The Birmingham factory stopped welding frames in 1998 and they shipped out the tubing to be welded out there. For some reason the Czech made ones didn't use a Reynolds chainstay it was a broader tubing. That is why I like this frame because that heavier back end gives the bike more stability when fully loaded.
Two guys who did the welding at Dawes were made redundant in 1999 and set up on their own in Tysley building frames. I think they traded as RBM frames or something like that. They built me 2 frames (my wife's and my spare bike) while they were there, then they disappeared from the scene. I believe they also did some work for SJSC.
