Low pro frame - anyone recognise it?

Just bought this outrageous piece of vintage steel and I'm building it up gradually into something that I can use in vintage bike time trials - my times are likely to be vintage too, probably best measured with a sundial. Ok, I know it's all wrong at the moment, I need a single ring chainset as it's meant to be run as a 7 speed, there's no brakes on it (who needs them?) and I'm not entirely happy with the bars, they are a touch too low and not quite long enough.

Details of the frame are that it's intended for a 24 inch front and 700c rear, the front appears to be original with an early Hope hub. There is only one gear lever braze on but oddly it has two sets of bottle cage bosses. The frame is likely to be of 531 or similar with a 27.2mm seat tube, but there are no marks anywhere. The seller reckoned it might be an Aende by Pongo Braithwaite, it'd be nice if it was.

Hope someone out there recognises it!

Gordon

and I'm not entirely happy with the bars, they are a touch too low and not quite long enough.

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If that's your correct saddle height then the frame's too small.

fiks":f07w63le said:

and I'm not entirely happy with the bars, they are a touch too low and not quite long enough.

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If that's your correct saddle height then the frame's too small.

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The saddle is about an inch too high as the post won't go any further into the seat tube as it hits the butted portion so I need to chop a bit off it. For a frame of this type it's probably about the right size, it's 51cm ctc top tube, which is only 1cm less than a couple of my road bikes. It's the fact that it's such a squat frame that makes it look very odd, take a look at the top tube, it's level with the top of the rear wheel. If you look at other low pros they often have a sloping top tube, if they had the same geometry as this one they'd have a similar seat post length. See the Geoff Butler below for example. If it is too small, tough on me, I've built it just for fun really!

Gordon

reminds me of a compact frame that Argos used to make. sort of thing dangerfield used to ride.

jonnyboy666":2wq81m8q said:

reminds me of a compact frame that Argos used to make. sort of thing dangerfield used to ride.

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I think you're right, found http://www.flickr.com/photos/98065290@N00/2695825339/ that looks very like mine but with an outrageous length of seat tube and post.

Gordon

GordonB":127eoylt said:

jonnyboy666":127eoylt said:

reminds me of a compact frame that Argos used to make. sort of thing dangerfield used to ride.

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I think you're right, found http://www.flickr.com/photos/98065290@N00/2695825339/ that looks very like mine but with an outrageous length of seat tube and post.

Gordon

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Given the lugged construction, traditional tube diameters and non-aerofoil fork I was going to suggest it might be a Sirius product, but am pretty sure almost all of their low-pro frames favoured 700c wheels both front and rear.

David

What 'vintage time trials' would those be Gordon? No Planet X events this year and the 'Old Skool' events that other people organise are generally pre 1980 which means no lo-pro frames. However, nothing to stop you riding 'ordinary' events (local club and opens) on it - but you'll need some brakes!

Looks good - and fast

Old Ned":1dyj292n said:

What 'vintage time trials' would those be Gordon? No Planet X events this year and the 'Old Skool' events that other people organise are generally pre 1980 which means no lo-pro frames. However, nothing to stop you riding 'ordinary' events (local club and opens) on it - but you'll need some brakes!

Looks good - and fast

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I suppose I was hoping it would fit in the vintage category, but if it doesn't then I'll just enter the old farts category of the local events. One of the Suffolk courses runs right past my house, and the start is about a mile up the road, so I have the opportunity to do a bit of practice, I'll need it because I've only ever entered a couple of tts and that was over 25 years ago.

Brakes? Nah! However, on the basis that I may now and then wish to reduce my breakneck speed slightly, I had a look at the frame again this afternoon and noticed that the rear bridge and forks appear to be designed for nutted brakes rather than hex bolt jobbies. The bridge is circular in cross section and too thin for a hex fitting brakes to fit - leastways none of the ones in my box of bits will fit. Anyone got any advice? Models that might fit? Do I need an adapter of some sort to fit hex brakes? All help gratefully received!

Gordon

You need some good old fashioned nut fixed brakes, like what everyone used BITD. I'm sure someone here will have some to sell.

(ie, here - http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=142972 )

You'll have to have some fitted to the bike or you'll not be able to ride- but I'm sure you know that really

Think I've solved it, used one of those bridge spacers from an old Weinmann brake, just needed the one and it gives a flat surface for the caliper to sit on. Curiously, the hole in the bridge was big enough to fit the hex nut thingy in. I now need a flat spacer or thick washer for the front brake as it fouls the headset without one. The frame is extremely close clearance, I'm using 35/47 drop Shimano RSX brakes and I've got the blocks right at the top in order to mate with the rim.

Now all I've got to do is glue the tubs to the rims and it's bum in the air spinal injury time!

Gordon