Front end damage or by design? Older Follis bike.
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Front end damage or by design? Older Follis bike.
Are the forks bent backwards or is this a design trait? I’m unfamiliar with this brand/era of bicycles.
thanks!
thanks!
#3
Full Member
Looks damaged to me. Hard to look at that downtube just below the headtube lug in your 3rd pic and not see the tube clearly bulged. Front-end collision highly likely.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 5,382
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2490 Post(s)
Liked 2,958 Times
in
1,681 Posts
Badly bent frame. No question.
The proportion of bent lightweight steel frames from the '70s that are still turning up is amazing. Maybe lots of people graduated from electroforged Schwinns and didn't understand that European racing bikes couldn't be treated like battering rams without some consequences. And there were drugs, too, of course.
The proportion of bent lightweight steel frames from the '70s that are still turning up is amazing. Maybe lots of people graduated from electroforged Schwinns and didn't understand that European racing bikes couldn't be treated like battering rams without some consequences. And there were drugs, too, of course.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 936
Bikes: 1968 Raleigh Super Course, 1972 Raleigh Professional, 1975 Raleigh International, 1978 Raleigh Professional, 1985 Raleigh Prestige, 1972 Schwinn Paramount, 1980 Schwinn Voyageur 11.8, 1960 Carlton Franco Suisse Peugeot PX10, 1972 Motobecane Le Champ
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 323 Post(s)
Liked 690 Times
in
351 Posts
In addition to the wavy tubing on the underside, judging by the angle of the fork blades from the head tube down, it looks to me like the steerer is bent too.
Likes For Pcampeau:
#6
Senior Member
The damage is so obvious, why is this even a question?
Likes For Bad Lag:
Likes For USAZorro:
#8
Friendship is Magic
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 22,985
Bikes: old ones
Mentioned: 304 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26427 Post(s)
Liked 10,382 Times
in
7,210 Posts
__________________
#9
señor miembro
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 6,628
Bikes: '70s - '80s Campagnolo
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3890 Post(s)
Liked 6,491 Times
in
3,213 Posts
That frame is like that ... by design. Yeah, that's it. Makes it ... go faster. Yeah...
Likes For SurferRosa:
#10
multimodal commuter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ, NYC, LI
Posts: 19,808
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
Mentioned: 584 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1908 Post(s)
Liked 574 Times
in
339 Posts
Not much to be saved off that one. Whoever was riding it didn't pay much attention to the front derailleur either.
__________________
www.rhmsaddles.com.
www.rhmsaddles.com.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,160
Mentioned: 481 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3811 Post(s)
Liked 6,717 Times
in
2,614 Posts
Intentional design, yes, if you mean intentionally crashed into a wall.
Likes For nlerner:
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 1,436
Bikes: You had me at rusty and Italian!!
Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 566 Post(s)
Liked 1,053 Times
in
545 Posts
Is it just me? Every time I see a bike pic and there is some sort of lock attached or otherwise dangling there is noticeable frame damage
Likes For RustyJames:
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Fairplay Co
Posts: 9,530
Bikes: Current 79 Nishiki Custum Sport, Jeunet 620, notable previous bikes P.K. Ripper loop tail, Kawahara Laser Lite, Paramount Track full chrome, Raliegh Internatioanl, Motobecan Super Mirage. 59 Crown royak 3 speed
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 792 Post(s)
Liked 1,784 Times
in
638 Posts
It is not you old thing based in the military people would put a fixed cheap lock on a bicycle, car, truck, or other stuff to indicate something is broken and likely unsafe.. The above bike is unsafe.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Greenwood SC USA
Posts: 2,252
Bikes: 2002 Mercian Vincitore, 1982 Mercian Colorado, 1976 Puch Royal X, 1973 Raleigh Competition, 1971 Gitane Tour de France and others
Mentioned: 55 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 823 Post(s)
Liked 1,395 Times
in
694 Posts
I'm the crazy guy who would bend it back into shape and see how it turned out. The Mercier below was a success.
Likes For rustystrings61:
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3,453
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 878 Post(s)
Liked 2,296 Times
in
1,283 Posts
Yes , that is a toe biter , for sure.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3,453
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 878 Post(s)
Liked 2,296 Times
in
1,283 Posts
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Greenwood SC USA
Posts: 2,252
Bikes: 2002 Mercian Vincitore, 1982 Mercian Colorado, 1976 Puch Royal X, 1973 Raleigh Competition, 1971 Gitane Tour de France and others
Mentioned: 55 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 823 Post(s)
Liked 1,395 Times
in
694 Posts
I will note that when I did that, I had made sure the headset cups were squarely in place ot prevent any ovalization of the head tube - they're loose in the photo.
Likes For rustystrings61:
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3,453
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 878 Post(s)
Liked 2,296 Times
in
1,283 Posts
Nope. I literally grabbed the frame by the chainstays right in front of the rear dropouts and pulled upwards. Once. I was actually shocked to discover that was all it took. The frame came right back into alignment. The frame is built with Mercier's "LuxTube" generic gaspipe tubing and it might have taken a bit more force with 531, but maybe not.
I will note that when I did that, I had made sure the headset cups were squarely in place ot prevent any ovalization of the head tube - they're loose in the photo.
I will note that when I did that, I had made sure the headset cups were squarely in place ot prevent any ovalization of the head tube - they're loose in the photo.
#19
Senior Member
The derailleurs go to the Museum of Bicycles for their 'Worst Designs EVER!" wing.
Last edited by Bad Lag; 09-25-23 at 10:13 AM.
#20
señor miembro
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 6,628
Bikes: '70s - '80s Campagnolo
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3890 Post(s)
Liked 6,491 Times
in
3,213 Posts
#21
Full Member
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 486
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 175 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 452 Times
in
232 Posts
Unfortunately your example was for the lower end market and filler during the bike boom. Read into the chrome cover over the fork crown.
Unless there's a sentimental value, pull it for a few parts such as the brakes and toss it. Or, practice the skill to straighten the fork. Hose it down with a rust preventative and lube. Air up the tires. Leave it at the curb.
#23
Friendship is Magic
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 22,985
Bikes: old ones
Mentioned: 304 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26427 Post(s)
Liked 10,382 Times
in
7,210 Posts
#24
Senior Member