Condor Catalog of about 1994 — Hand-Built Bicycles for the Perfectionist: Crown Jewels, Frame Service, Special Cadet, Ultimo, ATBs, Professional and Frame Spectrum

Condor Cycles’ color catalog of frames and complete bicycles, with a typed price list. It prints no date; its London telephone codes were replaced in April 1995.

— Page 1 (front cover) —
Condor
Hand-built bicycles for the perfectionist

[The black front cover of the Condor catalog, with the Condor name in gold and the Condor bird emblem in gold outline with violet, red, yellow and green wings, above the line “Hand-built bicycles for the perfectionist” in gold. The black surface shows light scuffs and specks, most along the edges.]

— Page 2 —
THERE’s a joy for Grant (left) and Monty Young in checking every frame which leaves Condors. This is a 753 racing frame for an international rider. Personal details – hand-cut lugs, extra braze-ons identifying engravings – are all part of Condor service

Condor

CONDOR began just after the war in a small shop at number 90 just up the road from Condor’s today, and with the meagre supplies that were available then. We had dreams, of perfect bicycles, for racing, touring or just pottering which we think we are realizing.
The energy and enthusiasm of those post-war days can be idealized, but it was a happy path which led me to take Condor service and bikes all over the world. Just look at the principal races, and you can see the kind of experience we at Condor can offer you:
The Tour de France, Olympic Games, Tour of Britain, Peace Race, Commonwealth Games, and of course the amateur and professional world championships – who can forget Hugh Porter’s record four pursuit wins and six day racing on Condors?
Cycling is a series of unforgettable experiences, it is also memorable friendships with cyclists of all nationalities, all languages, but with a common tongue – cycling. And now this is in the middle of a great revival, with the mountain bike providing fresh impetus.
I have spent more than three-quarters of my life in the cycle trade, and now with Grant by my side, I am still getting as much pleasure as ever from greeting cyclists.
To us, the bicycle is not just something to be sold it is – may we still dream? – an extension of its rider’s personality. Let us not forget that it is also the most efficient transport ever invented.
Why not come in and talk to us about bikes, and get your own enthusiasm renewed?
[signature: Monty]

[A photograph of Grant and Monty Young holding up a light blue 753 racing frame in a garden, above an introduction to Condor set beside the Condor bird emblem and name lettered vertically. The text closes with the signature “Monty” in blue, underlined.]

— Page 3 —
Condor – Crown Jewels
Crafted elegance
With the beauty that only hand-cut lugs can give a frame, these have no ‘optional extras’ – they are all included!

[A studio photograph of three black Condor frames with hand-cut lugs, their head tubes painted red, silver and dark red behind a bird head badge, on a gray page above the caption. The down tubes carry the Condor name, the seat tube decals show the figures “53” (the rest turned out of view) and the headsets are chromed.]

— Page 4 —
Condor – Crown Jewels

With craftsmanship of a former era, Condor are proud to present a triplet of frames on which artistic excellence and craft skills have been given free rein.

In keeping with the traditions of half a century ago, we have given fresh life to traditional Condor lug designs.

Starting with top quality steel plain lugs, fork crown and brake bridge, each with the finishing touches which have always given Condor hand-cut lugged machines the elegance for which they have become world-famous.

Racing or touring, your frame can be built with these hand-cut lugs, each set being carefully feathered during frame building.

There are three styles:

Superbe – the most elegant, a masterpiece of metal sculpture.

No 1 – a classic timeless design.

Elite – subtle simplicity with class.

Your frame price will include braze-ons to choice, finish to choice (yes, even metallic!) and contrasting lug lining. Chromium plating on head lugs and fork crown, half front forks, and half rear stays, will only apply to models Superbe and No 1.

a
Elegant designs of seat lug and brake bridges. The models are shown in the following order front to back: Superbe, No 1 and Elite.

b
Matching crafted bracket shells. The models are shown in the following order front to back: Superbe, No 1 and Elite.

c
An array of hand crafted head lugs and fork crowns. The models are shown in the following order left to right: Superbe, No 1 and Elite.

