ARC 1 Racing Gear barn find! What the hell is this?

[prezza]

Recently acquired this locally from a lovely old chap who has had it dry stored on his farmstead for at least 15 years he said. He bought it off a mountainbike Enthusiast who owned it from new.

The pictures show it after I’d picked it up and it hasn’t even had a bucket of water over it. It’s 17 inch (haven’t measured it yet but appears to be) and rides great round the street with no play at all in wheels, BB, headset etc...
Check out the tread on the Ritchey megabyte tyres!

Not sure what I’ll do with it as I have other things to finish and bought it on a whim but it’s so good that I love it.
Ive never heard of this manufacturer?

Even the wheel logos are mint. All I did was wiped away the dust and they are as per the pic.
There’s a few tiny marks here and there To paint and a little worming on the handlebars but no dents and a good wash and polish will really bring it up I recon. Proper early 90’s colour scheme!

Has anyone actually heard of these or know anything about them? I think it might be french or Belgium from around 1991/2 judging by groupset????

 

[prezza]

Any thoughts comments or intel on this bike/manufacturer greatly appreciated.

 

[Double-E F]

Don't know anything about these ARCs, but it looks like a nice bike!

 

[Scvintage]

Re:

Looks like a raleigh

 

[Retro Spud]

Re: Re:

Looks like a raleigh

:shock: really

Can’t see it myself - but then I’m still scarred by the R, if it was one of their propper models who would go to the lengths to repaint it BITD and add PAC Man -esq video game graphics

Will be interesting to know for sure if anyone can shed a light on the brands

My money is on it being an ex hire bike from France sold off at the end of the season as it’s not mint but doesn’t look like it had a hard /prolonged use either
These guy perhaps -

https://www.arcmtb.com/

 

[prezza]

Re:

The paint work appears genuine factory and in 2018 a newbie posted a question on here asking same but was never replied to:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=389363

The decals are original too and it’s definitely a factory produced bike with the above backing up this theory.

So glad I picked this up as regardless, it appears a rarity with some nice kit adorning it....

Surely someone on here has the full collection and range of this manufacturer!

 

[Retro Spud]

My money is still firmly on it being French

 

[prezza]

Re:

I agree about the french theory.... bet someone will see this and think ‘hey I have a advert in an old mag for one of these!’

The wife is trying to dibs it! Haha!

 

[Retro Spud]

I’ll reach out to 24pouces. He’s a French National and super clued up on French MTB history ..... if indeed it is French


The signature of the other person who raised a question and you posted a link to looks like Vietnamese,Loas or Thai all excolonies (French Indo China)

 

[Scvintage]

Re: Re:

Looks like a raleigh

:shock: really

Can’t see it myself - but then I’m still scarred by the R, if it was one of their propper models who would go to the lengths to repaint it BITD and add PAC Man -esq video game graphics

Will be interesting to know for sure if anyone can shed a light on the brands

My money is on it being an ex hire bike from France sold off at the end of the season as it’s not mint but doesn’t look like it had a hard /prolonged use either
These guy perhaps -

https://www.arcmtb.com/

My Raleigh technium peak has a very similar cosmetic look. Except for where the rear attaches to seat post... even the cuffs on joints (don’t know the technical term)


There is was arc racing gear from the 90’s. Think BMX dressed like motorcycle racing. Pants and jerseys

Arc corona seems to be modern version
https://arclevers.com/