Falcon Triomphe 653 - Anyone know anything about it?

[ronnie85]

Just bought this Falcon frame off another forum. Always wanted a reynolds 653 frame and this was dirt cheap at £50 delivered to my door. My plan is to get it stripped and repainted. But just wanted to know any info on it? On the other side it has a decal that says TRIOMPHE (the side shown has a lot of paint rub where it would have been), could be that it had Campag Triomphe on it?? I was worried someone had put 653 stickers on it, and it wasnt actually 653. But after having a good look, it seems to be nicely made with Gipieme drop outs. The Reynolds stickers look original to the frame and it weighs 250grams lighter than my 531c frame. So I feel confident it is.

But theres next to nothing on the internet about falcon bikes?? Only one catalogue from the 70's. I found another falcon that was 531 that had similar stripes on it that said it was 1986. But just wondering if any of you can tell me anything about it? It must of been one of their top models being reynolds 653...

Some photos

 

[47p2]

What is the weight of it as it stands with frame, forks, headset & BB?

 

[ronnie85]

Weight is 2870 grams with the heavy steel Headset and Bottom Bracket fitted. So those probably account for 450grams+ I would have thought. So i would say frame and fork is 2400grams

My Harry Hall 531c frame with HS and BB is 3137 grams

 

[ronnie85]

Also got to remember these are fairly big frames 61cm c-t

 

[Midlife]

Decals look like they are off a Falcon Scorpio............but doesn't look like any Scorpio to me.

I have a handbuilt Falcon frame from the mid 70's but they were thinking then it wasn't economic, they kept building them for a few years more, even doing some brazing bits (the six girls who built in the 70's didn't do braze ons).

That frame looks 80's to me and by that time they were buying frames in from Taiwan and the far east...

Might be one of the last handbuilt Falcon's but not convinced..........

Shaun

 

[ronnie85]

I've found these that look to be the same era as mine, these are reynolds 531c. Ones says its 1986. two competitors and one scirocco, so you can imagine the next one up would be a "triomphe" like mine says on the top tube in the same place as it says "competitor" and "Scirocco" on these two. Also the Falcon font is the same.

So are you saying these were built in the east?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-racin ... 7675.l2557

http://www.cyclestar.co.uk/Road-Bikes/F ... 22091.aspx

 

[ronnie85]

Also the spec of the competitor on Ebay reads

"Falcon Competitor Triathlon size 23" 531c frame and forks

Has the following components
Campagnolo Hubs and QR skewers with Wolberr rims 27 x 1 1/4
Campagnolo Front and Rear Triomphe mec campag gear levers
Stronglight 48 / 38 chainset
Italmanubri Europa bars
Weinmann 605 brakes with drilled levers"

So it has Campag Triomphe front and rear mech, so maybe mine was a Triomphe and it came with full Triomphe groupo??

 

[Joe of Loath]

Decals look like they are off a Falcon Scorpio............but doesn't look like any Scorpio to me.

I have a handbuilt Falcon frame from the mid 70's but they were thinking then it wasn't economic, they kept building them for a few years more, even doing some brazing bits (the six girls who built in the 70's didn't do braze ons).

That frame looks 80's to me and by that time they were buying frames in from Taiwan and the far east...

Might be one of the last handbuilt Falcon's but not convinced..........

Shaun

I thought Falcon built their own bikes well into the 80s?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_Cycles

 

[roadking]

Decals look like they are off a Falcon Scorpio............but doesn't look like any Scorpio to me.

I have a handbuilt Falcon frame from the mid 70's but they were thinking then it wasn't economic, they kept building them for a few years more, even doing some brazing bits (the six girls who built in the 70's didn't do braze ons).

That frame looks 80's to me and by that time they were buying frames in from Taiwan and the far east...

Might be one of the last handbuilt Falcon's but not convinced..........

Shaun

I'm sceptical too, for if was 653 that would make it 1986 on...additional doubts therefore.

Roadking.

 

[roadking]

Decals look like they are off a Falcon Scorpio............but doesn't look like any Scorpio to me.

I have a handbuilt Falcon frame from the mid 70's but they were thinking then it wasn't economic, they kept building them for a few years more, even doing some brazing bits (the six girls who built in the 70's didn't do braze ons).

That frame looks 80's to me and by that time they were buying frames in from Taiwan and the far east...

Might be one of the last handbuilt Falcon's but not convinced..........

Shaun

I'm sceptical too, for if was 653 that would make it 1986 on...additional doubts therefore.

And who'd put a clunky old steel (looks like a Stronglight) headset on a 653 frame?

Roadking.