Johnny Berry - 1972
Posted: Sunday 21st November 2021
| Frame | Johnny Berry road frame #721891 (1972), Reynolds 531 double butted tubing, Prugnat Type-S lugs, wrap-over seat stays with decorated flat top eyes, Gargette (RGF) bottom bracket shell, Campagnolo 1010 drop outs, dome-end (i.e., ball-end) stays, dome-end blades, and straight brake bridge. 24 ½" seat tube, 23 ¼" top tube, 17" chain stays, 40 ⅓ 41" wheelbase, 73˚ seat tube, 74˚ head tube, 1 ½” fork offset. Black with green seat tube panel. Gold lug lining. Braze-on pump and bottle fittings. Braze-on stops for gear cable housing and gear lever clamp. |
| Wheels | Super Champion Arc-en-Ciel sprint rims and 23mm tubular tires on 36 hole Campagnolo Record high flange hubs with a 14-21T 5 speed freewheel currently fitted. Tied-and-soldered spokes. Campagnolo quick release skewers. |
| Chainset | Campagnolo crankset with Record double 45/42T chainrings now fitted. Phil Wood sealed bearing bottom bracket. |
| Pedals | Campagnolo Record SL Strada with chromed steel toe clips and Binda toe straps. |
| Gears | Campagnolo Nuovo Record front - rear (Patent-1972) derailleurs. Campagnolo Record clamp-on down tube shifters. |
| Brakes | Campagnolo Nuovo Record side pull brake calipers. Campagnolo Nuovo Record brake levers. |
| Stem Bars | Cinelli Giro d’ Italia handlebar. (badge and shield) (40cm). Cinelli 1A forged alloy stem (Milano in oval) (11.5 cm). |
| Saddle | Ideale 90 Speciale Competition on a 27.2mm Campagnolo Record seat post. |
| Extras | Silca pump with Campagnolo steel head. Painted and lined alloy mudguards. |
No. 721891 was ordered by its present owner in autumn, 1971 and delivered in May, 1972. It was designed for criterium racing, but is suitable for general road use. The original receipt is shown below. The frameset was originally painted and lined by C & G Finishes, Liverpool; the top eyes carry their usual painted decoration. The frame was repainted in original colors by Trisha Stevenson of Olympia, Washington in 1984. It was restored in 2013 by frame builder Bill Stevenson of Olympia, Washington and Mark Brandt of Spectrum Powder Works in Colorado Springs. Corey Thompson of Olympia, Washington built the wheelset.
Many construction details of #721891 are representative of Johnny Berry’s meticulous and easily recognizable style, including fully wrapped seat stays, flat top eyes, diver’s helmet-type gear cable stops, ball-end stays, ball-end fork blades, and brake bridge reinforcers. Berry’s usual slotted round stop for the gear lever clamp is brazed on to the top of downtube. Long point Prugnat Type-S lugs and long reinforcers on the inside of the upper fork blades are found on #721891, as well as many of Berry’s later frames.
Atypically, #721891 has a steep head tube, reflecting its design for criterium racing. Most other Johnny Berry road bikes have shallower head tubes. Unusually, too, #721891 uses Campagnolo clamps on the top tube to position the brake cable housing. Most other Johnny Berry road frames have curved-end stops brazed onto the lower part of the top tube, whereas, others, (including Berry’s last frame, #741913) have diver’s helmet stops brazed onto the top of the top tube. No. 721891 lacks oiler nipples for the lower headset race and bottom bracket that are found on most Berry road bikes.
Posted: Sunday 21st November 2021
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