Another case of lost ID

[guidogad]

I've picked up a bike that I'd like to rebuild. Unfortunatly, the paint is not original and there are no markings or decals to point to a maker.

Here is what I know:
- Serial number is L5M1388
The 5 probably means '85 which would fit the date codes on the components.
- The group was Shimano 600 with the shift levers mounted on top of the down tube for better aerodynamics
- The frame appears to be rather high quality, well made, very thin sound
- 2020g in a 58 size
- fork rather light at 680g, too; sloping crown
- concave ears (seat stay attachment)
- little enforcements for the bottle holder screws - nice
- Suntour forged dropouts both rear and front fork
- 68 mm BB shell
- No provisions for mudgards/rack
- some chrome on top of the chain stay
- found in Perth

I guess that's a rather detailed description of the suspect. Anyone to pull the trigger on that one?

Thanks a lot!
Cheers,
Guido

[MountGower]

Error. This post can no longer be displayed.

[guidogad]

Hi!

No luck on obtaining help on a photo upload yet, but I've got the bike up in another more international forum (bikeforums dot net) under the same thread name. That forum is dominated by the US market and I guess we are looking at something that you might only find in Austrailia.

However, there is a guy who has extensive material on serial numbers and he was able to rule out a few possibilities. It's not: Araya, Centurion, Miyata, Nishiki, Panasonic, or Univega.
A Japanese frame from 85 is still the best guess, though.

Hope to get some pics up soon.
Cheers,
Guido

[khendar]

I took the liberty:

[GaryF]

Hi Guido,

Interesting frame. It looks like a good quality frame.

Cable guides on top of the BB shell, no gear lever bosses, reinforced biddon mount holes (one set). my guess is that it is a 70's frame. It is really rare to see a later model frame without gear lever bosses. I wonder if the '5' in the serial number might mean 1975.

Suntour dropouts are interesting as well. Would suggest a Japanese frame as they used British BB threads as well. then again, it could be a local builder using suntour deopouts as they were cheaper than Campagnolo and probably available when the frame was built. I am interested in the shortness of the dropouts - Campagnolo introduced their short dropouts in 1977 and most component makers followed Campagnolo in the products they produced. I wonder if it was the same for the dropouts?

I'm a bit envious of the frame - I've been looking for a frame with similar features to your frame for quite a while now.

I think you've got a really nice frame to recondition, best of luck,

Gary.

[guidogad]

Thanks so much for transfering the pics. That's great.

(AT) GaryF: There is a single gear lever boss on top of the down tube for aero-mounting. A silly thing from the mid-80s. The remaining componenets also date in the mid-80s. So the 5 in the serial is most definatly 85. The cable routing on top of the shell should have disappeard by that time but was necessary for the aero shifters.
I still consider myself lucky but a 75 would have been so much more desirable...

[GaryF]

Hi Guido,

I thought there might have been something mounted on the down bar. I agree, it must be an 80's frame. I have a Cinelli catalogue showing a top mounting aero gear lever boss. I have an 84 model bike with one but the cables are routed inside the tubes. The cable guides on top of your BB were another alternative as you point out.

I think this feature makes your frame even more desirable - very unusual, plus it makes one handed gear changing much easier.

I'd put money on the frame being Japanese.

[guidogad]

Hi!
I've just degreased the frame to prep it for blasting when I noticed that am adjustment screw in a dropout has been broken of with quite a bit of it inside What can be done about this???
Cheers,
Guido

[europa]

I'm not sure which screw you might mean, but if the hole goes right through, just drilling the bolt should do it - eventually the drill bit with bite grip the bolt and push it through the hole to the other side. A good soaking in penetrating oil to break any rust seal first would help.

Richard

[guidogad]

I've just seen GaryF's Olmo. The head lugs and seat stay caps look really similar. Yes, I'd bet money on it beeing Japanese, too, but can we just rule out Olmo for sure? How do the Olmo serial numbers look?
Cheers,
Guido

[GaryF]

The Olmo's serial number is 614937 and it is stamped under the bottom bracket.