[ccsbrider]

Hello all. I bought a bike at the thrift the other day. Some people thought that it might be a Tom Kellogg / Spectrum, but he didn't claim it. Darn, so I am casting a wider web to you all. Serial number: CL90006. 17" frame, down tube cable routing, integrated seatpost clamp, no bridge between the chain stays, no hole for the spring on the brake bosses, and a rounded arch for the brake cable stop for cantilever brakes.
all thoughts and clues are appreciated
Charlie

 

[milehi]

We need to see the drop outs. I'm going to go with first year issue Marin Team Titanium. Those welds though. Below you can see the similarities. on a later frame. Marin was using that rear cable stop at least back to 1989, and that year they had a U brake on the seat stays.

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[BadgerOne]

Oof, those welds are questionable. Are you sure this this titanium? Could be camera, but the color cast looks different. Looks more like stainless, but there are very few of those frames around.

 

[slapheadmofo]

A pic where you could actually see more than a little bit of the frame at a time might help.

Just as guess based on the serial number, a few frame details and the ugly welds, could be a Clark Kent?

Clark Kent F16 #039 — Vintage MTB Scandinavia

Clark Kent F16 1990/91 #039 Clark Kent bikes is named after the two founders Pat Clark and Dean Kent. They made both mountain bikes and road bikes, in both steel and titanium, and where located in Denver. They are probably most known for their Unishock fork that they made in 1989 that they licen

www.vintagemtbscandinavia.com

 

[Desert Ryder]

Is that a logo sticker on the front of the headtube?

 

[sgltrak]

Marin was my first thought at first glance.

 

[ccsbrider]

Oops on the drop out pics. Definitely Ti. Magnet tested. Taste tested also (kidding). Those welds are really smooth. Thanks again. Here are some more pics.

 

[ccsbrider]

Is that a logo sticker on the front of the headtube?

I can't tell if it was a logo or just a sticker.

 

[BadgerOne]

After the new pics, I'm definitely leaning toward 'not titanium'. The dropouts look forged and not machined, and the chatter marks from mounting the wheel wouldn't be present in properly alloyed titanium. I'm still thinking stainless. Either that, or some non-standard Ti alloy.

 

[Shayne]

Stainless would also fail the magnet test. I agree that it doesn't look Ti.
However there are virtually no stainless MTBs out there. It makes a Ti frame look like a Huffy.

 

[127.0.0.1]

Oops on the drop out pics. Definitely Ti. Magnet tested. <snip

most stainless isn't magnetic, not a good test

 

[jan_kaspar]

Nice VR in the background!
Is there any rust on it at all? Stainless will still rust. My engineering professor said “ it’s stainless! Not stainfree!

 

[DoubleCentury]

Fuji Titanium

 

[Gman7]

most stainless isn't magnetic, not a good test

There are three types of stainless steel, Ferritic, Austenitic and Martensitic. The alloying element mix determines they type along with intended use. Ferritic stainless is magnetic and will rust under the right conditions due to the iron as the main alloying element. It also has very low nickel content. It’s commonly used for automotive exhaust systems. I would think the frame would be heavy if it were made from stainless steel.

 

[ccsbrider]

A full picture for the sleuths.

 

[ccsbrider]

Great info on stainless steel being non-ferrous. I remember a KHS comp that was steel and looking like Ti. I thought that I saw some reddish stuff (possible rust) in the head tube. I even knocked out the cups to see, but it was only tired old grease. I lean to the stainless idea when I hold the frame only, as it isn't the lightest, but go back to the Ti idea when I feel the stiffness of the rear triangle.

 

[DoubleCentury]

What I said already: Fuji Titanium with tapered stays.

 

[BadgerOne]

Re: Fuji, check out this ancient post. In particular, post #7 (the OPs Fuji of that post is not a match). 'CP' titanium could explain the dropouts, chatter, and denting. If that's what it is...I'd be gentle. Not the strongest stuff.

Ti Fuji

 

[ccsbrider]

Thanks Double Century. I missed your earlier post. I will have a look. To All; the two dents and all the scratches and wheel rub on the stays makes me question everything

 

[DoubleCentury]

The bike BadgerOne pointed out appears to be a Sandvik-USA made Fuji
frame that looks identical to a Diamond Back titanium and many others. Before that Fuji made their own Ti frames in Japan that looked like this.