Over £400
48cm Mino Denti Mistral Vintage Italian Road Bike Frame
£671.25 £895.00
✓ Original vintage frame - built in the 1980s
✓ Super lightweight for the era - only 2.3 kg!
✓ Suitable for historic cycling events such as L'Eroica
✓ Thoroughly checked over & photographed in detail
✓ Worldwide shipping
Mino Denti was a great Italian racer who rode for some fantastic teams throughout the 1960s, he would probably be classed as a super-domestique these days as he was often found riding for the bigger names on his team. After his racing career ended in the late 1960s, Mino worked in the management side of professional cycling before taking the well-trodden path to starting his own bicycle business in 1979. Unlike most of his contemporaries, Mino decided he would do the building himself, and whilst there are very few Mino built frames out there, they're all beautifully finished and often sports unusual features such as hand-crimped tubes or bent seat tubes.
At just 48cm, this Mino Denti Mistral is just about as small a vintage road bike frame as you are likely to find. Built from super lightweight Columbus butted tubing and with aerodynamics in mind, it probably dates from the late 1980s. The shifter mounts are located on top of the downtube and the cables are routed into the downtube, then out again by the bottom bracket where they loop round on the outside of the frame to the derailleurs. The most interesting and unique feature here though has to be the Columbus Air flattened fork and chainstays for super aero appeal, and of course the short head tube promotes a streamlined head down/bum up position on the bike.
If you're taking part in L'Eroica or a similar vintage event, this frame is of the correct age, so you won't be disqualified for being a rule breaker!
The frame's been carefully checked by one of our mechanics to confirm the alignment's correct and there's no damage to the threads. If there are any minor issues worth noting we will do so in the overview section below. Please take a good look at the detailed photos so you can see the cosmetic condition of the frame before you buy.OVERVIEW
Era - 1980s
Country - Italian
Frame Material - Steel
Tubing - Columbus (Air fork & chainstays)
Weight - 2.345 kg
Stock Code - U-F-R55V
SIZING
Size Guide* - XS/Small (Approx 28 1/2" Inside Leg)
Seat Tube (ctc) - 48 cm
Top Tube (ctc) - 53 cm
Head Tube - 78 mm
Chainstay Length - 40 cm
Wheelbase - 97 cm
*This is just a guide, not a guarantee the frame will fit as every rider is different. If you're unsure of your size we'd always recommend trying out a bike with similar frame dimensions first.
TECHNICAL INFO
Rear Spacing - 126 mm
Front Spacing - 100 mm
Seatpost Diameter - 27.2 mm
Wheel Size - 700c/28"
Brake Fixing - Recessed Allen Key
Brake Drop - 42 mm / 48 mm
Bottom Bracket Thread - Italian Thread
Headset Thread - Standard ISO (24 TPI - British/Italian)
Headset Stack Height - 42 mm
Fork Crown Race - 26.4 mm (ISO)
Shifter Fittings - Aero Braze-On
Headtube Internal Diameter - 30.2 mm
Steerer Internal Diameter - 22.2 mm (Standard)
-
▼SHIPPING, TAXES & RETURNS
-
We've been safely sending orders around the world since 2010. There's a handy shipping calculator on the shopping cart page so you can see the cost of postage as soon as you've added it to your basket. Your order will be carefully packed and sent with tracking & insurance, we despatch most orders within 2-3 days but larger items and orders placed before the weekend can take an extra day or two to process.
We accept returns, please notify us within 14 days and ensure the item arrives back with us no later than 30 days after the order was received.
EU Customers – for orders under €150 (excluding shipping), VAT will be collected at checkout – no extra import fees to pay on delivery! For orders over €150 any import fees will be payable to the carrier before delivery.
USA Customers – import fees are now collected at checkout for all orders to the US, so there won’t be any surprise charges when your order arrives.
Other International Customers – local import fees may still apply, charged by your customs office or courier before delivery. These are not collected by us, so please check your local rates before purchasing.
Any applicable fees will appear at checkout.
