Thursday, November 26, 2020

An Interesting Development

Happy Thanksgiving, folks!

Just a super short post today. Readers might recall it wasn't so long ago that it was announced that Bob Jackson Cycles in Leeds, England, was closing down. Apparently, there was such an outpouring of interest in the marque that plans had to be changed. This notice is currently on their website:


It sounds like someone stepped in to keep the place going financially, and I'm assuming some new, younger staff have come to learn the framebuilding trade. I'd call that encouraging.

As I had mentioned in my earlier post about Bob Jackson Cycles, they offer some excellent traditional "keeper of the flame" steel bikes - built and painted to order - at very reasonable prices. I guess it isn't too late, after all.

Fans of classic steel bikes, let's give thanks!

8 comments:

  1. A double dose of good news: new Grouch post and a piece of cycling stays afloat. Although I suspect this is due to the COVID bike boom mostly.

    By the way, I've been thinking and would want to hear your thoughts on it: bicycle as a commuting tool is nearing it's days. Although I would take e-bike out of this picture, good ol' days for steel (and tin can) 'normal-sized' commuter bikes can not compete long term with newest iteration of Bromptons, even more compact bikes and most importantly, all new e-mobility devices as foldable scooters.
    Ironically that would mean that we would go from recent bike commuter proliferation (this is US & EU-centric, though in SA I believe bikes were getting more popular as well) into well, future as we know it from cartoons.

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    1. Well you might be right... but isn't it better to interpret positive signals (such as the "COVID bike boom"), as genuine good news towards the future? Why do we have to pass positive development as a bell toll? :)

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  2. Great news! I hate to see any traditional business go away. However Bob Jackson is an institution, if you will. I had a Bob Jackson Super Tourist back in the mid 70s. Unfortunately it was liberated from my possession only a few months after I acquired it. Perhaps I will make a new one my retirement bike.

    Aaron

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    1. Update: Bob Jackson Cycles has ceased operations again, this time, for good.

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  3. WOW!!! That's great news!! Thanks God they found new backing for their business, all that expertise should be kept alive.

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    1. 1935-2020
      We would like to thank all our customers
      past and present for the last 85 years.

      http://www.bobjacksoncycles.co.uk/

      We are ceasing trading with immediate affect

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  4. Sadly, there's a new page up at http://www.bobjacksoncycles.co.uk/ and it appears they've pulled the plug after all.

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