Mystery Frame - 54cm
#26
verktyg
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Bikes: Current favorites: 1988 Peugeot Birraritz, 1984 Gitane Super Corsa, 1980s DeRosa, 1981 Bianchi Campione Del Mondo, 1992 Paramount OS, 1988 Colnago Technos, 1985 RalieghUSA SBDU Team Pro
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Mystery Frame - Now Mystery Lugs
In packing it up, I noticed one other distinctive bit I should have noticed before. The steerer tube has neither a flat (French) nor a slot (pretty much the rest of the world). This suggests replacement fork to me. (Would a purchased replacement fork have had a slot or a flat? What about just a steerer tube?)
Still, there's the bit about the plating on the head tube lugs and the fork socks being a match. If this started out life as a Motobecane, it would seem it was extensively reworked at some point
Still, there's the bit about the plating on the head tube lugs and the fork socks being a match. If this started out life as a Motobecane, it would seem it was extensively reworked at some point
No lock washer flat or groove? Whispers custom built frame by small builder or replacement fork.
Now to throw a fly in the ointment...
I was visiting frame builder Ed Litton this afternoon. We were going through a bucket of old NOS lugs looking for a nice set of Nervex Professionals for a frame I'm having him build for me.
Guess what!
We found an NOS set of "Nervex Motobecane" lugs like on your ex frame!
So it appears that those lugs were available outside of Motobecane which adds to the speculation that it was a one off from a small builder.
verktyg
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Don't believe everything you think! History is written by those who weren't there....
Chas. ;-)
Don't believe everything you think! History is written by those who weren't there....
Chas. ;-)
#27
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Vertyg, Skip, and Others,
I am the "er lucky new owner" !. If you remember, a few months ago I also had mystery frame. Painted by Keith Anderson as noted by Doug Fattic. Verktyg got the bike correctly identified, and now it sports some new (er older) parts. Here are some pics of the work in progress. It required a set of 27" wheels for a correct brakes fit but were easily built. It may get it's old fenders back on it, but it should be a good daily rider. So now with a new mystery frame it appears I am off to the races again. I hope to find some things for this new one to be an interesting build. Verktyg, this is how the other one came out. This time paint by Pro Kote Indy, decals from Greg Softley, and some parts from my stash of parts. Brakes are coming from another BF member, and I think I will have it back to close to period correct. I can't wait to ride it. BTW I still have the same crappy camera, and the non-intentional tremors, so It is hard for me to get great still photos. Smiles, MH
Pics:
I am the "er lucky new owner" !. If you remember, a few months ago I also had mystery frame. Painted by Keith Anderson as noted by Doug Fattic. Verktyg got the bike correctly identified, and now it sports some new (er older) parts. Here are some pics of the work in progress. It required a set of 27" wheels for a correct brakes fit but were easily built. It may get it's old fenders back on it, but it should be a good daily rider. So now with a new mystery frame it appears I am off to the races again. I hope to find some things for this new one to be an interesting build. Verktyg, this is how the other one came out. This time paint by Pro Kote Indy, decals from Greg Softley, and some parts from my stash of parts. Brakes are coming from another BF member, and I think I will have it back to close to period correct. I can't wait to ride it. BTW I still have the same crappy camera, and the non-intentional tremors, so It is hard for me to get great still photos. Smiles, MH
Pics: