Ron Cooper (1932 – 12 December 2012) [1] was a noted [2] British "master" bicycle frame builder.
Cooper began building frames when he was 15, [3] starting in 1947 [4] when he began a full apprenticeship at A.S. Gillott Cycles, London, England. [5] He learned his craft from frame builders in England, most notably Jim Collier and Bill Philbrook. [5] He was a racing cyclist selected for the national team, the R.A.F., the Brighton-Glasgow and the London Centre in the 1952 Tour of Britain (Milk Race), before an accident forced him to retire from competition. [6]
In 1967, Cooper left A.S. Gillott to build frames under his own name, and by 1970 set up a small shop in Honor Oak Park, South East London. [7] Cooper then worked in Dartford, approx 18 km (11 miles) from his old shop in Honor Oak Park as sole fabricator, making bespoke [7] steel frames using the traditional method of free hand brazing rather than jigs, in order to avoid stresses to be built into the frame, [8] which calls for careful mitering and took about two days to make. [6] Some reviews claim Cooper's frame builds provide more stability, neutrality of handling, and responsiveness. [9]