49cm Chas Roberts c.1991 Classic British Steel Road Bike Frame Set
£535.50 £595.00
✓ Original classic frame - built in the 1990s
✓ Thoroughly checked over & photographed in detail
✓ Worldwide shipping
South London's finest, Roberts Cycles are known the world over but have a particular cache as a classy frame-builder in the UK. Charlie Roberts honed his craft building frames post-war for various London brands, including Claud Butler and Holdsworth, but decided to strike out on his own in the 1960s. Later, his sons Chas and Geoff were passed the torch. With Charlie's passing in the late '70s, Chas took over the management of the company, and Geoff built alongside Derek Bailey, producing more and more custom road, track, pursuit, and touring frames to an increasing number of admirers. In the early '80s, Winston Vaz joined and spearheaded the production of their mountain bike frames, notably the White Spider and D.O.G.S B.O.L.L.O.X. The brand is now highly sought after by collectors.
This lightweight 1991-built frame is a lovely example of the restrained but well-made custom frames coming out of Roberts' workshop at the time. Made from Reynolds 531 Professional, Reynolds' lightest version of the 531 tube set, it was recommended for racing only due to its thin walls. As was the fashion at the time, the frame has an internally routed rear brake cable, close clearances, and a Cinelli 'spoiler' BB. We suspect the frame has had a fairly recent repaint, as it is in lovely condition with a nice contrasting black and red colour scheme.
The frame's been carefully checked by one of our mechanics to confirm the alignment's correct and there's no damage to the threads. If there are any minor issues worth noting we will do so in the overview section below. Please take a good look at the detailed photos so you can see the cosmetic condition of the frame before you buy.OVERVIEW
Era - 1990s
Country - British
Frame Material - Steel
Tubing - Reynolds 531 Professional
Weight - 2.625 kg
Stock Code - U-F-R114C
SIZING
Size Guide* - XS/Small (Approx 29" Inside Leg)
Seat Tube (ctc) - 49 cm
Top Tube (ctc) - 51.5 cm
Head Tube - 91 mm
Chainstay Length - 40.5 cm
Wheelbase - 97 cm
*This is just a guide, not a guarantee the frame will fit as every rider is different. If you're unsure of your size we'd always recommend trying out a bike with similar frame dimensions first.
TECHNICAL INFO
Rear Spacing - 128 mm
Front Spacing - 100 mm
Seatpost Diameter - 27.2 mm
Wheel Size - 700c/28"
Brake Fixing - Recessed Allen Key
Front Brake Drop - 42 mm
Rear Brake Drop - 41 mm
Bottom Bracket Thread - Italian Thread
Headset Thread - Standard ISO (24 TPI - British/Italian)
Headset Stack Height - 37 mm
Fork Crown Race - 26.4
Shifter Fittings - Downtube Braze-On
Headtube Internal Diameter - 30.2 mm
Steerer Internal Diameter - 22.2 mm (Standard)
-
▼SHIPPING, TAXES & RETURNS
-
We've been safely sending orders around the world since 2010. There's a handy shipping calculator on the shopping cart page so you can see the cost of postage as soon as you've added it to your basket. Your order will be carefully packed and sent with tracking & insurance, we despatch most orders within 2-3 days but larger items and orders placed before the weekend can take an extra day or two to process.
We accept returns, please notify us within 14 days and ensure the item arrives back with us no later than 30 days after the order was received.
EU Customers – for orders under €150 (excluding shipping), VAT will be collected at checkout – no extra import fees to pay on delivery! For orders over €150 any import fees will be payable to the carrier before delivery.
USA Customers – import fees are now collected at checkout for all orders to the US, so there won’t be any surprise charges when your order arrives.
Other International Customers – local import fees may still apply, charged by your customs office or courier before delivery. These are not collected by us, so please check your local rates before purchasing.
Any applicable fees will appear at checkout. -
▼HELP SECTION
-
Seat Tube (ctc) - we measure from the centre of the bottom bracket shell up to the centre line of the top tube to give a consistent measurement regardless of frame design (ctc means centre to centre).
