Witcomb News

Changes are coming!

2008-07-22T10:56:00.002+01:00

In August we not only launch a new look website but we'll also be showing you a whole new range of Witcomb components, clothing and accessories.

Watch this space!

One Eye Grey - Bank Holiday Weekend

2008-05-14T16:21:00.001+01:00

Disappearing ladies, off licences on the sites of ancient temples, birds who charge tolls and one?s that stalk with the pigeon hordes. All this and a couple of nasty trips underground. What more could you want from a Bank Holiday Weekend?

The fifth volume of One Eye Grey, the penny dreadful for the 21st century, Bank Holiday Weekend is now available and can be bought from our shop. Witcomb Cycles is continuing to support this thrilling London publication by sponsoring the cover of this latest issue.

The booklet features modern stories based on traditional London tales of the uncanny, paranormal and supernatural. One Eye Grey is a collaborative effort bringing together people who fancied creating something chilling and pocket sized to read on the tube.

Previous issues are also available.

Find out more here.

Frame Repairs

2008-04-23T15:11:00.000+01:00

The beauty of a steel frame (apart from its aesthetic one, of course) is that, with the right skills, it can be repaired and given a new lease of life if by any chance it gets damaged. We are lucky to be able to offer those skills to members of the public as well as other bicycle shops.

The fact that we are one of the few shops in the country able to offer this service means that we are given a wide variety of jobs and sometimes on some pretty special bicycles. We can undertake any type of restoration or modification, from adding braze-ons, to changing drop-outs to turn a road frame into a track frame, replacing a piece of corroded tubing or simply respraying a much-loved frame.

For more details about what we offer and to view our price list, please click here.

Co-founder Celebrates his Ninetieth Birthday

2008-04-04T13:00:00.004+01:00

Ernie Witcomb who co-founded Witcomb Trading ltd in 1949 celebrated his ninetieth anniversary earlier this week. Today, he was at the shop as usual but to enjoy a rather unusual day.

Most of the morning was spent talking to a camera crew from the fashion company Carhartt, reminiscing about his life-long involvement with the Cycling industry. The afternoon took a more festive tone, with nibbles and drinks being shared with the team and a journalist from the South London Press.

Tomorrow will gather Ernie's friends and family in a celebratory meal.

Living South - Wheels of Fortune

2008-04-03T15:30:00.005+01:00

Peter Vaughan pedals back in time to explore the long history of Deptford's Witcomb Cycles

When you think of custom tailored suits you think of Saville Row; when you think of handmade shirts you think of Jermyn Street. But when you think of a custom made bicycle, chances are that you wouldn't think of Tanner's Hill in Deptford. This, however, is where the last remaining shop in London specialising in building you a one-off bicycle to your measurements has its home.

[...]

The concept of taking time over things to get them just right - to enjoy the journey as much as the arrival - is gaining momentum again in our culture. Witcomb Cycles has always built bikes in this way, holistically taking the best ingredients, making sure that they suit the rider, planning the end product and then constructing it using other local suppliers for anything from the tubing to the hand-painted logo on the headtube. It is a slow process but the end result is like a meal from your own garden or a fine wine from a small chateau.

Read the full article in Living South here.

Easter opening hours

2008-03-18T09:45:00.004Z

We are open over the Easter Holidays on the following days:

Tuesday 18 March to Thursday 20 March: 9am to 5pm
Good Friday: Closed
Saturday 22nd March: Open 9am to 12 noon.
Sunday and Easter Monday: Closed.
Open from Tuesday 25 March as normal: 9am to 5pm

We wish all our customers a very happy Easter and look forward to welcoming you to our workshop afterwards.

Press Release: Witcomb Bicycle Auctioned at Christie's for Charity

2008-03-14T14:32:00.000Z

A fully bespoke bicycle by Deptford framebuilders Witcomb Cycles went under the hammer for �2,500.00 on Monday night at the prestigious Great Rooms of Christie's in support of the Lighthouse Gala Auction and the Terrence Higgins Trust.

The bicycle, which will be handbuilt to the measurements of the lucky bidder, will feature a unique livery created by the new owner himself with the help of Witcomb Cycles' designer.

