Super Mystery Aluminum Frame -please help I.D.

[Bassboom]

Hi,

First time post here and would love help ID-ing this frame.

I've been into MTB's since '89, and truly love '90's hardtail bikes: Kona, Klein, Orange, Specialized, Bontrager, Mountain Goat, Merlin, Manitou, Trek, Cannondale etc. Used to collect brochures and buy MTBUK every month.

I picked up this frame, and have been doing as much research as i can, and have found nothing!

Please disregard the components, as it has been 'bicycle recycled'.

Here are the photos, and I will point out its unique features.

Aluminium.
Cables run over the top-tube, but the bit that holds the cable has been screwed/bolted on -not welded.
Cuboid/square tubing on the chain and seat stays.
Wishbone seat-stays, with solid machined aluminium 'fork' section.
Gusset on the head-tube down-tube connection.
Replaceable de-railer hanger.
No serial number anywhere to seen, and looks looks it never had one.

I can provide more photos and answer questions the best I can.

 

[PanoIgano]

Hi and welcome to the forum! Rear drop outs are similar to the ones used Ventana but the rest of the frame is not.

For what it seems the aluminum is 7000 series.

I am sure other members will be able to decode more of it characteristics as I have seen similar frames being sold here.

 

[Bassboom]

I have stripped it of most of its components.

i'll put some pics up soon.

 

[sam_white]

Did you find a frame number? Easton logos stamped into any of the tubes? (might be very faint).

 

[Bassboom]

Did you find a frame number? Easton logos stamped into any of the tubes? (might be very faint).

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. I can find nothing stamped or etched into the frame, also I can find no evidence of one having been removed.

I'll post some more pics, and give a few thoughts

 

[Bassboom]

My thoughts are:

possible manufacturer : Orange.

I say this because of the combo of top-tube cabling and wishbone rear stays.
The head tube/ down tube gusset looks similar to other aluminium Oranges.
The geometry looks like a medium size Orange. It measures 17" from the centre of the bottom bracket to the centre of the top tube.
I am North Yorkshire based and this is where I picked it up.

Could it be a prototype/test bike/race bike, as there is no evidence of a serial number anywhere?

I originally thought it had never been painted, with a just polished aluminium finish, but there is a tiny fleck of neon yellow/green on one of the chain stays.

I have never seen a machined wishbone, square tubed seat stay/chain stay set-up like that, ever.

 

[ishaw]

I've seen a few frames with the wishbone line that. Raleigh springs to mind. Can't tell you what model. Coyote also, but I'm sure they had a CNC chain stay bridge too. Marin ift also had a similar brace at one point, but it may have been chain stay not seat stay.