FALCON 753 BANANA TEAM FRAME

marshalllucky

Retro Guru
Crivens ! , I have bought another Falcon 753 which seems likely to be an ex team banana frame? . Some may recall I previously was lucky enough to find a very tired 753 Falcon from the 1989 PMS Falcon team and restored it as a project detailed elsewhere on this forum, that was sold over a year ago to a very happy chap who lived across the road from the old factory in Brigg. Well now I bought this in Banana yellow !
The frame seems identical to the bike featured in the cycling magazine feature on Chris Walkers `91 Falcon Milk Race winning bike ( The picture of the built up bike is Chris Walkers ) ,same lugs, braze on`s ( and the race number lug is still attatched ).
It came with these rather nice Time Sprint forks AND the original 753 Forks.
The frame has been resprayed at some point ,it originally would have had white headstock and forks ( there is evidence of white paint on the 753 forks where they have chipped ). The chap I bought it off paid £500 for it over 10 years ago and it has remained largely unused. The paint is a bit thick in places, I suspect the frame was not fully prepared and possibly was over painted in places , the finish is good - OK rather than amazing.
The frame has no number or markings on the dropouts (as was the case for the PMS) it is 56cm seat tube with 53cm top tube. rear spacing is 126mm but it was running 9 speed no probs. Comments / opinions welcome.
 

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Re:

What’s your plans for it? Your previous build looks rather stunning and just how I would build it ie pro replica. I originally thought you should do the same with this frame but you’d have to have a respray so my thoughts drifted to a build around the forks that is carbon parts, probably something like Campag Chorus carbon or even some SRAM kit. Would still keep a classic look though rather than deep dish wheels with like 8 spokes and a micro saddle.
 
Re:

Thanks for your kind comments re my previous Falcon. I`m not sure what to do with this one yet. If I build it then I just know I will end up doing the full Dura Ace job on it and a respray. I have too many projects to be honest , I am doing a Peugeot 979 and a Ti Raleigh Team replica build which I wish I hadnt started as its one of those re-issue anniversary 125 frames which I bought after too many whiskies over Christmas .. Back to the Falcon , I really havent decided yet, I never intended to buy another bike yet couldnt stop myself . I need to focus and stop buying bikes to restore until the ones I have already bought are finished , but dont we all have this problem? .
 
Re:

Thanks for your kind comments re my previous Falcon. I`m not sure what to do with this one yet. If I build it then I just know I will end up doing the full Dura Ace job on it and a respray. I have too many projects to be honest , I am doing a Peugeot 979 and a Ti Raleigh Team replica build which I wish I hadnt started as its one of those re-issue anniversary 125 frames which I bought after too many whiskies over Christmas .. Back to the Falcon , I really havent decided yet, I never intended to buy another bike yet couldnt stop myself . I need to focus and stop buying bikes to restore until the ones I have already bought are finished , but dont we all have this problem? .
So what happened to your Falcon 753 frame then?
 
I sold The Falcon Banana 753 frame to the same chap who originally bought the completed Falcon PMS 753 bike from me ( seperate build post ) , he was a massive Falcon fan and from memory he lived near the Falcon factory in Brigg and had a bit of a collection going on. Unfortunately not heard back from him if he ever built it back up to team spec.
 
I sold The Falcon Banana 753 frame to the same chap who originally bought the completed Falcon PMS 753 bike from me ( seperate build post ) , he was a massive Falcon fan and from memory he lived near the Falcon factory in Brigg and had a bit of a collection going on. Unfortunately not heard back from him if he ever built it back up to team spec.
Thanks for the reply. I havn't seen another one since.
 
Would I be treading on yer toes if I suggested that this frame was built elsewhere? To be fair it wasn’t unusual for team riders to select independent builders and the resultant frame to be sprayed up as a sponsors bike. I would say this looks like a Donohue frame. Any other thoughts?
 
Not in this case , the Falcon team 753 bikes were built at Falcon by Falcon , there was a feature on Chris Walkers bike which you can read here >>

 
Excellent, thanks for that.
Nice to read about the Rick Powell connection; I’m a Powell owner twice over.
 

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