Ron Cooper (bicycle framebuilder)

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

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

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 (10 July 2006). "Frame Jobs". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  3. Thurston, Jack (July 2010). "Ron Cooper". Rouleur. Archived from the original on 23 December 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
  4. "A.S. Gilliot. A Brief History". Veloworks. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  5. "Ron Cooper on Ron Cooper". The Bike Show. 4 August 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
  6. St Pierre, Roger (31 October 1964). "Trade with a Future". Cycling Magazine. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
  7. "Opening Up on the Cooper Account". Cycling Magazine. 7 November 1970. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
  8. McFadden, Jim (November 1979). "From England, with Love". Competitive Cyclist. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
  9. Clements, Wallace (February 1976). "Road Tests Two from England. Ron Cooper & Bob Jackson". Bicycling!. Retrieved 10 January 2011.



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