Colin Laing

Highly regarded British builder, relocated & set up shop to Arizona, and now retired.

Here is what I could find on the CR List and Flickr. Not claiming any is fact, just what could be found.

CR List

From: Colin Laing

Sender: To: Classic Rendezvous

ReplyTo: colin_laing(AT)yahoo.com

Subject: [CR]Colin Laing Bikes

Sent: Jan 6, 2009 1:00 PM

Hello Everyone,

Just so people know, the bike you ride may or may not have
been made by the guy who’s name graces the down tube. In the past 54 years, I
have made bikes for the following brands,,,, Sandy Gilchrist, Ken Ellerker,
Pete Matthews, Sid Barras, Ottadini Cycles, Jack Taylor, Bryan Bliss, Criteria
Cycles, Plus there was a smattering of “Brown Wrappers” for Raleigh
Pro team under Peter Post…Peugeot Pro Team, Ron Kitching and of course Ludo
Van Ljseghem…obviously COLIN LAING, Le Colin, Colin and Laing Racing Cycles…all
this spanning well over 12500 frames.

For the record I repaired many frames post crashes which
included Confente, Eisentraut and Dave Moulten…and can say without a doubt
that Dave’s and Albert’s came out on top under the paintwork, and method of
construction…thanks for listening. I won’t be making many more,,,,maybe less
than a dozen as I have Muscular Dystrophy and becoming a very old
man…sincerely…COLIN LAING

From Flickr

(Brief history of Colin Laing:
Source – fixotic’s Flickr)

“…Colin Laing (as best as I can cobble together) was an apprentice of the Taylor Brothers (Norman, Ken, and Jack Taylor) in the 1950’s. Later he had a bike shop in northern England. Bikes were not the only thing in Colin’s life though, “My other life involved things I can’t speak of due to the ‘Official Secrets Act’. Suffice to say I was SAS and the Duke of Kent’s body-guard which lead to more extreme service to the Crown.”

In 1974 Colin came to the USA at the request of the US government. England’s economy was bad in the 70’s and there was a bike boom on in the US so he found coming over here ideal. He returned to England for a while in the 80’s to have his boys schooled and because Jack was hinting strongly that they might let him take over or run Jack Taylor Cycles. That never panned out but Colin returned to Arizona and continued making bicycles…”

Source – https://www.flickr.com/photos/nunomoutinho/sets/72157625437344729/