Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

A.S. Gillott in purple

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

A.S. Gillott in purple

Old 09-25-22, 04:00 PM
  #1  
Dylansbob 
2k miles from the midwest
Thread Starter
 
Dylansbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Washington
Posts: 1,990

Bikes: ~'75 Colin Laing, '80s Schwinn SuperSport 650b, ex-Backroads ti project...

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 525 Post(s)
Liked 931 Times in 446 Posts
A.S. Gillott in purple

After languishing on the local fb group for weeks, I brought this one home today. PO was 86 and appears to have had it on the road this century, based on the saddle, tires, and cheap wireless computer. I've done some research on Classic Rendezvous and Classic Lighweights UK, cursory inspection leads me to think it's too late to be a Ron Cooper-made example. I haven't been able to tell much about the timeline of the marque once the bike boom started. I would assume the Japanese drivetrain parts are a later upgrade, but if the frame could date to mid 70s then they could be original. Sugino cranks/bb. Crane rd, Shimano oil-port hubs. Stronglight hs, Campy brakes/levers. Serial number 74777 on inside of non-driveside dropout.

Anyone have anything to add?



Curved brake bridge

sunlight wasn't cooperating, but serial number just visable on left dropout
Dylansbob is offline  
Old 09-25-22, 04:06 PM
  #2  
merziac
Senior Member
 
merziac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PDX
Posts: 14,101

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: 4493 Post(s)
Liked 6,298 Times in 3,633 Posts
Only that it is very cool.
merziac is offline  
Likes For merziac:
Old 09-25-22, 04:06 PM
  #3  
xiaoman1 
Senior Member
 
xiaoman1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: City of Angels
Posts: 5,152

Bikes: A few too many

Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1359 Post(s)
Liked 2,173 Times in 1,178 Posts
I'll add that I think that the color is awesome!!!!! Nice buy.
Best, Ben
__________________
"EVERY PERSON IS GUILTY OF ALL THE GOOD THEY DID NOT DO"
Voltaire

Voice recognition may sometimes create odd spelling and grammatical errors



xiaoman1 is offline  
Likes For xiaoman1:
Old 09-25-22, 04:15 PM
  #4  
merziac
Senior Member
 
merziac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PDX
Posts: 14,101

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: 4493 Post(s)
Liked 6,298 Times in 3,633 Posts
^^^^ Absolutely, the bike world is a far more drab place since Peugeot, Gitane, Schwinn and others quit purple and violet.
merziac is offline  
Likes For merziac:
Old 09-25-22, 04:19 PM
  #5  
streetsurfer
Full Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Illinois
Posts: 338
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 94 Post(s)
Liked 282 Times in 149 Posts
Love the S.N. It’s perfect.
streetsurfer is offline  
Old 09-25-22, 05:10 PM
  #6  
Dylansbob 
2k miles from the midwest
Thread Starter
 
Dylansbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Washington
Posts: 1,990

Bikes: ~'75 Colin Laing, '80s Schwinn SuperSport 650b, ex-Backroads ti project...

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 525 Post(s)
Liked 931 Times in 446 Posts
The bearings all felt adaquately lubricated for a quick neighborhood test ride. Great size for FF, won't require an overheight stem upgrade. I'm starting to enjoy the English racing bike feel with a slacker seattube than the Italians I've been riding lately. It looks like this will likely be getting a "rider" rebuild with 650b/fenders/moustache bar.
Dylansbob is offline  
Old 09-25-22, 05:12 PM
  #7  
bikemig 
Senior Member
 
bikemig's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,505

Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones

Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5877 Post(s)
Liked 3,445 Times in 2,066 Posts
Beautiful bike. That black seatpost needs to go.
bikemig is offline  
Likes For bikemig:
Old 09-25-22, 05:18 PM
  #8  
repechage
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 20,323
Mentioned: 129 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3449 Post(s)
Liked 2,800 Times in 1,974 Posts
Years before the Masi team purple people eater color.

not seen this graphics package before.
repechage is offline  
Likes For repechage:
Old 09-25-22, 08:08 PM
  #9  
bulgie 
blahblahblah chrome moly
 
bulgie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,977
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1162 Post(s)
Liked 2,542 Times in 1,065 Posts
Your frame was likely made by Holdsworth. I'm no expert but it sure looks like a Holdsworth of that era, including the seatstay wrap at the seat lug, and the fork crown.
N.Kilgariff's Holdsworth page here says
The factory supplied unbranded frames to smaller companies for 'own-branding'. <snip>. In the early 70's a batch of mistrals were seen being badged as Gillotts in Penge, Gillott having been taken over by Edwardes in the early 60's. One known Gillott 'Mistral' has either a special Holdsworth or a Gillott serial number.
That's nothing to be ashamed of, Holdsworth made fine frames.

