Unknown Falcon frame. Does anyone know what model this is?

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

KimComp

Well-Known Member
I'm wondering if anyone here can help in identifying this Falcon frame?
I purchased it a couple of years ago for £80 just because I liked the look of it but I can't seem to id it.
All my searches point to late 70's but I cannot find this exact frame in any forum pictures or catalogue.
It looks like it takes a 26.4 seat post.
Although the frame looks well made and good quality it's doesn't seem particularly light.
The interesting thing (for me!) is the strengthening plate on the inside of the front forks.
I also noticed that a few weeks after I bought this, the seller was advertising another one of these, same colour, same size???
Does anyone here know what this frame is?
Thanks in advance
 

Attachments

  • Falcon80pounds2.jpg
    Falcon80pounds2.jpg
    211.1 KB · Views: 0
  • Falcon80pounds3.jpg
    Falcon80pounds3.jpg
    299.1 KB · Views: 0
  • Falcon80pounds4.jpg
    Falcon80pounds4.jpg
    331.5 KB · Views: 0
  • Falcon80pounds8.jpg
    Falcon80pounds8.jpg
    248.1 KB · Views: 0
  • Falcon80pounds9.jpg
    Falcon80pounds9.jpg
    143.4 KB · Views: 0
  • Falcon80pounds10.jpg
    Falcon80pounds10.jpg
    88.6 KB · Views: 0

biggs682

Itching to get back on my bike's
Location
Northamptonshire
Nice colour
@Mandobob or @midlife will hopefully be along soon
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Is the headtube badge plastic or metal?
The colours look slightly off colour, yellow instead of gold being the one that really stands out.
 

Mandobob

Über Member
Location
Bristol
I have just seem this frame and I will give it some serious consideration but it is a challenge as it has a number of features that are unusual on the same frame. My first impression is that it almost certainly has been repainted since it was made. Falcon made a lot of orange frames from November 1973 but they were all part of the so-called Eddy Merckx range and were clearly decalled as such without the Falcon name. Because they had this range they didn't offer orange as a colour on the main Falcon range for obvious reasons.

The seatpin size suggests a Reynolds 531 plain gauge frame, but there is no Reynolds decal. If the paintwork were original it would have the 531 decal and if it has been repainted and the original was 531, why wouldn't you put the 531 decal on it? It could have been obtained from the same source as the Falcon name decals.

It has a head badge which implies 1978 - 1982. However it doesn't have the braze-ons on the top tube for the rear brake cable which were fitted from late 1980. It does have the reinforced rear brake bridge which fits that time period. It also has a brazed cable stop for the rear derailleur on the stay and gear cable channels on the top of the bottom bracket.

The rear derailleur hanger also implies a better quality frame. Is it (and the front dropouts) Campagnolo?

The heart shaped cutouts are attractive and indicative of a better quality frame.

Does it have a frame number under the bottom bracket? If so, what is it? If you can tell me that I may be able to whittle down the possibilities.
 
OP
OP
K

KimComp

Well-Known Member
I have just seem this frame and I will give it some serious consideration but it is a challenge as it has a number of features that are unusual on the same frame. My first impression is that it almost certainly has been repainted since it was made. Falcon made a lot of orange frames from November 1973 but they were all part of the so-called Eddy Merckx range and were clearly decalled as such without the Falcon name. Because they had this range they didn't offer orange as a colour on the main Falcon range for obvious reasons.

The seatpin size suggests a Reynolds 531 plain gauge frame, but there is no Reynolds decal. If the paintwork were original it would have the 531 decal and if it has been repainted and the original was 531, why wouldn't you put the 531 decal on it? It could have been obtained from the same source as the Falcon name decals.

It has a head badge which implies 1978 - 1982. However it doesn't have the braze-ons on the top tube for the rear brake cable which were fitted from late 1980. It does have the reinforced rear brake bridge which fits that time period. It also has a brazed cable stop for the rear derailleur on the stay and gear cable channels on the top of the bottom bracket.

The rear derailleur hanger also implies a better quality frame. Is it (and the front dropouts) Campagnolo?

The heart shaped cutouts are attractive and indicative of a better quality frame.

Does it have a frame number under the bottom bracket? If so, what is it? If you can tell me that I may be able to whittle down the possibilities.

Thank you Mandobob. The frame number is quite faint but definitely starts with the letter G followed by what looks like 090 then definitely22, so G09022. The second 0 could well be a 6.
I have also been thinking it's been re-painted at some point, however, there are no obvious signs of this, also the head badge is the stick on foil version which I believe is not available as an aftermarket sticker?
The dropouts are all unmarked.
There are no signs of any tubing stickers.
As you say the frame has some attractive features but it is quite heavy, so I don't think it's 531.
To me, the positioning of the Falcon stickers on the seat tube does not look correct, seat tube sticker too high, downtube sticker too low?
A bit of a conumdrum!
 

midlife

Guru
Interesting fork crown reinforcing tangs.... can't remember any falcon that left the factory with them. Mine did but was special via Billy Holmes.