Designed by Robert Stimpson, studio photography by George Ong and location photography by Nick Clements.

1

[The Condor Crown Jewels text page on the Superbe, No 1 and Elite hand-cut lug styles, with three color photographs of their seat lugs, bracket shells and head lugs. The photographed frames carry Condor decals; the page number sits in a black tab at the top edge.]

— Page 5 —
Condor – Frame Service

Ready to ride, good to look at

Stock frames, for racing, touring or mountain riding in a variety of sizes, with Condor’s hand-built excellence part of the deal

[A color photograph of stock Condor frames and forks in white, red, blue, black and fade finishes standing in rows, on a gray page with the Condor bird emblem and wordmark above the Frame Service heading. The photograph is printed twice side by side with a hard vertical seam at the middle of the page; several seat tubes carry 531 decals.]

— Page 6 —
Condor – Frame Service

You don’t have to wait to get your Condor frame, even a premium quality Professional.

At Condor we know cyclists; you can’t wait to start riding on probably the best frame in the world.

So we always have a selection of our most modern racing frames for immediate delivery. It will only take a few minutes for us to sort you out.

If you gave us a call for an up-to-the-minute stock check we could even have the headset and bottom bracket fitted before you reached the shop!

But these are more than Professional frames, we always keep some touring, ATB and training frames ready to ride.

And these are not ‘brought-in’, but are part of the renowned Condor service to cyclists, hand-built gems from the same engineers who make all our frames.

a
Condor has found probably the finest cast frame components that make their Professional model a world leader.

b
The most up to date track designs from the past and present world champions.

c
The strength and rigidity of our off road range are making Condor the obvious choice.

Designed by Robert Stimpson, studio photography by George Ong and location photography by Nick Clements.

2

[The Condor Frame Service text page on stock frames ready for immediate delivery, with three color photographs: cast frame lugs and fittings laid out on a dark ground, a rider on a track bicycle and riders on off road bicycles. The page number sits in a black tab at the top edge.]

— Page 7 —
Condor – Special Cadet
Tradition with innovation
Condor’s world tourer, a frame ready for serious riding, ample clearances, and everything brazed-on

[A Condor Special Cadet touring bicycle with drop handlebars, mudguards and black and red rear panniers, photographed on a gravel path beside a lawn, the one photograph repeated nine times in a three by three grid. Below it a gray band carries the Condor bird emblem and wordmark, the model name and a short caption.]

— Page 8 —
Condor – Special Cadet
Probably the oldest Condor name, the Special Cadet is a concept which has been developed over more than 45 years, to answer every demand made by the accomplished tourist.
Anne Mustoe, a Suffolk schoolmistress, has just completed a tour of the five continents on our latest model.
There is still no greater test than this for the excellence of a bike’s design and integrity.
So what do you get?
There’s a choice of tubing – we believe in the classic Reynolds 531ST (Special Tourist) but we have recently completed a Special Cadet in 753.
Our design is conservative, 72 degree parallel frame (note slight variation on sizes) with ample clearance for 700 x 35mm tyres and appropriate fork off-set to provide responsiveness with loaded stability.
For particular needs we will make the Special Cadet with your choice of angles.
Nothing needs to be clipped on: cantilever bosses are standard though you may prefer alternative brazed clips for hub brakes or even for a Pentasport coaster five speed.
There are brazings for two bottle cages, pump peg and rear carrier. Low-rider formation at the front, if requested. One option is a brazed-on boss for a bottle dynamo on the seat stay, most of our customers prefer under-bracket dynamos.
Naturally, Reynolds 16mm seat stays are used, the most rigid that the company produces, in order to give the strength needed with the longer rear triangle that long-distance touring demands.
a
A world class tourer fitted to the needs of any traveller.
b
Fine details of brazing skills including extra custom required fittings can be specified to meet any combination of your choice.
c
Quality lugs and strong fork crowns incorporating cantilever bosses.
Designed by Robert Stimpson, studio photography by George Ong and location photography by Nick Clements.
3

[The Condor Special Cadet touring frame described in two columns of text, with three photographs: the loaded tourer on a gravel path, a close view of the blue frame’s head and seat clusters with brazed fittings, and the lugs and a fork crown with cantilever bosses. The seat tube in the second photograph carries a Reynolds decal with the figures “53”, the rest cut off by the frame of the picture.]

