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 4.7.2024 

   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 1972
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 The orig owners son thought 1973?
3 Dale Brown Perfect Pleasure. 57 x 57. Very early frame, repainted & braze-ons added in 1980. 1511
(Doesn't fit pattern)		 1973?
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  2810 1974?
5 Sam Eckhardt Built in 1974. "Delivered to me in March of 1975 1212(4?) Dec 12, 1974
6 Mike Dayton  "Perfect Pleasure" 57.5 x 57.5 cm. Original owner, Dan Borden 402 9081
(Doesn't fit pattern)		 1974?
7 Nancy Ross Williams Touring, orig owner who was McLean's girl friend at time. 28025  Feb 28, 1975
8 Richard McGough Road, orig owner "... made it for me in June of 1975" 10065 June 10, 1975
9 Diane Davis Road, midnight blue Silk Hope. Bought used 1977 08315
(thought to have first 4 digits transposed from later pattern)		 Aug 31, 1975?
10 John Poplett Road, burgundy. Purchased at Turin bicycle shop, downtown Chicago 21035 Mar 21, 1975
11 Cy Hogue Road racing. Said by the owner to be the 1st racing frame; only touring models before. 02055 May 2, 1975
12 David Frederiksen Road 22095 Sept 17, 1975
13 Dale Brown Racing, Orig. owner, fastback stays blind binder bolt, DuBois lugs. 17105 Oct 17, 1975
14 Karen Rawls Road, 53 cm seat tube, 56 cm top 18016 Jan 18, 1976
15 David Mills Road racing 01026 Feb 1, 1976
16 Tom Mills Road racing 02026 Feb 2,1976
17 Rance Singleton Road, 54.5 x 55.5 road  18066  June 18, 1976
18 Sherman Coventry "Perfect Pleasure", Mack truck green 63 cm 15076 July 15, 1976
19 Bill Remillard
Road, 59cm, Ascot Blue originally purchased by Lawrence Killingsworth  for $416.68  from the The Clean Machine in Chapel Hill, NC
 01116 Nov 1, 1976
20 Phil Wintermute Road, "Petty blue", from Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro 09116 Nov 9, 1976
21 Paul Normandin   22116 Nov 22, 1975
22 Jack Gabus Perfect Pleasure w Dubois lugs, Wagner crown, Campagnolo 1010A dropouts, Reynolds 531 db. 54.5 cm seat tube (c-to-top) x 56 cm top tube. Orig owner Chuck Cotter via Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro  23037 Mar 23, 1977
23   Tandem with double "boob" tube. One of the very few tandems made   23047 April 23, 1977
24 Chuck Lewis Road frame used for many years as a commuter Pictures 27067 June 6, 1977
25 Dale Brown Touring, Nervex Series Legere lugs. Via Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC. Orig. owner. 19087  Aug 19, 1977
26 Thomas Adams Touring 531, 63 cm center-to-top, Pictures 12097 Sept 12, 1977
27 Todd Jenkins   11117 Nov 11, 1977
28 Bill Kloos Perfect Pleasure 60 cm x 60 cm 01038 March 1, 1978
29 Ken Toda Road, w fastback seat stays & full sloping fork crown Pictures 21038 March 21, 1978
30        
31     From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC M23038  Mar 23, 1978
32 Tim McDonald    M21048 April 21, 1978
33 David Goldman Road, blue, w Campy headset, SR bar and stem, Suntour f der, Shimano rear, DiaCompe brake set. M22048 April 22,1978
34 Mike Dayton Road, original for Richard Lawrence. From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC  28048  April 28, 1978
35 Jack Gabus Resurrected after found totally crashed. Reynolds 531 Cinelli lugs.  From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC M07058 May 7, 1978
36 Jack Mitchell From Toga Bike Shop  Greensboro, NC 15058