Top Tube (ctc) - this is measured from the centre of the head tube to the centre of the seat tube, along the centre of the top tube.
Chainstay Length - measured from the centre of the bottom bracket shell to the centre point of the rear dropout.
Wheelbase - measured from the centre of the front fork dropout to the centre point of the rear dropout.
Front & Rear Spacing - measured from the inside of one dropout to the other. The dropouts on steel frames can be stretched or squeezed a few mm but it's always best to avoid this if possible, aluminium or carbon frames should never be stretched.
Brake Drop - measured using wheels of the relevant size for the frame, as stated in the technical info section.
Headset Threads - although it's generally recommended to match threaded parts exactly, with headsets you can technically mix and match, unless you have French or the obscure old Raleigh threads, in which case you need to stick to that type.
53cm Moser (Bern) Vintage Swiss Steel Road Bike Frame Set
£517.50 £575.00
✓ Original vintage frame - built in the 1970s
✓ Suitable for historic cycling events such as L'Eroica
✓ Thoroughly checked over & photographed in detail
✓ Worldwide shipping
Though not well known outside of Switzerland, Hans Ulrich Moser's 'Moser Radsport' of Bern was the place to go for a high-end road bike in the 1970s and '80s. The frames were designed by Moser and built in Italy by contract builder Renato Negri (formerly of Pogliaghi), who was also at the time building the highly regarded Freschi and Gianni Motta frames. With wonderful attention to detail and a high-end, subtle finish, these were some of the best custom road frames available in Switzerland at the time.
Probably built in the late 1980s, this great-looking Moser frame was built in Italy by famed contract builder Renato Negri. It is likely to be made from Columbus SL tubing, with internal brake routing, fastback seat stays, and a minimal semi-sloping fork crown—it looks quick even when stood still. The pillar-box red powder coat over a fully chromed frame is in great condition and just adds to the '80s Italian go-fast look.
If you're taking part in L'Eroica or a similar vintage event, this frame is of the correct age, so you won't be disqualified for being a rule breaker!
The frame's been carefully checked by one of our mechanics to confirm the alignment's correct and there's no damage to the threads. If there are any minor issues worth noting we will do so in the overview section below. Please take a good look at the detailed photos so you can see the cosmetic condition of the frame before you buy.OVERVIEW
Era - 1970s
Country - Swiss
Frame Material - Steel
Tubing - Columbus SL
Weight - 2.71 kg
Stock Code - U-F-R107V
SIZING
Size Guide* - Small/Medium (Approx 31 1/2" Inside Leg)
Seat Tube (ctc) - 53 cm
Top Tube (ctc) - 54 cm
Head Tube - 119 mm
Chainstay Length - 40.5 cm
Wheelbase - 97 cm
*This is just a guide, not a guarantee the frame will fit as every rider is different. If you're unsure of your size we'd always recommend trying out a bike with similar frame dimensions first.
TECHNICAL INFO
Rear Spacing - 127.5 mm
Front Spacing - 101 mm
Seatpost Diameter - 27.2 mm
Wheel Size - 700c/28"
Brake Fixing - Recessed Allen Key
Front Brake Drop - 47 mm
Rear Brake Drop - 45 mm
Bottom Bracket Thread - Italian Thread
Headset Thread - Standard ISO (24 TPI - British/Italian)
Headset Stack Height - 42 mm
Fork Crown Race - 26.4 mm (ISO)
Shifter Fittings - Downtube Braze-On
Headtube Internal Diameter - 30.2 mm
Steerer Internal Diameter - 22.2 mm (Standard)
-
▼SHIPPING, TAXES & RETURNS
-
We've been safely sending orders around the world since 2010. There's a handy shipping calculator on the shopping cart page so you can see the cost of postage as soon as you've added it to your basket. Your order will be carefully packed and sent with tracking & insurance, we despatch most orders within 2-3 days but larger items and orders placed before the weekend can take an extra day or two to process.
We accept returns, please notify us within 14 days and ensure the item arrives back with us no later than 30 days after the order was received.
