Geoffrey Butler identification Year and builder

[bwilli88]

I have a Geoffrey Butler frame and fork. I have found thru Bikeforums and the person I purchased it from that it is a Butler but in one conversation I have been told that it was built by Charles Roberts, But I have not received an answer from the guy who told me this as to his definitive reason.

Here are a few pictures
Any help with an ID would be greatly appreciated

[pinkshogun]

search The Classic Rendezvous on the web, they only talk about pre 1983 steel

[thew]

search The Classic Rendezvous on the web, they only talk about pre 1983 steel

Specifically, I'd try sending the pictures out to the Classic Rendevous google group. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/classic-rendezvous-lightweight-vintage-bicycles

[Doug Fattic]

A helpful source of information is the classic lightweights/UK website. In their frame builders section they have a listing for Geoffery Butler and in the article mention that Charles Roberts was one of their builders at one time. The seller doing research may have read that some article to come to the conclusion that Roberts was the builder instead of knowing personally that is true. The problem is that London shops used a variety of builders that operated in the shadows and worked in odd places like garden sheds or storage lockers. The name on the frame was almost always that of the shop that sold frames to customers and not the builder who would remain anonymous. That fastback to binder bolt seat stay treatment was fairly common by some builders in the London area. Your detail work on your frame looks nicer than many London made frames.

By the way I mention this just in case you didn't realize that your binder bolt is not metric (NOT 6mm X 1mm) but rather has Whitworth threading and takes a 7/32" allen key. The treading is 5/16" BSF. You don't want to mess up the head using the wrong size allen key because getting a new bolt would require getting it from the UK. I don't know any place in the US that sells Whitworth bolts. Using a 6mm allen key kinda works but is loose and will round the inside of the socket in case any pressure is applied tightening down the seat post with the binder bolt.