Ken Bird
54cm Ken Bird Vintage British Steel Road Bike Frame Set
£360.00
✓ Original vintage frame - built in the 1970s
✓ Lightweight for the era - just 2.6 kg
✓ Suitable for historic cycling events such as L'Eroica
✓ Thoroughly checked over & photographed in detail
✓ Worldwide shipping
An important character in the South London cycling scene, Ken Bird was a master wheel-builder, team mechanic and shop owner who, along with his brother Alec, pushed the boundaries of frame manufacture. Starting with Claud Butler in the 1950s, Ken went on to manage a shop for Hinds and then Clive Stuart Cycles, he was the British team mechanic for three years until 1968, the year Tom Simpson died during the race. Though legend has it Ken and Alec were not exactly the best of friends, it is thought that Alec built some frames branded Ken Bird, with other local builders including Holdsworth and Roberts known to have built others. Ken Bird had a reputation in the 1970s for pushing how light a competitive TT machine could be, with lugs, frame tubes and components all heavily modified, drilled and lightened.
This early 1970s TT machine has all the hallmarks of a high end, lightweight TT bike as was typical of the race-winning machines Ken Bird were producing at the time. With a two digit 'BBC" frame number, drilled bottom bracket and rear dropout plus neatly brazed-on brake bolts, this was a machine built purely for performance. Fastback seat stays, a sloping fork crown and minimal lugs also indicate the high quality of this frame, and although the re-spray is not perfect, it could easily look like the top of the range bike it once was.
If you're taking part in L'Eroica or a similar vintage event, this frame is of the correct age, so you won't be disqualified for being a rule breaker!
The frame's been carefully checked by one of our mechanics to confirm the alignment's correct and there's no damage to the threads. If there are any minor issues worth noting we will do so in the overview section below. Please take a good look at the detailed photos so you can see the cosmetic condition of the frame before you buy.OVERVIEW
Era - 1970s
Country - British
Frame Material - Steel
Weight - 2.637 kg
Stock Code - U-F-R96V
NB - Original Weinmann Type 500 brakes are include for the brazed-on pivot bolts. Weight includes these.
SIZING
Size Guide* - Medium (Approx 32" Inside Leg)
Seat Tube (ctc) - 54 cm
Top Tube (ctc) - 53 cm
Head Tube - 140 mm
Chainstay Length - 40 cm
Wheelbase - 96 cm
*This is just a guide, not a guarantee the frame will fit as every rider is different. If you're unsure of your size we'd always recommend trying out a bike with similar frame dimensions first.
TECHNICAL INFO
Rear Spacing - 126 mm
Front Spacing - 100 mm
Seatpost Diameter - 27.2 mm
Wheel Size - 700c/28"
Brake Fixing - Brazed-On Pivot Bolts (Brakes Included)
Bottom Bracket Thread - English/British/ISO Thread
Headset Thread - Standard ISO (24 TPI - British/Italian)
Headset Stack Height - 40 mm
Fork Crown Race - 26.4 mm (ISO)
Shifter Fittings - Downtube Braze-On
Headtube Internal Diameter - 30.2 mm
Steerer Internal Diameter - 22.2 mm (Standard)
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▼SHIPPING, TAXES & RETURNS
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We've been safely sending orders around the world since 2010. There's a handy shipping calculator on the shopping cart page so you can see the cost of postage as soon as you've added it to your basket. Your order will be carefully packed and sent with tracking & insurance, we despatch most orders within 2-3 days but larger items and orders placed before the weekend can take an extra day or two to process.
We accept returns, please notify us within 14 days and ensure the item arrives back with us no later than 30 days after the order was received.
We don't charge VAT, however, if buying from outside of the UK please remember that there may be import fees to pay directly to the delivery company before receiving the order. Unfortunately we can’t advise on the exact costs as it varies from country to country, so please check your national rates before purchasing.
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▼HELP SECTION
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Seat Tube (ctc) - we measure from the centre of the bottom bracket shell up to the centre line of the top tube to give a consistent measurement regardless of frame design (ctc means centre to centre).
Top Tube (ctc) - this is measured from the centre of the head tube to the centre of the seat tube, along the centre of the top tube.
Chainstay Length - measured from the centre of the bottom bracket shell to the centre point of the rear dropout.
Wheelbase - measured from the centre of the front fork dropout to the centre point of the rear dropout.
Front & Rear Spacing - measured from the inside of one dropout to the other. The dropouts on steel frames can be stretched or squeezed a few mm but it's always best to avoid this if possible, aluminium or carbon frames should never be stretched.
Brake Drop - measured using wheels of the relevant size for the frame, as stated in the technical info section.
Headset Threads - although it's generally recommended to match threaded parts exactly, with headsets you can technically mix and match, unless you have French or the obscure old Raleigh threads, in which case you need to stick to that type.