I picked up this sport touring type frame to build for a friend and can't find any solid details about the marque. There were Talbots made in New England, British Columbia and Britain, but who might have made this? Unmarked dropouts, 531, decent looking work, one set of cage bosses, 27.2 post. I think it was built for 27" wheels. I hope it'll make a fine ride if it's straight. Any experience, help or information on these?

Member VolvoJP has what he believes to be a Vancouver Talbot...might be worth digging up that thread.

He's local out here...come to think of it, I'd been hoping to take a look at that bike once the sunshine arrived!

I'm not too sure, myself, but yours does look like a fine bicycle!

Yeah, real nice,wherever it's from.

Thanks...I forget that the forum search engine can actually work sometimes.

Looks like a good frame, well worth a restoration. Wish it fit me.

What size is it, btw? Local interest and all that .

Does look like VolvoJP's in many respect, including decals:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...Talbot-Content

I know the seller of that bike claimed it as Vancouver-made. I can't recall if there was any further confirmation...

EDIT: The orange bike has head tube (and seat tube) decal that I believe is associated with the 'Carlton Cycles - Vancouver' Talbot, and the DT decals seem to match, so that's something. I wouldn't consider myself a reliable source on that, but this is based on my recollection of info dredged up at some point in the past. Any evidence (clear coat 'ghost'?) of a HT decal, and possibly an identical one on the ST as well?

Definitely a Vancouver BC Talbot, going by the downtube decal.

Here's a pic of my 1981 Talbot, made by the Green brothers of Carleton Cycles:

That's a beaut! Do you happen to have a picture of the head tube/seat tube decal? I'd be very interested in seeing a close-up!

Looks like the mystery is solved, eh?

That bike traveled much, much further than had it been one by the New England builder of the same name!

Here's a link to a Picasa album with some pics of the bike, and here's a close up of the head tube decal:



Somewhere, I have a fresh set of decals for the bike. Someday, I'll remember where I put them.

That looks really great. I think once you clean up the dropouts, you might find a marque. I could swear I see "Shimano" on the rear, drive side dropout.

Thanks for the pics and the info Shuncle, and everyone else. Definitely the same bike, I like the minimalist head tube lugs, very distinctive. Late 70's? Decals eh?

Mike, the frame is 60 c-t-c by 57 top. This frame may be too big for the intended rider and I may have to move this along.

PM sent, just in case it does prove to outsize it's intended rider...and yearns for the Left Coast! Those measurement are in my range.

Sterling frame...and a good prompt to dig around a bit and refresh my memory about local builders.

Very different from this machine, which I encountered recently.

Hi there. I used to build Talbot frames at carleton in the 70's and that is most definitely one of the frames produced there. i can tell by the lugs, brazed on fittings, the droputs and the fork crown.

Welcome, and nice start here on BF. Got any pics of your work to show us? We'd love to see them.

I have a track frame I built in '78 and rode at '79 nationals, I'll try to dig it out of the garage and post some photos.

Very cool! What do you mean when you say carleton? I too would love to see some pics. Got any original decals hanging about?

edit....finally just read the other thread. So you may have built this bike Hugh? Nicely done.

I meant Carleton Cycles on Kingsway in Vancouver. Which was later Carleton Cycles and Outdoor Recreation and then Carleton Rescue. I built frames there from about 1978 to 1980 and probably did about 100 frames, touring, road racing, track racing. Rick Green one of the proprietors started the frame building business and was a master craftsman. Anyway here are some photos of probably the last frame I built there which I made to ride in the pursuit events. I think I rode on it at the 1979 Nationals and Pan Am Games and it's been travelling around with me collecting dust ever since. Reynolds 753 Superlight tubing (a ***** to braze). Old campy cranks and pedals with toestraps! no clipless pedals and disc wheels back then. Nice light bike for a steel frame. Can't remember what happened to the seat and post and handlebars, must have ended up on another bike. Sorry no decals. The ones on this bike are probably as good as any around.

Steel frames are easy to straighten out as long as no wrinkles in the tubes. Once you see a wrinkle it is junk. Also make sure you look for any cracking around the lugs. Forks and stays pretty straight forward, the actual frame triangle not so much. Looks like they got a sealed bottom bracket in there somehow. Make sure you get all the tubes cleaned out well inside will make your assembly easier. Good luck.

Nice looking work. I can't believe you haven't had an urge to ride it during all these years.