sd5782 

I saw a sort of mongrel Ross Signature advertised on Facebook for several weeks. I don’t do Facebook, but finally I had my daughter contact the seller for me. The triple crank in the ad caught my eye, as the bike price was about the cost of a chainring. I’ve been looking for a spare triple. I went to purchase this too small bike for parts. The seller said it belonged to his deceased father. That may explain the flat bars, the bracket for a flag and the triple crank. Looked like low miles.






Lugwork looks very nice, and research shows it to be a 508 Triad from maybe 1985. Shimano new 600 group set with indexed rear 6 speed. All I did was put air in tires and raise the seat. Post is 27.2 and Columbus tubing remnant remain. Serial number 508 5511 84 090. CTC seat tube is about 52.5 and top tube 54.5.








So do I take the crank and part it out? Research shows it to be a quality frame with lesser monetary value.






Thanks for any input. I’m not really a flipper and not really one to part something out, but this was sitting too long and that triple crank was calling me. It is 46-40-XX. Can’t see inner yet.

hazetguy 

The Ross 508 Triad is a fairly "rare" bike. Handbuilt in Allentown, PA, low production numbers, one of their top of the line bikes of the time.
I've got a 508 that I'm getting ready to be put back together. I rode it a little and it's a nice Columbus frame.
You can find more info beginning here (scroll down through subsequent posts):
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...l#post21882438

rccardr 

You did well.
Suggest you also harvest the FD and RD, maybe the shifters too. Give the rest to the local Co-Op.

hazetguy 

Donate to a co-op? I think i'd have a heart attack if something like that showed up at the co-op. I wish people would donate higher end stuff like this to the co-op here!
op: This is not one of the Taiwan built/imported Signature 2XX series, this is a handbuilt frame. I don't know if the *exact* builder(s) will be known (I'm still working on tracking down that information), but whoever did build it was top quality. Read through the history in the link I posted above.

sd5782 

I also bought it for the crank arm plugs. I haven’t torn into it yet, but looking at the rear hub, it may be that early odd Shimano 6 speed freehub. Columbus SL is too rich for the co-op in my town. The frame may eventually get listed here. I have a Trek 400 Ishawata 022 frame with 27” wheels that might accommodate most of this group set, and 700c wheels. Might be a project for next winter. That 600 triple crank is nice looking and well regarded.

WGB 

Didn't the wheelset catch your eye? It looks nicer than the cranks.

sd5782 

I’m more of a non anodized kinda old school guy. Rear is also the old uniglide freehub 6 speed. I just measured 126 rear and 100 front. I will do a bit of research on the wheels though. Freehub is 14-17-19-21-23-26. I’m getting educated on this too, and wished the frame was my size, but realistically it is probably way racier than I am. Interestingly, the sellers dad must have shelled out some bucks, and later in life went flat bar to keep on riding. Good for him.

WGB 

I just meant that even if you don't ride them yourself, they are a valuable wheelset and people on here would like to buy them. I like them but you are 5hrs drive.....

sd5782 

Yes, save the wheels. Most of my bikes are older and 27”, so keep these surely in case an update is possible. Maybe I’ll move it to appraisal section for some more advice in the future. Now if it was a size larger it would be a different discussion.

merziac

Ifn it was me, I would find someone deserving in my orbit and get them on it after I swapped out the parts I wanted/needed.

That is a very nice undervalued frame, actually deserves some nicer C+V components imo.

AngryFrankie

That frame is absolutely gorgeous. I don't care if Tom Kellogg or the shop rat at Ross built it. It's the work of a master frame builder.

sd5782 

Research seems to show Columbus SL on this with perhaps an SP downtube. Remnants remain of the Columbus sticker.

T-Mar

That's a Jim Redcay built frame. Very desirable.

508= model number
55 = frame size, centimetres
11 = colour code, Candy Apple Red
84 = year
090 = frame number.

As in 1985, it used Columbus SL, with an SP down tube. The original rear derailleur and crankset were Shimano New 600EX, while the original bars were SR Road Champion, with Shimano 600AX stem and post. MSRP was $800 US.

We know that this a 1984, as opposed to a 1985 built in late 1984 by several features, including a different fork crown, different BB shell, cables routed over the shell as opposed to under, chisel style stay and blade end transitions as opposed to domed style and just the general level of finish.

