Winter project find. These are/were iconic cyclo cross bikes in the mid-late 70's, uncommon to find one in the US. Anyone have catalogue images? Possible to replace the cable guides? Date by serial number? 251514

Will clean up, swap some parts, but plan to ride it before teardown.

Nice find

Site found so far: https://www.dcisite.be/en/artikel-info/alan-guide Not definitive on serial number dating, but does have references for frame details that narrow it down. Thinking 1980 - 1981 plus/minus.

Yeah. That’s dreamy. Heckuva find. Any plans to race that pup?

Nice find. Iconic bike. Many of the Alans I have seen in my area are CX bikes. Often branded as Guerciotti. Paging fabiofarelli .

Je te met des photos du mien qui doit être plus récent

Very few vintage CX bikes on BF; really nice catch on this one.

I've had a couple of vintage CX bikes and found both times that the BB was really high, which definitely did not work for me. How does this one measure up, Mr. Jake?

I think a high BB is common on vintage CX bikes. I had to sell a Bianchi equinox for that reason as it turned out to be larger than I liked. The Pinarello cross I bought was at the bottom end of the sizing for me and that works for me.

That’s very cool! Alan is THE cross bike marque. It will assuredly have a high BB as that’s a feature to avoid pedal strikes on off camber sections and tight cornering. I have a more modern Alan cross bike that I really like although sadly gathering dust as I haven’t raced in a while.

A few years back Jan Heine raced his old Alan and of course, wrote about it.

https://www.renehersecycles.com/raci...4_xmemdr9l48iF

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a Alan years ago. Great bike, not identical to the OP's but a really nice bike, none the less. I was impressed with the appearance as well as the ride quality. But one thing really bothered me. At 242 pounds, I thought that, perhaps, I was too heavy for the bike. Did some research and mention was made of how flexible the crank/bottom bracket were. I went for a ride to see for myself, My thoughts were that I was too heavy for the bike. The flexing at the bb was worrisome. But you have to admit, they are beautiful and something a bit unusual back then and, I suppose, now...



I helped a community group prepare these bikes, all sent by the Toronto police to Thunder Bay first nation community, to ensure they were in good working order and safe to ride. Managed to salvage between fifty and sixty bikes. I was given the Alan through the Thunder Bay Bicycles for Humanity "Earn A Bike Program". Wish I still had that wonderfully light (for its time) vintage road bike today.


My first glimpse of the Alan...

Will let you know upon test riding. Had a beautiful 80's Mondia CX for a spell, didn't care for the ride. As said, however, these Alan CX's are iconic, it was cheap, so why not try it out?

I wonder if some enterprising individual has 3-D printed any cable guides for ALAN frames?
I know they have been available online for Cannondales...anybody run across (not punning) any for ALANs including these "CX" style for all top tube routing?

There should be a date code on the right side of the seat tube just under the lug. Does your have one?

I have seen once as i was alao seaching guides that someone recreated them, however - at least un Europe - broken frames for sale are not rare either.

It was Le cycleur but sold out

https://lecycleur.com/product/alan-cable-guide/

Really cool and I like the one Randy has had previously. The only other one I have ever seen is online and Guerciotti (though I weirdly recall a Basso too, but that may have been Titanium?)

How'd they attach the cantilever bosses? Drilled and tapped for a screw in boss?

Did Vitus ever make a version of this?

I would expect them to be glued and screw into some internal reinforcement.

Great view of that...not sure I'd want glued brake mounting though...haha. I am sure it will outlast the alloy, but...?

Seeing this makes me want to keep on the lookout...maybe there is a "Faux-lan" or Faux-tus" out there!

Initial tentative test ride as fit isn't to my dimensions and have not refurbed - looks to be a fun rider. Nimble, good on dirt, somehow stiff but comfortable. Components worked quite well, quiet easy shifting - friction Shimano bar end, XT rear mech, Campagnolo 10-speed cassette.

Looking at the missing cable guides, there is at least, a pinhole if not a tiny threaded hole and residue of glue. Alan's were noted to hold together with their glued & screwed joinery. Will further examine the cable guides upon disassembly to see if the cable guides are pinned or actually screwed and glued.

Thanks for the tip on dating - once had an Alan Super Record with a date stamped on the seat tube - skinny tire weight weeenie project since dispensed with.



Date stamped on seat tube - 1983

Serial number and markings typical to this era

just for skiddles and grins there were a LOT of re-brands (ie: ALANs sold as Guerciotti, and etc.) which you may like to peruse in this lengthy thread (post #71 has "the List" of all the re-brandnames we have complied, 67 names so far)
I try to ID which examples were CX or Carbone or what other distinctions they have/had.
Shout out to Lattz who replied above and has been a major contributor of pix and details to the thread, as well as non-fixie and his pal in Benelux fabiofarelli

Re-branded ALAN frames: a list

good to know and hope they resume production again, this is much nicer (actual alloy metal and water-jet cut) than the plastic 3-D printout I was imagining. But did ALAN just "gang" 2 or three single guides for the CX top tube or were there special guides used for just the CX models?

another shout-out for This Guide : https://www.dcisite.be/en/artikel-info/alan-guide which is a major help and excellent visual resource for helping date and ID frames based on their details

I thought I was done, BUT NO... here's some pic assists of the VERY impressive offerings of cable guides for ALAN by Le Cycleur:




apparently two styles with slots for housing pass-thru and with no slots which are "stops"
ALSO impressive are they are making repros of the infamous Mavic "washer/adapter" for the RD, AND a Cinelli 1-R stem "friction wedge", notorious for cracking!

BRAVO!

VRJAKE maybe somefhing what you know by default, but check the lugs regulary. The internet is full of horror sfories of failed glueing, some people would never ride Alan or Vitus in their lives, however that is a bit overinflated. Yet if you see anywhere glue popping up from under the lug, consider bringing it to some local car or plane repair shop where they are familiar with bonding alu with epoxy.

Same goes for cracks either on the upper head lug or seat lug, check them.

Thanks for the source, confirms the cable guides are screwed and glued, as are the frame tubes. The missing cable guides on the down tube and chain stay look to have remnants of screws in them as well as glue residue so perhaps they were broken off at some point. I can see tiny phillips-type screws in the remaining guides.

Dating: Seat tube has "COMP 688" stamped near the top, indicating this frame is less old than thought - June 1988 it would seem to be.
Closer inspection, lugs look solid, no significant gouges, no dents. Good advise to inspect, though with tubes screwed in, not concerned about separation, but checking for cracks, etc. is prudent.
Fork has a steel steerer, guess that should have been expected. Rear spacing is 128mm - given 1988 date, that seems right and really expands wheel and shifting choices.

The cable guides are glued and screwed with a very small flatheaded pointed screw.
Here's a flyer of a Alan CX.



For more catalogs and information about Alan check this on my blog: https://fabiofarelli.blogspot.com/p/alan.html

And this is a picture from a ride we organize every year, this is some years back.



Have fun with your CX!

I acquired an ALAN cyclocross similar to yours over the summer. At 58cm, mine’s just a bit larger than the 56-57cm I prefer. I haven’t spent too much time riding this one, but hope to change that this winter season. I need lower gears to make the nearby trails enjoyable as well. This is as purchased.