  May 15,  1978
37   Road, orig for Syndee Lowdermilk. From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC M19068 June 19, 1978
38 Eddie Herndon Perfect Pleasure. From  Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC M21068  June 21, 1978
39 Paul Hamilton Road 55 x 55 , Columbus tubing w fastback stays. Orig for John Kraus. From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC 28068.0  June 28, 1978
40

Geoffrey Wagner

 Perfect Pleasure blue metallic. From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC  Pictures M26088 Aug 26, 1978
41 Jack Tharp Tandem, "mocca-reddish" M22098 Sept 22, 1978
42 Doug Stephens Road racing 23108 Oct 23, 1978
43 Bill Eberle Probably "Perfect Pleasure", Blue 23-1/2" M09118 Nov 9, 1978
44 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. 

  SLS•121 Winter of 1979
45 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." M23019 Jan 23, 1979
46 Pat & Dot Pattison Tandem, white. From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC. Now in NC Transportation Museum Pictures M31019

Jan 31, 1979
47 Tom Hailey III Burgundy  M21039 Mar 21, 1979
48 Stewart Leonard Perfect Pleasure, Ascot blue, 53 cm. From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC M03049

 April 3, 1979
49 Terry Miller Touring in light blue M04049 April 4, 1979
50 Mike Dayton Touring 531 , white From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC Pictures M12049  April 12, 1979.
51 Patrick Craft MRacing, Columbus superlight KL tubing. originally ordered by Robert Kraus, Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC M20049.0  April 20, 1979
52 Roman Stankus Bought from McLean in Chapel Hill  TBA 1979
53 Dave Boston Criterium 5 speed. "Picked it up at McLeans" M26049

April 26, 1979

54 Gene Moninger Touring, 531 , from Continental Cyclery in Wichita, KS in 1990  M21059

May 21, 1979
55 Caleb Williams Sport touring, orig for Ann Hall Ring, 531. From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC M15069

June 15, 1979
56 Jeff Carr Perfect Pleasure, white. 54 cm From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC M31079  July 31, 1979
57 Roger Webster Perfect Pleasure, jet black. From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC M17089 Aug 17, 1979
58 Catherine Vanneman Perfect Pleasure, jet black. From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC M07099  Sept 7, 1979
59 Jack Gabus Creamy white color, 54 x 54, cantilever brakes M14099 Sept 14, 1979
60 Kevin Kelly Custom touring. Bought in Vermont. Had been built for a bike shop owner M06109

Oct 6, 1979
61 Felix Mathews Perfect Pleasure. From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC M01119 Nov 1, 1979
62 Kim Hamorsky 38 cm mixte. From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC M14119 Nov 14,1979
63 Greg Krasovsky Road M12129 Dec 12,1979
64 Casey Robertson Road, was pictured with Casey riding it on the cover of Grit-CX magazine.  M18129 Dec 18, 1979
  Tony Martin  52 cm. From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC M08020 Feb 8, 1980
65 Rodney Handsfield Road racing design, Columbus SL tubing, Cinelli lugs and bbkt.  NOS. Never built up as complete bike or ridden. M29020

 Feb 29, 1980.

66 Grady Linehan Road racing or possible a "Perfect Pleasure" model, 60 cm  Reynolds 531, full Cinelli fitments.  M05030 Mar 5, 1980
67 Dale Brown Racing tricycle (only trike McLean made, frame dismantled to make single speed bike, to be reconstructed) From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC. Ordered by Erwin Elber, ridden once, then rebuilt into single speed bike M17040

 April 17,1980
68 Dale Brown Road racing, 58 cm, cinnamon metallic   M17060 June 17, 1980
69   Criterium, 57 cm, saddle metallic. From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC M22070

 July 22, 1980
70 Satoshi Suzuki Green. From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC M12080

 Aug 12, 1980
71 David Poole Road 531 tubing. From Toga Bike Shop, Greensboro, NC M27080

