1991 British Eagle Pro Carbon

Markybeau

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Whichever way the wind blows I seem to be walking into it.

OK. It's getting a bit silly now. My lack of discipline and self control has furnished my home with another bike I don't need. The search for fulfilment has been temporarily assuaged by eBay, my credit card and red wine. In the past month I've bought two complete bikes and a frame. I'm shaking my head in disappointment as I type this.

The latest is a curiosity more than anything else. I was reading a thread on here a couple of nights ago started by a newbie. It was about concerns over the integrity of a bonded frame after 30 or so years. In particular a British Eagle Pro Carbon he'd found for sale. Now, I've got a couple of Dynatech bonded frames already and have had no problems with them, and as far as I can see as long as the frame has been looked after it shouldn't matter. It piqued my interest, and fuelled by vino I started looking. It didn't take long to find what I thought was the subject of the thread, as it was ending in a few hours. Ooh, it was my size. The only original part was the seat binder. The rest good condition but low end. Collection only, and in Manchester, doable. I threw on a bid. Needless to say I won it, obviously.

I've not harboured any particular desire to own one of these but I think it's a good looking frameset and, as it turned out, cheap.

Monday morning jumped in the car, with Peggy in tow, and went to collect. Went over Woodhead and paid my respects. Thought it appropriate as I was on my way to collect a mountain bike.

The seller was a really nice guy called Dave. He knew what it was, but didn't when he bought it. It had been his commuter for about 8 years which was why it was spec'ed on the cheap. He was downsizing to one bike - sensible man - and this was the last to go. He'd originally bought it thinking it was one of the British Eagle 531 frames, but that the main tubes had been covered in tape, as he didn't know about the carbon frames at the time.

He was a bit dewy eyed to see it go, but he was thrilled I was having it after I geeked out a bit.

It's going in the queue. I'm waiting for a shim for the seatpost, as the one it has is too big and only sits in the lug, making it too big for me to ride. I'm going to take it for a spin to see what it's like, and maybe use it as a runabout for a bit. As some point it will be stripped, but others are in front of it.

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I remember these when new, bike shop in Grimsby town centre called Elsfal used to sell them,
think they were Lx, Dx & Xt levels at the time. I ended with a pair of those forks on my karakoram
after i bent my original Gt forks. They had a lot of flex in them
 
Were these frames far east manufactured? Will be similar to a Cadex I would think

I believe so, Liyang was another brand with a similar frame, and Alan, probably more besides
It's a nice looking bike.
From half an hour of web searching. I believe these are rebranded Alan Carbonio frames. The carbon tubes supplied by TVT in France, and I say tentatively, made in Italy.

Liyang and Giant Cadex frames look quite similar to each other, in that they had a wishbone rear with carbon stays, as well as main tubes. These (BE Pro Carbon), like the Alan's, are only carbon main tubes with an aluminium twin stay rear triangle.
 
From half an hour of web searching. I believe these are rebranded Alan Carbonio frames. The carbon tubes supplied by TVT in France, and I say tentatively, made in Italy.

Liyang and Giant Cadex frames look quite similar to each other, in that they had a wishbone rear with carbon stays, as well as main tubes. These (BE Pro Carbon), like the Alan's, are only carbon main tubes with an aluminium twin stay rear triangle.
Good research. It really is a very smart looking frameset the more I look at it, especially the forks.
 
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