Nice un-known fairly high quality bike enquiry. PAVONE !!

[Ian Raleigh]

Hi Guys,

I bought this bike yesterday for using in the wet and i'm a bit confused as to what make the frame is

There no decals on it and has been resprayed in a shocking florescent pink but it looks as if it was originally white.
The frame has campag' verticle drop-outs.
Gipiemme rear brake bridge which has a large eagle/bird on the top of the bridge, on the bridge it says MOD ! Not too sure but about those letters though !
The rear stays are 'shot in' and there is a extended part were the seat post goes in.
When the owner got the bike the seat post was seized in and to get it out he attacked it with a hacksaw and cut the frame though i think this is repairable.

The seat post is 27.2mm and the tubing is double butted as it 'tings' nice in the centre sections of the tubes.

The bike has a full Shimano Dura Ace 7402 groupset with braze on front changer.

Original seat post and saddle was ruined when it was removed.

At first i thought it was a late 80's Eddy Mercx bike but its not.

The rear brake cable goes into the seat tube.

No bottle cage bosses. [would this indicate a Time Trial bike ?]

There are some letters and numbers under the bottom bracket but are not clear as the paint is thick.

[Ian Raleigh]

A few more pictures.




Thanks to anyone who has looked and scratched their heads

Ian.

[Brucey]

not that many builders who would have done the 'extended seat tube' business (not that smart; see wrinkle at rear just above seat lug...); but that detail may help pin it down.

Components look pretty standard for a late '80s bike TBH.

The frame numbers may help pin it down too.

The 'white' underneath may be primer BTW.

No bottle bosses is just weird... maybe the bike originally had a bottle behind the seat?

cheers

[Ian Raleigh]

not that many builders who would have done the 'extended seat tube' business (not that smart; see wrinkle at rear just above seat lug...); but that detail may help pin it down.
Components look pretty standard for a late '80s bike TBH.
The frame numbers may help pin it down too.
The 'white' underneath may be primer BTW.
No bottle bosses is just weird... maybe the bike originally had a bottle behind the seat?
cheers

The Dura Ace 7402 components were out of my price range in the 80's and i was a coal miner at that,
Seven Eleven Team used the 7400/2 groupset so its not that standard.

Noticed the wrinkle on the seat tube and at the moment i'm thinking of getting it chopped off and a new clamp brazed on at the seat lug.

Thinking about stripping the paint off the bottom bracket so i can clearly see the numbers/letters.

White primer under the pink paint sounds about right

I wonder if the bottle cage bosses have been filled.

Thanks for the views Brucey.

[Brucey]

-sorry, I meant to say frame components... lugs, fork crown etc are all parts I've seen on very many frames. The Dura-Ace gruppo is not so common.... BTW if the brakes are original this will help to date it as well.

Not sure what I'd do with the seat arrangement; maybe fit a long seatpost so that the 'wrinkle' doesn't matter? Only you would know how long it is....

BTW the hacksaw cut should be easily dealt with by a competent welder.

cheers

[Ian Raleigh]

Hi Brucey,

I see what you mean now about the lug components

Just had a look at the brake calipers and they are actually the 600 twin pivot and think these may not be the originals.

The levers are Dura Ace with white hoods.

I've dated the Dura Ace parts from 1989 to 1996, via' VeloBase.com

I took out the front forks to see if there is any stamping and the is the
numbers 4960 on the steerer and the same 4960 stamped on the bottom bracket.

Anyone know of frame makers list/numbers or what ever on the net please....As i look up at the ceiling

The mind boggles on unknown frames

Cheers.
Ian.

[531colin]

Would you expect "shot in" seatstays to be shot in where the seat lug beefs up the tube, rather than just below the lug, as in this frame?

[Ian Raleigh]

The shot in stays into the seat lug is strange and would have been stronger
to have been further up towards the clamp, but there are several British frame
makers who have gone this route so i'm thinking its British made.

[CREPELLO]

Can't quite see the bird symbol on the brake bridge, but could it be Condor stamping?

Those in tube brake cable runs were popular around the early 90's I believe.

[Ian Raleigh]

Can't quite see the bird symbol on the brake bridge, but could it be Condor stamping?

I like the sound of this reply I'll take a clearer picture of the bird.

Cheers.
Ian.

[Ian Raleigh]

A bit clearer and the bird does look like a condor !

[tatanab]

A bit clearer and the bird does look like a condor

It is simply the Gipemme logo http://www.gipiemme.com/default.aspx and M.O.D is the equivalent of "patent" in Italian. So a frame builder has used a stock Gipemme brake bridge in a custom frame. It looks nice enough, but I doubt you'll find who the builder was unless there is something unique about the frame number.

[Ian Raleigh]

The plot thickens

[mattsccm]

Pop on over to retrobike. something. Lots of experts there.

[pete75]

If the pink paint is original it may be a Mercier. Their racing colours were that or a similar pink for years.