| Ron Cooper | |
| Birth Date: | 7 July 1931 |
| Birth Place: | Stockwell, London, England |
Ron Cooper (7 July 193112 December 2012)[1] was a noted[2] [3] British "master" bicycle frame builder.
Cooper began building frames when he was 15,[4] starting in 1947[5] when he began a full apprenticeship at A.S. Gillott Cycles, London, England.[6] He learned his craft from frame builders in England, most notably Jim Collier and Bill Philbrook.[6] 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.[7]
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.[8] Cooper then worked in Dartford, approx 18 km (11 miles) from his old shop in Honor Oak Park as sole fabricator, making bespoke[8] steel frames using the traditional method of free hand brazing rather than jigs, in order to avoid stresses to be built into the frame,[9] which calls for careful mitering and took about two days to make.[7] Some reviews claim Cooper's frame builds provide more stability, neutrality of handling, and responsiveness.[10]