Fallen86

Here's something different that I haven't been able to figure out for awhile. The frame is a 49c-c seat tube, 53c-c top tube. The tubes are most likely chromoly. The top tube is shaped with corners on its sides. The down tube has a corner on its bottom and the non-drive side chain stay is diamond shaped. The only clue that i have is that the Cinelli handlebars say Santana on them and the previous owner says that there was a Santata sticker on the chain stay but it was so old he peeled it off. The seat tube fits a 25mm seat post. Full Shimano 105 7 speed group. this whole package is probably late 80s, early 90s at the latest. The paint is a pearlescent yellow to white. I've been searching for Santana road bikes but that hasn't worked too well,I'm sure you all know they make tandems. What do you guys make of it? Thanks in advance!

The serial on the bottom bracket reads 54563 3971

unworthy1

it sure is unique and I haven't got a clue. Probably a custom builder and given the shaped tubing and fillet brazing (or is it Tig-welded and ground smooth?) the guy knew what he was doing. Might have been Santana, but I have not seen enough of their (non-Tandem) work to ID it. 25mm seatpost in a cromoly frame? pretty odd.

Fallen86

not 100% sure that its chromoly but that's my educated guess. Something of the same size with 1024 steel or so would be noticeably heavier.

oldbobcat

Is it magnetic?

Fallen86

Just checked, yes it is

GrayJay

A bit of searching indicates that santana did make extensive use of fillet brazing for frame construction. THe santana logo on the cinelli bars does match the santana bike company. Seems likely that this is a Santana frame or else someone swapped the bars from another bike. Given the original condition of all the other parts on the bike, seems unlikely that the bars were swapped.

Mike Mills

Ah, yes, the infamous, mysterious "Red X" bike. I know it well.

Fasteryoufool

It's pretty... it's fillet brazed. 'bout all I can say about it.

Chris_in_Miami

The serial is not consistent with Santana's tandems, but that doesn't prove anything. I have seen some Santana mountain bikes, and I've heard that they made road bikes, but have never seen one.

Your best bet is to call Santana, they're pretty cool folks.

sced

It looks beautifully made.

JohnDThompson 

It looks like a nicely made frame. As it's a lugless frame, there may be a sleeve inside the seat tube to reinforce it, which would reduce the diameter.

Fallen86

the seat tube is actually just really small in diameter, i didn't see any sleeves inside. but yea the frame seems really well made, the pearl-ness of the paint and the sharp edges of the tubing doesn't show too well in pictures. I'll try to give santana a call soon.

thanks for all the help guys, keep them info coming if you have any.