Classic & Vintage - Help identify mystery English frame

Hey guys, as a long time lurker I've found the answer to many of my questions or problems here through various posts and threads. It's also my belief that the people here can answer/solve just about any bike related conundrum! So thats why I'm bringing this to you guys! I just bought this frame off Ebay. It's got the name 'A.J Ricketts' on the down tube and 'Andy' written on the top tube. English BB thread, and guessing it Reynolds tubing based on the weight and Info from the seller, the serial number on the shell is '79' on the side and '142' center. Looks like a Cinelli fork and the builder seems to have taken some time to hand cut the drop outs and seat stays, so I'm hopeful at least it's not a pile of crap!!! but who knows. There's no info about A.J Ricketts on the web and I'm wondering if anyone here has ever heard of him or could offer any opinions on this frame, how old is it? where does it come from? etc. Thanks for any help!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230537130211&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_500wt_949

Looks pretty nice but I can't help you with the ID. Since the seatpost is included, there is a possibility that it is stuck. You might ask the seller this; that would affect the value since the seatpost and/or frame could be damaged or destroyed during attempted removal.

Luckily seat post came out without too much bother although not sure why the seller left it there!! Apparently, the seller bought it off the builder, a chap called Alistair from Scotland but didn't know anything else about it.

Well I have found that this is probably the riders personal bike. There is a Masters rider in the UK named AJ Rickett's (Andrew) that rides for Dirt Bike Supply. 27.2 seat post and 130 spacing is fairly recent unless the rear triangle had been cold set to 130 from 126mm, if 79 is a model year of the frame. I will take a stab and say that I have had several Nishiki's that have the same seat stays and Cinelli full sloping crown fork and was a very popular color for them in the mid 80's. Schwinn as well and no clear coat over decals. Good luck

Cheers Bikeman! I think you might be onto something with A.J Rickett. I'll see if DBS has an e-mail address for him. While I'm at it I'll try and track down a Nishiki/Schwinn model with those seat stays and dropouts. Good deducting!!

Well I have found that this is probably the riders personal bike. There is a Masters rider in the UK named AJ Rickett's (Andrew) that rides for Dirt Bike Supply. 27.2 seat post and 130 spacing is fairly recent unless the rear triangle had been cold set to 130 from 126mm, if 79 is a model year of the frame. I will take a stab and say that I have had several Nishiki's that have the same seat stays and Cinelli full sloping crown fork and was a very popular color for them in the mid 80's. Schwinn as well and no clear coat over decals. Good luck

I seriously doubt this is a Nishiki. An English BB, 27.2mm post and sloping crown would mean it would have to be an Nishiki Ultimate. These would a recognizable serial number format. They also used a different stay attachment, different lugs and had a fair amount of chrome. For the years with the sloping crown fork, they used cables routed over the BB shell, not under it. Also, they used clips for the rear brake cable, while the subject frame appears to have two cable stops or eyelets brazed onto the lower, left hand side of the top tube. Finally, all the handful I've seen have all used Portacatena dropouts.

As to the year, 1979 appears to be a good candidate. Despite the 130mm dropouts, it does not have the dual bottle bosses or front derailleur braze-on that became popular starting in the mid-1980s.

Have you pulled the fork and inspected the steerer tube for any markings there? You might get lucky. Tubeset manufacturer marks are pretty likely, possibly other tubeset info, and just possibly a model number. My Trek 720, for example, has REYNOLDS 531 stamped on the steerer, and 720 apparently cut with a dremel or the like.

I've just finished a re-grease of the headset and found the fork had a close variation of the number stamped on the BB shell. 799 on one side 142 on the other. I Suspect 799 may be the year and month and the 142 it's issue number that year???? Although if there were at least 142 of it issued in 1979 it should be more recognizable right?? Thanks for the input guys :)