57cm Claud Butler Buccaneer c.1955 Vintage British Road Bike Frame
£450.00
✓ Original vintage frame - built in the 1950s
✓ Lightweight for the era - just 3 kg
✓ Suitable for historic cycling events such as L'Eroica
✓ Thoroughly checked over & photographed in detail
✓ Worldwide shipping
From humble South London beginnings Claud Butler built up a hugely successful business, equipping some famous racers and seeing his bikes ridden at World Championships and even the Olympics. In 1928 the enigmatic Butler opened his first shop in Clapham, with a further five shops being opened in just the next four years. During the period before the Second World War Claud Butler were at the forefront of the ‘lightweight’ movement and were highly regarded by club riders looking for a good quality and fast bike. The advent of war greatly affected all businesses and Claud Butler never really recovered, the post was period was one of prosperity and of increased car and television ownership – both of which made an impact on bicycle sales. Claud Butler held on until almost the end of the 1950s by which time the receivers were called in, the name was bought by Holdsworth and continued to be used for high end road machines, the brand being sold again in the late 1980s.
This beautiful original finish Buccaneer frame dates from 1955, right towards the end of the original Claud Butler ownership. This is a bronze welded ‘lugless’ frame, something of a rarity amongst British builders but popular on the continent. There is no model badge left on the frame, but we have identified it as a Buccaneer thanks to the lugless construction, brake cable braze-ons, oval fork blades and pencil stays all point to this model, as seen in the 1955 catalogue. The finish is not perfect but its wonderful to see the two tone paint and original transfers on a frame that is nearly 70 years old.
If you're taking part in L'Eroica or a similar vintage event, this frame is of the correct age, so you won't be disqualified for being a rule breaker!
The frame's been carefully checked by one of our mechanics to confirm the alignment's correct and there's no damage to the threads. If there are any minor issues worth noting we will do so in the overview section below. Please take a good look at the detailed photos so you can see the cosmetic condition of the frame before you buy.OVERVIEW
Era - 1950s
Country - British
Frame Material - Steel
Tubing - Reynolds 531 (likely)
Weight - 2.968 kg
Stock Code - U-F-R41V
SIZING
Size Guide* - Medium/Large (Approx 33 1/2" Inside Leg)
Seat Tube (ctc) - 57 cm
Top Tube (ctc) - 54.5 cm
Head Tube - 155 mm
Chainstay Length - 44.5 cm
Wheelbase - 104.5 cm
*This is just a guide, not a guarantee the frame will fit as every rider is different. If you're unsure of your size we'd always recommend trying out a bike with similar frame dimensions first.
TECHNICAL INFO
Rear Spacing - 114 mm
Front Spacing - 98 mm
Seatpost Diameter - 26.6 mm
Wheel Size - 27"
Brake Fixing - External Hex Nut
Brake Drop - 58 mm Front / 66 mm Rear
Bottom Bracket Thread - English/British/ISO Thread
Headset Thread - Standard ISO (24 TPI - British/Italian)
Headset Stack Height - 33 mm
Fork Crown Race - 27.0 mm (JIS)
Shifter Fittings - N/A
Headtube Internal Diameter - 30.4 mm
Steerer Internal Diameter - 22.2 mm (Standard)
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▼SHIPPING, TAXES & RETURNS
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We've been safely sending orders around the world since 2010. There's a handy shipping calculator on the shopping cart page so you can see the cost of postage as soon as you've added it to your basket. Your order will be carefully packed and sent with tracking & insurance, we despatch most orders within 2-3 days but larger items and orders placed before the weekend can take an extra day or two to process.
We accept returns, please notify us within 14 days and ensure the item arrives back with us no later than 30 days after the order was received.
We don't charge VAT, however, if buying from outside of the UK please remember that there may be import fees to pay directly to the delivery company before receiving the order. Unfortunately we can’t advise on the exact costs as it varies from country to country, so please check your national rates before purchasing.
