Can You Identify This Frame?

[Chris620gsi]

Hi

I have been toying with the idea of transfering the oarts from my early Merlin onto a decent steel frameset. I was looking at something like an Orange P7 but have been given a frameset today and wiondered if it is worth putting some time and effort into it.

It has been painted matt black with aftermarket Marin decals. It has a post code etched into the BB with 88 so assume it must be 1988 or earlier. It came with a set of straight tapered forks. It has an interesting threaded built in rear cable stop that may help. Also has 2 down tube stops and stops underneath the top tube.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks

 

[MT62]

Cantilever hanger reminds me of my MS Racing (which is actually the glued Alu/Crmo), but didn't find exact frame matching yours.

 

[joglo]

Cantilever hanger reminds me of my MS Racing (which is actually the glued Alu/Crmo), but didn't find exact frame matching yours.

That seems to be right
To me this could be a 1989~ MS Racing model.

@Chris620gsi I think it would be anyhow good if you could provide more pics, also showing the entire frame. Also the head tube would be interesting (see below).

As some of those MS Racing bikes had been produced and technically almost identical to earlier Merida Albontech bikes, it could be also an Merida

The MS Racing/alpinestars story.

Its seems a number of manufacturers switched from rear U-brakes to cantis during production runs. I had a late 80's Rocky Fusion with the U-brake but you could find effectively the same bike with cantis' front and rear. wouldn't surprise me if they used a U-brake for the promotional models and...

www.retrobike.co.uk

 

[Chris620gsi]

That seems to be right
To me this could be a 1989~ MS Racing CR model.

@Chris620gsi I think it would be anyhow good if you could provide more pics, also showing the entire frame. Also the head tube would be interesting (see below).

As those MS Racing bikes had been produced and technically almost identical to earlier Merida Albontech bikes, it could be also an Merida

The MS Racing/alpinestars story.

Its seems a number of manufacturers switched from rear U-brakes to cantis during production runs. I had a late 80's Rocky Fusion with the U-brake but you could find effectively the same bike with cantis' front and rear. wouldn't surprise me if they used a U-brake for the promotional models and...

www.retrobike.co.uk

Thanks for the info joglo. I will have a look at Merida but folliwing on from MT62 I found a video on You Tube by ATBOY who was doing up an MS Racing Pro Comp XT frameset which looks exactly the same as my mystery frameset. Rear drop outs, seat tube reinforcement and shape. He even mentions and highlights the natty rear canti cable stop.

 

[Chris620gsi]

Cantilever hanger reminds me of my MS Racing (which is actually the glued Alu/Crmo), but didn't find exact frame matching yours.

Thanks MT62. I did dome Googling and am pretty certain it is an MS Racing Pro Comp XT frameset. There is a You Tube video by ATBOY doing on up and he points out the rear canti cable stop. All other details are exactly the same.
VeI have been looking for an Tange Infinity or similar frameset, but a free Tange DB frameset will do very nicely to transfer over my LX 8 speed.
Thanks for your help!

 

[marc two tone]

If you wanna compare, an old un of mine.
First pic is 'pulled out of damp shed' and 'tinkered with' conditions.

 

[Stressed]

Zaskar

 

[Chris620gsi]

If you wanna compare, an old un of mine.
First pic is 'pulled out of damp shed' and 'tinkered with' conditions.

View attachment 824092View attachment 824093

Mine has a canti cable stop as part of the frame which I have seen in other ProComp XTs on Google.

 

[Chris620gsi]

For those that wanted them, here are a few more pics. I sanded a bit of the top tube near the head tube hoping to see some 'yellow' but went through to bare metal so assume whoever painted it before must have stripped it.