EU Customers – for orders under €150 (excluding shipping), VAT will be collected at checkout – no extra import fees to pay on delivery! For orders over €150 any import fees will be payable to the carrier before delivery.
USA Customers – import fees are now collected at checkout for all orders to the US, so there won’t be any surprise charges when your order arrives.
Other International Customers – local import fees may still apply, charged by your customs office or courier before delivery. These are not collected by us, so please check your local rates before purchasing.
Any applicable fees will appear at checkout. -
▼HELP SECTION
-
Seat Tube (ctc) - we measure from the centre of the bottom bracket shell up to the centre line of the top tube to give a consistent measurement regardless of frame design (ctc means centre to centre).
Top Tube (ctc) - this is measured from the centre of the head tube to the centre of the seat tube, along the centre of the top tube.
Chainstay Length - measured from the centre of the bottom bracket shell to the centre point of the rear dropout.
Wheelbase - measured from the centre of the front fork dropout to the centre point of the rear dropout.
Front & Rear Spacing - measured from the inside of one dropout to the other. The dropouts on steel frames can be stretched or squeezed a few mm but it's always best to avoid this if possible, aluminium or carbon frames should never be stretched.
Brake Drop - measured using wheels of the relevant size for the frame, as stated in the technical info section.
Headset Threads - although it's generally recommended to match threaded parts exactly, with headsets you can technically mix and match, unless you have French or the obscure old Raleigh threads, in which case you need to stick to that type.
54.5cm Benotto NOS Vintage Road Bike Frame
£543.75 £725.00
✓ Original vintage frame - built in the 1980s
✓ Lightweight for the era - just 2.9 kg
✓ Suitable for historic cycling events such as L'Eroica
✓ Thoroughly checked over & photographed in detail
✓ Worldwide shipping
Benotto have an enviable race pedigree having been ridden to World Championship, one day classic and stage race victories by such legends as Francesco Moser and Freddy Maertens. Like other top Italian marques a Benotto is often instantly recognisable by the colour, the ‘Champagne’ grey finish being used for their top bikes for many years. As well as producing finely made race bikes in Italy Benotto produced frames in Mexico and were extremely popular in South America. Benotto are also well known for their shiny bar tape which was available in a wide range of colours and was extremely popular through the 70s and 80s.
Built from Oria's RANF double butted chromoly tube set (similar to Columbus SLX or TSX), this new old stock frame is ready to be built up into a period race machine or retro-mod. With classic Benotto geometry and attention to detail this is a fine example of an Italian frame of the era, with diamond shaped chainstays and internally routed rear brake cable. The model may be a 3000 but the lack of pantographed parts and a frame number make it hard to correctly identify, regardless it's rare to find a frame of this calibre still unbuilt after 30 plus years!
If you're taking part in L'Eroica or a similar vintage event, this frame is of the correct age, so you won't be disqualified for being a rule breaker!
The frame's been carefully checked by one of our mechanics to confirm the alignment's correct and there's no damage to the threads. If there are any minor issues worth noting we will do so in the overview section below. Please take a good look at the detailed photos so you can see the cosmetic condition of the frame before you buy.OVERVIEW
Era - 1980s
Country - Italian
Frame Material - Steel
Tubing - Oria Cromo
Weight - 2.9 kg
Stock Code - U-F-R30V
SIZING
Size Guide* - Medium (Approx 32" Inside Leg)
Seat Tube (ctc) - 54.5 cm
Top Tube (ctc) - 54.5 cm
Head Tube - 134 mm
Chainstay Length - 41 cm
Wheelbase - 100 cm
*This is just a guide, not a guarantee the frame will fit as every rider is different. If you're unsure of your size we'd always recommend trying out a bike with similar frame dimensions first.
