Carlton Competition Identification!

[John Smithy]

Hi Chaps,

How are things?

My dad became unwell a little while ago and I had the rather sad job of clearing out his house with my uncle. I came across a bike I remember my dad riding when I was young, and wanted to get it back up and running. I had the LBS covert to a single speed due to the damage to the old groupset (I believe my mum hit the bike with the car awhile back - go figure).

I've been digging for days attempting to work out the model. I'd guess 70s / 80s? Any ideas?

Any help would be much appreciated, unfortunately my dad isn't able to provide much guidance on the subject anymore.

It needs a little cleaning to get the rust specs off, just don't want to remove any white paint.

Much appreciated,

J

 

[midlife]

Number on the dropout without a letter is usually 1968-1973 when Carlton sort of lost their way on frame numbering. Is there a decal with the model name? You mention Competition.

 

[Cycleops]

I’m sure @Spokesmann can be relied on to provide the answer to this conundrum.

 

[John Smithy]

Aha! That would be why I didn't come up with much when digging about online - the websites I looked at all used a letter number combination.

The model looks like a 'Competition' based upon the decal, and the front logo mentions it being made in the England workshop.

It's nice to have that date range, helps frame when he would have bought it!

 

[carpenter]

Have you kept the old groupset? If so you could use date codes on the derailleur to get a good idea of age.

Edit - you could also look on the back of the Weinmanns:
http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/components/weinmann-components.html

 

[raleighnut]

Nice.

 

[Gunk]

The Weinmanns are 999 early/mid 1970’s.

it would be nice to reunite it with its original groupset

 

[John Smithy]

Will check out the Weinmanns tomorrow when the lights back - thank you.

Gunk, unfortunately not. I wish I had, but I did it in haste a year or so back - just surfaced it again as picked up a saddle and saddle clip to begin riding it during the summer months! I remember the rear derailer being in some state, including being bent out of shape, but looking through the forums people do pull off some magic.

C

 

[Spokesmann]

The period c68-72 is a nightmare to date, this puts the cycle in this period looking at the rear LH drop out. Zeus drops outs with built in hanger maybe points to something nice. I have to say its not immediately jumping out at me what model it is... Paint 'looks' original and it has typical Worksop wrap over stays, cant be sure if its had some 'work' on it ... lack of rear brake hanger rules out some models right away like Corsa, Cobra, Ten, Criterium, etc, as do the lugs. No pump pegs either, could be a one of those odd ball Carlton builds, but it does not fit with any of the 'odd stuff' they did at the time like Course due Prime and Contra la Montre models, even the Super Course... VCC catalogue library may help here. Decals dont look right for the period. The only other odd frame I can think of is the Team Carlton BMB bikes of the period, but they were blue and yellow. Bit of a head scratcher, sorry I can help further. A process of elimination leaves us with only knowing what it isn't!

 

[John Smithy]

Thanks Sponessmann, much appreciated.

I asked some further questions of my mum to attempt to see what she knew. She seemed convinced that he picked this up after they moved to Edinburgh, not before, which would mean late 70s / early 80s. She also seemed to think it was a custom build, and that it was put together for him. I'm not sure if her memory is playing tricks on her, as she seemed to think it was done near to where I live - and that was a build I did a few years ago!

Oh well, that time periods do indeed help - progress is progress when filling in the gaps!

C

 

[raleighnut]

Thanks Sponessmann, much appreciated.

I asked some further questions of my mum to attempt to see what she knew. She seemed convinced that he picked this up after they moved to Edinburgh, not before, which would mean late 70s / early 80s. She also seemed to think it was a custom build, and that it was put together for him. I'm not sure if her memory is playing tricks on her, as she seemed to think it was done near to where I live - and that was a build I did a few years ago!

Oh well, that time periods do indeed help - progress is progress when filling in the gaps!

C

There was one model that was a 'Frame only' option from Carlton, you then fitted whatever you liked (or could afford) to it.

 

[Spokesmann]

There was one model that was a 'Frame only' option from Carlton, you then fitted whatever you liked (or could afford) to it.

Most probably the Clubman, which was a late 70s product, however the numbering here doesn't relate as it would have had a W prefix and the newer numbering system. A niggling thought also relates to a late 60s model which was a frame only too. When all is said, Carlton would still build a bike for you if they were approached... Its not unknown either for the employees to build their own bikes too...

 

[carpenter]

Longshot :

I guess that the white panel on the crossbar may have had a decal on it at some stage.
Even if it has been cleaned/polished off, would there still be residues/some outline which may be visible in a dark room under UV light?

Cheap way to try:

View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eletorot-Flashlight-Ultraviolet-Detector-authenticate/dp/B072MGHYH2/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=uv%2Blight&qid=1594309681&sr=8-4&th=1

 

[KimComp]

Only just joined the forum, so sorry it's a bit late.
I would say this is definitely a Carlton Competition, I can even see the fine Competition script on the crossbar panel.
I have a 1971/2 version that has chrome lugs and front and rear fork ends with Zeus Competicion drop outs.
I think this one must be slightly earlier as it is in one of the advertised colours of flambouyant red and even has the fine hooped pinstriping on the seat tube above and below the centre seat tube panel, as shown in the Carlton brochure of 1970. I have read that they changed the frame colour to Lagoon blue with contrasting panels sometime in 1972/3.
It was only available as a frameset so can't be identified by the equipment on it.
It's a shame the frame numbering in these years seems to mean nothing when trying to identify the year.
Carlton seemed to change colour schemes on these frames faster than you could say competition and I have never seen one with the same colour scheme as mine. It's not mentioned in any detail in any of the brochures of 1971/2.
Apart from the lack of chrome and the colour this frame is identical in every way to the one I have.
Hope this helps.

 

[John Smithy]

Thanks everyone.

You've been more helpful than you know, thank you.

Apologies for not checking back in! I mentioned my dad had fallen unwell, and unfortunately he passed away in March this year - so really only getting back to this now.

I'm beginning to source some replacements for some of the little things that have been lost from it from our friends at eBay.

Any ideas on the saddle / cassette / groupset based on these two images? Unfortunately they are all I have. I could attempt to zoom in / enhance. I'm going to attempt to source the same from eBay. And a some replacement plastic / rubber hoods (along with a few other bits and bobs).

Hope you are all doing well