Mark B
bulgie is online now  
Likes For bulgie:
Old 09-25-22, 08:15 PM
  #10  
Dylansbob 
2k miles from the midwest
Thread Starter
 
Dylansbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Washington
Posts: 1,990

Bikes: ~'75 Colin Laing, '80s Schwinn SuperSport 650b, ex-Backroads ti project...

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 525 Post(s)
Liked 931 Times in 446 Posts
Originally Posted by bulgie
Your frame was likely made by Holdsworth. I'm no expert but it sure looks like a Holdsworth of that era, including the seatstay wrap at the seat lug, and the fork crown.
N.Kilgariff's Holdsworth page here says
The factory supplied unbranded frames to smaller companies for 'own-branding'. <snip>. In the early 70's a batch of mistrals were seen being badged as Gillotts in Penge, Gillott having been taken over by Edwardes in the early 60's. One known Gillott 'Mistral' has either a special Holdsworth or a Gillott serial number.
That's nothing to be ashamed of, Holdsworth made fine frames.

Mark B
I'd seen on one of the sites mention of Holdsworth and Raleigh supplying frames in their later years. As luck would have it, I have a Holdsworth frameset in the garage. Tomorrow I'll have to take some pics next to each other.
Dylansbob is offline  
Old 09-28-22, 09:16 AM
  #11  
Dylansbob 
2k miles from the midwest
Thread Starter
 
Dylansbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Washington
Posts: 1,990

Bikes: ~'75 Colin Laing, '80s Schwinn SuperSport 650b, ex-Backroads ti project...

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 525 Post(s)
Liked 931 Times in 446 Posts
Originally Posted by Dylansbob
I'd seen on one of the sites mention of Holdsworth and Raleigh supplying frames in their later years. As luck would have it, I have a Holdsworth frameset in the garage. Tomorrow I'll have to take some pics next to each other.
A picture of my Holdsworth. While it does have a very similar seatcluster treatment and the curved brake bridge, the chaps over at the Gillott bikes fb group seem to think it may be a '60s Italia. Today's project is to drop the fork and see what clues it holds.

Dylansbob is offline  
Likes For Dylansbob:
Old 10-01-22, 10:46 AM
  #12  
Dylansbob 
2k miles from the midwest
Thread Starter
 
Dylansbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Washington
Posts: 1,990

Bikes: ~'75 Colin Laing, '80s Schwinn SuperSport 650b, ex-Backroads ti project...

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 525 Post(s)
Liked 931 Times in 446 Posts
I pulled the fork and serviced the headset. No markings on the steerer of any kind. Interestingly the fork/HS use a French-style wedge cutout for the lock washing, rather than the slot usually seen. Also the lower cup uses a sealed bearing with "Made in the USA" on it. Further inspection of the BB shell shows a 1 or T.



Dylansbob is offline  
Old 10-01-22, 11:23 AM
  #13  
wrk101
Thrifty Bill
 
wrk101's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mountains of Western NC
Posts: 23,570

Bikes: 86 Katakura Silk, 87 Prologue X2, 88 Cimarron LE, 1975 Sekai 4000 Professional, 73 Paramount, plus more

Mentioned: 96 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1236 Post(s)
Liked 957 Times in 624 Posts
Another GREAT example of what can languish on FB marketplace. I have found so many great bikes there in the last couple of years. Sucks for sellers, great for buyers!
wrk101 is offline  
Old 10-01-22, 03:53 PM
  #14  
juvela
Senior Member
 
juvela's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Alta California
Posts: 14,324
Mentioned: 414 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3782 Post(s)
Liked 3,287 Times in 2,147 Posts
-----

thanks very much for sharing this excellent find

frame -

judging by what is is and is not there suspect the latest it could be is the 1973-74 time

look forward to following along to see your build


-----
juvela is offline  
Likes For juvela:
Old 10-01-22, 06:43 PM
  #15  
Dylansbob 
2k miles from the midwest
Thread Starter
 
Dylansbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Washington
Posts: 1,990

Bikes: ~'75 Colin Laing, '80s Schwinn SuperSport 650b, ex-Backroads ti project...

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 525 Post(s)
Liked 931 Times in 446 Posts
Final beauty shots before I make a few swaps. I still haven't actually thrown the measuring tape on it, but it's exactly the fit that I like. French-fit to the extent that I'm comfortable without needing a Technomic or riser stem.


Dylansbob is offline  
Likes For Dylansbob:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.