— Page 9 —
Condor – Ultimo
Sheer speed, sure handling, pure delight
Balanced-built low profile racing frames for the specialist, with straight or uniquely-curved tubing for extra response

[A rider in a white jersey and yellow helmet racing a Condor Ultimo low profile frame in blue and red with a black spoked composite front wheel, the one photograph repeated four times in a two by two grid. The rider’s shorts are lettered “Condor”; below the photographs a gray band carries the Condor bird emblem and wordmark, the model name and a short caption.]

— Page 10 —
Condor – Ultimo

Low profile frames are the style for pure speed racing, whether this be a time trial, a pursuit or a road record.

As every connoisseur knows, the lighter and more responsive it is, so must a frame be correctly balanced, in order to be able to answer the needs of the cyclist.

Condor has always been an innovator with ultra-short-wheelbase frames, with the result that low-profile machines came naturally to Condor builders, and our latest frames are probably the best in the world.

It is all the result of balance.

They are so light and rigid that they break records and win titles, yet they are so carefully-built that you can ride them ‘hands-off’ – and without boasting, that is more than you can do with some others!

Start with the latest combinations, unique to Condor, and based on Reynolds tubing.

Lightweight Italian engraved lugs, exclusively-crafted for low profile frames, may be used with Reynolds straight tubing, or with a Reynolds top tube that has been exclusively curved to Condor’s own specification.

Complementing these two unique frames is an all-welded machine, made from a matching set of Columbus SL curved top and seat tubes, which provides optimum ‘tuck-under’ for the rear wheel.

Standard 700c wheels, or 26″ front – 24″ for very small frames – can be made to your specification.

Can we recommend integral aerodynamic fork crowns for these frames: if you are intending to use a front changer you should opt for a straight seat tube – Condor low-profile frames will accept Shimano or Campagnolo eight speed freewheels.

These are frames ready to race – let us know if you want a brazed number plate boss – with only concealed cable routing being optional.

a
The above Turbo model is designed to give the bicycle an ultra short wheel base.

b
Aero cast fork crown and all welded frame construction.

c
Extended seat tube for the ultimate low-profile position is just one of our many designs.

Designed by Robert Stimpson, studio photography by George Ong and location photography by Nick Clements.
4

[The Condor Ultimo text page on low profile time trial and pursuit frames, with three studio photographs of frame details lettered a to c: the Turbo model’s seat cluster, an aero fork crown and an extended seat tube. The frames in the photographs are white with green or red and blue paint and carry “Condor” decals.]

— Page 11 —
Condor – ATBs
Rugged safety with vivid response
Innovative designs which take the guesswork out of off-road and city riding

[A color photograph of a rider descending a grassy slope on a white Condor bicycle with flat handlebars, repeated six times in a grid above a gray band that carries the Condor bird emblem and the ATBs heading. The rider wears a “PAPILLON” jersey, “CONDOR” shorts and a Condor cap.]

— Page 12 —
Condor – ATBs

Here are frames which can really take the rough with the smooth, built by the craftsmen who regarded Paris-Roubaix and a six-day track as part of a day’s work.

Condor ATBs are designed with serious off-roading in mind, they will stand up to the hurly-burly of everyday riding, and be immediately ready for a weekend in the hills.

Condor’s traditional commitment to amateur and professional racing is already leading us to develop fresh initiatives in ATB frame design, innovations in construction which give you, the customer, absolute confidence in these frames’ strength and safety.

