1972 Jack Taylor Clubman

1972 Jack Taylor Clubman

1972 Jack Taylor Clubman

We need somebody out there to buy this old Jack Taylor, put it on the roof of their vintage Mini Cooper and drive to the start of the L’Eroica Britannia retro bike tour this June.

Wait, no. Maybe that’s a bad idea.
Nostalgia so exacting in detail may actually rip a hole in the fabric of time & space…

This is a Jack Taylor Clubman, which was really the most well-built and versatile road bike you could have ridden in the early ’70’s. Obviously notable for the great paint style and box striping, this clubman really should be noted for how sensibly it was designed.

Long before the bike world made distinctions between “Endurance” and “Racing” frame geometry, there were bikes like these that handled like a good racing rig but were comfortable enough to ride on rough roads for hours on end.

The equipment choices on display here are pretty straight forward for a high-end road bike of the era.

Jack Taylor Front End

Altenburger Synchron brakes

Very “Mod”

Custom Clubman tubing

The racing standard, Campagnolo Nuovo Record derailleurs and shifters are here. Instead of a matching Campag crankset (Campag is how the British folks shorten Campagnolo, by the way) we have a Specialties TA 3-arm crank. The most likely reason for this choice at the time would have been a greater range of chainring sizes to choose from. There’s a red Silca pump for help with roadside repairs. The handlebars and stem are made by Cinelli, That’s a Wrights saddle (from Birmingham) and a Regina 5-speed freewheel on the back wheel.

Specialties TA crank

A Campag Mech

Made in Stockton-on-Tees

Wrights Saddle

Bluemel Club Special

Now the brakes, whether they stop well or not were a great choice. Altenburger Synchron calipers. How modern and premium-sounding is that name? I’m pretty sure that I would have purchased an Altenburger Synchron turntable for my stereo system if they made such a thing.

While we’re on the topic of fab choices and interesting names, the Bluemels Club Special fenders (made in England) are spectacular. The red color really makes the bike stand out, and the fact that the fenders are 45 years old and don’t have a scratch on them probably doubles the value of the bike (and protects the rider from puddles at the same time).