Thanks Non-fixie for that. When asked to date a bike I usually go by the frame manufacture date as (if you can work it out) it is the only certainty. For example a japanese made frame will take 6 weeks or so sea journey to the UK and then time delivering to the bike manufacturer. Whilst...
So that's a double confirmation of 1978.
From my research both the Tempo and the Panther were last listed in 1980 and were absent in the 5th January 1981 price list. On a price list dated 25 June 1980, both were shown as being gold and were £109.95 and £115.95 respectively. By the 15th...
That's an incredible buy. It is like a timewarp with almost cetainly most of its original equipment - even the tyres which I have never seen before! As Simon says, the dynamo was not a standard fitting.
It is a Falcon Panther. Falcon made two almost identical models at the time, the Tempo...
Easy to date, this one. Albert Hitchen won the London to Holyhead race in 1964, allowing Falcon to show the route in the background in this catalogue, promoting the San Remo Equipe. I have an original of this catalogue.
This has an interesting connection with Falcon Cycles. In 1981 Elswick Hopper (who owned Falcon Cycles) set up a new factory to make high grade racing bikes in Newtown Powys, thanks to a 60% grant for all plant and three years free of rent and rates. In 1982 Ernie Clements left Elswick Hopper...
Suntour front derailleur clamp-on model LD-1600 wanted. Alternative reference from a 1976 catalogue is Suntour Cyclone No.2931 - see pic. Needed to match rear derailleur. Good condition for Falcon Professional rebuild.
You've made a greta job of that bike. It was in the 1991 catalogue and was certainly made to following year. Falcon won the Milk Race in 1990 with Shane Sutton 1st and Rob Holden 2nd. The following year Chris Walker was 1st. Sadly 1991 was the last year Falcon sponsored its pro cycling team...
I use a piece of very stiff wire, clamped in the end of an electric drill. On the other end I wire on a ball of wire wool. Invert the frame in a bike stand (so the debris falls out rather than dropping into the bottom bracket). This tends to give a nice clean finish but without changing the...
EC left Elswick-Falcon in June 1982 and was making bikes under the Coventry Eagle and other names out of the Newown factory in Wales. This continued until December 1989 when his business (again) went bust and then he traded from his bike shop in Ledbury until 2006. It was in this latter period...