Christl/Christie bike frame

[dondy]

Hi there. I've come into possession of a very nice (at least i think it is) steel road racing frame. 531 forks, butted frame tubing. It has the name christl stamped at the top of each seatstay. The lettering on the frame is CHRISTL. All that said, it does sound similar to the Christie bikes that I've read about in here, from Victoria, 70's and 80's. Any ideas????

[find_bruce]

Welcome dondy, Do you have any pics ? As you are new here, you might find the "How to post images" thread useful

[GaryF]

It does sound like 'Christie' from Hawthorn in Melbourne. Ian Christie if I remember correctly. I'm really no where near an expert on Christie frames only having stepped inside his shop twice but I was of the understanding that he made frames for a specific purpose which was touring or commuting. He seemed very passionate about his products. I do have a book written by Christie about bicycle touring (from memory). The book is about 1500km from me at the moment though.

My doubt, like you, is that the seat stay caps say 'christl' and the lettering on the frame says 'CHRISTL'. My guess is that it's not a frame built by Christie in Melbourne. I'd be very interested in reading others opinions re your frame.

[Karlos301]

The cycle frame you have was built in New Zealand in the mid to late 1980's, "Christl' on top of seat stay's is not stamped but was a one off engraving, not on a seat stay cap but separate plate that is hand fitted and some of the frames where engraved on the fork crown. Christl frames were either made from 531, 653 and Columbus sl. The easiest way to recognize a Christl, on the right hand chain stay at the drop out end if you look very closely at the indent for the cluster it is not filed but cut out and a separate thin plate brazed into postilion leaving a straight lip on the inside of the chain stay. The frame was manufactured using a jig and tooled with a Campagnolo tool kit. The name "Christl" is a German girls name and the one of the builders hobbies is aviation history, and the second highest German fighter aces was "Gerhard Barkhorn" who named his bf109's Christl. The builder in 1989 move to London and worked for a very short time at "Robert Cycles" and never made any frame there but was involved in the final clean up which he hated and left and started a career selling photocopiers. On his arrival back to New Zealand he manufactured two more frames, one a butt brazed lug-less racing frame and a mountain bike that look a lot like a "Roberts" mountain bike. The last thing of any interest the builder has done in 2013 a play called "Manic to Madness" based on his life was staged in Christchurch which was a hit. The reason I know all this I built your Christl..

Karl Hitchcock.

[LG]

On occasion, the internet can be one of the most brilliant and useful things ever invented!

Great story Karl, thanks for sharing.

[munga]

Awesome! Thank you, Karl, for taking the time to share with the rest of us.

[utedeej]

Great and generous response Karl. So often people are dissapointed when they can't even find out a date for a bike. You've given a wonderful story.

[gabrielle260]

On occasion, the internet can be one of the most brilliant and useful things ever invented!

Great story Karl, thanks for sharing.

+1
Wow! Stumbled on this thread but so glad I read it..... Thanks Karl!

[koen]

On occasion, the internet can be one of the most brilliant and useful things ever invented!

Great story Karl, thanks for sharing.

+1

[Karlos301]

Hi there. I've come into possession of a very nice (at least i think it is) steel road racing frame. 531 forks, butted frame tubing. It has the name christl stamped at the top of each seatstay. The lettering on the frame is CHRISTL. All that said, it does sound similar to the Christie bikes that I've read about in here, from Victoria, 70's and 80's. Any ideas????

I posted a response to your question about the Christl cycle frame..

[ammie7]

Karlos.
As you can see you are being afforded the admiration of the masses, that generally make up their own history. In one post you have climbed to the top of the sycophant tree, as they are used to waiting for confirmation from 'resident experts' and you are the 'Horse's mouth' so they can't dispute you.
Well done!



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[Karlos301]

Thanks for your comment, one day hope to pick up the welding torch again..I really feel anything you create is a reflection of who you are..

[LG]

Karlos.
As you can see you are being afforded the admiration of the masses, that generally make up their own history. In one post you have climbed to the top of the sycophant tree, as they are used to waiting for confirmation from 'resident experts' and you are the 'Horse's mouth' so they can't dispute you.
Well done!



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- a sycophant I must be... I do however concur, information presented on the web is often only third hand or best guess, it's great to have somebody on board who has relevant first hand knowledge, and in this situation was able to provide information on dondy's bike, with some history.

Do you have any photos of the bikes you built Karl?

[Karlos301]

Only one which I gave to a friend in America but the photo was taken before I had a charge to apply the transfers..

[ammie7]

I too have frame building/fettling knowledge, but after being attacked by the 'resident experts' just read n maintain a 'Switzerland' stance to them.
But I have already had a fake 5 star verified and sold by them. Ta!


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[ammie7]

OOps!
Lost a watcher, lol.
Poor petal.


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[munga]

Swiss are not so arrogant

[Karlos301]

Only one which I gave to a friend in America but the photo was taken before I had a charge to apply the transfers..

Just remember a friend in Christchurch has one and will post a photo.

[ammie7]

Don't fret mungo (there is only One 'Munga' Michael Barry, Champion Surfer).
But if you come down off your moral milk crate. I'm sure you might learn a few facts from Karlos.
Then the forum will evolve.



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[munga]

Are you trying to be rude, or is this your natural personality?

[munga]

Actually, I just looked at your previous posts to date, and it seems that you are typically rude. Jerk(ette).

[ammie7]

Mongo..
Don't stoop to schoolyard retaliation.


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[ammie7]

And may I add.
The amount of times my frame building mates and I have had to source the correct (suntour, SR, Shimano, Columbus, etc). Too, ( restore 4 sale) frames


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[ammie7]

Frames that you consider'd butchered, but you and your experts would never spot.


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[Karlos301]

Wow I didn't think people would be interested in my cycle frames, so here it goes. In total I build 20 frames from memory all were custom fit for the customer, all had British tread on the bottom bracket, two had wish bone seat stays that were the fashion in the 1980's and all lugs were silver brazed with the fork tip and rear drop outs were brazed with normal brass. The reason I got into frame building was one day when I was on a training ride the forks of my "Guerciotti" racing cycle snapped, luckily I knew how to fall. I wasn't angry at this but curious, The forks were repaired by a local frame builder"Brian Phillips" who in my opinion one of the best frame builders ever to pick up the torch. For the next six months I would find any excuse to pick his brains about building since we both worked in different cycle shops but we didn't have a Campagnolo tool set and his shop did, and every time we needed some tooling done I would volunteer to take the frame down. In 1986 I convinced my employer to pay for me to go on a welding course at the local polytechnic for one year and I had come to the conclusion it can not be impossible to construct cycle frame because others were doing it and it was just a procedure, all I had to do was make a list of all the things I had to do and just do them, one get a jig which I would like to thank the leading hand at NZ rail for putting my designs though as a work order, two get a Campagnolo tool kit and three work out how to design cycle frames, which one of my customers at the cycle shop gave me a photocopy of a fame building book. And that is how the Christl was born.I feel the only way you fail at anything is, if you do not try. I am dyslexic and last year a play I wrote was staged in Christchurch and it is about my struggle with Bipolar disorder and again it was just working out the procedure you need to follow.

Karl Hitchcock..