Help required by newbie please
06-30-12, 03:07 PM
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Help required by newbie please
About five years ago I bought a bike from a local shop to get around on - it was cheap, and after using it for a while I left it in the back garden for about three years. Taking pity on it, I decided to do it up to use it again. I have replaced the cables, chain and tyres and it is now useable though a bit scruffy.
I would like to know more about it. It is labelled "Falcon" and has a sticker "Desigend by Ernie Clements" the frame number is MOD15808. It has Weinmann levers and type 730 calipers. The calipers are dated Jan 1980. The headstock is cast aluminium and stamped "SR". The handlebars are "ITM" and the cranks "Silstar" the pedals are "Lyotard 136R". The 27 inch wheels are labelled Rigida Superchromix and have "1B" in a diamond and "30".
My question is how old it is? The brakes are 1980 but how old is the frame? Anyone know? I recently bought a cheap Wolff mountain bike and although it has lots of gears, it weighs a ton - the Falcon is very light. Oh it also has shimano gears and a five cog cluster shifted with a lever.
Thanks.
I would like to know more about it. It is labelled "Falcon" and has a sticker "Desigend by Ernie Clements" the frame number is MOD15808. It has Weinmann levers and type 730 calipers. The calipers are dated Jan 1980. The headstock is cast aluminium and stamped "SR". The handlebars are "ITM" and the cranks "Silstar" the pedals are "Lyotard 136R". The 27 inch wheels are labelled Rigida Superchromix and have "1B" in a diamond and "30".
My question is how old it is? The brakes are 1980 but how old is the frame? Anyone know? I recently bought a cheap Wolff mountain bike and although it has lots of gears, it weighs a ton - the Falcon is very light. Oh it also has shimano gears and a five cog cluster shifted with a lever.
Thanks.
06-30-12, 03:17 PM
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Welcome to the Bike Forums.
When seeking information, regarding this bike or that, it is wise to include good clear pictures of the bicycle. That will help forum members focus on the bike and, probably, make it possible for them to offer valuable sought after information.
As for vintage of the bike, have a look through How Old Is My Bicycle? Apply what you find there and you should be able to come pretty close to figuring out the vintage of the bicycle, unless many of the components have been swapped out. Again, if we had pictures to work with, it would be much easier to suggest how to determine vintage.
Also, here is a article about Falcon Bicycles, that I wrote a few years ago...
PS: leaving old road bicycles, particularly ones as nice as a Falcon, is not a very good idea, in my opinion.
When seeking information, regarding this bike or that, it is wise to include good clear pictures of the bicycle. That will help forum members focus on the bike and, probably, make it possible for them to offer valuable sought after information.
As for vintage of the bike, have a look through How Old Is My Bicycle? Apply what you find there and you should be able to come pretty close to figuring out the vintage of the bicycle, unless many of the components have been swapped out. Again, if we had pictures to work with, it would be much easier to suggest how to determine vintage.
Also, here is a article about Falcon Bicycles, that I wrote a few years ago...
PS: leaving old road bicycles, particularly ones as nice as a Falcon, is not a very good idea, in my opinion.
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07-01-12, 04:20 AM
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Thanks for your help. Looking at the evidence I would say that it's about 1980/81 vintage but was little used before I got it. It had it's original canvas-sided tyres (one of which blew out on it's maiden post-recommissioned journey) and what looks like the originally fitted Weinmann brake blocks. I think I'll leave it original-but-scruffy as it looks great. I'll post some pictures when I work out how to do it. By the way - it cost £15 - bargain eh? Now I'll have to do something about these aching legs - cycling's hard work.
07-01-12, 08:17 AM
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Congrats on the save. Reading the specifics, it appears you have a good start into vintage.
I encourage you to pull down everything that has ball bearings in it — wheels, bottom bracket, head stock, pedals. Wash/clean and repack with some quality grease. This will helper preserve your rescued machine. it will also teach you how to service and take care of it in future. Replacing old bearings with high quality replacements is a good thing. Or, if reusing them, record what side they came from and repack them accordingly.
If this seems daunting, get a quote from your local bike shop as to what an overhaul costs. Sometimes shops offer seasonal specials. Good mechanics can do it rather quickly, but it may still cost you a lump. There are good manuals for common bike maintenance are around that still apply to vintage — your local library for example. Or just use the net — the Park Tools site for example. Or Randyjawa's "My Ten Speeds" site.
Show us a pic! Welcome to CV!!!
I encourage you to pull down everything that has ball bearings in it — wheels, bottom bracket, head stock, pedals. Wash/clean and repack with some quality grease. This will helper preserve your rescued machine. it will also teach you how to service and take care of it in future. Replacing old bearings with high quality replacements is a good thing. Or, if reusing them, record what side they came from and repack them accordingly.
If this seems daunting, get a quote from your local bike shop as to what an overhaul costs. Sometimes shops offer seasonal specials. Good mechanics can do it rather quickly, but it may still cost you a lump. There are good manuals for common bike maintenance are around that still apply to vintage — your local library for example. Or just use the net — the Park Tools site for example. Or Randyjawa's "My Ten Speeds" site.
Show us a pic! Welcome to CV!!!
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Last edited by Lenton58; 07-01-12 at 08:21 AM.
07-01-12, 08:53 AM
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Thanks Lenton58 - I did replace the ball bearings in the hubs when I recommissioned the bike, and enjoyed the task - the cups and races were OK but the bearings and grease were past their best. I haven't tried the head stock or pedal crank yet as the headstock moves very well, and the pedal crank needs some kind of special spanner. Just come back from a ride - and replaced the inner tubes with the non-auto valve type as I found the auto valve type difficult to pump up - or more precisely difficult to disconnect the pump from after filling, without deflating.
A satisfying aspect of old bikes is that everything seems to be marked in some interesing way. Only today I looked at my pump and found that it it has an extravagent trade mark and is made in England.
A satisfying aspect of old bikes is that everything seems to be marked in some interesing way. Only today I looked at my pump and found that it it has an extravagent trade mark and is made in England.
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