Who made my favourite bike (frame)?
07-15-23, 05:49 AM
#1
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Who made my favourite bike (frame)?
This one is getting more use than all the others together, and I don't know what it is.
It's a frankenbike of sorts, the mystery is the frame.
I got that by itself, had it blasted and coated, added all the bits.
The measurements seem a bit funny to me, at first I was sure it was going to be too small, I thought I rode 54.
The seat-tube is 50cm, the top-tube is 54, the chainstay is 42 from bb centre to axle centre; wheelbase is 99 (but of course the fork is not original).
It seems to have a really high bb, after riding it I have to be careful on other bikes.
It's french - 28.15 over the powdercoat, seatpost is 26.0, as shown it's 10.25kg.
Seatlug says 75 but I can't see an angle on the head-tube lugs.
What have I got here - in two ways:
a) who made it; I'm thinking Mercier because I have a Mercier with the same seatstay treatment and similar-but-not-identical dropouts, and it has no stamped serial, and around that time Merciers came with their serial on the headbadge sticker.
b) what can I get that's the same only better, with 1mm seat-tube walls it's not that light a frame, but is it ever fun; how much of that is due to the (possibly odd) geometry?
It's a frankenbike of sorts, the mystery is the frame.
I got that by itself, had it blasted and coated, added all the bits.
The measurements seem a bit funny to me, at first I was sure it was going to be too small, I thought I rode 54.
The seat-tube is 50cm, the top-tube is 54, the chainstay is 42 from bb centre to axle centre; wheelbase is 99 (but of course the fork is not original).
It seems to have a really high bb, after riding it I have to be careful on other bikes.
It's french - 28.15 over the powdercoat, seatpost is 26.0, as shown it's 10.25kg.
Seatlug says 75 but I can't see an angle on the head-tube lugs.
What have I got here - in two ways:
a) who made it; I'm thinking Mercier because I have a Mercier with the same seatstay treatment and similar-but-not-identical dropouts, and it has no stamped serial, and around that time Merciers came with their serial on the headbadge sticker.
b) what can I get that's the same only better, with 1mm seat-tube walls it's not that light a frame, but is it ever fun; how much of that is due to the (possibly odd) geometry?
07-15-23, 07:32 AM
#2
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What's the thing on the DT above the shifters?
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07-15-23, 09:25 AM
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I'd be more worried about the cracked bottom bracket shell...if it fails it will not be pretty
It can be replaced but will not be cheap.
It is now a lawn ornament or shop ornament...like my Colnago frame that gave up its life in a crash at Nationals way back in the day.
It can be replaced but will not be cheap.
It is now a lawn ornament or shop ornament...like my Colnago frame that gave up its life in a crash at Nationals way back in the day.
07-15-23, 10:02 AM
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IS that a crack or just a really nasty line of rust under the clear coat (which is to be expected with clear over raw steel)?
it's fun to see the brazing but unless you do this in a "clean room" with scrupulous laboratory level prep you're bound to get rust (mostly the infamous "spider webs")
Also no idea as to the builder but there are a lot of distinctive details like the lugs and stay caps, Mercier seems a good guess.
it's fun to see the brazing but unless you do this in a "clean room" with scrupulous laboratory level prep you're bound to get rust (mostly the infamous "spider webs")
Also no idea as to the builder but there are a lot of distinctive details like the lugs and stay caps, Mercier seems a good guess.
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07-15-23, 10:39 AM
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BB shell doesn't look cracked. Looks like a little crud to me. At worst, rust. Not a crack to my eyes.
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07-15-23, 10:46 AM
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That thing on the BB looks like a grease booger to me....
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07-15-23, 02:17 PM
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Just a local shop; they do car parts, anything.
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07-15-23, 02:35 PM
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Glad the shell is not cracked, the BB unit looks like some sort of "Thun" style, maybe even an actual Thun, which need the "special tool" to remove and install.
It's one of my all-time least favorite type of BB unit, including the misguided version Campy sold for awhile...glad those are now out of production!
It's one of my all-time least favorite type of BB unit, including the misguided version Campy sold for awhile...glad those are now out of production!
07-15-23, 07:37 PM
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You couldn't ride it with a crack like that. btdt
07-16-23, 02:43 AM
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