Fronteira MTB - early 1990s any info ?

laurie18

Dirt Disciple
All I have been able to find out about Frontiera is that they were made here in the UK by Border Cycles. Does anyone have any more info?
I purchased this about 10 years ago, I assume it was a high end bike in it's day as it has Campag Euclid groupset (apart from the Mavic Pedals) so I believe it dates fro the early 1990s. My photos are not very good, the orange is very bright and the wight is pearl effect
Photos to follow
 
esjnno.jpg

2s8o4ko.jpg

311x98j.jpg
 
Guess work here, but i think they did road frames too, a scottish bike shop, building with a local frame builder using columbus tubing. I want to be sure and say that the frontiera brand was the name used by border cycles, but i cannot be 100%.

anyone......???
 
I keep looking back at this, and it thinking Paul Donohue. Its Very Reminiscent of it at least.
 
That does look very interesting! Would be good to see some better pics and with knobblies.
 
That is a very nice bicycle you have there and yes, it deserves much better pics. It would be a shame for the thread to disappear among the clamour of all the mass-produced.
 
sinnerman":2i2x742y said:
I keep looking back at this, and it thinking Paul Donohue. Its Very Reminiscent of it at least.

Given the orange formula sale I can see why you would have that suspicion sinn

This rear frame is more the single type and as the pics are blurryish.. does the headset looks similar to that on slimjoes zinn

I agree with you sinn in that this bike has some secrets..now if only we can find out what they are
 
sylus":8h2hgbn3 said:
sinnerman":8h2hgbn3 said:
I keep looking back at this, and it thinking Paul Donohue. Its Very Reminiscent of it at least.

Given the orange formula sale I can see why you would have that suspicion sinn

This rear frame is more the single type and as the pics are blurryish.. does the headset looks similar to that on slimjoes zinn

I agree with you sinn in that this bike has some secrets..now if only we can find out what they are


the more i look the more i find, I just think its a mad coincedence. Look at the time line, the spec and the design.

Im confident its the same firm.

What really does intregue me with this is the choice of colour...., The style in which it was done. it screams 1989.90, at a time when Wade and Noble, were looking to english frame builders for a range topping handbuilt orange, we know Donahue built the early examples, for them and many other shop based race teams and Brands. and theres even a birthmark in the same place as the Formula, on the front of the seattube.

Only its an F and not an Orange.

No its the same firm, who the actual torchman was we may never know, Donohue,..? Winter..? it doesnt really make a difference, they were all and sum still are "top class".

Now look at it again, it has a wishbone.... :shock: instead of the fast back stays, and yet still has the trade mark sloping top tube.

No My question is the seatstays........I wanna know the answer to this question......"What Came First and why....The chicken or the egg"

But before i get even more carried away with chasing the rainbows in my head.....it genuinely may be nothing more than the same builder.
And after building the formula, tubes became available here for the wishbone configuration, and natural progress followed. Or orange saw one of these and said that will do us...???(ok possibly not) But they did do this with the clockwork i am led to believe, a far east frame, from the same supplier as the MuddyFox and Tushingham....???

The colour, well lets face it, back then it Was without Doubt in my mind, the most widely seen racejacket at all and every event i took part in. It wouldnt surprise me, if this wasnt an original custom order from a local, wanting the best of a handbuilt frame, with the best spec, and in the coolest colour on the scene at the time and yet stay loyal and true to his local shop.

If it was a roadie who placed the order for the bike, it would explain a lot..especially the campag imho.

We may never know, but its why i hang around here, i love it.
 
Purely for no reason...I wonder if the "F" in the top of the seat tube in white...is embossed or decal
 

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