Bill Nickson or Mystery frame ID?

[noidea]

Hi All
I'm a new member from Australia and looking for advice on this frame which I have had sitting in my shed for a while and are trying to work out how old it might be and if it is really a Bill Nickson or it's just had the decals applied after a pretty average repaint. Any help you can give would be appreciated as nobody knows anything about them over here, I did try to email Bill Nickson cycles in Lancashire a couple of years ago but never got a reply

I'm pretty sure the frame is for 27" wheels as the brakes that are/were on it did not match 700C rims when I fitted some. I think the original colour was white as the 531 labels look like they have been masked around when the blue was applied. The seat stays are single tapered about 16mm diameter at the seat tube lug and have what looks like rack mounting bosses on the sides just above the brake bridge. All of the dropouts are marked Super Vitus and are chromed as well as the fork lowers, seat stays and chain stays. There is a nice pointed treatment to all of the ends of the stays/blades at the dropouts. There is also what looks like a small spherical cable stop attached to the rear of the seat post clamp ear, so I wonder if it originally had centre pull brakes as well. I'ts a while since I took the bottom bracket out but from memory it was English threads.

The photos below were taken when I first picked it up, since then I've removed the absolute dogs breakfast of parts that were fitted. The frame C-C measurements are Seat tube 23", Top tube 22.5" and the frame, fork and alloy headset weigh 2.98kg

There's more photos in this album on Flickr Bill Nickson 531 where the images below are hosted, and yes the rear derailleur is a plastic fantastic Ofmega Squadra Azzuri model.

IMG_7375 by ausdb, on Flickr

IMG_7376 by ausdb, on Flickr

IMG_7387 by ausdb, on Flickr

IMG_7377 by ausdb, on Flickr

IMG_7380 by ausdb, on Flickr

 

[Nob]

Re: Bill Nickson or not?

Most of the Bill Nickson frames I have seen didn’t have wrap around seat stays which is more of a Carlton

If you have a frame number maybe you can contact https://www.billnicksoncycles.co.uk/ & ask them as a starting point

 

[noidea]

Re:

Thanks, I have tried to contact Bill Nickson in the past but my message went unanswered.
Regarding the wrapped seat stays and Carlton angle, I did a bit of searching yesterday and it does look a bit like their style but also read that they tended to stamp the serial number on the inside of the left rear droput. I can't see anything there. The only serial number I can find is on the bottom bracket shell. The number is a bit indestinct. I think it is X_?5_C/0? 0
I'll sand the paint back and see if I can make it out more clearly and have another try with Bill Nickson. Were super vitus dropouts used by other builders? Do the stay ends suggest anyone else?

 

[Old Ned]

Re: Bill Nickson or not?

When you say '27"' wheels do you mean this actual imperial size or 700c size? There's quite a difference when considering the build date as I think Bill opened his shop after the date when 27" wheels were common, possibly the mid 80's or so? I doubt that he actually built any frames on the premises, probably bought them in and fitted his own transfers.

But I could be wrong of course..................

 

[noidea]

Re: Bill Nickson or not?

When you say '27"' wheels do you mean this actual imperial size or 700c size? There's quite a difference when considering the build date as I think Bill opened his shop after the date when 27" wheels were common, possibly the mid 80's or so? I doubt that he actually built any frames on the premises, probably bought them in and fitted his own transfers.

Hi Old Ned, yes I mean I think it was built for the old 27" Imperial wheels. It's been nearly 40°C here today and too hot to go out in the shed and mess around with bikes tonight but I'm pretty sure the brake tracks of a 700C wheel don't line up with the Exage brakes that were fitted. When it cools down a but I'll take some more photo's.

I've always wondered if it was something else that was just repainted by Bill Nickson, I've just edited the title of my thread as I would just love to work out what it really is.