Frame Identification????

[kenster]

I am hoping to look at an aluminium road bike frame tomorrow. It hasn't got any labels on it and is just plain alloy colour. Is there anyway of identifying them? do they have a number underneath that you can then track down etc? thanks

[AndyA]

There are some features that will be specific to certain manufacturers, smooth welds on a Cannondale for example, but in general it's not going to be easy! If you could post a pic we might be able to make an educated guess

[thirdcrank]

Frame numbers, if present, may be stamped in several places, but the most comon is under the bottom bracket. Occasionally they are on a rear dropout. Some lightweight builders also stamp the fork steerer column (but that's only visible if the bike's in bits.)

There is no central index of manufacturers' serial numbers and even if you have the manufacturer's name, they don't necessarily have much info, particularly about the owner. A lot of police forces encourage owners to have their postcode and house number stamed under the bottom bracket.

[kenster]

Thanks guys for your thoughts. the other thing i wandered which probably isn't the case but do alloy and titianium look very similar? From my limited understanding of titinaium i thought the frames had more of a matt finish than alloy? alloy being is more polished?

[AndyA]

The easiest way to tell the difference between ti and aluminium is the wall thickness of the seat-tube. Ti (and quality steel) will have very thin ~1mm tube walls, aluminium will be 3mm+

[gilesjuk]

My Ti frame looks quite a dark grey. It's brushed not polished in finish.

[spanner]

just a suggestion but it possibly might be a viscount these are very light bikes made of aeroplane tubing easist id for a viscount frame is the famous front forks which have a pin holding the steering tube to the fork crown widely known for parting company
cant think of any other aluminum frames apart from a plum vanqueur which has alloy lugs