Other lots on the night included a shopping trip with Joan Collins, a walk-on part in 'Little Britain USA', a ballroom dancing lesson with Strictly Come Dancing?s Camilla Dallerup or Tony Blair's last conference speech as Prime Minister.

The auction was attended by high profile supporters of the Trust, including Camilla Dallerup and Ian Waite, Claudia Winkleman, Brian Paddick, Tina Hobley and Gaby Roslin. Tracy Emin got on the phone from Australia to introduce the lot she had donated.

Barry Witcomb, director, who has been building frames for the past 50 years said: "It was a very interesting and entertaining night. We are proud to be able to support the important work of the Trust in fighting this global disease."

In total, over �200,000.00 were raised on the night.

Terrence Higgins Trust

Undaunted, he plunged his savings, now obtains top orders

2008-02-05T12:45:00.000Z

Reprinted from the South London Press, Friday, September 25, 1959.

In a small workshop tucked away in a Deptford side street six men are working on special lightweight cycles soon to be shipped to top road race cyclists in America.

Identical models are being shipped to New Zealand and enquiries are coming from other parts of the world.

The American deal marks another stop in the struggle of Ernest Witcomb (44), who three years ago plunged his life savings into making these machines. It has been a struggle.

Now he has a turnover nearing £30,000 a year at Tanners Hill, Deptford.

His father was a keen road racing cyclist and Ernie took over where he left off. His racing days are over now but he is road secretary of the South East London division of the British Cycling Federation.

In 1948 he was one of the officials at the Olympic Games. The following year he took a team of riders to Belgium to represent England.

"Cycling has been my whole life and I've no complaints. I even met my wife at a cycling club dance 22 years ago," he said.

To keep up with everyday events he sponsors his own semi-professional team using Witcomb cycles. One of the team is Bernard Pusey, well known British rider, who works for him.

"Last year I had Stan Brittain in the Tour de France under contract, using my cycles. It was one of the two British cycles to complete the race," he said.

"The official Army team also use my machines and with the markets opening up in America business should be even better next year."

When he first started he was supplying frames and accessories to Claude Butler. Then the Claude Butler firm went broke and Witcomb lost a third of his capital overnight. Undaunted, he carried on.

His wife, Lily, works as secretary of the firm and his son, Barry, aged 16 an up and coming youngster in the road racing has started to learn the trade.

Text from a promotional flyer,
Picture from the archives: the store room at No 32 Tanners Hill, circa 1958.

A Visit to Reynolds

2008-01-25T23:01:00.000Z

Yesterday Witcomb Cycles was closed. That's because most of the team was on a day-trip to Birmingham where it paid a visit to the legend of the cycling industry that is Reynolds.

The company has been making tubing for bicycles for over 100 years and although its recent history has been rather unsettled with several changes in ownership and an emergency move from their original premises, the company is still going strong.

We were treated to short history of the firm before being shown all the different machines present on the site and the various processes used to create the range of tubing they are famous for.

To find out more about the company, visit www.reynoldscycles.co.uk

We are hoping to soon have news about Witcomb Cycles and Reynolds.

You can view pictures of our visit here.

Company Founders Celebrate Wedding Anniversary

2008-01-22T15:00:00.000Z

"December,31 1937 was the night that changed my life forever. Together with five fellows, we went to a New Year's Eve dance in London. During the evening for a dare, I danced with a very attractive young lady. That dance lasted all evening.

We became great friends and in December 1938 we became engaged. The war started in 1939 and we decided to get married in January 1940. That, however, was short-lived as I got my call-up papers in February.

I was lucky to be posted to a staff HQ in England so got home most week-ends. These passes were the envy of many. Our son Barry was born in 1943 and was just four when I was demobbed.

Our key to success is always give and take, never go to bed on an argument, trust and confide in each other and always see the other person's point of view. If you do this, you will succeed in life's greatest gift: love."

This is how Ernie tells the story of his love and life with Lily. Both co-founded Witcomb Cycles in 1949 and yesterday were celebrating their 68th anniversary. Lily is 94 and Ernie will be celebrating his 90th birthday later this year.

