bearcat714

Hello All,
I am one of those people who gather up broken bikes and put them back together (not restored, just cleaned up and working - think beater). I then make them available to the local college students because a cheap bike is better than none at all.
I have just come across a Crescent Skania 10-speed road bike and am trying to find out more info on it. The bike is in pretty good shape (apparently not broken, just thrown out). It has an orange frame of Reynolds 601, a metal crescent badge on the front and the name "SKANDIA" on the down tube. there is a wrap decal towards the front of the top tube with crowns on it (not checkerboard). The pedals are metal with great beastly clips and leather straps. The bike has Weinmann/Vainqueur brakes and Campagnolo deraileurs and shifter (the shifters are works of art-lots of fine detail). Wheelbase is about 1 meter and the serial is 4625978 and stamped on the bottom bracket.
Does anyone have any information on this bike?
Thanks
Bearcat714

evwxxx

Crescent is a swedish brand (used to be Monarck a long time ago). Orange seems to have been their favorite color for whatever reason. I have one that I call the "Pumpkin". In any case many Crescents were relatively "high end" bikes builts of reynolds 531, the main difference among models being components attached to the frame. However, some were more towards the "low end" or "Gaspipe" range, also, with welded rather than lugged construction, steel one-piece crankshafts, etc. I have not heard of the scandia model, nor have I heard of reynolds 601. Sure it does not say 501?

GMS 

I found this Crescent ad in a 1974 Bicycling magazine.

markk900

I remember in 1974 that it took me several months to realize there was a bicycle in that ad.....

Is Reynolds tubing made of Swedish steel? If not, how can the ad claim the bikes are made of the finest Swedish steel and yet have Reynolds frames?

Mark

bearcat714

You are correct, It is 531. The Reynolds logo they used printed "REYNOLDS" right over the numbers 531 and I misread it.

karmat

The top of the line Crescent was called the "Pepita Special" and came in several variants of trim, but the same frame. Lower end Crescents had different names and some were made of hi tensile steel. Some had curved top tubes. Since your bike is 531 and it's not a Pepita, it must be a later frame. Can you post pics? It could be a late 70's-80's frame, when they shook up the model line up.

Here's a Pepita Special 320 frame:



Karl

Charles Wahl

Bearcat714 -- it doesn't exist if you don't post photos.

javal

Hi!

This is the second so called Skandia I`ve ever come across, and it`s in the US again. For sure this is something out of the MCB production, although we have never seen anything like it back home in Sweden. The top tube badge is from Monark (the crowns), the rest seems to be Crescent (the colouring) except for the Skandia name. We are some MCB-nerds over here who tried to find answers about the first Skandia, but came up with nothing. We guess those bikes were made in Brazil and was part of MCB`s introduction to the US. The bike is totally wrong, but as a curoius matter it is fantastic! For those who didn`t know, MCB stand for MonarkCrescentBolagen (Bolagen means company) and all through the 60`s to the 70`s the bikes were identical except for components. The name Pepita Special were a american invention. The high end bikes from top to bottom were called 320 (Campagnola), 319 (Dura Ace from late 70`s) and 318 (high end training bike with SunTour and various french components) These bikes were identical when it comes to frames (Reynolds tubing and Nervex/Dubois lugs). There after came 316, 312 and 309 which were made for "sporty" everyday cycling. Today Monark no longer make any road bikes. We will "investigate" this second Skandia!Best wishes - Jan, SWEDEN.

javal

Hi again! The seat tube badge hails from a swedish bike called Nordstjernan. The funny thing is, the first Skandia I came across had an identical badge. Nordstjernan was not a product of MCB. So the Skandia bikes has got badges from three different bikes! Jan, Sweden.

Oldpeddaller

WoW! (Woman on Wheels!)

Gorgeous - and the girl's OK too - although she's probably my age now!

Must be old age and OCD, I've got a really strong urge to reverse that front wheel so the QR's on the left.

evwxxx

Yes, QR should definitely be on the left...

ultraman6970

If somebody is looking for one there is one at CL right now...

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/m...625764051.html

juvela

i have a cycling friend in berkeley california who took in an early 1970's skandia in orange. frame is identical, save for the transfers, to a crescent or monark model 319 or 320 (11 tube 531) of the same period.

do not know the purpose for this third badge.

theredjersey

I also have a Skandia frame with Campi drivetrain but it had DuraAce brake levers. Did you find out any further information on this model? Thanks for any help!

Crescent2022

Hi,

I have another Skandia which I bought in the States but I am now in Chile. It has Skandia on the downtube, crown sticker on the top tube. It also has a Reynolds 531 decal and another one that says Made in Sweden, Svenskt Kvalitetsfabrikat. The serial on the bottom bracket I think reads 4525852. Would love to have more details on this bike. Im sure it has a french threaded bottom bracket but thats about it. Im thinking of building it up with an internal 3 or 8 gear hub. Not sure if that will work with the dropout spacing. Since Im new I can't post any photos on here or links, but will try to do so soon.

juvela

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you might wish to communicate with member styggno1

description of your frame suggests it to be the same as model 319 & 320

the forum has had quite a good number of threads on MCB products

to find them search under the Crescent and Monark names rather than the Skania/Skandia one


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Crescent2022

Thanks!

merziac

Keep posting, you need 5 posts X 2 days for 10 to post pics, you can also add them to your album on your homepage too.

juvela

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probably every question anyone could ever ask regarding an MCB product has been covered on the Swedish forum -

Forums - CykelForum.se


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Crescent2022

Site seems to be down for some reason.

juvela

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apologies for the dead link

has been a spell since me last visit there

perhaps member styggno1 will be able to tell us if there is a new URL for the forum...


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Crescent2022

Thanks! My only concern really is that its a "fake". That they took some old frame and just added the decals. Although the lugs, color and other specs would suggest otherwise. It would be great if anyone has the specs (bb, spacing, etc...) for the bike to be able to start looking for components for a build.

juvela

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the one example have had the opportunity to view in person appeared identical to the Monark 319/320 of the early 1970's -

metric shell

bsc steerer

28.6mm down and seat tubes

25.4mm top tube and steerer

100mm front spacing

120mm rear spacing

eleven tube 531c frame tubing set

scrolly NERVEX Professional lug set with Vagner crown

no chrome

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Oldpeddaller

Here's another Swedish bike from the 1970's. I think this one may be a Monark? I wonder if 'Skandia' just indicates the bike was manufactured in Scandinavia and the actual makers names are Crescent and Monark? At least the shoes can be used in those toe clips without having to fit cleats!