Vintage bike database?
 

Hey guys,
I'm new here and looking for info on an old lugged steel frame. No marks or decals left from a crappy paint job the previous owner did.

Anyone know of a site or book that might point me in the direction of identifying the maker simply by the lug patterns?

It had weinmann brakes and shimano Altus derailleurs. Only mark on the frame is "Brev. Compagnolo" on the wheel dropouts.

I do not know of any database that can help one find out what a "mystery" bike's identity might be, especially as lots of them are quite similar, and some of them just different only with the finish and graphics applied.
Best yet is to post pics of your bike on this forum to see if anyone can recognize it.
If anything, the members on this forum's knowledge and, memory is really the "database" you are looking for to properly identify your bike.
Regarding your bike, the components sound like lower level stuff you might see on an entry level bike,.....but the Campagnolo dropouts say good quality, so the components and frame described does not seem to match up.....
Pics of the bike will certainly help.

as a "for instance", dozens, if not hundreds of companies built bicycles using Nervex Professional lugs, so while a database might be of some use in narrowing things down, it would only be able to settle things for a handful of instances. Compiling the database so far after the fact would also be a huge challenge, Not all memories are flawless, and not all the folks who would know are still with us.

Nine more posts and you can embed pictures. :)

If it was Asian, there would be a good probability that we could identify the year and manufacturer from the serial number. However, there is still a small probability that it might be a recognizable serial number format. We should at least be able to determine an era based on frame characteristics, once you can provide photos.

This website is a pretty good database since you can rely on the collective memory of a lot of posters. You'll need to post pictures and you'll get some ideas of what you have.

Velobase.com lists lugs, but multiple frame makers used the most common ones, so that would only partially get you there.

VeloBase.com - Frame Parts List

Start one. Web sites are started by people that have the interest in a particular topic. You will see brand specific sites that were not started by the brands themselves, but rather a collector that had the interest in providing this information to the public. No one makes money on such an undertaking, its a labor of love.

There is also the problem where the brand of bike had the frame made by someone else. So is a Bridgestone built Schwinn a Schwinn or a Bridgestone? This happens a lot.

Got any pics?

Starting a database is an interesting idea. I may start another topic for this discussion.

If you search an excellent database for vintage cycling, there is "mémoire du cyclisme" - it's a bible for old vintage races, coureurs. The vintage cycling jerseys sets is awesome...