Everyone at Witcomb Cycles would like to offer them both their best wishes for the happy occasion.

Remodeling the Shop

2008-01-16T11:54:00.000Z

Work on the workshop and shop is progressing apace. After clearing the space of the old carpet and other unwanted stuff, the new flooring is now almost finished and new walls will soon be coming up.

Our office space is also operational and the workshop is ready for expansion.

Most importantly we have a new coffee machine in and a nice sofa in. Feel free to come and see the progress of the work and have a coffee or a tea with us.

You can view pictures of the works in progress by clicking here or on the picture above.

Do You Love Witcomb Cycles?

2008-01-10T11:54:00.000Z

The Lewisham Council 2008 Business Awards aim to celebrate the contribution local businesses make to the economy and the communities they serve.

This year, for the Who do you love? category, residents are invited to nominate their favourite "independent shop" (shops with no more than nine in their chain). The independent shop with the most nominations will win.

To vote, contact Deborah Efemini on 020 8297 5635 or email shoplocal@lewisham.gov.uk. Voting runs from 1 till 29 February 2008.

For more information about the awards, click here.

This Week in Britain: The Bespoke Bicycle

2007-12-24T00:29:00.000Z

"I've never my inside leg measurement done before."

This is how Michele Brown starts her 5 minute report on bespoke bicycles and Witcomb Cycles, the "mecca of the pedal-pushing world". This film, the footage of which were recently rediscovered by chance in our workshop, is part of the This Week in Britain series produced by the Central Office of Information for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Thanks to Jonnie Scarlet, a new Witcomb owner, and his film editing company The Quarry, the 1974 short film has been digitalised and is now available for the world to see once again.

In addition to interviews of Ernie and Barry Witcomb, the film shows glimpses of the shop and workshop as they were in the 1970's. Lily, Ernie's wife and co-founder of the company, can also be seen in her office while frame-builders are busying themselves in the workshop.

This Week In Britain was the longest running magazine series or "cinemagazines" produced by the Central Office of Information (COI) for consumption abroad to promote Britain and the Commonwealth. It was a weekly five-minute film on a single topic, shown in cinemas as well as on television across the world. Started in 1959, the series was cut in 1980, by which time over 1100 stories had been produced.

A few years earlier, in 1971, Witcomb Cycles had been chosen to represent the British cycling industry at the British Fair in New York. The same year, Witcomb Cycles also attended the San Francisco Fair, where the stand was visited by Princess Alexandra, cousin to the Queen, and her husband, the late, Sir Angus Ogilvy. This marked the start of Witcomb USA in 1972, with Richard Sachs and Peter Weigle.

View the British Universities Newsreel Database entry for the film here.

This Week in Britain - No 795
The Bespoke Bicycle
Directed by Charles Leigh-Bennett
Presented by Michele Brown
Production: Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Camera: AI Films
Producer: Tony Hinton

Christmas and New Year closing

2007-12-21T15:30:00.000Z

Over the festive period, the workshop will be closed from
4pm Saturday 22nd December 2007
until
10am Tuesday 8th January 2008
We will still be available via email for sales, trade and general enquiries. We would like to thank our customers over the last year and look forward to welcoming you to our workshop in 2008!

Everyone at Witcomb Cycles would like to wish you a very happy festive season and a prosperous new year.

Black track bike with world-cup bands

2007-12-10T12:30:00.000Z

Here we have Barry Witcomb and a new member of the Witcomb owner's club, Michael. The bicycle is a Witcomb fixed-wheel frame custom made for Michael.

Fixed wheel frames differ slightly from their track frame cousins which are designed for use in a velodrome. Track frames have tighter angles and clearances to help with overall aerodynamics and energy transfer from the rear of the frame to front wheel. While this makes them more energy efficient on a smooth velodrome surface, it loses a lot of energy and increases the effect of road-vibration.

With a fixed-wheel frame we include a more 'road-bike' geometry, with wider clearances between tubes and wheels and less aggressive angles. Where on a track these would create a drag effect, on a road surface they iron out the road vibration and cornering requirements allowing the bike to travel at a more efficient and comfortable speed.

