all posture.

And I think that’s why I like the frame so much. The constant thin refined sharpened lugs on steel frames are almost a norm to search for. The frame is like a pair of denim blue jeans. No need for anything else.