Nice acquisition. Too bad that it's too small.

jdawginsc 

I am happy to send a chain-ring for the frame!

Nice Ross. Beautiful frame.

Doug Fattic 

Steve, Ross Signature frames were made by 2 of the best early American frame builders, Tom Kellogg and Jim Redcay. I don't know if someone else helped them at Ross. Jim got his training from Bill Boston, they were both from New Jersey. Redcay went on to be technical editor at Bicycling magazine and then left the bicycling industry. He was the one that showed me the advantages of painting with a gravity feed gun. After his stint at Ross, Kellogg went out on his own and marketed his frames as Spectrum. He retired recently but could probably give you more information if you contacted him.

You have a very high quality frame. Everything about it is top notch except the brand name isn't going to attract much attention. Of course it was made in the era where everyone wanted a go fast bike with skinny tires. Although those tubulars are more comfortable riding than clinchers.

I love that crankset. I had a NOS one that I put on my wife's new bicycle I made her. Those chainrings you have work great with that whole set up. I replaced the rings with more modern Suginos with ramps and pins since she is using a more modern shifting system.

jdawginsc 

Isn't that the odd 600 EX level triple version that isn't marked 600 (weirdly)? I think I have one or two of those laying around.

bikemig 

Nice score. If the price is right, buying a bike that doesn't fit for the parts can be very cost effective even if you are stuck with a frame you need to get rid of.

Doug Fattic 

Steve, one way to make this nicest of bikes fit you is to change the stem to an upright style. That wouldn't take a lot of effort. Then you could have a zippy around towner or bike trail crusier bike. I'll post a picture of the one on my wife's bike that also has the same cranks as yours.

The Golden Boy 

Yup- the FC-6206. I think it was the nicest 110/74 Shimano triple- the XT cranks have thicker arms and don't have that graceful look these have.

Sugino AT for Suntour bikes and 6206 for Shimano bikes.

sd5782 

Thanks all for the input. I’ve been a bit busy so haven’t messed with this one much. I will at least clean it up and get a few more pics of the nice frame details. It sat for sale for at least 3 weeks, but perhaps the flat bar, Ross name, and poor pics causes that. It is often rewarding just experiencing something on a different level to open my horizons. I did notice most of my bikes have dropout eyelets and a longer wheelbase.

Thanks Tmar for the info too. The stem on this is a Dura Ace, and the post looks a bit higher end Shimano as well. Doug, it is interesting that you have acquaintances with those builders too. As for an upright, I have one of my 73 Super Sports set up that way and truly love it, so this frame probably deserves a faster younger rider in original configuration.

Perhaps I will enjoy the cleanup and then list here minus the crank and maybe a few other parts. I couldn’t just let this one get turned into a single speed or get trashed. The guy said I was the only looker even at the ridiculously low price. I’m not into flipping or parting out, but rescuing is fine. I thought this was a very pretty crank, although I like fluted ones best. It even had both crank arm dust caps too.

DiegoFrogs

I glanced at that a few times... but like you, it's too small for me, and I moved 500 miles out of Toledo this week. The two bikes I have in transit were difficult enough to handle, along with the rest of the move!

Fairlane63

Guess I should check FB Marketplace more often!
Interesting piece of bike history from a frame builder and brand I had never heard off.
Seems a shame to part it out but you bought for the chain ring. Should be a substitute to put on it and pass it along to another enthusiast perhaps.

sd5782 

That is probably what I will do. I think I will try to get a replacement crank, rd, and bars to put it back near stock and offer it here. I’m not sure however if it would in fact be worth very much, and i don’t really want to get involved with shipping. I don’t think there is much of a market for vintage sporty bikes in my area.

merziac

T mar and Redkay FTW.

sd5782 

New plan. I checked my parts and will build this up with a Technomic 110 stem I have and some 600 levers and one of the many sets of bars I have lying around. Full tear down and bearings too. As I mentioned earlier, it will be educational experiencing the frame. Sale eventually in the end, but I will be able then to offer a few insights.

Another thought crossed my mind on the vintage uniglide 6 speed cassette. It is a weird 14-17-19-21-23-26 setup. Perhaps I can purchases a 12-28 Sunrace hyperglide 7 speed cassette and run the 16-28 cogs and keep the 14t uniglide thread on ring. Cog modification required I already know. That would give a 14-16-18-21-24-28 mostly hyperglide with the stock indexing shifters. Oh what fun all this is.