bikemeister

I had a lugged steel falcon 10-speed in the mid 80"s, and I remember seeing newer ads with updated logo's, but whatever happened to Falcon Of England?

raverson

I can't for the life of me remember why I got rid of mine. Did my first century on it in the late 70's and wish it was still around.

The men's bike in the picture was auctioned off a while back but was too small a frame for me or...

MKahrl

Falcons pretty much pulled out of the U.S. market after the bike boom ended and Ernie Clements sold the company. I was a big fan and kept an eye out for Falcon's in the 80's but only ever saw two new ones the entire decade in the U.S.

By 1990 I started a search for a Falcon to replace all the Falcons that were stolen by very bad people in my youth. I subscribed to Velo News, Bike Trader, haunted bike shops with used bikes and even made a hefty offer to a guy I met on a century (it was his dad's). Pretty much struck out for ten years; then came eBay. Someone outed a nice Falcon on the Classic Rendezvous list. I was busy pestering the owner for more info and better photos but was waiting to make a bid but after several days without a bid the owner withdrew the bike and said someone local made him offer he couldn't refuse. It turned up in my living room on my birthday. I'm not sure if my wife offered him money, a broken arm or a combination of both.

I ride it pretty much exclusively now and my Paramounts, my favorite bikes for the previous twenty years, don't see much road time anymore.

Read a little more about Falcons here:
https://www.classicrendezvous.com/Bri...con/Falcon.htm

and search the Classic Rendezvous list at www.bikelist.org for "Falcon".

MichaelW

I have a Falcon Majorca plain guage chromoly sports bike from 1979. It rides quite well but is nothing special. I have seen the 531 race bikes and they are sweet.
These days, Falcon is just a sticker brand for entry-level clunkers.

markwebb

When I got more serious about racing, I traded my 1974 Peugeot U08 in for an Eddy Merckx Moltini orange bike. It was all Campy NR. This was in about 1976. I don't know if it was a Falcon frame or a Merckx, but it was Reynolds 531 lugged. What's a little odd about mine was it ws all Campy NR - I thought on the re-badged Falcons they used lesser cheaper components. I see the Falcon Eddys pop up on eBay every now and then, but haven't seen one as I recall that was a Campy machice.

As far as Falcons' badged as Falcons - there have been quite a few lately on eBay - last I checked there were several for sale (last weekend).

DSchlichting

I have a 25 inch 531 straight gauge Falcon touring frame I bought new in 1982. It's equipped with various vintages of Campy components, but has since been eclipsed by much higher end equipment in my fleet. It has served well, but I just use it for short rides now and will probably look to retire/sell it later in the season.

MKahrl

MarkWebb:

Here is a catalog scan of Eddy Merckx by Falcon from 1974.
https://www.bikebrothers.co.uk/falconeddy.htm
As you can see there were two Campy NR models. Falcon also produced 531db NR Falcons in racing and touring models and they are quite nice with chrome Prugnat or Nervex lugs. I don't know what year Eddy got his own factory going but Falcon could well have still been producing his bikes in 1976. If the seat stays do a full wrap over the seat cluster it's probably a Falcon.

lotek 

In 1972 my best friend had his varsinental stolen from the U miami campus,
he bought a falcon San Remo full campy Record and I fell in love with a bike
for the first time. It was magic, at least to me.
I've always wanted one and someday will get one to fulfill that old lust.

damn this thread has started an itch. . .

marty

bikemeister

I as recall mine was constucted of 1020 steel? I guess that's a mild steel - not 4130 Cro-Mo but not Walmart plumbing pipe. Does that sound right?

bikemeister

It's too bad how so many of the European companies caved to the Far East. The last brochure I remember seeing was a Falcon outfitted with the then brand new Sachs gruppo - the ARIS indexing system. They made a big deal of it - a Continental frame with European parts! I tried buying back the Falcon to do a similar upgrade. I had sold it to a beginner cyclist buddy, but he had lost track of it. Darn - do all the good ones slip away?

MKahrl

They're still out there. I bought a Falcon this morning on eBay. It has plain gauge 531 tubing and I estimate it will weigh in around 26-29 lbs. About 4 - 6 Falcons show up on eBay each year but only one will be a full Campy with 531 DB tubing. Much like Paramounts from the 70's a lot of riders would strip off all the Campy parts to put on a new frame because by the 1980's Campy stuff hadn't changed, only got a lot more expensive.

dbakl

There always seem to be plenty around. I have an old, 20" frame hanging in my basement if someone wants it, probably early 60s, no fork or headbadge, purple and chrome.

The tan one on the CR site is mine, got it pretty much as is for 40 bucks, but cleaned up and new paint from Cyclart. I don't find them especially desirable, but that one had some unique things going on.

Futureboy

I'm the proud owner of a two owners from new Falcon Phaser -it's a five speed racer which I would guess was entry level when new. Can anyone help me date it? The seller thought late seventies - sometimes I think that, sometimes it looks younger. It's in cracking condition, which I guess makes it a bit harder.

It has the serial number A012999 on a sticker on the seat tube.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

randyjawa 

I have been lucky enough to run across about half a dozen Falcons over the years. One, that I spent two years waiting for, proved to be near mint. Even though the bicycle was in excellent condition and cost a mere $25.00 to buy, I did not like the ride and let the bike go with-in a week or two of ownership. Sadly, the fellow who purchased the bicycle lost it to theft the first week he owned the bike.

Previous to that bike, I took the time to build up a Faclon Single Speed. Didn't like that one either.

That is not to say that the Falcon is not a great bicycle. Just not great for me.

sonatageek

There were a few models that had the full NR. I have a matched pair sitting in the basement right now.
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]

wrk101

Here's a Falcon Sterling Race I picked up last year. 1988 +/-. All Shimano Sante components, Reynolds 531C frame and fork.

GMS 

This is my early 70s Falcon. I think gumwall tires might look better.

wrk101

Nice 1970s Falcon. I would go red with the cable housing and red bar tape. And I would go gumwall. At that point, it would be a super sweet bike (already great anyway).

satkin55

Here's my Black Diamond: https://falconrestorebike.wordpress.com

John E

"A Falcon is a good English bike." -- Charlie Harding, C. Harding's For Bikes, near the UCLA campus, ca. 1970

Wildwood 

Third time around, I get it. No Falcon in '06, no Falcon in '10, but this one came home to my roost a couple years ago.
1989, 531c, bought as a frameset. Very quick handler.
I like it, a lot more than i thought i would.
IMHO, a vastly underestimated brand for their higher end framesets.
58.5 (ctc)X57 with 17headtube. The 42cm chain stays keep it stable when just sitting in.

satkin55

Nice looking bike Wildwood

Wildwood 

Thanks @satkin55.

Welcome to Bike Forums.
post more.
love to see your ride pics.

i know Kent rather well.
a bit around Portsmouth
and the southeast coast.
But too long ago to be currently pertinent.