Carpenter

“I remember Frank Carpenter during the 1960/70s. Like most other artisan frame builders he worked on his frame building in a tiny workshop at the back of his shop in Surbiton Park Terrace, while his wife minded the shop!”

“His father had built racing motorcycle frames which were used by racers on the famous Brooklands circuit at Weybridge, a few miles away. He was a total perfectionist. At that time he did file his own lugs but mainly used Nervex professional, which were not good enough for him, so he spent hours filing each set away, so they were absolutely smooth and sharp. Frank was conservative, and not overkeen on adopting the heavier seat stays and ultra close clearances which came into fashion, preferring slim, elegant seat and chain stays. His perfectionist tendencies led him to examine each pair of Reynolds forks minutely, usually complaining how they were now made by machines and the blades no longer came in matching pairs!”

“Frank was also an ace wheel builder, which also set him apart from others, at a time of 7 ounce wood insert sprint rims, which we time trialists wanted with 24 or 28 spokes with 5 ounce tyres, and then rode over potholed roads! Any defective wheel with a shake of more that about 5mm was declared ‘trueable, but needs a new rim really!”