A restored 1977 English built frame
Fri, July 18, 2008
I recently received a email with pictures from Rod Taylor, who lives in England. Rod is the original owner of a frame I built for him in 1977. In his message he wrote:
“Out of all my bikes, road, track, audax, touring, roadster, cyclo-cross, hybrid, mountain, my 1960 Dave Davey and 1977 Dave Moulton stand out as my favorites.
Last year I gave the frames to Dave Yates for renovation, the Dave Davey as a track bike was simpler to restore, but I took the decision to equip the Dave Moulton with the newer Campag gear.
The rear ends were increased to 130mm and new gear brazings fitted. Although I was using the latest components to rebuild it, I didn't choose carbon parts as I believed Campagnolo Mirage alloy would be more in keeping.
The finishing touches were added by employing a company in Cambridge to copy the transfers / decals, and the original orange Unica saddle has been retained. I am extremely pleased with the results of both machines, I love steel frames”
Thirty-one years old, in dog years that would be 217. I’m not sure what the ratio is for old bicycle frames. Maybe 2-1, sixty-two would be a reasonable guess. 
I whole-heartedly approve of Rod’s decision to build this bike up with modern equipment and keep riding it. Rather than keep it as a museum piece.
The interesting thing I notice is that the bike does not look odd, with the old frame and modern components. I have seen several Fuso bikes re-built this way.
I think the reason is, by the mid 1970s I had established my own frame design, which at the time was out of sync with what other builders were doing.
However, I stuck with what I believed in, and this would become the standard design I would use on my American built frames of the 1980s. (John Howard, Fuso, and Recherché.)
An interesting footnote. Rod still has the original brochure from 1977 when he ordered the frame, he sent me a photocopy.
Click on the picture to view a larger image. Look at item 2: Shot-in seatstays. This is what is referred to in the US as “Fast Back” seatstays. Of course, they are no faster; it is just another way to attach seatstays.
The Dave Davy track frame (Mentioned above.) that Rod had restored along with the ‘dave moulton,’ can be viewed here. Scroll down the page to see pictures of this frame in white, along with photos of Rod Taylor riding the same bike in 1966 time-trials.
This is on the Classic Lightweights UK site; an interesting source for pictures and info on vintage British lightweights.
Reader Comments (11)
(I'm assuming that the frame was built for 700c wheels)
Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA
If I were to pick a nit, I would have stopped short of using an Aheadset style stem and over-sized bars. (plus, there's an adapter in there... Uhg!) A traditional quill and 26.0 bars would suit it better IMPO.
EE
"I routinely 'revise' my family of bicycles (ATB, Cross, Road) yearly as viable, NOT trendy, technology proves it 'real world' and fiscal worth."
Suggestion to ALL, review your existing 'bicycle pedal' weight.
Daily testing suggests a sight INCREASE in crank pedal(s) weight assists in sustaining momentum on flat, slight incline and downhill surfaces.
Check with your local bicycle retailer because this requires multiple types and 'as supplied' weight selection.
Do NOT attempt if existing physical aliments limit your 'body parts'.
Sorry, stated ware cannot fix 'what is broken' with bicycle or rider!
Reg says - 'RPM's are your friend!'
And yes (!), please discard the nuovo threadless stem with a proper quill stem as there are many classy options still readily available
A really nice bike.. love the color and fork rake. In addition to above comments, cable ends are needed as well (as long as we are playing that game), and nothing wrong with a threadless system, as this is an update, and threadless is far superior. Hah!
Mike
Wow...lots of pickniters out there, huh? :^) Damn bike looks gorgeous and one great thing about building bikes is that we get to do it the way WE want. Perhaps the threadless stem works better for the owner of this bike, eh? Lighten up, guys and just enjoy the beauty of a nicely done Moulton frame.
Scha-weet! Dave, you ought to consider coming out of retirement. Still have all of your old tooling?
Also, I recall one post where you stated that if one obtains a classic bike worth restoring then it is their duty to restore it to its original state. Here you've said that you support this owner's decision (as do I) to restore the bike with new components. Have you changed your mind about that?
I am trying to find the origins of this make of bike that i bought on ebay in australia from an italian who told me his brother sent it to him from Italy, it is a marrriotto signed J Marriotto, made in Parabiago Italy, double butted frame with stickers claiming, aluminium 7020 oria technology on back stays, a sticker has ,varnished by Dossena Carlo mica-pearl varnish.It is a pink-mauve tending towards purple colour with half front forks,half back stays and half rear forks chromed.It was all campagnolo veloce when i bought it with 8 speed rear with double chainwheel and changers on downbar, the wheels were veloce hubs and ambrosio prisma elite clincher rims with 19 mm vittoria open corsa cx kevlar fitted, but I now have a chorus triple chainwheel 30,42,53,a 10 speed chorus changer and 12,29 cassette with veloce shifters ,also the wheels now are record hubs with open pro rims and ss spokes.As I was off bike riding from 1955 to 07, I have not the same power as when i was racing at 17 years old and could not afford campag , I need all the gears.Hoping someone knows who made these frames or more about these bikes ,as i cannot find anything on the computer about this make, i thank you in advance. regards Vern Pollard (peterpan)