What age is this frame?

[NeilM]

I picked up a nice old frame today, which I hope to use at L'Eroica UK next year; but I don't know what it is.

I'm not after a maker, as I know that question has been asked by the previous owner (a forum member), what I am after though is the age and also what components you think would suit.

Original colour appears to be cream, headset Edco, cranks Campag (no idea what, as I know nothing about Campag), it looks like it is designed for 700c wheels, as I tried a wheel and brake and it all lined up. Rear wheel spacing is 120mm.

EDIT: There is no cable guide for the front mech. Any suggestions?

So, as much info, conjecture and sheer guesswork as you like.

Sorry, a couple of the pictures are a bit fuzzy.

 

[FINNEY1973]

Think this could be a job for Midlife and a few of the other knowledgeable members. Cranks are 1978 Strada Nuovo Record which may help. EDCO headset (i've just paid a pretty penny for one) was late 70's so again this ties in with with the cranks.

I'd wait for confirmation from those much more in the know, but if it is late 70's then Nuovo Record would be your train of thought for other components. I only know this as I'm doing a full resto on a similar aged frame. One point which Midlife told me was that the brake cable bosses are located on the left hand side of the TT, and therefore to be used with Weinmann calipers.

Am sure others will be able to tell you about lugs, bb shell etc - i'm merely a novice in this era but keen to learn so i'll be watching your thread with interest.

Nice purchase - what are your plans? New paint or build up from as you've got it?

 

[NeilM]

I thought late 70's when I saw it, mainly due to the cable guide, but a bit of on-line searching has unearthed the crankset age so thanks very much for the confirmation.

Plans are for a complete restro / rebuild. New paint, no decals unless someone can confirm a manufacturer, and a period build, although not necessarily all the same manufacturer for the entire groupset, as I know this was rare at the time, so probably stick with campag front and rear mechs and shifters and after that we'll see what turns up at sensible prices.

Fun'n'games is going to start with crank removal, as both extractor threads are damaged :facepalm:

 

[Midlife]

On iPhone so slow typing but looks like 70's road bike to me. Pics look dark on my phone though. Wonder I'd the lugs are Haden. Classic slotted bb to let the water in lol. Shaun

 

[FINNEY1973]

Sensible prices :shock: you must be looking somewhere elsewhere to me then - mine's emptied the funds somewhat!

I had to get the LBS to remove my cranks & BB - BB uses specific tool :facepalm:

There's Shaun right on cue - he & others will most certainly be better placed to steer you in the right direction.

 

[NeilM]

Sensible prices .

Well, sensible in that I don't feel obliged to try and use rare 1970's Campag throughout.

What I am trying to reproduce is a typical clubmans bike, which, given that I had absolutely no interest in cycling in the 1970's, could turn out to be a bit of a task.

I just realised, in 1978 I was riding a tatty old 1968 Triumph Daytona.

 

[FINNEY1973]

From my one off experience of buying parts from this decade, it isn't that expensive and parts are fairly frequent on ebay - it's the condition that seems to define the price, hence why mines cost a bit too much (too much NOS stuff). I don't think you'll find it that difficult to be honest - I was dreading trying to get the parts I wanted but I managed it in about 3 or 4 weeks once I got some superb help from Shaun. I also cross referenced velobase to get an idea of what went with what etc.

Clubmans bike sounds a grand plan, and in 78 I was still on stabilisers!

 

[Midlife]

Seen the pics on the home PC. Yep, can't see it as being anything apart from being the 70's Smack bang in my era LOL

The frame has got all the bits it should have, long point lugs, cutouts, Cinelli MC style crown, braze ons.... and the world's best design of seat stay cluster The cutouts either side of the front brake hole, the longer point on the lower lug of the head tube and the three slots in the BB were traits of Hayden Lugs but everybody did them.

It just lacks a little of the very final finishing touches for a truly "bespoke" frame. The lugs are a little thick as they should really be filed a little thinner, the rear dropouts have not been re-profiled as they should. If you are having it finished at a framebuilders I'd have the dropouts tidied as it would play on my mind

The Cranks are the obligatory Campag with Super-record chainrings and the headset is the killer EDCO which came with the Raleigh Professional 753.

All in all looks like a well made stock frame and would likely have carried a well known name. Fork rake and braze on's would make it a Road / Criterium / sunday summer club run bike with a midweek 25 TT thrown in.

I wonder if someone like EG Bates built it?

Standard 70's kit with a few scratches here and there isn't that expensive...........just stay away from NOS. AgentOrange's nuovo record rear mech NOS went for £67 quid. I picked up one with a few war wounds for £18

Shaun

 

[NeilM]

Thanks Shaun, that's just what I wanted to hear.

NOS- not a chance, ALL of my bikes are built to be ridden and a few scrapes just add to the character.

Would you care to expand on 'standard 70's kit', just imagine I know absolutely nothing... mainly because I know absolutely nothing. :facepalm:

Also, what would be a typical colour found on such a bike? I am thinking metallic paint and possibly a burnt orange, or maybe a darker red, but I have a pretty open mind on this.

Lastly, any pictures of a properly finished drop out. I used to do a lot of motorcycle restoration, so I'm pretty handy with the files and emery paper.

 

[Midlife]

Standard 70's kit was usually a lot of "hand me downs" or things swapped unless you had a lot of money, the concept of the "groupset" wasn't really part of the language. "Fully Campag" was probably as near as we got LOL

The one thing that was usual was a campag chainset, mainly because there wasn't much else. The alloy chainsets were either cheap or cheerful like SR Apex or expensive like Campag / Shimano / Gipiemme / Zeus / Ofmega. There was nothing really like today where there are a range of groupsets for every size of pocket.

So that usually meant campag as we could swap rings about

The rear mech was usually Campag or latterly Shimano Crane as were the downtube levers. Everything else was what you could afford to buy, swap or get from a senior club member who was upgrading.

I'll have a lookout but usually the dropouts were "flatenned"at the top to blend into the stays (white are the nice "pencil" one's on your frame)..

I'll mention colurs in a bit as it's Dom's bedtime........

Shaun