I'm doing a build for a friend of mine. I thought I found a frame, but it fell through. A good friend I have works at a bike shop and offered to give me a Crescent frame that he has for free. It apparently needs a headset and a new fork, but his shop sells both of these used for really cheap.

I did a quick google and bikeforum search and turned up little info except on the one model that seems most common-- the orange crescent Pepita. I don't think this is a pepita because it's green, and it doesn't look like a repaint because the decals are all under the clear coat. It looks like 1970s to me, and I remember it having half-chromed stays. Does anyone have any idea what it is? Or any more info on Crescent bikes in general? Would it be worth building up? I'd be putting a 126mm-spaced rear wheel on it, so I'd probably have to cold set it, which is a bit annoying and risky...

I also am wondering if it uses any strangely-dimensioned parts, ie. french-threaded BB, 22.2mm steerer, etc. And I'm wondering if it was built for 27" wheels or 700c. I can get a good deal on some older NOS short reach Ultegra calipers.

Does it have Nervex lugs? Grab it.

Does it have anything else? You might want to pass.

-Kurt

Crescent built a range of frames from gas pipe up to Reynolds 531 race frames (pepita?)
there are more than a few threads here about them.
should be english threaded, not sure of the wheel size.

Marty

I have only ever worked on one crescent. it was from the early 1970s and I found it strange that it had an english headset and thus normal dimensions for the stem, but it had a french bottom brack, the fork was definitely original. So expect a french threaded bottom bracket.

and I have to admit I had more than a crush on the Crescent girl

You would think the Crescent marketing department could have fit that beauty with a more appropriately sized beauty? (Did I just say that?)

I've got one of these guys, Reynolds 531, Nervex and all. Nice ride, lots of toe clip overlap(think track bike). I run mine fixed so the overlap can be an issue, if you go geared I wouldn't expect it to be a huge deal. I think mine was already spaced 126, whether it was stock or someone just set it at some point I don't know. I'd grab it...sounds like the price is right and it's worth getting a new fork for. Good luck.

I don't know if it has nervex lugs or not. I think I remember it having some chromed lugs at the headtube. There definitely wasn't a 531 sticker on it anywhere. I lived with this friend for a while and it sat in our living room for the whole 2 years, so I'm trying to recall from memory.

Are any of your frames green? Did they make the pepita in another color?

You might try looking around here; it's in Swedish but there are pictures...

https://www.cykelhobby.com/svenska.htm

Maybe in the Modell 92316 link, there's a listing of models and components

Yeah, the Pepita never came with chrome lugs. I think Crescent of that era were either orange, light blue or all chrome. BTW, mine fits 700c wheels.

some have a strange BB for one piece cranks.

Good point, they made some models that appeared to be varsinental competition.

All top models (Crescent and Monark 320, 319 and 318) had Nervex/Dubois lugs. All through the 70´s they were built with Reynolds 351. In US these models were called Pepita Special or Super Continental. The Pepita name came from the checkerboard decal BUT, these decals were used on many different Crescents, from older low-end roadbikes to hard-wear townbikes. The Pepita decal were introduced early sixties. It seems every bike with Nervex lugs were called Pepita for some strange reason...

An easy tell them apart manual for the seventies; The 320 had Campagnolo gruppo, 319 had campag or simplex, in late 70´s Shimano Dura Ace and the 318 had various french components (Simplex, stronglight, Huret). The same standards as for the blue Monark bikes.

The Crescent top models were orange ´til ´80-81 when they also came as light blue. From 80-81 the tubing were Tange Mangeloy, Tange 3 and late 80´s Tange Cro-Mo. The BB had french thread from the 60´s til the 80´s; they were rightmade 35x1 mm. From -81 english thread 1370x24 tpi.

Besides the top models there were 317 (youth) and 316 (priceworthy trainer). And theres more models but I wont make this an essay. Anyhow, for some reason swedish bikes have a sad reputation in the US and are treated with less respect (when it comes to workmanship) than italian or even french bikes. Being a european I have a more relaxed relation towards other bike brands, ´cause its obvoius they built some crappy or crummy bikes in Italy and France too. I would say, if you have found a clean and unmolested Crescent or Monark of any model, you´re in for some good riding and trustworthy companionship.