Knight Frames?

[Aeroplane]

I have a line on a used English club racer frameset. It was made by Knight frames, and supposedly has 531 tubing. My wife is hesitant to spend time looking at it (it's a short drive to get there, but we have a 1.5 year old who makes us second-guess any superfluous travel...)

Does anybody know anything about Knight frames? I found one short writeup about them, here (http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/builders/knight-cycles-builders.html), but it doesn't really go into the qualities of the frames themselves.

In the general sense, I'm looking for a dependable bike that isn't a boat anchor (I ride a pretty inexpensive AL cross bike and a low-end steel track bike) that I can use for training and fun rides on the road, I'll probably build it up with DT friction shifters and aero levers, definitely not period correct. Is this a dumb idea, or should I just keep looking?

[RIHans]

I was on the Knight team...
As was Tom Officer, Richie Sachs, Ed Schaffer...

CYBC

[RIHans]

Mike Rounds, Bill Rounds...

[AgilisMerlin]

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=16101

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/userpix/6023_R0010414_1.jpg

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/userpix/6023_R0010415_1.jpg




http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=classicrendezvous.10911.0003.e ml

snippet:

"Knight frames were based at Tower Works, Pelham Street, Wolverhampton, the
large MIdlands industrial town that had been home to other cycle
manufacturers such as Viking, Jack Hateley, Pollard (or were they in
Birmingham)..and I think, at one time Falcon, and Wearwell

Knight, prior to building frames were tubing manipulators, and my guess is
that the company saw an opening in the cycle trade as the 1970-s saw a
revival of cycle-racing in the UK. The company was quite short-lived as
frame-builders, starting somewhere in the mid to lat 70s and probably
closing in the early 80s.

I have some literature from them, from which it is evident that they
concentrated their production on one specific type of cycling , namely
road-racing. They did not do club frames, touring or anything else

I would describe the Knight frame design as a plagiarised Harry Quinnone,
having all the hallmarks of the well-known, and sadly recently departed,
Liverpudlian frame-builder. I reckon too that they were all jig-built to a
very standard design.

The cautious fashion in the 70s was to build a road racing frame that could
double up as a time-trial machine ie the angles were steepish and the
wheelbase short. The frames were not too steep or the wheelbase too short to
make the frames unpredictable when cornering and descending, although Harry
often used 74 degrees head angles coupled with short fork rakes, resulting
in overlap. The frames also resembled certain models produced by MKM, but
lacked that company's breadth of range. The Ebay frame without its transfers
could easily be mistaken for either a Harry Quinn or an MKM.

The resemblance owes a great deal to the standardised design, but also to
components used in common such as the long point Prugnat lugs, the Milremo
full-sloping fork crown and the very long chamfered top-eyes, probably from
Andrew Hague.

I think that the Ebay frame is the base model of the Knight rangs - a two
frame range. It is likely to date from around 1979. The Knight price list
gives the following details - Reynolds 531 DB throughout, Prugnat long point
lugs, semi-wrapover seat cluster, 73//73 angles, 1.5 inch fork rake and a
wheelbase of 38 inches.. Just a bog standard but very reliable spec. The
only departure form that norm is that the drop-outs are MAVIC - yes MAVIC,
whereas on the top model in the range the drop-outs were Campagnolo and the
Prugnat lugs had windows. I have never actually seen a pair of MAVIC
drop-outs in the flesh..and it wasn't until recently that I saw a photo of
them> I cant remember the actual brand but they were stamped MAVIC.

A couple of years later Knight, possibly on the back of exports to the
States, had increased its range to three models -the Monarch Road frame,
built with 531SL, Cinelli crown, Campag short road drop-outs and an
mengraved K seat cluster, TA bottle bosses etc. This cost =A3115, but as an
option could be had in 531DB at =A389. The next model was the Saracen one,
built with 531DB, no Cinelli crown or other refinements, costong =A381.50; =
the
third frame was the Crusader Tourist, fairly similar to the Monarch but of
531DB, at a cost of =A386.. All frames were built to specification, and the
company by that time also offered track and cyclo-cross frames to order.
There was a choice of sixteen standard colours.

Since starting this contribution I have revised my estimate of the age of
the Eaby frame. I now think it is probably earlier from around 1977, as by
the time 79 had come around the top-eyes had a capitial K engraved in them.

There is no reason to think that the Ebay frame is anything other than a
reliable, possibly skittish and lively road bike. However the mention of the
dent or froove under the down-tube would make me circumspect..as, if the
frame has suffered even a light shunt, that front-end clearance would be
dangerously short.

Norris Lockley, Settle UK..where the heavens have opened and it is throwing
it down."

[e-RICHIE]

Once a Knight always a Knight atmo -



http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/170124_1405074425595_1794441655_785850_2065127_o.j pg

[bart998]

frame is probably a perfectly fine road frame from the '70's. As long as the one you are looking at has no damage. I have owned several English bikes from this period and they have been excellent. I currently have a Dawes and a Masi in 531. Expect it to weigh about 5 pounds and the fork close to two. Expect about 22 pounds total (clinchers) with good period equipment. 531 is my favorite ride for overall "feel." An inexpensive carbon fork could save about a pound and maybe help with any wheel overlap, if that is a concern.

[jr59]

Once a Knight always a Knight atmo -



http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/170124_1405074425595_1794441655_785850_2065127_o.j pg

That's a lot of Knights!

Really cool pic!

[Aeroplane]

Holy crap, that was quick and thorough guys! Going to look at it today. Will report back.

[ultraman6970]

From half of bike showing up in the picture looks like the frames were sweet.

Good luck :)

[e-RICHIE]

Does anybody know anything about Knight frames?

These were factory-made 531 frames produced at the height of the 1970s
bike boom atmo. We imported, warehoused, and distributed them in Chester.

[old_fat_and_slow]

...

[old_fat_and_slow]

...

[e-RICHIE]

Which one of the Knights is e-Rich? Far right ? Dude in middle sitting on car?

????

It's rare that I am on the far right.
But I am there on the far right atmo.

ps

arrange disorder

:cool::cool::cool:
:rolleyes:;):cool:
:cool::cool::cool:

[AngryScientist]

cool glimpse into the history books here. :beer:

[aoe]

The guy with the chops is the man. As is the guy from the Geico commercials sitting shotgun.

[old_fat_and_slow]

...

[William]

Hans, is that you sitting back there?:cool:







William