Classic & Vintage - can't identify steel aero road bike frame, help?

Hello everyone,
I'm fairly new here, this is my first post.
I have an old steel road bike frame that came with the contents of a closed bike shop, but it's missing the head badge.
It has a fadeaway paintjob with pink headtube and lugs, yellow or off white top and down tube, and a green rear triangle and bottom bracket. The serial number starts with ARYJ then 6 digits. The lower race on the headtube has "Tange Aero Dynamics AR-202" stamped in it.
The seat tube center section, and the down tube are aero tubing.
I'd like to find out what it is before I strip the paint off of it. Oh yeah, on the left chainstay I can see "BD" in scroll work style letters, but the paint is scraped up.
If anyone thinks they can help, I have pics here:
http://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t101/motrhead/
I really would like to know what I have. it's nice and light, and may end up as a fixed gear.
Thanks,
Dean

hmmm....interesting bike. It could be a coupla things. It is nice to see a different kind of aero tubing from Tange, I've never seen this before, I think.

The seatpost is round then?

I'm thinking from the limited view that I have here it could be an early Lotus Aero. Post the digits of the serial number, and maybe we could puzzle it out.

The Aerox cranks date from about 1984; they'll have a date code on'em. match that to the details at vintage-trek.com. I had a pair on my first-year schwinn peleton and I think that was in 1985. Nice cranks, and I'd wager they're original.

hmmm....interesting bike. It could be a coupla things. It is nice to see a different kind of aero tubing from Tange, I've never seen this before, I think.

The seatpost is round then?

I'm thinking from the limited view that I have here it could be an early Lotus Aero. Post the digits of the serial number, and maybe we could puzzle it out.

The Aerox cranks date from about 1984; they'll have a date code on'em. match that to the details at vintage-trek.com. I had a pair on my first-year schwinn peleton and I think that was in 1985. Nice cranks, and I'd wager they're original.
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Yes, the top four or five inches of the seat tube is round. The full serial number is ARYJ272703.
I can't find a date code on the cranks, just the length and SR on the backside, and Aerox on the outside.
Thanks for the help,
Dean

based on that format, it is likely an Araya-built frame...but that doesn't tell you very much. It may have been badged as an Araya, but probably not. I have a badged Araya, serial number ARYL10.... (cold in the garage). I'm gonna get rash and say that the ARY indicates the manufacturer, the next two are month and year, sort of like the component codes used for Shimano or other Japanese manufacturers. Mine is, by the original owner's recollection a 1981. If that's right then yours is probably a 1982...T-Mar may have done some more work with Araya serial numbers?

That sounds probable. I wonder why this is an ARYJ serial number (comes before your L)?
I will find a nice fork and most likely build a fixed gear with this frame, assuming everything is okay under that paint.
I have a couple other bikes that I had trouble finding anything info on. I finally found out that my Miele with the Tange 900 double butted tubeset is Canadian (like me), and my uncle found another one identical. I love that bike!
I also have a a Mariushii Hilite triathalon bike and a nice old Peugeot PX10, so this mystery frame is an extra, just crying to be made into something worth riding.
Dean

Is the crank Shimano? Is there a date code on it? Are the pedals Dyna Drive?

No no and no. I can't remember what the pedals are though, I'll have to go out and look.
Dean

If the date codes are the right tree to be barking up, the first letter indicates the month...

MKS EMQuartz 102 pedals. I live near Penticton BC, where they have the Ironman triathlon, so the pedals with toeclips probably aren't original.
Dean

Okay that makes sense. I appreciate the help! I can't find anything like it on the net, and the old hand at the local bike shop didn't have any idea. I thought it was unusual how the seat stays fair into the rear of the top seat tube lug. There is only one hole on the front of the headtube to mount whatever badge was on there. The "BD" on the chainstay had me wondering if it was a Bridgestone of some sort, but it isn't. It has a "chainholder?" on the inside of the seatstay as well for easy tire changing.

Hi motrhead, welcome to C & V!

That's a wild paint job.

East Hill

Not a Lotus Aero. At least not this (http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/hetchinspete/Lotus-Areo) lotus aero. A lot fancier than I remember. This would be a full-aero tube set. And what a neat bike! got me all jonesin' fer one now.

Hi motrhead, welcome to C & V!

That's a wild paint job.

East Hill

Hi, thanks for the welcome.
I wish the paint was in good enough shape to keep. I don't think I will reproduce it when I repaint, as it is a wee bit on the loud side for me, but then you never know. I do like to keep nice bikes stock, but there just isn't enough left of this one to restore it.
I'm rebuilding a Raleigh 20 folder, and will have to repaint it as well. It's rough enough that I won't mind modifying it, as I already have a nice stock German 2 piece take-apart 20" wheel bike.
I also have an old Triumph bicycle and a couple Raleighs of unknown lineage in my pile of used and parts bikes. I bought the leftovers from a closed down backyard bike shop, and ended up with a bunch of old Sturmey Archer hubs (used) plus boxes of NOS Sturmey Archer parts all for $100. I still haven't opened everything up. I don't plan to sell it either. It's my parts stash, and I'll be riding three speeds forever!
Dean

Not a Lotus Aero. At least not this (http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/hetchinspete/Lotus-Areo) lotus aero. A lot fancier than I remember. This would be a full-aero tube set. And what a neat bike! got me all jonesin' fer one now.

Nice, love that aero head tube. That lotus badge mounts with 2 pins.
I'm liking your Araya theory. I'd like to see the Araya badge. I'll look for one tomorrow.
Goodnight,
Dean

I have this 'Araya' which looks close. Complete Dura-Ace AX (I do not have the proper brakes). Yard-sale find. I suspect it is an '81 or '82. I cannot find out much about it though.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q184/balindamood/IMG00001.jpg

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q184/balindamood/IMG00002.jpg

I don't plan to sell it either. It's my parts stash, and I'll be riding three speeds forever!
Dean

You know that we have a three speed thread going here ;) ? You are not the only fan!

East Hill

This is getting close, but I see my seat stays attach higher, and the seat tube pinch bolt is totally different, but the shifters seem to mount where mine would. Do you have a pic of the badge on the head tube? I'm curious as to whether it mounts with one pin like mine did.
thanks,
Dean

You know that we have a three speed thread going here ;) ? You are not the only fan!

East Hill

I will look for that one. My winter bike is an old Baycrest roadbike converted to 26x1-3/8 wheels and an older Shimano 3 speed hub , but with the two front rings, so I can change the ratio for winter (and the rear derailleur hanging there for a tensioner). For severe winter conditions I just ride my beater MTB.
I actually find myself riding my roadbikes, especially my Peugeot, in the mild winter conditions so far this year. We only have a couple inches on the ground, and I really prefer the Peugeot.

Definitely an Araya manufactured frame, as suggested by Luker. However, it is not the same as Belindamood's. The seat and down tubes are definitely round at the ends and flattened in the middle. Conversely, Belindmood's has a true aero downtube, with the teardrop profile extending right up to the special head lug. Belindamood's bicycle is top end, while the OP's appears to be mid-range.

Belindamood's bicycle is circa 1981-1984, which were the years foir Dua-Ace Ax. Knowing the component date codes and the frame serial number may help in decyphering the Araya serial number code.

I get the impression that the OP's bicycle has already being repainted, prior to his receiving it.

T-Mar: Serial # is ARYL186 I have not checked the date codes on the components, but my recollection is that they are early 1981.

MotrHead: The head-badge appears to be pinned. It is an odd ugly square thing on aero-tubes. Picture:

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q184/balindamood/P1020550.jpg

The araya head badge is pinned, I think by only one pin. I bought a junker just for the headbadge and then had a heck of a time getting it off the frame without screwing it up.
<edit>OH! I see you said only one hole for the headbadge...</edit>

Yeah, that's probably what the original badge was like.
I just had a close look at the frame, and I can see original paint peeking through in spots. It was originally hot pink at the front, white in the middle, and bright blue at the rear.
The word "Aero" is in Pink scrollwork lettering on the left side of the top tube just behind the head tube. I wasn't looking hard enough before!
Dean

To date, I have only collected 4 serial numbers for Araya frames. Unfortunately, none of the owners have supplied the requested component date code information. Interestingly, three begin with ARYL and two of the owners believe them to be from 1981. However, if we assume that the 4th character is the year indicator, and L = 1981, then the OP's bicycle should be a 1979 based on a ARYJ number. However, this is too early for a commercial, aero tubed frame. Also. the OP mentions a 6 number string in the serial number. This would imply that Araya was producing over 1 million frames per year, which is improbable.
More likely, the fourth character is a month or fortnight indicator and the year indicator is the incorporated into the number string. The first number would be the likely indicator.

To substantiate the above, component date code information is requested from Luker and Belindamood. Also, it would also be helpful to have the full serial number from Motrhead.

My brother in law has a bike that looks very much like that, but his says "Pinnarello" on it. Now, I've always wondered if it really was a Pinnarello because the frame was painted and I never saw a Pinnarello with tubes that were aero in the middle and round at the lugs. But, maybe it is and maybe yours is too???? Nice frame - please don't grind off the derailer bits if you make a single speed....:)

Hey, I just noticed something -that frame has that single shifter boss on the top-side of DT for those DT shifters that were mounted on a 'pod' on the top of the DT - that was only around for a few years. 82/83?

To substantiate the above, component date code information is requested from Luker and Belindamood. Also, it would also be helpful to have the full serial number from Motrhead.[/QUOTE]

The full serial number is ARYJ272703.
Dean

T-Mar, et. al.- Date codes (brakes, crakes, derailuers) are FB through FG - early to mid 1981.

Hey, I just noticed something -that frame has that single shifter boss on the top-side of DT for those DT shifters that were mounted on a 'pod' on the top of the DT - that was only around for a few years. 82/83?

I 've seen the top mounted on models for 1981-1987 inclusive. They were around longer than most people realize.


The full serial number is ARYJ272703.


T-Mar, et. al.- Date codes (brakes, crakes, derailuers) are FB through FG - early to mid 1981.

Thxs, that helps. Now it makes more sense that the 5th character (i.e. 1st number) is the year identifier and would make Motrhead's a 1982 manufacture. However, it is still unclear whether the 4th character (ie, last letter) is a fortnight or month indicator. If it is month, that would mean that both frames were built later enough in the year to actually be models for the following calendar year.

This has been fun.Thank you all so much for your help! There is not much info out there on these bikes. I originally thought it may have been Araya by the serial number, but couldn't find anything on the net, and the aero tubes and paint suggested Concorde (to me).
I will probably repaint it without stripping anything off of the frame, and will run brakes, whatever I do with the drivetrain. I guess I had better get some Araya rims for it. (I may even have them in the shed.)
Dean

heres one
http://gitaneusa.com/images/models/timetrial/Don-Lofter's-1981TT.jpg

oooooooh nice! I said that out loud and the rest of my family just looked at strange for my outburst. I could definitely see me on that one! That is my definition of a nice bike.
Dean