Aug 27, 1980
72 John Provetero Perfect pleasure Pictures M30080 Aug 30, 1980
73 Jack Gabus Road racing  Pictures M17110 Nov 17, 1980
74 Bruce Wilcox Perfect Pleasure 23 1/4" frame. Purchased new from Two Wheel Travel in Richmond, VA M10120

 Dec 10, 1980
75 John Provetero Racing M13120 Dec 13, 1981
76 George Milewski Orig. owner M04021 Feb 4, 1981
77 Joe Bender-Zanoni Orig. owner. Metallic blue Perfect Pleasure bought from Two Wheel Transit in Richmond, VA  M28021 Feb 28, 1981 
78 Dale Brown Criterium. purple and silver, orig for Sally Meserole. From Two Wheeler Dealer, Wilmington, NC  M04731

Mar 4, 1981

79 Jim Mincher Perfect Pleasure/touring  blue and silver. From Two Wheeler Dealer, Wilmington, NC M24031

Mar 24, 1981

80 George Handy 48cm c-c,  531 with short-point lugs. Medium metallic blue. M28031 Mar 28, 1981
81 H Kyle Anderson  McLean  M22041 April 28, 1981
82 Dale Brown Touring, metallic green. Orig for Sally Meserole. From Two Wheeler Dealer, Wilmington, NC M11051 May 11, 1981
83 Craig Tronzo Criterium frost green, Columbus SL, sloping Cinelli fork crown. Original owner. Pictures M22051  May 22, 1981.
84 Mike Dayton Blue metallic with sew up tires M16061 June 16, 1981
85 Mike Wilkinson   M30071 July 30, 1981
86 Dale Brown 21 1/2" x 21" touring, silver blue, cantilevers, Haden crown, heart cut out in lower head lug. M26081 Aug 26, 1981
87 Scott Sorbe Perfect Pleasure model, 25" Burnt orange   M28081 Aug 28, 1981
88 Dale Brown Touring, 48 cm x 50.5 cm M02091 Sept 2, 1981
89 Billy Boden Road frame set M10101 Oct 10, 1981
90 Matt Lackey 65cm, Reynolds 531, dark blue.  M19012 Jan 19, 1982
91 Wayne Bingham Racing. From Toga Bike Shop Greensboro, NC  M 22012

 Jan 22, 1982
92 Tom Hayes Touring M29012 Jan 29, 1982
93 Bill Kloos   M12022 Feb 12, 1982
94 Steve Meier    M16022 Feb 16, 1982
95 Joe Young Light touring 60 cm M05032 Mar 5, 1982
96   Perfect Pleasure M22032   Mar 22,1982
97 eBay auction by theproscloset Road racing (no eyelets) orange.  M25032   Mar 25,1982
98 Jeremy Schott Racing, full Campagnolo  M29032   Mar 29,1982
99 Diane Davis Custom built (Had 2 Silk Hopes prior to this) M26042   April 26,1982
100 Dale Brown Touring, green and white. Orig owner, Sally Meserole From Two Wheel Dealer, Wilmington, NC M11052

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

  May 31,1982

102 Robert Brown Perfect Pleasure 61.5 cm to top, Cinelli CM lugs, Haden fork crown, concave seat stay top eyes. M16062 June 16, 1982
103 Mike Kone Perfect Pleasure  M28062 June 28, 1982
104 Tom Ash Custom road, orig. owner in Durham M21082  Aug 21, 1982
105 Steven Petarra Orig owner picked it up at McLean’s house in Durham and road it home.    M27082 Aug 27, 1982
106 Jack Gabus Racing, heart-shaped cutout lugs  M16092 Sept 16, 1982
107 Sold on eBay 2020. Road, est. size 56 cm, Firethorn metallic. M08102 Sept 8, 1982
108 Ed McKee Road in Ascot Blue M26013 Jan 26, 1983
109 Joe Young 56 cm custom road for 26" or 700C wheels and used side pull brakes or Moots mounts. "This bike was found in the bead blaster after McLean died. Could be his last frame?" M09023

Feb 9, 1983
 

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