R O Harrison Super Circuit - 1939
Owned by: Neil Foddering
| Frame | 1939 R O Harrison 'Harry Grant' Super Circuit,
Reynolds 531 tubing built with cut-out Type A lugs; Super Champion
Osgear Pattern 25A rear ends with vertical drop-out for gears
and
forward-facing drop-outs for riding fixed-wheel; extra-narrow oval to
round 'Continental' style fork blades and twin-plate fork crown; Chater
Lea headclip and Chater Lea 'oversize' bottom bracket with 5/16"
bearings; Tecalemit oilers in head tube and bottom bracket. |
| Wheels | 27 x 1¼" Contrictor Conloy rims on Airlight small-flange hubs fixed/free, Constrictor Conloy alloy wingnuts |
| Chainset | Williams C1000 Racer |
| Pedals | Lyotard Racing No. 240 Christophe toeclips Oppy
straps |
| Gears | Super Champion (Osgear) 3-speed model Course; Cyclo 16/19/23 3-speed block for 1/2" x 1/8" chain |
| Brakes | Steel Bowden Touriste Super Sport
steel racing |
| Stem/Bars | Chrome steel Pelissier bars on Accles &
Pollock steel stem |
| Headset | Chater Lea |
| Saddle | Brooks B17
Narrow on alloy seat pin |
| Extra details | Bluemels Noweight celluloid
pump and No 6 Spearpoint mudguard extension; Chater Lea lamp bracket;
Adie rear reflector |
The Harry Grant Super Circuit was Harrison's top-of-the range massed-start model, priced at £14 14s; the other massed-start models were the Harry Grant Continental, which was specified with a simpler lug pattern, and the Continental, with less expensive equipment, although it came with a three-speed Osgear as standard. The "Super Circuit" was specified in the catalogue with "Simplex 3-speed, or to order", and the original owner of mine opted for the Osgear.
Harrison was one of the earliest makers to offer a "Continental" style model; the Harry Grant Continental model was described in the April 15 edition of Cycling Magazine as being of "accepted Continental design...", so it was a contemporary of the Hobbs Continental, which is also listed in Readers' Bikes.
Harry Grant was a well-known professional cyclist before the war; he held a number of motor-paced world records, and rode for for Selbach, Harrison and other British and Continental makers.
 Above: Detail shot showing double-box lining; fork crown, Osgear lever and steel Bowden brake stirrup. Right: Front view showing Super Circuit
head lugs;
steel Pelissier bars; Chater Lea lamp bracket and seat tube mounted chain guide for Osgear |
 |
Below: Appropriate page from the 1938 R O Harrison
catalogue showing Harry Grant
with his R O H Super Circuit
with his R O H Super Circuit