TECHNICAL INFO
Rear Spacing - 126 mm
Front Spacing - 100 mm
Seatpost Diameter - 27.4 mm
Wheel Size - 700c/28"
Brake Fixing - Recessed Allen Key
Brake Drop - 45 mm
Bottom Bracket Thread - Italian Thread
Headset Thread - Standard ISO (24 TPI - British/Italian)
Headset Stack Height - 54 mm
Fork Crown Race - 26.7 mm
Shifter Fittings - Downtube Braze-On
Headtube Internal Diameter - 30.0 mm
Steerer Internal Diameter - 22.2 mm (Standard)
-
▼SHIPPING, TAXES & RETURNS
-
We've been safely sending orders around the world since 2010. There's a handy shipping calculator on the shopping cart page so you can see the cost of postage as soon as you've added it to your basket. Your order will be carefully packed and sent with tracking & insurance, we despatch most orders within 2-3 working days but larger items can often take a little longer to process.
We accept returns, please notify us within 14 days and ensure the item arrives back with us no later than 30 days after the order was received.
EU Customers – for orders under €150 (excluding shipping), VAT will be collected at checkout – no extra import fees to pay on delivery! For orders over €150 any import fees will be payable to the carrier before delivery.
USA Customers – import fees are now collected at checkout for all orders to the US, so there won’t be any surprise charges when your order arrives.
Other International Customers – local import fees may still apply, charged by your customs office or courier before delivery. These are not collected by us, so please check your local rates before purchasing.
Any applicable fees will appear at checkout.
54cm Fanini Super Vintage Italian Steel Road Bike Frame Set
£405.00 £450.00
✓ Original vintage frame - built in the 1970s
✓ Suitable for historic cycling events such as L'Eroica
✓ Thoroughly checked over & photographed in detail
✓ Worldwide shipping
Fanini are a true cycling family: promotors; sponsors; team owners; sales reps; manufacturers, and amongst all of this they produced some magnificent hand built bikes. Often equal parts work of art to pure performance, Fanini built bikes that showed what Italian craftsmanship and flair could achieve. Frequently sporting Campagnolo's top end groupsets and a red paintjob, Fanini were built in low numbers throughout the 70s and 80s and are now rather rare to find.
A beautifully understated 1970s lightweight road frame from Fanini, probably made with Columbus SL tubes. Finely detailed hand-cut lugs and a slotted bottom bracket were typical of the artisanal approach to frame-building at Fanini and helped keep the weight down. The metallic burgundy paint job looks to have newer decals applied over the clear coat, and aside from some marks, is in lovely usable condition.
If you're taking part in L'Eroica or a similar vintage event, this frame is of the correct age, so you won't be disqualified for being a rule breaker!
The frame's been carefully checked by one of our mechanics to confirm the alignment's correct and there's no damage to the threads. If there are any minor issues worth noting we will do so in the overview section below. Please take a good look at the detailed photos so you can see the cosmetic condition of the frame before you buy.OVERVIEW
Era - 1970s
Country - Italian
Frame Material - Steel
Tubing - Columbus
Weight - 2.545 kg
Stock Code - U-F-R117V
SIZING
Size Guide* - Medium (Approx 32" Inside Leg)
Seat Tube (ctc) - 54 cm
Top Tube (ctc) - 54 cm
Head Tube - 133 mm
Chainstay Length - 40.5 cm
Wheelbase - 98.5 cm
*This is just a guide, not a guarantee the frame will fit as every rider is different. If you're unsure of your size we'd always recommend trying out a bike with similar frame dimensions first.
TECHNICAL INFO
Rear Spacing - 124 mm
Front Spacing - 102 mm
Seatpost Diameter - 27.0 mm
Wheel Size - 700c/28"
Brake Fixing - Recessed Allen Key
Front Brake Drop - 47 mm
Rear Brake Drop - 43 mm
Bottom Bracket Thread - Italian Thread
Headset Thread - Standard ISO (24 TPI - British/Italian)
Headset Stack Height - 38 mm
Fork Crown Race - 26.4 mm (ISO)
Shifter Fittings - Downtube Braze-On
Headtube Internal Diameter - 30.2 mm
Steerer Internal Diameter - 22.2 mm (Standard)
-
▼SHIPPING, TAXES & RETURNS
-
We've been safely sending orders around the world since 2010. There's a handy shipping calculator on the shopping cart page so you can see the cost of postage as soon as you've added it to your basket. Your order will be carefully packed and sent with tracking & insurance, we despatch most orders within 2-3 days but larger items and orders placed before the weekend can take an extra day or two to process.
