Frame identification help needed please....

[maverick]

Help !!!

I have hanging in the shed a black aluminium frame with frame number AT3900481 it is a 16.5 inch frame and thats all i can tell you.

Please someone help me to ID it, i dont care what it is, just bugging me now what it could possibly be.

Cheers :shock:

 

[was8v]

No idea on the frame......

But that looks like a Mavic headset!

 

[development_cycle]

Marin? Would not want to commit to that though

 

[lewis1641]

Marin? Would not want to commit to that though

my immediate thought too. for no other reason than it just looks like one

 

[development_cycle]

Yeah for me too. iirc their serial numbers often started with AT, the dropouts look similar although not sure how old it would have to be to not have a replaceable mech hanger, and that canti bridge on the back looks similar too. (I used to own a 1994 IFT). But at the same time I think that if that is a 16.5" frame the top and down tubes would be closer together at the head tube and the head tube would be shorter, but who am I kidding! I'm no expert

 

[maverick]

Frame identification

Gents my first thought was that it was an early Bear Valley, only due to the matt black paint finish.
I think i will settle on a Marin, anyone any idea of year or how to date it.

Cheers all.

 

[hamster]

Can't be an early Bear Valley as they were steel. The early Alu ones were the Nail Trail and Indian Fire Trail. In the time of threaded headsets they tended to have the silvery / pseudo Ti paint or just a lacquer and polish (alu was cool then).

There is a separate Marin Frame number thread on here.

 

[gerryattrick]

Just caught your thread. It would take a real expert, or someone who has the same bike, to be positive about the frame, but I've recently been renovating an old aluminium Merlin (I think about 94) which looks very similar. The Frame number also begins with AT, but has another letter in it as you can see in the photos. Marin has a completely different numbering system so I doubt whether it is one. Anyway have a look at my Merlin frame and see if you think yours could also be a Merlin.

 

[maverick]

Frame ID issue

Guys thanks for all the help, the frame number i have just checked and it is as prevoiusly posted, AT3900481.

So it may now be an Aluminium Merlin from the early 90's. That would fit in with most of the parts that where on it.

So my next question is how do i go about stripping it and polishing it? also it is missing its cable guides that run across the top tube, any idea how i can get new ones fitted?

Thanks again.

 

[gerryattrick]

You can have it done professionally which will cost a fair bit or you can do it yourself like I did. It's relatively cheap and all you need is some nitromors to strip it and some medium & fine wire wool plus a metal polish like autosol. Beware though that it does take time - I reckon I must have put between 8 & 10 hours into mine altogether. The only thing I'm worried about is how much time is going to be taken up in maintaining the shine. While I'm really pleased with my frame I'm still toying with the idea of getting it powder coated. After all the work I've put in I think I'll live with it for a while in polished aluminium before making a final decision.