Not convinced it's a Falcon, quite smart though.
 

Mandobob

Über Member
Location
Bristol
Thank you for the frame number. Given that information, my view would be that it might be one of a small number of frames that were not ever in the catalogue but which were badged "Professional" made from about 1978 to 1982. They are definitely not the catalogued Professional which was built with Tange Cr-Mo tubing.

I have a small number of these on my database and your frame number appears to contain the date: G = 1982, 09 = 8th of the month, 02 = February, 2 = 1982 (although that is only my personal hypothesis!). This does coincide datewise with other non Cr-Mo Professionals. However, I am concerned that it doesn't have the top tube brazings which were fitted at this period. They could have been ground off prior to the repaint.

As you say, the decals are very amateurishly located. The head badge however looks very much like an original. All Falcons from about 1978 onwards stopped having the lovely metal head badge fitted and changed to a cheaper option (probably brought about by Elswick Hopper who bought Falcon Cycles in 1978) which is the foil adhesive type. These were available for a few years as NOS from some cycle dealers, so could well have been sourced and applied after a repaint.

The frame appears to be quite a large size -24" perhaps? This might account for its weight. I have a 1970s 23" 531 plain gauge Falcon frame that weighs 8lb 6oz (3.8kg) with both headset and bottom bracket. That may help you.

The fork crown reinforcing tags are most unusual. In fact the style of the entire forks is unlike any other 531 Professional I have seen. Perhaps the original was damaged (very common) and another make was fitted? The repaint would then hide its original colour.

Nevertheless it still looks a nice frame which could build up into a reasonable bike.
 
OP
OP
K

KimComp

Well-Known Member
Interesting fork crown reinforcing tangs.... can't remember any falcon that left the factory with them. Mine did but was special via Billy Holmes.

Not convinced it's a Falcon, quite smart though.

I'm inclined to agree with you but the foil headbadge suggests it is a Falcon, unless someone had a spare foil decal from the factory and has stuck it on another frame?
I've just checked online and I see Bankrupt bike parts are selling old original foil headbadge decals, although not quite the same version as on this frame, so maybe the foil version was available from somewhere at some point?
 
OP
OP
K

KimComp

Well-Known Member
Thank you for the frame number. Given that information, my view would be that it might be one of a small number of frames that were not ever in the catalogue but which were badged "Professional" made from about 1978 to 1982. They are definitely not the catalogued Professional which was built with Tange Cr-Mo tubing.

I have a small number of these on my database and your frame number appears to contain the date: G = 1982, 09 = 8th of the month, 02 = February, 2 = 1982 (although that is only my personal hypothesis!). This does coincide datewise with other non Cr-Mo Professionals. However, I am concerned that it doesn't have the top tube brazings which were fitted at this period. They could have been ground off prior to the repaint.

As you say, the decals are very amateurishly located. The head badge however looks very much like an original. All Falcons from about 1978 onwards stopped having the lovely metal head badge fitted and changed to a cheaper option (probably brought about by Elswick Hopper who bought Falcon Cycles in 1978) which is the foil adhesive type. These were available for a few years as NOS from some cycle dealers, so could well have been sourced and applied after a repaint.

The frame appears to be quite a large size -24" perhaps? This might account for its weight. I have a 1970s 23" 531 plain gauge Falcon frame that weighs 8lb 6oz (3.8kg) with both headset and bottom bracket. That may help you.

The fork crown reinforcing tags are most unusual. In fact the style of the entire forks is unlike any other 531 Professional I have seen. Perhaps the original was damaged (very common) and another make was fitted? The repaint would then hide its original colour.

Nevertheless it still looks a nice frame which could build up into a reasonable bike.

Thank you for your research, very interesting.
Regards the idea of a repaint, I agree, it probably is but there are no signs at all of any brake cable guides having been on the top tube, it is all perfectly smooth, so whoever did it (why?) made a perfect job of it.
There are no signs of any other colour inside seat or head tube. Also the seller had another identical frame for sale a few weeks after I bought this one, same colour, same size.
Frame size is 25.5". A big one! (I'm 6'5")
While it is a bit on the heavy side, I quite like it and think it will make a substantial and solid feeling bike with an air of elegance when built up.
Thanks for your help, I will keep a look out for those fork tangs on another bike to see if it can shed any further light on the matter.
 
Top Bottom