Already our influence can be seen in the development of hybrid ATBs, strong enough to take rough roads in their stride, but with a new responsiveness when riding on tarmac.

You get a choice of tubing: Reynolds 531, 653, 753, oversized Magnum, Columbus, or Tange Prestige lightweight. All with brazed-joint strength and cast microfusion bottom bracket for supreme response when climbing.

For the demands of the specialist, all cable routings may be along the top tube, professional-style, with roller-cam front changer mounting.

We should appreciate it if you would let us know whether you intend to use your frame for off-road use, for road riding, or for ATB racing, and which size of tyre you are most likely to use.

a
Fastback shot-in seat stays is one of many alternatives available.

b
Condor have used their expertise to achieve a top quality off road range.

c
Hand-mitred lugless brazed joints finished to perfection before spraying and completing.

Designed by Robert Stimpson, studio photography by George Ong and location photography by Nick Clements.
5

[The Condor ATBs text page on all terrain bicycle frames and their tubing, with three studio photographs lettered a to c: the fastback seat stays of a green frame, a complete dark ATB frame and fork, and a lugless brazed joint on a gray frame.]

— Page 13 —
Condor – Professional
Integrity through experience
Race-bred frames for road, track, or triathlon racing at the highest level, for men and women

[A color photograph of riders in a group on Condor road bicycles, one in shorts lettered “CONDOR” on a white frame with blue and green tubes, above a gray band with the Condor bird emblem and the heading “Condor – Professional”. In this scan the same photograph appears twice, one copy above the other with a hard join across the page, which looks like a scanning or stitching fault rather than print.]

— Page 14 —
Condor – Professional

At Condor we are proud that we have been in professional team management longer than any other British cycle company – starting with the 1953 Daily Express Tour of Britain, a style-setter for so much of Britain’s post-war cycle racing.

And this unequalled experience of road racing shows in the detail design of Condor Professional and Triathlon frames, regardless of which superb Reynolds tubing they may be made.

Even a cursory glance through old Condor catalogues would show you that our frames have always been in the forefront of racing design, keeping pace with improvements in roads, tracks and gearing.

We have had a world pro pursuit champion with Hugh Porter, and success in Continental Sixes. Condor have acquitted themselves well in the classics, the Tour de France, the Peace Race, the Milk Race and the Kellogg’s Tour, as well as in the demanding city centre racing which asks so much of men and bikes.

Each of these events has called for a different type of frame, in angles, in clearances, in rigidity, lightness – calls which Condor has met and surpassed.

Total integrity in the new range of Condor Professional and Triathlon frames is assured through the use of Condor investment-cast lugs, specially cast in Italy to our order.

For each type of frame – and please tell us what your speciality is to be – we have different angles which have been carefully determined for the type of racing for which the frame is intended. Our Triathlon frames, for example, use a high-angle seat tube with hyper-stable front end to reduce fatigue.

Lugs, fork crown, bracket and even the specially-forged fork ends are all engraved to give that touch of distinction.

Cable eyes are normally on top of the top tube – an option is concealed routing – and there are brazed-on gear lever bosses, cable runs under the bracket, front changer hanger, chain-stay stop, and 2 sets of bottle cage bosses.

We can supply any other brazing to order. Condor fork crowns can be either aerodynamic sloping with integral lug, or sloping exposed lug, and frames made for the needs of women’s racing are our speciality.

Sizes? To suit you: we have recently built an 18″ racing frame, and a 32″ whopper for the world’s biggest cyclist!

a
A very rigid construction using solid top eyes.

b
A cast bottom bracket helps to perfect the strength of the frame.

c
The Condor Professional has always lived up to its reputation as a top quality road racing thoroughbred.

Designed by Robert Stimpson, studio photography by George Ong and location photography by Nick Clements.
6

[A text page on the Condor Professional and Triathlon frames, with three color close-up photographs of a dark blue Condor frame captioned a to c: the seat cluster with its top eyes, a cast bottom bracket and the head tube with the fork. The seat tube in photograph a carries a Reynolds 531 decal, partly in view; the folio 6 is printed in a black box at the top left and the design and photography credit runs along the foot.]

