Info please, re Italian 'Alan' aluminium road-bike framesets

[Fat Boy Riding]

Hi Framed,
Each of my frames has a different type of fork, the newest has the d shaped fork with an Italia sloping crown, the Record has round forks with Alan pantographed on the Italia sloping crown, and the '82 Super Record has round forks and an Alan pantographed crown. None of the forks has given me any trouble what so ever.

[Framed]

Wow, Fat Boy Riding, -spot-on info! Yes, have now located the other number you mention -had never noticed it before- at top right of seat tube, just under lug cluster: SUPER 686 -therefore June 1986? If so, it's a mere youngster at 22 3/4 years old, instead of 40, which sounds hopeful, so you've successfully solved my big mystery of dating the frame, for which I thank you very much. And now, how super is SUPER?
It aso has horizontal rear drop-outs, plus external cable routing along the upper surface of the top tube. Does this signify anything in particular and how would I know whether it's a cross frame or the standard road frame?
The number under the bottom bracket, 244569, is accompanied by 53/54 which, as you say, is the frame size, but there's also a 3 with a degree sign after it. Well I know about the usual 71/73 or 72 parallel stuff, but what of the 3? There's also a plain 3 just behind the seat pin, on the lug cluster. (Apologies for bombarding you with all these queries, -am no mathematician myself!)
Re the fork blades; as you have such a mix of types of fork blades on your Alans, are a big boy and, more importantly, are still alive, I'm impressed, and now feel enough courage to start building it up at last, despite the doom-merchants' warnings. -But just keep an eye on Cycle mag's Obituary columns!
Thank you v. much again!

[Fat Boy Riding]

Hi Framed, It sounds like you have a Super Record the rear brake cable routes through little aluminium eyes that are screwed on the top tube which should also be oval in the middle (which originates from cyclocross design and makes putting the bike on your shoulder more comfortable), if you have pegs (for brakes) on the seat stays and the front forks then it is a cyclo cross frame otherwise it is a road bike. As a Super Record they were normally anodised on the tubes with polished ali lugs, are the forks pantographed with ALAN ? The seat tube length is usually the first number on the bottom bracket and is usually the larger number which in your case it isn't, I suspect you've got 73 degree angle which should make it a easy frame to ride, so get building !! Best wishes

[Fat Boy Riding]

Sorry Framed, Forgot to mention one thing, if you haven't already discovered, the seat post diameter is 25 mm, as opposed to the usual 27.2 or 26.8, which makes for a challenge finding one.

[Framed]

Thanks yet again, Fat Boy Riding, for all the really good info, and apologies for delay in reply, -no computer access for a while. Yes, my Alan has the pantograph on the fork crown, satin-finish tubing and polished lugs; difficult to judge any oval shaping of top tube, but it has no pegs on forks or rear stays, so, as you say, must be a road frame: 73 parallel sounds a good estimate too!
Well, with all your really valuable and very positive advice, I've gained the confidence to start building it up at last! So far fitted: wheels, stem & bars, brakes, seat pin, (actually found one the right sizr straight away!), and saddle; wow! -it's beginning to look like a bike! Now just have to get the bottom bracket sorted out, to add chainset & pedals and then comes the thing which I really dread, -aaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!- the gears! Am determined not to give in and take it to the local shop, (where they told me Alans are lethal; -I think they were just hoping I'd panic and order a different frame from them), so I'll have to battle it out re the gears by means of 'Cycle' mag and technical manuals.
I am so very grateful to you for your wonderfully informative and positive input, without which, I'm sure I'd have been far too afraid to use the frame and may well eventually have scrapped it. Will now go and face the gears challenge; so thank you once again for all your valuable assistance!

[Framed]

Many thanks to all of you who replied to me, re my supposedly 'dodgy' Alan frameset:- Domestique, rogerzilla, pigman, pq, MikewsMITH2, your views and info were very helpful.

[pigman]

Hi There, ALAN bike are still in manufacture, in fact I was emailing Alberto Falconi yesterday (he is the AL in Alan the AN is his sister Anna)

I was just reading this thread again and suddenly thought that Alberto might have been a bit selfish putting his name first. Then I thought, if he had put Anna first, the bike name might not be so good.

