I was surprised to find no 5-, 10-, or (likely) 20-page thread on Falcons after searching the subforum by thread title. So, maybe this one will take off.

I'm guessing this is from '87, a 531c frameset, originally with an all Victory group. I've gone with mostly Triomphe with some Victory thrown in (caliper locknuts, rear mech). I have a Triomphe wheelset for it, too, but its hard anodized Araya rims are a little heavy. I added the missing seat tube decal (from H Lloyd Cycles).


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No previous “Show Your Falcon” thread is surprising, thanks for filling the void. That bike is a very nice thread starter SurferRosa! Those Campy components are beautiful. I’d like to help make this thread take off, this frame was acquired by trade from someone who cleans out homes and businesses for estate sales. It had previously hung in an antique shop for many years. I relinquished a too small but still nice 1988 Shimano 105 equipped trek 560 to get it. Some members here on bike forums confirmed for me that it’s a San Remo 76 with a probable replacement fork. The fork is very close in appearance to what would have come on the bike originally and has Campy dropouts but has fender eyelets where there are none on the rear. It also has a slightly different crown. I’ll post more photos after I build the bike but that will likely be awhile. I have several projects going at the same time and each one seems to take until practically forever to complete.

Away from home - only limited, recent images.

IMHO, Falcon gets lesser respect in USA, than perhaps deserved. I have my guesses, but would love to hear other, more informed opinions.

Here’s my Falcon, frameset purchased from Brewsmith.1989, 531c, size 58. On the smallish side for me but quick as spit and can be fast as lightning, if the engine is lubed/tuned. Sort of a mutly build. But a Falcon headset , that is = Tangé Falcon headset . Campy ders/shifters, Modolo brakes/levers, tubulars. Pictured running 25mm rear, 23 front tire. Gyes saddle with cutout.

I did a rattle can paintjob on this Falcon. It has lower end campy and is no lightweight but is a nice ride.

A Falcon I put a lot of work into. Something broke every single ride on this thing! Used to love puncturing inner tubes as well. After thinking it was finally a reliable bike I sold it to a friend last weekend. Axle bolt snapped on his first outing with it. I just gave him the money back and told him he's welcome to keep it!

Very much a love hate thing here. Think it's a Westminster, although really not sure.

Here's mine, always a smooth ride. I think it was probably bronze.

garryg , that's a nice job, how well did the rattle-can paint hold up?

I sold the Falcon. One of maybe two of thirty bikes i have sold that i wished i had kept. The rattle can paint job looked good but was a bit fragile.

Some Falcon info...

Doreen Goniu's Eddy Merckx Page at Yellow Jersey

My next project....

Last summer. This year its going to drink the 650b koolade. This one had a 26.6 seat post, a derailleur hanger and was a blast to ride until a pickup truck forced me into a curb. I think i got the fork straight yesterday but i havnt ridden it yet.

52telecaster , nice setup! You have a higher-end Falcon with the wrap-around seat-stays and forged dropouts. Sorry to hear about that pick-up truck.

Your fork looks similar to the one I just posted, the blades appear more round than oval.

Do you have Weinmann 610 calipers on the front and rear?

Here's what I got from "The Yard" at Bikeworks a few years back as purchased, when I had it built last it was all Dura Ace mashings.

the dropouts are stamped but 3d with a hanger. It did have the weinmanns on it. I just ordered aome auaomong tektros for the 650bs. I wanted to try it with this frame because it has massive tire width clearance.

Their late '80s 531c frame is pretty nice. Easy to build up. Light, lively, but feels solid. I find myself easily bunny hopping bigger road bumps. Inspires lots of confidence.

Was it too big? I know these aren't for everyone.

You seem to build up and later part out a lot of frames. I have the patience to do the first part, but not the latter...

In the immortal words of Charlie Harding ("C. Harding's For Bikes," which was just south of the UCLA campus in to 1960s and 1970s), "A Falcon is a good English bike."

Ah ... Campag. Valentino, literally the Edsel of derailleurs. (Valentino Campagnolo and Edsel Ford were sons of their respective fathers.)

The San Remo that rides great but is a tad small I rode that with a tall seatpost at minimum insert. It was a parts buy that had a good cockpit Cinelli stem, Campy brake levers SR Custom England bars, with headset and an Ultegra bb. I still have the frame but it has more needs than I can put into making it right.

I got a nice San Remo from a local flipper who found it on the curb. He didn't want to deal with the cottered crank. I did. I'm thinking about tubulars for this. Campy drivetrain, and Mafac Racer brakes. I may consider 650b conversion as well, 52telecaster has many great ideas. Just another member of the 531 Club hanging out at my house.

I had one just like yours bitd of high school.

My apologies - these are old scans of 35 mm pix I took nearly 20 years ago! I bought the frame for $45 at the 2001 Cirque du Cyclisme and built it up with oddments. It had a 531 db main triangle anyway, as it took a 27.2 seat post. I really liked it as a fixed-gear, and thought the handling was dandy. It would move, too, especially when I felt motivated to really punch it. It was just a little bit too small for me in the end, though, and I sold it on in late 2002. I would love to find its slightly bigger, say 23.5-in sibling someday.

Falcon Victory.

I have a Falcon Black Diamond, 1977 or 78 vintage. I’ve owned it since I was a teenager. I haven’t ridden it for over 10 years, but have decided it is time to do it up,

The paint is badly faded, and scratched, so will need a respray. Apart from the rear wheel and bar tape everything is original, or added by me at the time. I was going to remove the mudguards and rack but my wife says she loves them (they are her favourite part) so they are now staying!

it needs some replacement components: the saddle (too far gone to save), straps for the toe clips (the leather has not lasted well), crank dust cap (lost one), new bar tape and cables. I’ll treat it to some new wheels as well.

Hopefully with a lot of TLC and careful polishing most bits should come up well.

I can’t post pictures on link yet (I haven’t made enough posts) but I’m keeping a record of progress on a blog (link in my profile) so pop by and see the latest update.

https://falconrestorebike.wordpress.com/

I thought that I might have the oldest Falcon in this parade, but it may be that (based on the fork crown) branko_76 's could be about the same, or older.







^^^ These are the front and rear dropouts it has: "Stallard" pattern, 5 mm thick, and cut very square. It had a BB grease fitting, and does not have Reynolds 531, but seamed tubing taking a 26.4 mm seat post; weighs 3.6 kg. Nice ride, though. Has been rattle canned, no decals or headbadge, but the holes in the head tube fit a Falcon metal headbadge perfectly. That, plus the distinctive wrapover seat stay terminals convinces me that it's a Falcon. It evidently had chromed socks on the fork. Came with Huret shifters, a nice chromed Stronglight steel headset (or English clone thereof) that is the only original component on it now, a steel Resilon front hub and a TDC cottered bottom bracket.