Reynolds 531 frame with no serial number ?

[PHL67]

Hi, I have bought an old frame which is Reynolds 531 but it has no markings on it whatsoever. The paint was all gone so I have stripped back to bare metal and no frame markings were visible. Frame is ever so light. It did have on it a Tange headset. Would anyone have an idea how I would identify it age and model of 531. Is there a frame weight guide to assist in tubing used ? Many thanks.

Few photos including headset. Now think it may be a Falcon as on headset it says Falcon.

It also has Campagnolo dropouts. See picture.

 

[Citius]

If there's no markings on it whatsoever - why do you think it is 531..?

 

[PHL67]

The weight, tubing is nearly the same as my gazelle 531C. Headset lugs, seat tube lugs. The lug work is not the same as my Super Vitus 980 in picture.

 

[Citius]

None of that suggests it may be 531 though. Lugs were always supplied independently of the tubeset anyway, so that's no indication either. It may even be 531ST or it may be Columbus, or Tange, or whatever, but without some provenance I doubt if you'll ever know for sure.

Tange 'Falcon' is just the name of the headset, by the way. It does not suggest that the frame is a Falcon.

 

[raleighnut]

Nice.
I've got a Reynolds 653 frame that has no serial number or makers badge on it and no-one has been able to identify that.
Yours however has a very Raleigh SBDU look about it, it may be a 'foreigner' built by one of their workers and snuck out the back door when the foremans back was turned (that happened a fair bit apparently) or it could be one built by someone on a frame building course (Dave Yates is a famous tutor on those, you pay to learn how it is done and build your own under expert guidance)
I'd just leave it unstickered and if anyone asks just say "Oh its Handbuilt" and leave em guessing.

 

[Drago]

531 refers to not only the material, but the design and construction of the tubes, so if it is 531 you already know all the is to know about the tubing.

And there there's Super, Millenium Etc, the same material but slightly different tube designs to allow for different construction techniques.

That said, I can't see anything to indicate it's Reynolds of any description.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Are those letters stamped on the dropout (beginning BRE) specific to the dropout rather than the frame?

Rather stupid speculation: There's a place called BREW bikes in North Carolina who build frames

 

[midlife]

That's "BREV" and its a patent thing. The frame looks like a late 70's early 80's shop frame (built unstamped for a shop to sell with its own decals).

Shaun

 

[Citius]

Just to be clear - lugs and dropouts bear no relation to where the frame was made, or by whom. That's not how it works.

 

[Venod]

I can't identify the frame but I did have a 531 constructed frame made by a bloke in his garage so I presume there are quite a few frames out there without numbers, I rode it for a number of years and then got Ellis Briggs of Shipley to put some track ends on it, I rode it fixed for a few years then sold it. It was as my first sale on eBay it went to the Birmingham area, the lugwork was identical to the op's.

 

[Citius]

The lugwork is probably identical, because the lugs are 'off the shelf' items from the likes of Cinelli or Nervex, etc - which the majority of frames were built with in those days. It means nothing.

 

[Venod]

The lugwork is probably identical, because the lugs are 'off the shelf' items from the likes of Cinelli or Nervex, etc - which the majority of frames were built with in those days. It means nothing.

Yes thats what I was pointing out, lots of frames with the same construction, not a a chance of identification on looks alone.

 

[PHL67]

None of that suggests it may be 531 though. Lugs were always supplied independently of the tubeset anyway, so that's no indication either. It may even be 531ST or it may be Columbus, or Tange, or whatever, but without some provenance I doubt if you'll ever know for sure.

Tange 'Falcon' is just the name of the headset, by the way. It does not suggest that the frame is a Falcon.

Probably not. It is very light at just over 2 kg with bottom bracket in. Thanks for your reply.

 

[PHL67]

That's "BREV" and its a patent thing. The frame looks like a late 70's early 80's shop frame (built unstamped for a shop to sell with its own decals).

Shaun

Thanks for your reply.

 

[PHL67]

Are those letters stamped on the dropout (beginning BRE) specific to the dropout rather than the frame?

Rather stupid speculation: There's a place called BREW bikes in North Carolina who build frames

Thank you for the information.