We accept returns, please notify us within 14 days and ensure the item arrives back with us no later than 30 days after the order was received.
EU Customers – for orders under €150 (excluding shipping), VAT will be collected at checkout – no extra import fees to pay on delivery! For orders over €150 any import fees will be payable to the carrier before delivery.
USA Customers – import fees are now collected at checkout for all orders to the US, so there won’t be any surprise charges when your order arrives.
Other International Customers – local import fees may still apply, charged by your customs office or courier before delivery. These are not collected by us, so please check your local rates before purchasing.
Any applicable fees will appear at checkout. -
▼HELP SECTION
-
Seat Tube (ctc) - we measure from the centre of the bottom bracket shell up to the centre line of the top tube to give a consistent measurement regardless of frame design (ctc means centre to centre).
Top Tube (ctc) - this is measured from the centre of the head tube to the centre of the seat tube, along the centre of the top tube.
Chainstay Length - measured from the centre of the bottom bracket shell to the centre point of the rear dropout.
Wheelbase - measured from the centre of the front fork dropout to the centre point of the rear dropout.
Front & Rear Spacing - measured from the inside of one dropout to the other. The dropouts on steel frames can be stretched or squeezed a few mm but it's always best to avoid this if possible, aluminium or carbon frames should never be stretched.
Brake Drop - measured using wheels of the relevant size for the frame, as stated in the technical info section.
Headset Threads - although it's generally recommended to match threaded parts exactly, with headsets you can technically mix and match, unless you have French or the obscure old Raleigh threads, in which case you need to stick to that type.
55.5cm Bill Holland Vintage American Steel Road Bike Frame Set
£596.25 £795.00
✓ Original vintage frame - built in the 1980s/90s
✓ Lightweight for the era - just 2.8 kg
✓ Thoroughly checked over & photographed in detail
✓ Worldwide shipping
Trained by the legendary Albert Eisentraut, Bill Holland has been building high end steel, titanium and lately carbon frames from San Diego for nearly 50 years. Dedicating himself to building steel frames for his first 20 years, he produced quality over quantity and his frames are few and far between, especially outside of the USA. Bill began to experiment with titanium in the mid 90s and exclusively built with the material until the mid 2010s when he started to offer full custom carbon frames built by hand.
A rare find on this side of the pond, this exquisite road frame combines the expertise of two Californian legends; Bill Holland and Joe Bell. Probably from the late 80s or early 90s it sports minimal, intricate lug-work, shot-in seatstays and seamless fully sloping fork crown resulting in a sleek look. The original Joe Bell two-tone paintwork is amongst the best in the business, neon pink contrasting with a bluey-purple finish that includes the painted-to-match Silca frame pump.
The frame's been carefully checked by one of our mechanics to confirm the alignment's correct and there's no damage to the threads. If there are any minor issues worth noting we will do so in the overview section below. Please take a good look at the detailed photos so you can see the cosmetic condition of the frame before you buy.OVERVIEW
Era - 1980s/1990s
Country - American
Frame Material - Steel
Weight - 2.835 kg
Stock Code - U-F-R99V
NB - Includes painted to match Silca pump
SIZING
Size Guide* - Medium (Approx 32 1/2" Inside Leg)
Seat Tube (ctc) - 55.5 cm
Top Tube (ctc) - 55 cm
Head Tube - 134 mm
Chainstay Length - 40.5 cm
Wheelbase - 96.5 cm
*This is just a guide, not a guarantee the frame will fit as every rider is different. If you're unsure of your size we'd always recommend trying out a bike with similar frame dimensions first.