[Russell]

If it is any help in encouraging you to complete your build, here is a picture of my Alan! A previous owner had filed of the derailleur hanger so it is now a fixed. I'll check the serial numbers as I have no idea of its vintage. As for being lethal - balderdash! No sign of flex, impeccable handling, very nice to ride. Although I am led to believe the forks are not original.

[Fat Boy Riding]

Pigman,

Love your humour ! Just as well it was their father who started the business.
Framed, if you are still reading this, then why not go for 8 speed which whilst a bit rare were built to battleship standard, at least Campag Record was !

[Framed]

Thank you for good advice once more, Fat Boy Riding, will now get on the hunt for a Campag 8! .
Russell, your ALAN forks look exactly like mine, with the sloping crown, etc, so could be original; you should ask my Guru, Fat Boy Riding!
I have to use a Public Library computer, and when I read your comment, Pigman, re the possible 'female-first naming of ALAN, I shrieked with uncontrollable laughter in the venerable silence! Oh, what a brilliant observation and wit!
It occurs to me that as I've just fitted an unworn-in, ultra-slim titanium-rail saddle, after a few miles I may suffer pain in that area, so the reverse-naming may be quite apt!
Many thanks to all of you and happy riding.

[Framed]

Just one more thought Russell: what a shame somebody's butchered your ALAN's rear dropout. However, on fixed you will probably now be superfit! It helps to develop a good pedalling technique, and all that back-pressure when going downhill exercises muscles you never even knew you had! Good for winter training too, but once back on gears I find I feel I've lost the amount of control you get with fixed, don't you?

[ANTONISH]

My Girlfriend bought a sad looking alan at a jumble. Threads were french but Barry Witcomb sorted it out and now it looks very nice. She subsequently rode it on the Pyreneen Raid and had no problems.

[Framed]

Thanks, Antonish, for your ALAN info. if your girlfriend did the Pyreneen Raid and she and the ALAN are still going strong, that's yet another vote in favour of ALAN being O.K.!
The Chief Guru of ALAN info, Fat Boy Riding, has solved my ALAN date-mystery, plus many more, so if you read his earlier responses to my queries, you can probably find the date of your girlfriend's second-hand frame too.
Chris Juden did say that many male cyclists bought ALANs for their female partners, and for lightweight women, who don't usually 'thrash' their bikes, there wouldn't necessarily be a problem anyway.
I'll carry on building now, with even more confidence!

[pq]

I bow to the much greater knowledge of Alan frames by various people here. However you're talking to enthusiasts - people who for whatever reason love Alan frames. I rode my Alan for around 10 years, and in a sense it performed fine. It never broke and I eventually gave it to a collector (being a very early one it was quite rare). However I knew it was garbage because I also had quite a number of other bikes over the period which were much better - excessive flex in the Alan being the main problem. I persisted with it because it had quite big clearances for a race frame so I could get full length mudguards in it. So while I don't doubt that your Alan will work, and you may even like the ride, buying a new, complete bike will give you much better performance for your money. Frames have improved immeasurably since your Alan was built, and your Alan wasn't particularly good even for its time. And anyway, aside from the limitations of the Alan, buying a complete bike is usually much better value.

I suppose it depends on whether you want to ride the best bike you can for the money you have, whether you have a sentimental attachment to your Alan, or whether you want to ride an interesting historical curioisity. Speaking from experience, I got mighty fed up of my historical curiosity.

I'd have no qualms putting your old one on ebay if you describe it honestly.

[Framed]

Thanks, pq, for your latest thoughts on my Alan enigma.
Re buying a complete bike, I do already have other bikes: Hetchins, Harry Quinn, Holdsworth, (all beautiful 'Golden Oldies', but good for their various purposes), so am not desperately seeking something to ride. Just regretted that the Alan had been hanging around for so many years, never built up, and it looked to be something so totally different from the others that I thought I'd like to build it up at last, then maybe sell the Holdsworth 'Special' frame, which is rather too big for me.
So, having now got so far with the building, not to mention all the expensive components I'd bought for building it, I think I'll stick with it and see how it goes. Won't be touring or camping with it, so it won't be used as a heavily-laden workhorse; -that's the Hetchins' job!
(Maybe I should join the CTC's Bike Rescue, just in case!)