Technical & Reference Section > Tech and Restoration
New build, something a bit different.
Mikku:
A great thread already! I love learning about the less common, more obscure bikes. :daumenhoch:
I also like and can entirely empathise with the opening comment:-
This is going to be a slow build but posting a thread helps with motivation, and I rather like posting, so here goes! It is also one of three projects I have on the go, not quite sure how that happened it sort of just did.
Will be following this one with interest!
Avro:
During my research to track down this frame I came across around 20 brands all similar but different. Many sport identical Suntour style rear dropouts, many sport similar gussets etc. Of those 20 or so brands none were identical, it was infuriating the circles I went around trying to identify it!
I think the concensus for most of the brands is that they were probably Taiwan made by Merida or Giant or some other manufacturer to brand specific specifications. Some were Aussie made to simialr specs. Tange is often suggested for tube and lugg sets but I don't think there is anything concrete on this. Most brands were clearly for the far east market and Australasia.
Thanks for the input Radsters. MartyC, the lugged frame weighs 2.35 kg painted in primer compared to my Laserlite in chrome weighing 1.90 kg.
MartyC:
--- Quote from: Avro on January 18, 2017, 08:00 PM ---During my research to track down this frame I came across around 20 brands all similar but different. Many sport identical Suntour style rear dropouts, many sport similar gussets etc. Of those 20 or so brands none were identical, it was infuriating the circles I went around trying to identify it!
I think the concensus for most of the brands is that they were probably Taiwan made by Merida or Giant or some other manufacturer to brand specific specifications. Some were Aussie made to simialr specs. Tange is often suggested for tube and lugg sets but I don't think there is anything concrete on this. Most brands were clearly for the far east market and Australasia.
Thanks for the input Radsters. MartyC, the lugged frame weighs 2.35 kg painted in primer compared to my Laserlite in chrome weighing 1.90 kg.
--- End quote ---
All my previous research has pointed to it being almost certain that the tooling and lugs for these frames originate from Tange, see the article below about Scorpion...
Tange manufactured and supplied tubing, lug sets and tooling to bike manufacturers from the early 1970s, Apollo used the same lugs and tooling but Hi-Ten tubing and manufactured frames for a large number of companies. in addition Malvern Star an Australian company used the same lugs and tooling, again using Hi-Ten steel tubing. I found no information to indicate that either Merida or Giant ever manufactured BMX frames using the same lugs and tooling, they tended towards TIG welding not lugs.
Avro:
Terrific article, thanks for posting.
I had read about the use of a ring of solder/bronze pre-inserted into the lugs before, I think in relation to some road bike manufacturers but I don't remember now. I guess I am being careful in this thread not to over-egg the Tange connection.
Something you may be able to shed more light on is the Madison Taipan Koizumi link up, just to confuse things even more!
BMX1973:
Interesting Frame sure it will turn out Rad :daumenhoch:
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