Alan Carbonio frameset

Alan Carbonio Frame with BLB steel Chrome forks.
Really early carbon fibre frame, mid to late 80's I would estimate. Aluminium lugs with 'screwed and glued' carbon fibre tubes. I will put some more photos up tomorrow when I get a chance but this is when I first built it up about 2 years ago.

Keen to sell this weekend so £150 posted to standard UK addresses
####I'm going to put this on eBay#####

Hmmm, let me try to work out how images work.......
https://flic.kr/p/2o11Gm5

Interested pending some more photos and size??

Great, Leave it with me. I'll get some photos sorted this evening.
Size is seat tube 60 c-c
Top tube 59 c-c

I've ridden it for the last two years and it's been brilliant

I can't seem to attach photos to my posts, does anyone know what I'm doing wrong. If it not just a case of using the ' Upload a file' button?

Lovely frameset. My size as well. Do you have the rest of the bike? I would like to see some up-to-date photos of the frames if possible, please.

Great, Leave it with me. I'll get some photos sorted this evening.

Size is seat tube 60 c-c
Top tube 59 c-c

I've ridden it for the last two years and it's been brilliant

Thanks, sending you a pm

I heard these are very light frames. I've got an aluminium tubed version in that size and it's about 8.3kg with period parts and pedals/cages/straps on.
Always wanted the carbon version.... But should resist.

Haven't received anything yet...

Get in line 😛

Yes, I am in line. Right behind you, Sir!

While standing in line I've done some research and noticed that there are Alan Crabiono and Alan Carbiono Record framesets out there. Is there any difference between them, or is it the same frameset? Would you know by any chance, guys?

I’m wondering the same. It looks like they are the same frame but I’m not sure. Maybe it was just a model name for a complete bike with a Record groupset? 🤷‍♀️

No idea to be honest.
I heard the aluminium ones are bonded and screwed, but I've wondered how they could do... Unless they had left hand and right hand threads and the tubes were simultaneously turned/tightened together to bring the lugs in.... Or I'm missing something. .. maybe just some are screwed, some pressed. Do you know what I mean, like screwing a triangle together at each corner??

Either way, it seems like a few framebuilders are going down this route now with 3d printed lugs and bonded cabon tubes. CYBRO industries and the like.
Was the ALAN the first though?

Sorry to hijack the sale thread.

This is a piece of interesting information (if not confusing one):
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/945909-re-branded-alan-frames-list.html

frame builders are going down this route now with 3d printed lugs and bonded cabon tubes

Ha, I’ve also been thinking the same. Atherton bikes etc

I somehow can never quite believe that all the ‘bonded’ bikes can really be as strong as a weld! Like the cnc’d frames from Pole that are screwed and glued. Glue ffs!?

I’ve always wanted one of these Alan frames. They just look cool as fuck. I’ve also heard they flex like spaghetti but I’m not letting that get in the way of things.

Today's glueing methods and glues are much better than in the 80s.
Also, CNC machining allows for much tighter tolerances = better match/bond

I’m not a total Alan geek and don’t have a massive knowledge on the bikes. But as far as I know, Alan had their frames built for them by other manufacturers. So there’s a lot of bikes out there that don’t say Alan on them but are identical…
I’m not really sure how the licensing worked since I think the designs where Alans own?

If you look at recent sales on eBay, there was a bike sold very recently that looks to be an unbranded Alan Carbonio

Alan had their frames built for them by other manufacturers

That might be bollox, I based that on reading that Raleigh produced their first carbon lugged frame for them, but not sure if Alan continued to use other manufacturers.
I see myself going down a Retrobike rabbit hole soon

Edit - defo talking out my hole. Some info here on them producing their own stuff in house
https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/162999/

I'm going done an internet rabbit hole after this ..... ha.
Thanks for the link.

I though ALAN did the production and they were sometimes branded with other names. Then maybe the design was sold later on? Not sure.

I've got an '82 ALAN, it's really cool and very light. It's not as flexible as people say, in my brief rides, but to be honest it's still on the 19c tubulars from the early 90's so I wasn't confident giving it full beans.
I've got a VITUS too, that is way more springy, I think the tubes were a different alloy... Maybe something to do with ski poles, I can't remember.

I've seen an Alan track frameset in person, rare as as hen's teeth as most have unbounded or cracked.

Nice conversation piece but wouldn't want to ride one.

I was thinking about it, you know... Not so long ago had at home Cannondale Six13 with an alloy/carbon frame. It was nice looking and very light but there was some "bubbling" on the joints, like oxidated aluminium under the paint. I didn't want to risk it, as I weigh 95kg, so I kept the Shimano DA groupset and sold the rest.
I have to say that this Alan frame condition seems to be much better than my Six13, but I wonder how it looks in up-to-date pictures.

The frame tubes on an Alan were opposite threaded, like a turnbuckle. Depending on which lug had cracked, you had to partially or fully disassemble the frame to replace the lug and reassemble it in reverse order.

The bonded Vitus and Peugeot frames of the same era used similar strength tubes of much the diameters as Alan. I figured the Alan’s threading added a little extra security if they disbonded.

Bonded carbon frames of that era are wallhangings now IMHO. The combination of carbon, Al and sweat forms a battery and the resulting galvanic corrosion promotes disbonding. Later frames used fibreglass between the carbon and Al as insulation. The bonded Al frames avoided that degradation mechanism and I would still ride the Al frames.

There were a few bonded Al lugs/ carbon tubes frames that followed Vitus and Alan e.g. SR Litage, Trek and Look.

It would probably be fine but when in doubt best to not take the chances.

Those bubling seems quite normal as seen a lot on fork crowns where the carbon blades attaches to alu. Have assessed and used a few myself with no issues.

That's my observations and I am not an engineer AND I weigh a measly 65kg.

Hi all, sorry for the delay in posting more photos.
5 Photos here but lost more on the Flikr Album if you follow the link.

Frame is currently badged up as a Rossin. I have replacement Alan frame decals ready to go so I can either leave it with the Rossin decals on and supply the Alan decals as well with the frame or I can change the decals back to Alan.

Frame is in nicw solid condition, as far as I'm aware there are no issues with lugs cracking, tubes unbonding or any of that business, I was concerned the frame would be a bit fragile when I bought it but on the contrary I have ridden it for 2 years, I'm 6'1" and not skinny and it has been absolutely bombproof.
Stamped 60x59 J on BB. I will give it a better clean when I strip it .
It has a small drilled hole in seatlug on one side but this is cosmetic. Happy to sell the Campag Seatpost for an additional £15.
Keen to sell so would like Bank Transfer or Paypal after sale, I will post ASAP.
Any questions just ask, It's a really awesome frame, the forks were about £100 but I need the space and money for another project thats arriving imminently.

Flikr Album:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/188988691@N04/albums/72177720303829815

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