What have I bought and what should I do with it?

[Mike Muz]

Argos is a great idea. Shouldn't cost too much to stretch two sets of forks by 4mm.

Not even that , only 2mm either side , on the rear dropouts .
Looks in fairly good nick for a mystery frame .

Mike

 

[MonkeyPuzzle]

Just arrived and think this one may have to remain a mystery. No visible serial number and the sticker at the bottom of the seat tube just says Letchworth Cycle Centre. Oh well, it's nice and light anyway and will do me for a pub bike...

 

[NeilM]

Re:

Not pub bike, a clubmans bike. :mrgreen:

I have a late 70's mystery bike which I will be building up pretty soon with age correct parts from around 1978.

Just because you don't know who made it, does not mean you cannot do a nice practical build.

 

[lewisfoto]

Oh I intend to, no worries there.

Seat tube is 21" C-to-T and I'm 5'9" with a 30" in-seam, so it should by all accounts fit me okay.

I just did a bit of reading about cold setting the frame to 130mm, which would open up a lot more options for the drivetrain and sounds not too difficult (famous last words).

For what it is worth:


May be a bit small for you, 21 inches is 53 cm and depending on how long your legs are I would think 54 to 55cm would be a better fit. I am just over 5-10, but with very long legs, and I ride between 56 and 58cm with the real sweet spot at 57cm.

As far as identification goes, once these frames loose their decals often it proves a very tough task to figure out the maker. The fittings, BB shell, lugs and drop outs are typical stock items that a frame builder could buy in bulk. The lugs do look a bit like Bocama Competition, so that could be a starting point. Also what is the treading???

Cold setting is easy but will result in the drop outs being slightly out of alignment. A professional frame shop, or even a really good LBS, can respace to 130 and align the drops at the same time.

In general component compatibility was very good up until the era of STI and Ergo shifters. Which is to say that six speed and before you can mix and match Italian, French, American and English parts. Keeping things in the same era, say all '80s, will avoid other compatibility issues.


Steven

 

[mattr]

May be a bit small for you, 21 inches is 53 cm and depending on how long your legs are I would think 54 to 55cm would be a better fit. I am just over 5-10, but with very long legs, and I ride between 56 and 58cm with the real sweet spot at 57cm.

nah. Sounds pretty much spot on to me. My custom frame is 51 c-t and I'm 5'9" with 32" inside leg.

 

[lewisfoto]

May be a bit small for you, 21 inches is 53 cm and depending on how long your legs are I would think 54 to 55cm would be a better fit. I am just over 5-10, but with very long legs, and I ride between 56 and 58cm with the real sweet spot at 57cm.

nah. Sounds pretty much spot on to me. My custom frame is 51 c-t and I'm 5'9" with 32" inside leg.

Is your custom bike a sloping top tube or flat/horizontal? Because a 51 cm frame, with standard geometry for someone your height is very unusual. If it works for you then great, but that would be poor advice to pass on. In my opinion.

 

[MonkeyPuzzle]

I'm long of body and short of leg. Done as much as you can online to find out. If it's not right I'll sell it and start another bike!

Steven, it's British thread. The BB sounded like my pepper grinder, so I'll replace the cup and cone jobby with a cartridge whilst I'm pondering what drivetrain I want. Pre-STi sounds simpler in terms of matching kit, but I'm not sure I like the idea of Bristol hills trying out downtube shifters or without some lazy man gearing.

 

[lewisfoto]

Suntour made a freewheel called the perfect 5, and perfect 6, which had up to 13x32 gearing if I recall. So the hills would be less of an issue. Also triples were not unheard of so that is another option for low gearing.

 

[mattr]

Is your custom bike a sloping top tube or flat/horizontal? Because a 51 cm frame, with standard geometry for someone your height is very unusual. If it works for you then great, but that would be poor advice to pass on. In my opinion.

level of course, or I would have quoted effective c-t.
And your opinion on frame sizing is no better or worse than mine. Both are valid.

Though I have noticed an increasing trend for zero offset posts with the saddle slammed forwards paired with a short stem.