Silk Hope~McLean
Serial number registry
Frame sizes are as-provided by owner/submitter.
McLean generally used "center-to-top" seat tube measurements ("British style")

Updated 8.19.2023  

   The 5 digit serial number represents:
   M prefix = McLean (not Silk Hope & therefore 1979 or later)
   1st two digits = day of the month completed
   2nd set of two digits = month "
   Last digit = last number of year (1976 would be "6")

         (Special thanks to With Sherman Coventry)
 

Owner

Description, special features

Serial number

Estimated year of manufacture
1 Henry Fonvielle "McLean’s first frame (I think).  He made it for himself but when he made himself a new one he gave it to me." (Henry is McLean's younger brother) 0265 From number, one would guess March 1975 but we think it is actually 1973
2 Nick Ozerov Bought from son of orig owner (now deceased) for whom McLean made it as a custom touring. Solidly built but not as sophisticated in detail as later models. This is a very, very early frame set. None Orig owners son thought 1973-74?
3 Dale Brown Silk Hope Perfect Pleasure. 57 x 57. Very early frame, repainted & braze-ons added in 1980. 1511
(Doesn't fit pattern)		 Late 1974?
4 McLean's sister 'Silk Hope never built up! This frame belongs to McLean's sister, a friend of mine who received the frame just after he died. She thought McLean had bartered the frame to Alan Taylor, a graphic artist who had done work for McLean." Jim Mincher  Pictures 2810 ?
5 Nancy Ross Williams Silk Hope 28025 28 of Feb 1975
6 Sam Eckhardt  Silk Hope    1212(4?) Built in 1974.
"Delivered to me in March of 1975"
7 Richard McGough Silk Hope 10065 "made it for me in June of 1975"
8 Mike Dayton Silk Hope mod. "Perfect Pleasure" 57.5 x 57.5 cm Pictures 402 9081
(Doesn't fit pattern)		 1974?
Original owner, Dan Borden
9 Diane Davis Midnight blue Silk Hope  08315
(thought to have first 4 digits transposed from later pattern)		 Bought used 1977
10 John Poplett Silk Hope, Burgundy 21035 Purchased at Turin bicycle shop, downtown Chicago '75
11 Cy Hogue Silk Hope road racing 02055 This was said by the
owner to be the 1st racing frame; only touring models before. 1975
12 David Frederiksen Picture 22095  
13 Dale Brown Silk Hope, fastback stays blind binder bolt, DuBois lugs. Pictures 17105 Orig. owner  1975
14 Karen Rawls  53 cm seat tube,   56 cm top. Picture 18016 Jan 18, 1976
15 David Mills road 01026 Feb 1976
16 Tom Mills road 02026 Feb 1976
17 Rance Singleton 54.5 x 55.5 road Pictures 18066 Completed  June 18, 1976
18 Sherman Coventry Silk Hope "Perfect Pleasure"
Mack truck green 63 cm		 15076 Completed July 15, 1976
19 Paul Normandin Silk Hope 22116  
  Bill Remillard
59cm, Ascot Blue originally purchased by Lawrence Killingsworth in Nov. 1976 for $416.68
01116 1976 from the The Clean Machine in Chapel Hill, NC
20 Jack Gabus Silk Hope Perfect Pleasure Nervex Dubois lugs, Wagner crown, Campagnolo 1010A dropouts, Reynolds 531 db. 54.5 cm seat tube (c-to-top) x 56 cm top tube Pictures 23037 Orig owner Chuck Cotter via Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC
21   Tandem with double "boob" tube Pictures  23047 One of the very few tandems made
22 Dale Brown Silk Hope ultra touring, Nervex Series Legere lugs. Pictures 19087 Via Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC. Orig. owner, 1977
23 Thomas Adam's Silk Hope 531 touring  63 cm center-to-top, Pictures 12097 Dec 9, 1977
24 Todd Jenkins Silk Hope 11117 1977
25 Bill Kloos Silk Hope Perfect Pleasure
60 cm x 60 cm		 01038 1978
26 Ken Toda Silk Hope Pictures 21038 1978
27 Mike Dayton Silk Hope  Pictures 28048 1978 Original owner Richard Lawrence
28   McLean M23038 From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC March 1978
29 Tim McDonald  McLean  M21048 1978
30 David Goldman Blue, w Campy headset, SR bar and stem, Suntour f der, Shimano rear, DiaCompe brake set. M22048 1978
31 Mike Dayton Silk Hope road, original owner Richard Lawrence Pictures 28048 From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC April 1978
32 Jack Gabus McLean with Reynolds 531 Cinelli lugs. Resurrected after found totally crashed.  M07058 From Toga Bike Shop
Greensboro, NC
33 Jack Mitchell* Silk Hope 15058