— Page 15 —
[Swatch numbers, left column, top to bottom:]
48 65[?] 73 74 91 100 38 99 28 27 95 11 93 3 1[?] 92 96
[Middle column:]
33[?] 35[?] 30 58[?] 47[?] 66[?] 79[?] 83[?] 87[?] 80 81 97[?] 17[?] 69 7[?]
[Right column:]
49[?] 98 52 56[?] 94[?] 54[?] 53 86[?] 85[?] 77[?] 84[?] 23[?] 14 2 4[?] 5 10

Condor – Frame Spectrum
Best quality finish
Condor pride themselves in meeting the requirements of your choice for any design specification

[A color photograph of 49 painted tube samples in three columns on a blue ground, each numbered on a small black disc, showing the Condor paint colors from blues, whites, yellows, oranges and reds to greens, metallics, black, purples and pinks. Below is a gray band with the Condor bird emblem and the heading “Condor – Frame Spectrum”; the disc numbers are tiny in this scan and many readings are doubtful.]

— Page 16 —
Condor – Frame Spectrum

We can give you a finish that is unique! We offer many special paint effects, e.g. marbling, spongeing and fading. Also contrasting tubes, panels and lug lining.

We will undertake chroming on new frames, but regret that no responsibility can be taken by us as it is against the tube manufacturer’s recommendation.

We are very happy to offer a complete renovation service on any make of frame and are able to obtain most manufacturers’ transfers. Names or initials are available to order. We are pleased to offer this service to our customers nationwide and worldwide.

If you have any special requirements which we have not mentioned, we will be pleased to discuss them with you.

The reproduction of colours is as accurate as photographic and printing techniques allow and we regret that no responsibility can be taken for any misinterpretation of colours selected.

1 | Fluorescent Pink | FL
2 | Pink Champagne | M
3 | Poppy | E
4 | Rosso | IT
5 | Flamboyant Red | F
7 | Flamboyant Ruby | F
10 | Post Office Red | E
11 | Fluorescent Red | FL
14 | Pearl Pink | P
17 | Black | E
23 | Bubblegum Pink | E
27 | Golden Yellow | E
28 | Sunflower Yellow | E
30 [?] | Flamboyant Bright Green | F
33 | Flamboyant Emerald | F
35 | British Racing Green | E
38 | Pearl Yellow | P
47 | Verde Chiaro | IT
48 | Pearl Blue | P
49 | Regatta | E
52 | Blue Intenso | IT
53 | Aircraft Blue | E
54 | Flamboyant Royal Blue | F
56 | Flamboyant Light Blue | F
58 | Verde | IT
65 | Sky Blue | E
66 | Polychromatic Green | PY
69 | Midnight Flam | F
73 | Pearl Sky Blue | P
74 | Dura Ace Blue | PY
77 | Viola Chiaro | IT
79 | Polychromatic Silver | PY
80 | Grigio | IT
81 | Anthracite | M
83 | Sparkling Silver | M
84 | Purple | E
85 | Viola | IT
86 | Blue Viola | IT
87 | Champagne Poly | PY
91 | Pearl White | P
92 | Pearl Fluorescent Pink | P
93 | Bright Red | E
94 | Blue Cobalto | E
95 | Pearl Fluorescent Red | P
96 | Flamboyant Magenta | F
97 | Black Metallic | M
98 | Blue Azzuro | IT
99 | Fluorescent Yellow | FL
100 | White | E

E – Enamel
PY – Polychromatic
IT – Italian Metallics
P – Pearls
F – Flamboyants
FL – Fluorescents
M – Metallics

Condor Cycles, 144-148 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8AX. Telephone 071 837 7641 Facsimile 071 837 5560
Designed by Robert Stimpson, studio photography by George Ong and location photography by Nick Clements.
7

[The Condor Frame Spectrum text page, on paint finishes, chroming and frame renovation, with a numbered list of 49 paint colors and their finish codes on a green band. The list gives names and numbers only, without color chips; the folio 7 is printed white in a black square at the top left.]