TECHNICAL INFO
Rear Spacing - 126 mm
Front Spacing - 100 mm
Seatpost Diameter - 27.2 mm
Wheel Size - 700c/28"
Brake Fixing - Recessed Allen Key
Front Brake Drop - 46 mm
Rear Brake Drop - 42 mm
Bottom Bracket Thread - English/British/ISO Thread
Headset Thread - Standard ISO (24 TPI - British/Italian)
Headset Stack Height - 34 mm
Fork Crown Race - 26.4 mm (ISO)
Shifter Fittings - Downtube Braze-On
Headtube Internal Diameter - 30.2 mm
Steerer Internal Diameter - 22.2 mm (Standard)
-
▼SHIPPING, TAXES & RETURNS
-
We've been safely sending orders around the world since 2010. There's a handy shipping calculator on the shopping cart page so you can see the cost of postage as soon as you've added it to your basket. Your order will be carefully packed and sent with tracking & insurance, we despatch most orders within 2-3 days but larger items and orders placed before the weekend can take an extra day or two to process.
We accept returns, please notify us within 14 days and ensure the item arrives back with us no later than 30 days after the order was received.
EU Customers – for orders under €150 (excluding shipping), VAT will be collected at checkout – no extra import fees to pay on delivery! For orders over €150 any import fees will be payable to the carrier before delivery.
USA Customers – import fees are now collected at checkout for all orders to the US, so there won’t be any surprise charges when your order arrives.
Other International Customers – local import fees may still apply, charged by your customs office or courier before delivery. These are not collected by us, so please check your local rates before purchasing.
Any applicable fees will appear at checkout. -
▼HELP SECTION
-
Seat Tube (ctc) - we measure from the centre of the bottom bracket shell up to the centre line of the top tube to give a consistent measurement regardless of frame design (ctc means centre to centre).
Top Tube (ctc) - this is measured from the centre of the head tube to the centre of the seat tube, along the centre of the top tube.
Chainstay Length - measured from the centre of the bottom bracket shell to the centre point of the rear dropout.
Wheelbase - measured from the centre of the front fork dropout to the centre point of the rear dropout.
Front & Rear Spacing - measured from the inside of one dropout to the other. The dropouts on steel frames can be stretched or squeezed a few mm but it's always best to avoid this if possible, aluminium or carbon frames should never be stretched.
Brake Drop - measured using wheels of the relevant size for the frame, as stated in the technical info section.
Headset Threads - although it's generally recommended to match threaded parts exactly, with headsets you can technically mix and match, unless you have French or the obscure old Raleigh threads, in which case you need to stick to that type.
55.5cm Hetchins Italia c.1975 Vintage British Steel Road Bike Frame Set
£535.50 £595.00
✓ Original vintage frame - built in the 1970s
✓ Suitable for historic cycling events such as L'Eroica
✓ Thoroughly checked over & photographed in detail
✓ Worldwide shipping
Perhaps one of the best-known of all British classic lightweight builders, Hetchins constructed their instantly recognised, elaborately lugged frames for over 60 years. Hyman Hetchins had a gramophone and cycle accessories shop in Tottenham in the 1920s, and by the 1930s, he was producing frames bearing the shop’s name. At this point, a partnership with one of his frame-builders, Jack Denny, was started, and a patent for vibrant rear stays was applied for. The curved shape of the rear stays was said to improve comfort on Britain’s rough roads; it also had the benefit of being easily distinguishable as a Hetchins-built frame, even from a distance. As well as the vibrant (or curly) rear end, Hetchins offered a huge range of frames, often with highly ornamental, heavily modified lugs, all with the option to further customise the final frame. The brand received further coverage with a successful export business into the burgeoning US market, where they are now highly collectible.
Though lacking the ornate lugs or shaped stays that other Hetchins sport, the Italia was a very finely made road frame designed to compete with the best Italian builders of the time. There were two versions of the Italia produced, with some made by a contractor in Italy from Columbus tubes, but the majority made in the Hetchins workshop from Reynolds 531. Built with shaped and filed Prugnat lugs and lightweight tubes, the frames normally featured the Italianate-style seat stay/seat tube junction and a more continental-style fork crown rather than Hetchins' twin-plate design. Like all hand-built, custom-order frames coming out of the Hetchins workshop, though, anything was possible, and there are many small variations and special features even on this supposedly simple frame.