Michael has finished his bike in Campag Record components and a deep section set of Mavic Wheels. He is also looking to become a member of the Witcomb Cycle club as we get ready for the 2008 season.

Merry Christmas From Niamh

2007-12-08T14:40:00.000Z

Niamh, one of the young people coming to the shop for work experience, who we introduced on these pages before. As many of our customers know her wheel truing and spoke-lacing skills are becoming legendary.

She just sent us her wishes for the festive season via the image above which she adapted from our homepage. She has included the names of the team here at Witcomb Cycles. Not even Luca, Barry's (huge) dog, was forgotten.

Merry Christmas to you too Niamh.

Witcomb and the THT

2007-12-01T09:40:00.000Z

On this, the 1st of December, World AIDS Day, Witcomb Cycles is very proud to be able to announce its support to one of the UK's most prominent charities.

The Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) has been fighting HIV and AIDS, doing prevention work and providing support to people living with the disease for 25 years this year. For the past 10 years, the Trust has organised prestigious gala auctions at Sotheby's and this year, on 10 March, about 400 supporters of the charity will be able to bid for one of our exclusive bicycles worth between £3,500 and £4,500. One lucky bidder will be able to work alongside our designers to create their very own custom livery for a bicycle handmade to their measurements.

We are also hoping to develop a more lasting relationship with the THT. More information on this soon.

Be safe.

The Traditional Shops & Restaurants of London

2007-11-22T17:25:00.000Z

"A gentleman," Winston Churchill once observed, "buys his hats at Locks, his shoes at Lobbs, his shirts at Harvie and Hudson, his suits at Huntsman and his cheese at Paxton and Whitfield."

Luckily for the gentlemen (and gentlewomen) among us, all of these shops and dozens more are still in business, providing the traditional British goods and food that they've been supplying Londoners for a century or more. More than fifty venerable stores and eateries, including Witcomb Cycles, are profiled in this book.

Bespoke shirt-makers, hatters, haberdashers, perfumers, bookstores, chemists, an umbrella maker, and chocolatiers are only a few of the small specialist shops included, most of which are located in the most quaint and beautiful settings in London.

The Traditional Shops & Restaurants of London: A Guide to Century-Old Establishments and New Classics
Authors: Eugenia Bell and Phil Nicholls (photo)
Publisher: Little Bookroom
Year: 2007
ISBN: 1-892145-46-4
Size: 11.94 x 14.48 x 2.79cm
Number of pages: 256
Weight: 386gr
RRP: £9.99

A Bicycle is Born

2007-11-09T11:13:00.000Z

All our bicycles start their lives in a small box as nothing more than a few tubes of steel. Another small box brings the lugs that will help hold the finished frame together.

Barry's favorite material is steel. He usually uses Columbus steel, imported from Italy, but he can also use Reynolds steel depending on the customer requirements and needs.

When a customer orders a new bicycle, Barry spends some time measuring them and finding out what sort of cyclist they are. He can then apply this information to the geometry of the new frame, making sure it is perfectly suited to the customer's specifications.

Contrary to most other framebuilders, Barry does not work with a jig, a guide, to build his frames. He has been in the trade for almost 50 years now and can work by sight only. His creations are perfectly balanced and will last decades. The only tool he really needs is a hearth for the brazing of the frame. The hearth at Witcomb Cycles comes from the old E.A. Boult workshop and was bought second hand in 1928.

It takes about 3 days from the opening of the box of steel tubes for the basic frame to be completed. The frame is then polished and shot-blasted, then returned to us for checking the quality, build, and trueness of the frame. At this point we add on any braze-ons such as cable guides, water-bottle screws, mud-guard and luggage rack eyelets, plus any other frame attachments that are requested. Again the frame is filed down and shot-blasted, then coated in primer.

It returns to the workshop for one last check, and then the long process of enameling the frames is ready to start but that's another story...

Deptford, Properly

2007-11-07T11:13:00.000Z

Deptford offers an interesting collection of original and sometimes quirky shops and businesses, from Manze's, the century old pie and mash shop, to the egg shop or our own workshop.