— Page 17 —
Condor

FRAMES
ITALIA | | Stock £250.00 | Made to measure £275.00
Randonee | | 295.00
Touring | | 295.00
531 Pro | £350.00
653 Pro | £395.00
753 Pro | £499.00
708 Pro | £499.99
731 Oversized | £499.00
Turbo | £549.00
ATB | £330.00 (Columbus) | £395.00 (531)
Elite | £625.00
No. 1 | £675.00
Superbe | £695.00
MAX | £650.00 road and ATB
SLX | £399.00
TSX | £495.00
EL | £550.00
EL Oversized | £595.00
Tandem 531 | from £795.00
Track frames from £340.00

BIKES
Italia 105 | £599.00
Italia Campag Stratos, with Ergopower | £599.00
Italia Campag Veloce, with Ergopower & LOOK pedals | £699.00
Italia New Success | £750.00
ATB with Shimano LX | £699.00
ATB with Shimano XT | £850.00 including SPD
Hybrid Road LX | £699.00
Touring LX | £699.00
Touring XT | £850.00

531 Pro frame, Campag Athena 8 speed, ErgoPower, LOOK pedals ITM bars & stem, Concor saddle, Omega 19 rims, stainless steel spokes, Vittoria tyres. Stock or made to measure – £950.00

Special orders by quotation

Prices [?] include VAT.

Condor Cycles 144-8 Grays Inn Road
London WC1X 8AX
Telephone 071 837 7641 Facsimile 071 837 55[illegible]

[A typed price list of Condor frames and complete bicycles, from the Italia to the Superbe and the Columbus tubed frames, on a Condor letterhead with the bird emblem, the name set vertically and the address in a black band. The second letter of “Prices” is overtyped with an A-shaped strike, and the last digits of the fax number are filled in by the ink of the reversed type.]

— Page 18 —
Wheel . . .
. . . be seeing you

WHEELS are what makes the difference to a bicycle. The finest frame, the peak of fitness, can all be undone if the wheels are not right, and at Condors the wheels are built to last, to stay true, to run easily in the conditions for which they have been built. Is that Monty being cagey? No it is simply a statement of common sense, the 24-spoked wheels you might use in a smooth pursuit on the track, or a time trial, would be totally unsuitable for rough-riding or cyclo-cross. One can go even further and say that even for a track madison they would not be suitable if the track were to be steep.
So point number one when choosing wheels is to tell Monty what you expect to do with your Condor, where you expect to ride.
And wheels vary in price, though to Monty as much care will go into your utility wheels as into your racing wheels – they still have to carry you safely, and you are Monty’s customer. So don’t, and this is point number two, hesitate to say how much you can afford, Condor’s enormous stocks can supply most needs for most pockets.
Point number three is simple – tell Condor’s when you want the wheels, and make a date to pick them up; some customers like to order well in advance, others, for example, may need help just to get home from work after, perhaps, an accident.
There really is almost no limit to what you can have in wheels from ones suitable for a cross-country journey to Australia, to – yes we have made them – silk sprints for a gentle ride round Central Park, New York. These were examples of the unusual items that make a day in the cycle trade so interesting.
Remember, every wheel will be custom-built for you, to your orders. Can we say – Wheel be seeing you?

[A text page on wheel building, “Wheel . . . be seeing you”, printed over a large blue line drawing of a spoked wheel and its hub. The lower right corner of the image is crossed by the diagonal edge of a blank pocket flap on the page.]

— Page 19 (back cover) —
Condor Cycles, 144-148 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8AX
Telephone: (071) 837 7641
Fax: (071) 837 5560

[The back cover in black, with the Condor bird emblem outlined in gold, its wings filled in purple, red, yellow and green, and the firm’s address in gold below.]