Hi there,

Have found this in a shed, any idea what it is?

Badges missing but there is the remains of a union jack sticker as shown.

I thought the way the seat stays wrap around the cross bar was unusual.

Thanks.

I'm going to guess...lower end English, Late 60's (Cotterd cranks and a Huret shifter). Might be a Falcon by the seat stays and the lack of cable guides.

Is the saddle a Wrights?

English is as close as I can get. I can't see enough detail to guess the vintage, but it looks like you'll have fun with that seatpost...The seatstay treatment is called full wrap, and is a signature of the English manufacturers.

I'm with you in calling it a Falcon.

Ace thanks a lot chaps.

I think the saddle is a 'Brookes'?

Need a bicycle for the commute and was wondering if it was worth saving for a single speed conversion.

And yes I do live in east London.

Thanks again.

Hopefully the seat height is right for you as is; it may be hard to get the seat post to budge.

It would be a good candidate for singlespeed but I'd take it completely apart, clean and regrease the bottom bracket and headset. Are the rims alloy or steel? If steel, I'd replace with alloy and also get a decent brake for up front.

Couple of links for you if you need help: https://sheldonbrown.com/singlespeed.html

https://www.on-one-shop.co.uk/

I believe they are steel so I would be after some alloy replacements.

Any recommendations? On a budget of course.

Would be very keen on a new powder coat as well, I understand these chaps will be able to sort me out. https://armourtex.tripod.com/

I hope it's just the lighting or my monitor, but that looks like a nasty dent in the back of the head tube in the third photo. If it is a dent, I don't think I'd trust the bike.

Lot of the singlespeed/fixed gear crowd seems to like the Vuelta wheels from bikeisland.com They pop up on eBay a lot, too. Mavic Open Sports with Formula hubs are a good option for a little more money.

Used wheelsets are a good deal if you know what you're getting. Try the Search function; there must be hundreds of "what wheels do I get?" threads.



Before you go pouring money into this project, write down everything you need and try to total up the costs. Unless it's a project that you are doing for fun; these kinds of conversions can easily cost a lot more than buying a complete new bike. Trust me, I know.

British lower range frame - Falcon, Viking, Sun or maybe Carlton from the late 1960's to 1971/2. Does it have any serial numbers or stampings on the frame? It looks like you may have a problem if that's a dent at the rear of the head tube. Check it out from the inside when you remove the forks to work on the head set. It shouldn't touch the fork steerer tube on the inside and it would be a good idea to ask a couple of proper bike shops for their opinion whether it is likely to have weakened the frame? NOT Halfords or Cycles UK! Evans, Holdsworth or similar outfits will have the expertise. I'd guess it's probably be OK and if so it might push out or fill (or both). Unusual place for a dent though. Powder coating will certainly give you a tough finish, although with that graceful seat cluster and sculpted fork crown, my own preference would be for a metal flake metallic finish with deep lustre lacquer - mid blue, crimson or gold perhaps? Anyway, you have the basis for a nice build if the frame's OK so good luck and keep us posted on how it goes!