Tucked away in the alley on the side of our shop, is another addition to this wonderful collection. Deptford Properly, a new café which opened in August this year, is already drawing a crowd of regulars. And that includes some of our staff!

With its bohemian chic look of mismatched crockery and second hand furniture, the café , which is run by the Utrophia Arts Project, also has a gallery showing works by local artists. Crafts objects are also on display and for sale and special events take place on Sundays, such as a knitting circle (second and fourth Sundays of the month).

Most interesting of all is the delicious selection of vegetarian meals, home-made cakes, sponges and other muffins. So if you are visiting our workshop, do it Properly and go and say hello to our friends across the road.

Deptford Properly is open, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 10am till 7pm.
(We REALLY recommend the cheesecake.)

Deptford Properly

Witcomb Cycles on the web

2007-11-06T16:40:00.000Z

Almost two weeks after the end of the London Cycle Show, search engines are starting to yield their crop of reviews from various cycling sites. And it seems that Witcomb Cycles' return to the public gaze has indeed been noticed. Below are a few extracts:

Zeitgeist and Me
There was one exhibitor who did delight my tweedy old-fashioned tastes in all things cycling and that was Witcomb Cycles. Ernie Witcomb and his son Barry have been hand-building lugged steel frames in south London for over 50 years. Nothing has changed in the styling, the odd concession to modernity aside, they are pretty much indistinguishable from a road bike of the 1940s. They are beautiful works of craftsmanship, each frame individually tailored to the height, weight and riding style of the customer. Of course such attention to detail and bespoke design does not come cheap (upward of £1500 for a frame alone) but it is a pleasing sight to see someone making things on a small scale, with care and tremendous skill rather than shipping the whole operation off to a sweat shop overseas with an "it'll do" attitude. The Renaissance Monkey

Handmade in London
The well respected Witcomb Cycles were at the show celebrating nearly 80 years of producing handmade bicycles. Ernie Witcomb, founder of the Witcomb brand back in 1949, was present to enthuse about his bicycles, even at the ripe old age of 89. Witcomb Cycles' range has undergone changes in recent years, and the beautiful white carbon frame, carefully colour-coordinated to match the company's distinctive colour scheme, naturally drew crowds. But the real crowd pleaser at the stand was the selection of intricately designed classic framesets on display. The attention to detail and expert craftsmanship on the frames is exactly why Witcomb have earned so much respect, and the models on display were breathtaking. However, the recent transformation of the Witcomb brand, which now commands a £1,350 base price tag on its steel frames, may prove to be a controversial move. A position as one of cycling's prestige brands is no less than Witcomb deserves, although whether this will isolate the mainstay of the company's urban-cool admirers or drive people towards less distinctive imported carbon-fibre frames remains to be seen. Cycling.tv

Harold's top picks...
Witcomb Cycles: There were a lot of high-end, computer-designed aerodynamic slabs of carbon on show, but I've got to admit that I'm a sucker for a hand built bike, especially one with such a classic look and proven heritage. The custom design and finish I had my eye on at the show would be a little tough on my own wallet, all polished chrome and carefully sprayed tubes, but I can at least daydream. Cycling.tv

The TredzTalk reviewer simply "had a massive soft spot for the Witcomb frames" while Domestique on Another Cycling Forum thought that our "Barbers pole" designs were "pretty tasty". Road Cycling UK are happy to proclaim "Witcomb Cycles back in business". Others, on London Cycle Sport thought that images speak louder than words: here and here. Local bloggers have nice things to say about us too:

Absent Moments
Firstly news of great things afoot over at the south end of Deptford High Street. Our very own local bike makers Witcombs are having a big revamp. Far from planning to move out of the city, as was gloomily predicted in the Deptford Lives film I saw at the festival earlier this year, they have launched a new line of frames (customise the look as well as the technical details, courtesy of local lad and leading designer Tony), cleared out the shop, and there are even rumours of a cafe! Meanwhile, Barry and Ernie have now got a blog, so check it out and see what's happening over that neck of the woods. Deptford Dame (thank you for the link, your Ladyship)

Lewisham Council have also produced a few articles about us in their various publications which are still available online (as pdf files) if somewhat older and not completely accurate:
The Frame Game - Business Life, Feb/Mar 2006
Made to Measure - Lewisham Life, Jul 2007

Finally, Witcomb Cycles now has its own Wikipedia entry.

