What's this frame? Mid 80's ?

[Rampage]

Yes your probably both right, it's most likely a house number!

Would something this old not have a serial number then?

 

[Rampage]

I found a list of bikes available in 1985, so the model must be either:
5,
XT,
501


download/file.php?id=30942

 

[Rampage]

I've found a picture of it!
Just need to find out the model and colour now.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=260739&start=80

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

I found a list of bikes available in 1985, so the model must be either:
5,
XT,
501

I have a 1985 Madison' Freewheel catalogue and the Ridgeback models listed are the S,XT,501, and 531. And whilst the bars match those of the Ridgeback 531 only the S and XT models feature lugless frames and bi-plane forks.

Both the S and the XT have identical frames, wheels, gears brakes, and forks. So an exact identification will need to be based on key components. But because many of the components on your bike have been changed, including the bars, this is not straightforward. However one component that appears to be original is the chainset, and this matches the SR CXT one piece only fitted to the Ridgeback XT.

So it appears that we are looking at a 1985 Ridgeback XT. Though because I don't have a 1986 Freewheel catalogue, I can't be sure that they didn't also produce a similar model in 1986.

 

[Rampage]

Hi, thanks for this. I was speaking to another member who you had sent copies of the freewheel catalog to when he was trying to identify his bike.
Does the 1985 Ridgeback XT have the cut-off seatstays as in the picture below? This is something I struggled to find on Ridgebacks.

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Does the 1985 Ridgeback XT have the cut-off seatstays as in the picture below? This is something I struggled to find on Ridgebacks.

Though the other frame and fork details and many of the component are in keeping with a 1985 RidgebackXT that seatstay cluster is indeed different. So maybe we are looking at a custom built frame built up using Madison/Freewheel components? Or maybe built from a donor RidgebackXT?

When it comes to luggless frames you tend to be looking at either mass produced 'made in Taiwan' frames or handmade custom ones. Remember that pre 1984, when MTB specific tubesetts and lugs arrived, lugless construction was the only way to join oversize tubes or to get MTB geometry. The detailing here, and in particular the quick release lug used here is quite distinctive and would be more labour intensive to create than the 'fastback' layout used on the Ridgebacks. So we may be looking at a custom frame builder and probably one that used the same seat stay layout on other bikes.

Though the fact that form 1984, most custom frame-builders were using lugged 501/531 tubesets sugests it may be of far eastern origin after all.

I guess the obvious job now is to look through the archives to find a manufacture/framebuilder who used that style of seat stay to seat tube connection and also built lugless frames.

 

[Rampage]

Thanks for the reply again.
I found underneath the green paint the remains of a painted on Ridgeback logo on the downtube, also the headtube has the R logo from Ridgeback. So I'm pretty sure it is Ridgeback.
Another member appears to have the same frame: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=260739&start=80

He bought it secondhand so doesn't know the year or model it was unfortunately.

So it guess it's one that wasn't in the catalogs?
Perhaps they outsourced from somewhere else for a while to keep up with demand?
Or a warrantee replacement from a few years later but rebuilt with the original components?

 

[GrahamJohnWallace]

Thanks for the reply again.
I found underneath the green paint the remains of a painted on Ridgeback logo on the downtube, also the headtube has the R logo from Ridgeback. So I'm pretty sure it is Ridgeback.
Another member appears to have the same frame: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=260739&start=80

He bought it secondhand so doesn't know the year or model it was unfortunately.

So it guess it's one that wasn't in the catalogs?
Perhaps they outsourced from somewhere else for a while to keep up with demand?
Or a warrantee replacement from a few years later but rebuilt with the original components?

The first Ridgeback came about when Madison founder Eroll Drew "who back in 1982 at the New York Bike Show, spotted a strangely robust bike that looked as if it was the two wheeled equivalent of a 4WD car".
http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/interv ... 3-0/016402
The bike he saw back in 1982 was probably a Stumpjumper and so the first Ridgeback was not so much designed as copied. Maybe even just re-badged frame that was already being produced in the far east. Your idea that Madison at this time sourced frames from various suppliers is borne out by these two 1985 Freewheel catalogue pictures of the Ridgeback 531. Thee close up shows standard Ridgeback seatstays whilst the whole bike picture appears to have an arrangement closer to that of your frame.


Note the bars are identical to those on your bike.

1985 Freewheel Catalogue RidgebackXT page.

 

[ferrus]

Re:

There definitely were inconsistencies in Ridgeback frame spec's in the early days, no doubt for the reasons mentioned.
FWIW, I had an 84/85 model in 531 which was lugless. This was recently confirmed when one turned up on ebay with original paint and decals ('531' included). TIG welded 531... :|

 

[Rampage]

Thanks.
I did read somewhere that there were shortages of frame building parts in this period as everyone was jumping on the bandwagon.

It seems to have the same spec as the Ridgeback XT above, with the exception of the stem and seatpost. And the frame differences of course.

I'll stick with that I think!

Build thread will start soon.