Vintage Falcon road bikes

[Astore]

I wouldn't be too dismissive of the Falcon Eddy Merckx bikes as some of them were well built and reasonably specc'd. The
Model 102: SUPER COMPETITION Eddy Merckx and the Model 104: GIRO D'ITALIA Eddy Merckx were both built with Reynolds double butted 531 and the Model 106: KERMESSE Eddy Merckx Model 108/109: CLUB SPECIAL Eddy Merckx were both Reynolds 531 plain gauge.

I don't know what model you have but it could be worth doing up. Don't tar all of the Eddy Merckx models withthe same brush!

I'm aware that the Falcon Merckx bikes came in different flavours. However, this was difinitely the "Christmas Catalogue" model; basic Huret derailleurs and steel wheels. At some stage it has had replacement forks, which turned out to have the wrong size bearing race - a situation rectified by over-tightening. The steerer tube is bent and I'll leave you to take a look at the state of the crank. Oh, and the cranks were different lengths. If I can find a suitable front fork, I have the bits to build it up. At the moment it's in bits in the shed.

 

[Bici Colori]

The Falcon Professional I restored in the spring of 2021 and I am dying to ride her again!! I'm really itching for warmer weather to arrive!!

Jaguar Metallic Blue with Pearl White for the rear stays.
5 coats of clear coat.
The frame had a couple of minor dents and I filled them in with Bondo
Original Campy seat post (which was sold with this model back in the 70's).
10 speed setup and had to widen the rear stays to accommodate the rear hub/cassette.
Campy Centaur crank
Shimano 105 brakes
Shimano DuraAce rear cassette
Shimano Ultegra Rear Derailleur
Microshift Indexed downtube shifters and front derailleur
Specialized Bridge Seat
Replica stickers from Lloyds in England
liv bar tape
Shimano MTB style XT pedal clips
I used Alex R390 rims as I ride this in the city so wanted something tuff along with affordable..... really nice compromise.
I rode it last year and got all kinds of inquires and compliments!
I even got people asking me to restore their bikes!

 

[FrothNinja]

Does Mrs FN's early 90s Rhapsody count as vintage/classic?
I've never actually ridden it.

 

[Mandobob]

That's a great bit of work. The picture is too pixellated to see whether it has top tube brazings for the brake cable. If it has them it will be 1978 or 1979 probably. They started fitting them in the 1980s and this model ran, I think, until 1983.

Originally it would have been fitted with a 6-speed block and the drilled type of SR chainrings.

 

[Illaveago]

It's gone quiet on here !
Hasn't anyone bought a Falcon recently ?

 

[biggs682]

This one's for sale on market place

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1289778708497183/?ref=facebook_story_share

 

[Mandobob]

It's gone quiet on here !
Hasn't anyone bought a Falcon recently ?

Yes, I have just bought a curious Falcon Super Tourist with a frame that looks remarkably like San Remo, complete with flat wrapover seat cluster. The paintwork, although with surface rust is clearly original. 5-speed with the gear lever on the top tube. It appears to be 1970/73. Currently being cleaned and polished for in-town use.

 

[midlife]

Pics would be nice . Sounds like unwrapping Falcon bikes delivered to the bike shop in the 70’s. Never knew what was actually going to be under the cardboard lol

Could well have been a shortage and someone simply lifted a frame from the San Remo line behind the girls back (all the frame builders were women iirc) and used that !

 

[Illaveago]

I

Yes, I have just bought a curious Falcon Super Tourist with a frame that looks remarkably like San Remo, complete with flat wrapover seat cluster. The paintwork, although with surface rust is clearly original. 5-speed with the gear lever on the top tube. It appears to be 1970/73. Currently being cleaned and polished for in-town use.

I've gone over to the Viking side for a while !

 

[Mandobob]

So a few pics. Whole bike, nice period chainset, original Reynolds transfer, mucky derailleur, which turned out to be this period gem - a gran sport - not the later nuovo kind.

 

[Illaveago]

So a few pics. Whole bike, nice period chainset, original Reynolds transfer, mucky derailleur, which turned out to be this period gem - a gran sport - not the later nuovo kind.


View attachment 659333

View attachment 659334

View attachment 659331

View attachment 659332

View attachment 659335

All of that oil and grease has kept it from rusting .

 

[Illaveago]

I would have thought that the colour scheme and graphics would place it in the 60's.

 

[iandg]

Not the best pic - used to ride one in the 90s

 

[midlife]

Way before my time lol. The 531 decal in the greeny colour had gone by the 60's had ended.

Classy with the brazings for the cables, most unlike a Falcon!

 

[Mandobob]

I would have thought that the colour scheme and graphics would place it in the 60's.

The rear derailleur was made from 1955-1973 and the Reynolds 531 transfer is 1952-1973. By 1974 most of the better Falcon models had cotterless cranks and these are cottered. So latest date is about 1973. The graphics for the Falcon name on the down tube and the omicron band on the seat tube are on 1970 literature (and later). I have a gap in my catalogues and adverts for this model between 1963 and 1970, during which time the graphics changed. So, overall it's probably about the turn of the decades 1960s/1970s.

If anyone can help with evidence of the date of change in font style, I would be really grateful to see it.

As all you Falcon appreciators know, the frame number is no help whatsoever!!