Mr Phoebus

2007-11-01T11:34:00.000Z

Sir Edward Elgar started cycling in 1900 when living near Malvern, and his first bicycle were Royal Sunbeams. He purchased two of the machines with 28inch frames and three brakes and nicknamed them both Mr Phoebus. He was proudly pictured with it in an article appearing in The Sketch in 1903.

Elgar's most creative period, the first decade of the 20th century, were his cycling years. He would often cycle 50 miles in a day, and found inspiriation for his music when riding in the countryside of Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and occasionally Shropshire. One of his cycling companions remembered: “As we rode, he would often become silent and I knew that some new melody or, more probably, some new piece of orchestral texture, had occurred to him”. In his birthplace museum there are maps of the area on display on which Elgar traced the routes of his rides.

Worcestershire County Council has installed cycle stands and a plaque celebrating Edward Elgar's status as a keen cyclist behind the Elgar Statue in the High Street, Worcester.

Five stands and a plaque have been installed at a cost of £2,000 following requests from the South Worcestershire Cycle Group.

The Malvern Hills Brewery have named one of their ales after Elgar's bikes.

Sculpting Elgar, Jemma Pearson talks about her creation of her cycling statue of Elgar - BBC Video Nation.

One Eye Grey

2007-10-29T15:34:00.000Z

The third volume of One Eye Grey, the penny dreadful for the 21st century, is now available and can be bought from our shop.

The booklet features modern stories based on traditional London tales of the uncanny, paranormal and supernatural. One Eye Grey is a collaborative effort bringing together people who fancied creating something chilling and pocket sized to read on the tube.

The full 2007 trilogy is also available from us. The first section (Transpontine drift) came out in February and part two (A goose in Southwark) came out for July. The final episode (Out of orbital) of these interlinked tales of folklore has just been released.

One Eye Grey
Volume 3 - Out of orbital: £2.50
2007 trilogy: £6.50 (save £1)
Ask for your copy at the counter.

Find out more here.

Witcomb Afterwork - The Pictures

2007-10-25T12:39:00.000+01:00

Last night, twenty or so local cyclists came down to visit the shop and workshop. After tea and cake, Ernie welcomed them and went through a quick history of the business.

Everybody then moved on to the workshop where Barry explained about his work and the state of the industry, evocating memories of past builders and shops.

Gasps of awe welcomed the appearance of the book listing all the bicycles made by Barry between 1960 and 1984.

Having arrived around 7.30, people left around 9.30 and comments about last night on the Southwark Cyclists website are very positive:

Witcomb's was fascinating last night...Witcomb senior was even a steward at Herne Hill Velodrome for the 1948 Olympics. Maybe 15 of us at Southwark Needle and another 7 at the shop. Wonderful to see local bike craftsmanship just about surviving in an amazing tiny workshop. Their relaunch plans deserve all the support we and other local groups can give them. Lovely stuff. Beautiful frames. They're looking for apprentice frame-builders - 3 of America's finest trained there and they helped the two that started a little set-up called Marin years back. - Barry Mason

The group will be coming back in a few months to check the progress of the work on the shop. We were really pleased by the success of the event last night and hope it marks the start of a fruitful collaboration with our local cycling groups. Thank you to Barry Mason for organising the event.

View more pictures of the event (or add your own) on our Flickr photo pool.

Southwark Cyclists
Southwark Cyclists forum

Another customer with their Witcomb Track bicycle

2007-10-23T14:42:00.000+01:00

Ashley KimSing is now the proud owner of his Witcomb Track bicycle, finished in perlescent white with the world cup bands. Mr KimSing is taking his bicycle to China where he hopes to start enjoying some time in the local velodrome.

For this bicycle Barry hand-crafted the frame using Columbus steel and cast steel lugs.