From Toga Bike Shopm Greensboro, NC  May 1978
34 Syndee Lowdermilk* McLean M19068 From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC June 1978
35 Eddie Herndon* Perfect Pleasure M21068 From  Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC June 1978
36 Paul Hamilton Silk Hope 55 x 55 road, Columbus tubing w fastback stays.  Pictures 28068.0 From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC  June 1978
37

Geoffrey Wagner

 McLean Perfect Pleasure blue metallic Pictures M26088 From Toga Bike Shop Aug 1978
38 Jack Tharp Tandem, "mocca-reddish" M22098 Sept 1978
39 Doug Stephens McLean road racing 23108 Oct 1978
40 Bill Eberle Blue 23-1/2", probably mod "Perfect Pleasure" M09118  
41 Scott Swimmer

Perfect Pleasure design. The last "Silk Hope" made. Note unique serial number... Scott, being a close friend, had a hand in it's finishing.  Pictures

  SLS•121 Winter of 1979
42 John DeLapp I was a graduate student at Duke and was hit  as I was biking home ... My skull was fractured and the bike frame and wheels were trashed. ... into a shop (Clean Machine in Carrboro) looking to buy... there was this really nice guy (McLean Fonvielle) who quietly said “I can make you a frame”. I ended up at his shop drinking cider and getting measured for a new frame. I took the bike with me when I moved to Alaska in the early 1980s. M23109 Finished Jan 23, 1979
43 Pat Pattison Tandem, white  Pictures M31019

From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC Jan 1979
44 Tom Hailey III Burgundy  M21039 March 1979
45 Stewart Leonard* 53 cm Perfect Pleasure, Ascot blue M03049

From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC April 1979
46 Terry Miller Touring in light blue M04049 April 1979
47 Mike Dayton McLean 531 touring, white  Pictures M12049 From Toga Bike Shop, April 1979.
48 Patrick Craft McLean racing, KL tubing.
originally ordered by Robert Kraus, partner, cycles de ORO. Pictures		 M20049.0 From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC April 1979
49 Roman Stankus Bought from McLean in Chapel Hill Pictures TBA 1979
50 Dave Boston McLean Criterium 5 speed M26049

"Picked it up at McLeans on May 31, 1979"
51 Gene Moninger  531 touring  M21059 Purchased in 1990 from Continental Cyclery in Wichita, KS.
52 Jeff Carr* 54 cm Perfect Pleasure, white M31079 From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC July 1979
53 Roger Webster Perfect Pleasure, jet black M17089 From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC Feb 1980Aug 1979
54 Catherine Vanneman* Perfect Pleasure, jet black M07099 From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC Sept 1979
55 Jack Gabus Creamy white color, 54 x 54, cantilever brakes M14099 1979
56 Kevin Kelly Custom touring M06109 Bought in Vermont. Had been built for a bike shop owner
57 Felix Mathews* Perfect Pleasure M01119 From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC Dec 1979
58 Kim Hamorsky* 38 cm mixte McLean M14119 From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC Feb 1980
59 Greg Krasovsky Road bike M12129 1979
60 Casey Robertson Road, pictured with Casey riding it on the cover of Grit-CX magazine.  M18129 Dec 18, 1979
61 Tony Martin McLean 52 cm Pictures M08020 From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC Feb 1980
62 Rodney Handsfield McLean road racing design, Columbus SL tubing, Cinelli lugs and bbkt.  NOS Pictures M29020

