A S GILLOTT (scrapped)

or not.. I bought the frame and forks on ebay and discovered why there were only two bids. I couldn't get the frame numbers to match the numbering system online. The lugs were not at all fancy, it weighed in at six pounds, had machine-formed ends internal to the tubes, and old Raleigh bottom bracket and steering head threads at 26 TPI.  I couldn't even put it on the road, (I had a matching Raleigh frame which lacks bottom bracket bearings). To make it worse the rear chainstay dropout had somehow been spread and the stamping (no cast lugs here) had broken and been repaired at an earlier time. The purchase price and postage costs were wasted as the frame and forks are now down the tip. I will try and sell the head badge on ebay.

"The cracks started to show when some less than deserving frames came in for part-exchange and Harry saw them re-appear from the enamellers with Gillott badges and transfers on them." http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/gillott5.html  I found the A S Gillot name on the frame under a coat of paint and until I read the above, this was the one bit I couldn't explain.

I have learned a lesson and from now on will thin out the pile of stuff I have collected over the years. The most frustrating thing about all of this is that I was seduced by a name. It had a high starting price which suggested some intrinsic value. The description was all about the memories of the bike which he said was a present. However it was neither an A S Gillot nor was it a lightweight. Worse things have happened but I am still annoyed with myself for falling for this.

I found some photos which I have posted in the Trouble With Raleighs album in Flickr.  By the way, the headbadge sold for £24 plus postage.  There is something wrong with the world, my problem was caused by Gillot's standards dropping and me ending up with a rebadged raleigh.  Others remove headbadges to collect which end up for sale on eBay.  People buy headbadges on eBay to restore their Gillot which had its headbadge removed.  So yes, I am part of the problem, perhaps I should have destroyed it like so much ivory but I didn't.  https://www.flickr.com/photos/61001946@N06/sets/72157632649770490/ Sorry.