Mystery chromed mid 80s bike with a 'T' serial number and engraved 'M' - Bob Read Cycles stickered

[sjcprojects]

Much like a magpie, the common retrobiker is attracted to shiny objects, and therefore I could not resist a fully chromed bike for £20 which came up for sale not too far from me. One thing I do know for sure is that it was sold by Bob Read Cycles, which seems to have been a fairly short-lived bike shop in Doncaster, judging from the lack of info about them online. From the parts that were on it, and from the frame details, it look to be mid 80s (for example, it had Shimano Adamas AX brake levers and a SunTour aR II RD). It's not that light, and feels something like 501 type quality, definitely not 531.

What I don't know is who made the frame.

This is the frameset after I gave it a quickish going over (and yes the seatpost is not stuck, but it is very tight so I'm leaving it for now):



It does have a serial, which is T8020908. I suspect this is a mass-produced frame, rather than from a smaller maker, based on the frame details, and on the serial. Did some shops import frames from the far east this far back, I wonder? Or maybe it's a bigger UK builder. Hopefully the serial 'T' will be recognisable by someone.

It does also have 'M' engraved on the seat stay caps but I wonder if this is a red herring, and this was done by the original owner? The letter M doesn't seem to make any sense with the bike shop name, or with the serial number?



I rather like the idea of this built up as a restomod with the black 10 or 11 speed 105 groupset, however I have no room for that at present. For now I will just have it around as a shiny thing to look at. Much like a magpie.

Any thoughts on the maker, anyone? Even any more info about Bob Read Cycles would be good.

 

[sjcprojects]

Nobody from Doncaster on here who remembers Bob Read Cycles?

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Shiny

 

[sjcprojects]

It certainly is. So much so that I may just possibly have to build this up before the summer is over. I have very little will power .

 

[non-fixie]

That "M" panto suggests the frame was made in Belgium by Minerva.

 

[sjcprojects]

That "M" panto suggests the frame was made in Belgium by Minerva.

Well, I was not expecting that as a possible answer. Interesting. Do you know if Minerva exported many blank frames? Some details would make sense, like the lack of a tubing decal – but I've not managed to find an example with that M pantograph?

The drop outs have no makers marks, and the tubing inner diameter seems to be around 26mm, so it's not saying 'high quality' to me, definitely a mass-produced job.