Trying to find my racing bike manufacturer

Hi all. I'm trying to find who made my old racing bike, it has Reynolds 531 tubing, Shimano 'Titelist' 6 speed, Sugino Maxy crank, Normandy alloy wheels which I think are dated 1977 from the code on the hubs. Fitted with Weinmann centrepulls with extra 'safety levers'. Frame serial number 63169. Would love to know who made it or where to find out! Possibly Falcon? Cheers

Bought cheaply in the UK a few days ago - I imagine it's a relatively low-end entry level machine from the 1970s but it's frustrating not knowing the original manufacturer. The man I bought if from said it originally had a glued-on badge on the front tube which had come off some years ago. No decals or stickers on the frame apart from a worn but still visible Reynolds 531 sticker on seat tube.

I imagine some of the components it has, listed above may have been changed over the years but they might give a clue as to who made it? Any help gratefully received!
Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Fiasco on May 4, 2012 at 3:33pm

I have a Raleigh Gran Sport that has a wraparound lug like on your bike. It's also 531. The Sugino Super Maxy crank was a common upgrade for people who wanted to swap out their stock cottered cranks back in those times.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C on May 4, 2012 at 6:59pm

Those are seriously weird lugs where the top tube and down tube meet the head tube. They appear to be merely welded onto the surface of the head tube. Does not appear to be a high end 531 frame. I had a late 70's/early 80's Falcon. It's not a Falcon frame.

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Permalink Reply by Comrade Cycles on May 4, 2012 at 8:13pm

I'm gonna agree with Mike. That looks very Raleigh Gran Sport or Gran Prix.

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Permalink Reply by Michael A on May 4, 2012 at 8:58pm

If it was a raleigh it would have had a head tube badge or at least the holes from where one once lived.

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Permalink Reply by Comrade Cycles on May 5, 2012 at 2:59am

Good call Michael. Possibly a Raleigh made Rampar? They glued the headbadges. That seat stay/seat tube wrap is pretty distinctive. Although I can't say I've seen or noticed it on Rampar branded bikes.

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Permalink Reply by Comrade Cycles on May 5, 2012 at 3:04am

The Ralieghs tend to have sharper, more distinctive, cuts on the lugs. Especially frames built with 531.

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Permalink Reply by Pete on May 5, 2012 at 6:09am

There's no sign of holes for a head tube badge, either still there or filled.

My gut feel after looking at photos of other bikes with the wraparound seat stays, and because of the components fitted, is that the odds are slightly in favour of it being a Falcon - despite what Kevin says above. Maybe this is an older one than the one he had? But I'll keep looking and will keep an open mind. I was hoping the serial number on the bottom bracket would help (see photo). Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated!

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Permalink Reply by Allen Wrench on May 5, 2012 at 8:02pm

Looks like a Falcon - here's a website with good photos of one from the era: http://dfwptp.blogspot.com/2009/09/england-made-me.html

Thought too of Nishiki which had wraparound seat stays but they used Tange tubing. The Sugino/Shimano pointed at a Japanese make, but the 531 and the site above look like they seal it. Good pics of seatstay wrap and the headbadge. I guess that Falcon had the serial numbers under the bottom bracket according to http://www.iape.org/resourcesPages/tipsARticles/bikeSerialNumbers.html .

So, what is it?

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Permalink Reply by Pete on May 7, 2012 at 2:08pm

Many thanks Allen - that's great to find a photo that's so similar. I think that may clinch it as you say, and I certainly hope it could be a Falcon. By pure chance I discovered a relation of a friend used to work at the Falcon works and will have contacts there who should be able to verify whether it is indeed a Falcon as we suspect. Will let you know the outcome .... thanks again, much appreciated.