Frame completed Feb 29, 1980. Never built up as complete bike or ridden.
63 Grady Linehan 60 cm Road racing or possible a "Perfect Pleasure" model, Reynolds 531, full Cinelli fitments. Pictures M05030 1980
64 Dale Brown McLean racing tricycle (only trike McLean made, frame dismantled to make single speed bike, to be reconstructed) M17040

From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC. Ordered by Erwin Elber, ridden once, then rebuilt into single speed bike, 1980
65 Bill Kloos  58 cm Criterium or Perfect Pleasure frame M17060 1980
66   57 cm McLean Criterium, Saddle metallic M22070

From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC Aug 1980
67 Satoshi Suzuki* McLean, green M12080

From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC  Aug 1980
68 David Poole McLean  531 tubing road M27080

From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC
69 John Provetero Perfect pleasure Pictures M30080 1980
70 Jack Gabus McLean road racing  Pictures M17110 1980
71 Bruce Wilcox McLean Perfect Pleasure 23 1/4" frame M10120


Purchased new from Two Wheel Travel in Richmond, VA Mar. 26, 1981
72 John Provetero  McLean M13120  
73 George Milewski
 		 M04021 1981, orig. owner
74 Joe Bender-Zanoni Metallic blue Perfect Pleasure bought from Two Wheel Transit in Richmond, VA Pictures M28021 1981, orig. owner
75 Sally Meserole  Criterium. purple and silver  M04731

1981 from Two Wheeler Dealer, Wilmington, NC
76 Jim Mincher Perfect Pleasure/touring  blue and silver M24031

1981 from Two Wheeler Dealer, Wilmington, NC
77 George Handy 48cm c-c,  531 with short-point lugs. Medium metallic blue. M28031 1981
78 H Kyle Anderson  McLean  M22041 1981
79 Craig Tronzo McLean Criterium frost green, Columbus SL,  sloping Cinelli fork crown Pictures M22051 original owner 1981.
80 Mike Dayton Blue metallic with sew up tires M16061 1981
81 Mike Wilkinson Silk Hope~McLean M30071 1981
82 Tom Sanders McLean touring Pictures M26081 1981
83 Scott Sorbe Perfect Pleasure model, 25" Burnt orange   Pictures M28081 1981
84 Dale Brown Touring, 48 cm x 50.5 cm M02091  
85 Billy Boden Road Pictures M10101 1981
86 Matt Lackey 65cm McLean of Reynolds 531, dark blue.  M19012 1982
87 Wayne Bingham McLean racing  Pictures M 22012

From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC Jan 1982
88 Tom Hayes McLean touring M29012 1982
89 Bill Kloos   M12022 1982
90 Steve Meier  McLean Pictures M16022 1982
91 Joe Young Light touring 60 cm M05032 1982
92   "Perfect Pleasure" Pictures M22032   Mar 22,1982
93 eBay auction by theproscloset Road racing (no eyelets) orange Pictures M25032   Mar 25,1982
94 Jeremy Schott Racing, full Campagnolo  Pictures M29032   Mar 29,1982
95 Diane Davis McLean, custom built (Had 2 Silk Hopes prior to this) M26042   April 26,1982
96 Sally Meserole Touring, green and white M11052

  May 11,1982 from Two Wheel Dealer, Wilmington, NC
97 Jim Mincher Criterium  red and yellow M31052

  May 31,1982 from Two Wheel Dealer, Wilmington, NC
98 Robert Brown Perfect Pleasure 61.5 cm to top, Cinelli CM lugs, Haden fork crown, concave seat stay top eyes. M16062 Completed
June 16, 1982
99 Mike Kone Perfect Pleasure Pictures M28062  
100 Tom Ash Custom road, still owned by original owner M21082  Durham 1982
101 Edward Coffman Picked it up at McLean’s house in Durham and road it home   M27082 1982
102 Jack Gabus McLean racing, heart-shaped cutout lugs   Pictures M16092 1982
103   McLean road, est. size 56 cm, Firethorn metallic. Sold on eBay 2020. M08102 1982
104 Ed McKee McLean road in Ascot Blue M26013 1983
105 Joe Young 56 cm custom road for 26" or 700C wheels and used side pull brakes or Moots mounts. M09023

"This bike was found in the bead blaster after McLean died. Could be his last frame?"
 

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