Could you help me ID this frame?

Just picked this up off eBay... mainly for the saddle (which I have removed and lathered with Proofide) and front wheel (Weinmann 27" on Normandy large flange).

It was sold to me as a "Brooks Competition" but I think that's only as this is what is written on the saddle(!) as there are no other decals or badges, it clearly had a two-rivet headbadge tho, similar to a Sun Worksop frame I picked up recently.

While it's running 27" rims, it appears to have been designed for 26 x 1 3/8" or 26 x 1 1/4" rims as 1) there is almost no tyre clearance and 2) the brake blocks have been turned 90% to hit the rim :shock: makes it an ideal candidate for running 700C rims though - ?

I am 99% sure it's made by Raleigh (it's super close to identical to the very rusty Raleigh Olympus I own too) but have you guys any clues as to which of the many brands they bought this would've been badged up as?

Not sure if its Raleigh because the fork crown doesn't have 'thimble' ie the usual Raleigh treatment... I know this as I had an Olympus back in 1976.

Not sure if its Raleigh because the fork crown doesn't have 'thimble' ie the usual Raleigh treatment... I know this as I had an Olympus back in 1976.

Spokesmann":poj3n45r said:

Not sure if its Raleigh because the fork crown doesn't have 'thimble' ie the usual Raleigh treatment... I know this as I had an Olympus back in 1976.

Click to expand...

yes, my Olympus has this feature. The lugs are almost identical tho.. :?:

Dead Rats":d1o832hj said:

Spokesmann":d1o832hj said:

Not sure if its Raleigh because the fork crown doesn't have 'thimble' ie the usual Raleigh treatment... I know this as I had an Olympus back in 1976.

Click to expand...

yes, my Olympus has this feature. The lugs are almost identical tho.. :?:

Click to expand...

Raleigh probably had a hand in there somewhere, they had a finger in every pie in the 1970s...

hmmm, handlebar clamp OD is 23.8 or 24mm depending on how I measure it, standard 22.2mm shaft tho

I'm liking the unusual curve of the forks (unless it's been crashed!)... any one else think this would have had old style 26" wheels originally - my Olympus did.

Dead Rats":1xuqpsmp said:

I'm liking the unusual curve of the forks (unless it's been crashed!)...

Click to expand...

It's been crashed! My dad's friend Jim has an old Rudge Clubman with the same bend. It's not an original feature. The forks were weaker than the stout frame tubes in those days, and a frontal impact would produce that sinuous double curve.

any one else think this would have had old style 26" wheels originally - my Olympus did.

Click to expand...

Yes, definitely, and I think you're right in that it's essentially a badge-engineered Raleigh. Which offshoot I'm not sure. Not a Rudge or a Humber.

Sometimes the lamp bracket had a maker's crest. Does yours? Is that a zinc anti-rust treatment under the paint?

Looks an awful lot like a Vindec to me. If it is then Raleigh would very definitely have had nothing to do with it.

Spokesmann":3cy7eghi said:

Raleigh probably had a hand in there somewhere, they had a finger in every pie in the 1970s...

Click to expand...

Actually a surprisingly were lucky enough not to get swallowed by Raleigh and therefore avoided the mess that happened there. Instead they got involved in some other messes that happened.