Interesting Falcon seat tube decal

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Chris2021

Member

Attachments

  • _DSC3807.JPG
    _DSC3807.JPG
    53 KB · Views: 37
Last edited:

midlife

Guru
 

Mandobob

Über Member
Location
Bristol
I have only just seen this post. That is a lovely bike in fine condition.

It is clearly a Falcon San Remo model 80 from the 1960s.

The San Remo was introduced in January 1960 and as the pictures show, the frame was in Reynolds 531 plain gauge. Thus it was not their premier model, which at that time was the Super Route in 531 butted tubing. By 1963 the San Remo Equipe (the copy of the pro team bike) became their top of the range. The San Remo model 80 continued in production and I have evidence of its production through to 1974.

The seat post graphic is quite superb. Another early 1960s model 80 with the same graphic sold last night on ebay for £104.

I am also attaching two examples of the image which was used in Falcon advertising.
614749


614750
 

midlife

Guru
@Mandobob. I seem to recall you are the VCC marque specialist for Falcon. Slightly off topic but do you have any info on Falcon frame numbers and what they mean?

We sold Falcons in the bike shop where I worked, with Billy Holmes being the rep. We entered the frame numbers in a register but the Falcon numbers just seemed to be random, unlike Raleigh which could be decoded. The frame number on my San Remo Equipe is just a set of numbers lol
 

Mandobob

Über Member
Location
Bristol
@Mandobob. I seem to recall you are the VCC marque specialist for Falcon. Slightly off topic but do you have any info on Falcon frame numbers and what they mean?

We sold Falcons in the bike shop where I worked, with Billy Holmes being the rep. We entered the frame numbers in a register but the Falcon numbers just seemed to be random, unlike Raleigh which could be decoded. The frame number on my San Remo Equipe is just a set of numbers lol
Now there is a coincidence. I have just this morning been looking at that again!

I have a collection of about 60 frame numbers with their respective models and an approximation of date (sometimes someone can be pretty accurate with their date). Most Falcon frame numbers have five numbers in them and some have a letter prefix. There has been a theory that the final of the five numbers is tha last number of the year of manufacture e.g. 61321 would be 1961.

From my limited set of numbers, I have no frame number that ends in 5! Given frequency theory it is possible that within a random set of 60 numbers the numbers 0 to 9 will not necessarily occur with equal frequency but it is likely that all numbers might appear. I clearly need to gather more numbers to test this out.

In case anyone is interested, here is my set of numbers. Any contributions to add to this list will be very welcome!

615050
 

southcoast

Über Member
The M numbers I believe are imported frames from Japan. Miki Japan, M for Miki followed by the year and month.
So M for Miki, 9 for year and D for month.

@Mandobob i will send you my frame numbers.
 

midlife

Guru
Here’s another number for you :smile: 98486

My Falcon San Reno Equipe which is circa 1986
17C5AABB-D0EB-441C-AB3F-21394F19E69B.jpeg
 
Top Bottom