Hello people, I'm looking to identify a frame which has been sitting in our garage for about 15 years. It was bought by me in about 1993 as a general hack, but I now want to know more about it. The closest I have got is a possibility that it is a Mercian. Frame numer is under the BB, it has EO within a diamond shape, then just below and offset is 250 12 81. Now, I know Mercian had a sytem of numbering which had the year number at the end or beginning and the builder code nearby, but there appears to be an extra digit here which is confusing me.

The lugwork is similar to Olympic or even (crosses fingers) King of Mercia models from early eighties. The Reynolds 531 transfers are the only markings that remain, but strangely don't appear to have laquer over them.

Images (can't seem to get them to embed...) - Here is the frame number:
https://picasaweb.google.com/amcdonal...15785862462466
and here is some lugwork:
https://picasaweb.google.com/amcdonal...15923405657570

There are some more pictures here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/amcdonald1961/2501281

Drop outs are Campagnolo, groupset has been changed at some point to Shimano 105 Golden Arrow, but may have originally matched the Headset which is Shimano 600.

My Mercian idea may be pure fiction... maybe I just want it to be Mercian, having lived near the shop in Derby many years ago. Anyway, any help and advice gratefully received. I'd love to get the bike restored if it is worth doing, 2 of my sons are getting into Track cycling now (it's a British thing) and I need some way to marginally impress them!

Alastair

Well, goodness me, a very quick response from Mercian:

"It looks like a Mercian and has the correct number sequence and stamp size.
Thank you
Grant
Mercian Cycles Limited"

So that answers that bit - it probably is a Mercian, but which Mercian? Any thoughts, oh wise ones?

Hi, I like your photo's. The Olympic is a very nice bike. The lugs you have photographed are the same as on mine, but Mercian think it's a King of Mercia, not totally convinced myself. Olympics have the 'heart' cutout, but it was also an option on KoM... It doesn't have fittings for the pump on mine. Bear in mind though that they replied to my email after shop closing time, so maybe later they'll run a quick check on the records for the accurate model when they have time. I think I'll take it to them for refurbishment, as they're only about an hour away. Just need to decide what colour scheme I want...