Mystery Vintage Bike
#26
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I'm not hard over, either way. As I said, oit was a guess based on the lugs and seat stay treatment. The fork tells me nothing because they're so easily replaced.
Is the fork serialized with the same number as the frame? That would mean it was authentic/original.
The serial number should tell a lot.
#27
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More pics
Hello all, great info so far! Here’s a few more pics that might help. The seat post seems to be around 26.5 according to my calipers... the only post I have handy is a 27.2, it doesn’t fit and it’s carbon so I didn’t want to try jamming it in. I also included a couple pics of the components that came with the frame, judging by the difference in condition I doubt they were on the bike thought. Thanks for all your help!
Last edited by FSU421; 02-19-19 at 07:44 AM. Reason: Sorry for all the mess and misspellings, my iPhone doesn’t get along with this forum!
#28
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My guess is mid-60's Falcon. Compare with my 62-ish Black Diamond. The frames are nearly identical, but for the chrome trim.
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#29
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Rear dropouts are a bit different, but still stamped.
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#30
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Forks
The forks cleaned up decent, they’re Shimano, so probably not original equipment?
#31
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Headset
The top bolt of the headset is Campy, the bottom cup is “Giorgia Competetion” never heard of that before...
#32
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Fork is obviously a replacement. Interesting headset cup!
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I'm saying Falcon with a replacement fork. The fork bend doesn't look right to my eye for a Falcon of that era. The seatpost diameter will revcal much. I had a similar Falcon with forged Campy dropouts, no chrome, that had 531 db seattube, anyway ....
#35
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Falcon San Remo- Seatstays
Whole cycle, as someone threw it out on the curb.
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Falcon
Very Raleigh Grand Prix but no. British bikes usually had a very specific thread on the BB and fork. It was close but not quite metric. It could be forced to metric one time but NOT back once forced. My guess is Falcon.
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I don't have time to read all the posts so it's probably been figured out, anyway its a Raleigh mid level bike and maybe a Carlton. Falcon had more control with their welding unlike Raleigh who was always a bit rough in their welding, and the picture shows rougher welding then Falcons had.
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The bike shop I worked at sold Falcons and I have to respectfully disagree about the quality of the brazing. Falcons we sold were far worse than any Raleigh I ever saw. This includes the Campagnolo equipped bikes with 531 frames.
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It’s clearly a Falcon Raleigh Carlton.
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I don't have time to read all the posts so it's probably been figured out, anyway its a Raleigh mid level bike and maybe a Carlton. Falcon had more control with their welding unlike Raleigh who was always a bit rough in their welding, and the picture shows rougher welding then Falcons had.
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#44
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I have another guess, and a guess it is; I think it could be Coventry Eagle before Coventry Eagle name was dropped to Falcon. I originally thought the little c in the serial number stood for Carlton and the bike does look a lot like some Raleigh's but I got to thinking that the c may also be for Coventry which some of their bikes did have the wrap around seat stays as well. Also Coventry in 1968 offered the gold paint job-assuming the paint is original on the bike.
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I'm also in the Falcon camp here. I'm thinking this is an early 70s Olympic. With a seatpost diameter around 26.4/26.6 I'm assuming it's straight gauge Reynolds 531 (as opposed to hi-ten on the Black Diamond). I'm not an expert on Falcons, so forum experts can chime in on this.
Also, I assume the fork is a replacement and the frame was repainted (at least once).
Here's an example of an Olympic (you'll notice the bb shell is different from OP's but, as other pics in this thread show, OP's style of bb shell was used by Falcon):
The serial on the OP's bottom bracket shell is consistent with Falcon format (or some of them, as numbering wasn't consistent) - 5 digit number preceded by a letter (I've seen G, V and X). I'm guessing the paint covers up enough of the letter to make it look like a "C" but it's most likely a "G".
Here are some examples:
le
Also, I assume the fork is a replacement and the frame was repainted (at least once).
Here's an example of an Olympic (you'll notice the bb shell is different from OP's but, as other pics in this thread show, OP's style of bb shell was used by Falcon):
The serial on the OP's bottom bracket shell is consistent with Falcon format (or some of them, as numbering wasn't consistent) - 5 digit number preceded by a letter (I've seen G, V and X). I'm guessing the paint covers up enough of the letter to make it look like a "C" but it's most likely a "G".
Here are some examples:
le