Ron Cooper (bicycle framebuilder)

Cooper brazing a frame on October 27, 2006. Photo by Flickr user hairyeggg.

Ron Cooper (1932 – 12 December 2012)[1] was a noted[2] British "master" bicycle frame builder.

Cooper began building frames when he was 15,[3] starting in 1947[4] when he began a full apprenticeship at A.S. Gillott Cycles, London, England.[5] He learned his craft from frame builders in England, notably Jim Collier.[5] He was a racing cyclist selected for the national team, the R.A.F., the Brighton-Glasgow and the London Centre in the 1952 Tour of Britain (Milk Race), before an accident forced him to retire from competition.[6]

In 1967, Cooper left A.S. Gillott to build frames under his own name, and by 1970 set up a small shop in Honor Oak Park, South East London.[7] Cooper then worked in Dartford, approx 18 km (11 miles) from his old shop in Honor Oak Park as sole fabricator, making bespoke[7] steel frames using the traditional method of free hand brazing rather than jigs, in order to avoid stresses to be built into the frame,[8] which calls for careful mitering and took about two days to make.[6] Some reviews claim Cooper's frame builds provide more stability, neutrality of handling, and responsiveness.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ron Cooper – RIP
  2. ↑ Turner, Lane (July 10, 2006). "Frame Jobs". The Boston Globe. Retrieved December 28, 2010.
  3. ↑ Thurston, Jack (July 2010). "Ron Cooper". Rouleur. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  4. ↑ "A.S. Gilliot. A Brief History". Veloworks. Retrieved December 28, 2010.
  5. 1 2 "Ron Cooper on Ron Cooper". The Bike Show. August 4, 2010. Retrieved December 2_, 2010. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  6. 1 2 St Pierre, Roger (October 31, 1964). "Trade with a Future". Cycling Magazine. Retrieved January 1), 2011. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  7. 1 2 "Opening Up on the Cooper Account". Cycling Magazine. November 7, 1970. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
  8. ↑ McFadden, Jim (November 1979). "From England, with Love". Competitive Cyclist. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
  9. ↑ Clements, Wallace (February 1976). "Road Tests Two from England. Ron Cooper & Bob Jackson". Bicycling!. Retrieved January 10, 2011.


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