Kilroy1988 

Howdy folks!

Got two cool frame sets from England in last week, and decided to bring them to work this morning to weigh them on an industrial scale! Both of the frames have missing tubing decals.

The Sun Wasp has a serial # dating it to 1950/51, but I've only found a catalog for the 1951 and 1953 model years to confirm the frame tubing. The details on the frame all match the "Wasp Massed Start" model in the 1951 advertisement (that model was no longer available in 1953), and the fork crown says "Reynolds" so it definitely isn't made from Accles & Pollock Kromo - the other option for the Massed Start was full double butted 531.

However, the standard Sun Wasp was only made with 531 plain gauge main tubes in 1951 and 1953, and most likely was so previously as well. In my hand the frame felt light, but I couldn't be sure without a proper scale and frame to weigh for comparison.

Step in the 1979 Mercian Campionissimo frame set, which Mercian Cycles confirmed for me based on the serial #, and which is definitely made throughout with Reynolds double butted 531 tubing.

Both frame sets are 24" size and the Sun Wasp actually has a 1/2" longer top tube than the Mercian. The geometry on each is almost identical, and they're very similarly equipped, with nearly the exact same selection of brazed on bits. The Sun Wasp has the additional head badge and lamp post eyelet on the fork, but lacks the cable guide on the bottom bracket. With this in mind I would have actually guessed that the Wasp would be heavier even if the tubing was the same.

So here are the results!

The total weight for the Mercian Campionissimo was 6.30 lbs and the total weight for the Sun Wasp (which I'm now quite confident is a "Massed Start" model) was 6.24 lbs.

A little mystery solved and quite in my favor, if I do say so myself!

-Gregory

Salamandrine 

Lucky you. Yep, those weights are typical for a full 531 DB frame.

Please build those up into bikes. I want to see them.

nlerner

You made me curious, so I weighed my 58cm 1984 Raleigh Gran Course frame/fork (made from Reynolds DB 531c): 6.04 lbs on my hanging scale.

Kilroy1988 

That's the plan! Both frames are going to be fully restored and set up with period correct components. I'll start with the Mercian and equip it with a bunch of Suntour and other Japanese components and try to have it ready to debut at Eroica California, which I plan to attend for the first time in 2020, despite having lived less than two hours from the event all the while...

The Sun Wasp will take some more dedication and I have no idea if I'll end up trying to replicate the catalog specification or else just go with nice contemporary British components. I'm also not sure if I'll restore the paint to the original scheme or else do a different pattern based on choices offered at the time - it could be done up in "continental blue" with boxed pin striping as well. And there was another downtube transfer with a little wasp in between the bold font words while the originals on this frame were cursive script.

Choices, choices, but plenty of time to contemplate. Cheers!

-Gregory