Cycling UK Forum

Hi.

I wonder if anyone here could possibly identify this frameset i bought from a CTC member a little while back?

There is a link to the Retrobike forum,i hope this is acceptable.
Can`t think what else i can add i`m afraid.

http://imgur.com/a/NyJ3I#xlEYr

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=163130

Cheers

Methinks it could be a Mercian. Lug cutouts and rear stays look familiar but can't confirm the frame number. Give them a call and see if they recognise it.

.

Cheers guys.

The front bosses have a span of 73mm,the rear,65mm.

I had a look on the Mercian website,and i couldn`t see anything from their old catalogues that looked anything like it.
The chequered transfers ARE stick ons,and the 531 transfer doesn`t look original.

i DOES feel light,and appears well made.The rear brake cable is internally routed.

The front fork crown will also take a modern,calliper brake fitting,whilst the rear won`t.

Anyone else?

gaz wrote:The lugs don't look that unique to me............................
What I find interesting is that the forks have a different style of canti braze-ons to the seat stays. The fork canti braze-ons look like they are set a suitable distance apart for use with V-brakes, that might help determine the age.

I was looking at the canti braze ons, too. The rears are the old type with a bracket made of pressed metal, like Mafac were, and I think early Dia Compe too. The fronts look a newer type. The diabolo pattern rack braze ons are modern as well?........do we have a frame thats been updated? No rear double eyelets.

The lugs don't look special to me, or the seat binder? (can't remember the photo) and I think the seatstays are top plate rather than top eye which tends to be used for best frames (see Ceeway framebuilding site)......odd to see an internal cable run but budget stuff elsewhere.
Columbus short road ends should date it?

Perhaps it`s not the original fork,or more likely braze-ons have been added.

There isn`t as much clearance as i would have expected on a touring frame either.
With 23c tyres on a pair of wheels i dropped in,about 9mm to the underside of the fork crown from the tyre surface,15mm at the rear.

Is that on the mean side,especially on the front?

Odd,but interesting.

Are the front ends Columbus?
I note they have double mudguard eyelets....but the fork crown cut-outs match the lugs, unless I remember it wrong?

Hi.

Can`t see Columbus stamped on the front fork ends,unlike the rear.
The style of the fork crown matches that of the frame lugs.
I feel pretty sure that forks match frame.

The frame number is 863303.

The 33rd frame in March 1986?
That sounds a lot of frames!

The hunt is afoot Watson!

the 03 could be the frame builder

My Mercian is 63386
ie No 663 in 1986.
There's a 3 next to the number, indicating the framebuilder's personal number.

Trouble is, Mercian - and no doubt all manufacturers - change their numbering systems from time to time.

Hi.

Thanks guys.

Mine looks like an 80s frame,I think.

I doubt Mercian would change where they put the year in the frame number during that year.IF you know yours to be made in `86.
Suggesting mine is not a Mercian.

Does that make sense?

Yep.
I know mine was made then. I ordered it summer 1986

It was delivered by the postie on a Saturday morning in October 1986.

Hi Mick.

Better than the usual bills and rubbish that the postie normally brings!

Can you see any `family resemblance` between yours and mine?
Perhaps i should e mail Mercian and a few other frame builders with the images i have to get there opinion?

Any suggestions as to who should be on my `hit list`would be most welcome.

Cheers guys.

Nope.
Nothing similar that I can see.

I suppose you could email framebuilders with the serial number and a photo or two plus a description and weight, and see what turns up. I'm sure they keep records.

Have you weighed it?

I weighed mine and published the figures on here. Sometimes folk think they have a lightweight frame and it turns out to be too heavy for a "lightweight".

My frame is 531c, 23.5", 73deg parallel.
Frame weighs 2170g
Forks weigh 692g

Notes:
The head tube still has the headset fixed cups in place, as do the forks.
Electronic kitchen scales may not be dead-on accurate, but the figures must be fairly reasonable.

Hi.

I think we have both come to the same conclusion that it is not a Mercian.

I wouldn`t know who,or where to start with,when it came to frame builders to contact.
OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS ALL!

Yes i did weigh it!-

Bare frame-2013g BTW frame size is 57cm(C-C)
Bare fork -709g

Those weights are within 25g of my(Slightly smaller)Raleigh,which i know to be made out of butted 531.

Cheers