This mid-1970s model Italia was probably built just after the shop moved to Southend, though it still sports the Tottenham address on the decals. Though less showy than some of the intricately lugged frames that were coming out of the workshop at the time, this frame still features carefully cut Prugnat lugs and a fork crown. This is a made-in-the-UK Reynolds 531 version of the Italia, which we believe still has its original paint and decals. Likely designed as a winter or training bike, the frame set has mudguard braze-ons and rear brake routing designed for a centre-pull brake.
If you're taking part in L'Eroica or a similar vintage event, this frame is of the correct age, so you won't be disqualified for being a rule breaker!
The frame's been carefully checked by one of our mechanics to confirm the alignment's correct and there's no damage to the threads. If there are any minor issues worth noting we will do so in the overview section below. Please take a good look at the detailed photos so you can see the cosmetic condition of the frame before you buy.OVERVIEW
Era - 1970s
Country - British
Frame Material - Steel
Tubing - Reynolds 531
Weight - 2.75 kg
Stock Code - U-F-R103V
SIZING
Size Guide* - Medium (Approx 32 1/2" Inside Leg)
Seat Tube (ctc) - 55.5 cm
Top Tube (ctc) - 56 cm
Head Tube - 137 mm
Chainstay Length - 42 cm
Wheelbase - 99.5 cm
*This is just a guide, not a guarantee the frame will fit as every rider is different. If you're unsure of your size we'd always recommend trying out a bike with similar frame dimensions first.
TECHNICAL INFO
Rear Spacing - 121 mm
Front Spacing - 100 mm
Seatpost Diameter - 27.2 mm
Wheel Size - 700c/28"
Brake Fixing - External Hex Nut
Front Brake Drop - 56 mm
Rear Brake Drop - 49 mm
Bottom Bracket Thread - English/British/ISO Thread
Headset Thread - Standard ISO (24 TPI - British/Italian)
Headset Stack Height - 32 mm
Fork Crown Race - 26.5 mm
Shifter Fittings - Downtube Band-On
Headtube Internal Diameter - 30.2 mm
Steerer Internal Diameter - 22.2 mm (Standard)
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▼SHIPPING, TAXES & RETURNS
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We've been safely sending orders around the world since 2010. There's a handy shipping calculator on the shopping cart page so you can see the cost of postage as soon as you've added it to your basket. Your order will be carefully packed and sent with tracking & insurance, we despatch most orders within 2-3 days but larger items and orders placed before the weekend can take an extra day or two to process.
We accept returns, please notify us within 14 days and ensure the item arrives back with us no later than 30 days after the order was received.
EU Customers – for orders under €150 (excluding shipping), VAT will be collected at checkout – no extra import fees to pay on delivery! For orders over €150 any import fees will be payable to the carrier before delivery.
USA Customers – import fees are now collected at checkout for all orders to the US, so there won’t be any surprise charges when your order arrives.
Other International Customers – local import fees may still apply, charged by your customs office or courier before delivery. These are not collected by us, so please check your local rates before purchasing.
Any applicable fees will appear at checkout. -
▼HELP SECTION
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Seat Tube (ctc) - we measure from the centre of the bottom bracket shell up to the centre line of the top tube to give a consistent measurement regardless of frame design (ctc means centre to centre).
Top Tube (ctc) - this is measured from the centre of the head tube to the centre of the seat tube, along the centre of the top tube.
Chainstay Length - measured from the centre of the bottom bracket shell to the centre point of the rear dropout.
Wheelbase - measured from the centre of the front fork dropout to the centre point of the rear dropout.
Front & Rear Spacing - measured from the inside of one dropout to the other. The dropouts on steel frames can be stretched or squeezed a few mm but it's always best to avoid this if possible, aluminium or carbon frames should never be stretched.
Brake Drop - measured using wheels of the relevant size for the frame, as stated in the technical info section.
Headset Threads - although it's generally recommended to match threaded parts exactly, with headsets you can technically mix and match, unless you have French or the obscure old Raleigh threads, in which case you need to stick to that type.