shalomry

Hi Bike Forums! I'm a pretty inexperienced bicyclist - I commute by bike but don't go for longer rides too often, and I've only owned cheap used bikes. I'd like to start going for recreational rides more often, so recently I've been paying more attention to my bike - a Simplon Vuelta 540 STI. It has been somewhat of a mystery to me ever since I bought it a couple of years ago from the campus craigslist, and I'm hoping that the more knowledgeable folks here might be able to shed some light on it.

I wrote up a post with a bunch of photos, but I can't post photos until I've posted at least 10 times, so I'll try to knock them out and then post what I have written.

shalomry

I believe it dates to the early 90's, or maybe late 80's.

shalomry

It is equipped with Shimano 600 components.

shalomry

It is an STI bike, so has brifters, which were a revelation to me.

shalomry

The color scheme is magenta and black, with cartoonish lettering.

shalomry1

Created a second account so I could try to salvage this trainwreck of a thread. I tried to edit my previous posts but I think editing counts as a post too, so here's what I wanted to edit in:

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Looks like I am also restricted to 5 posts per 24 hours. Sorry about this - if this is a breach of etiquette please excuse me.

I'll go ahead and edit in the text I wrote up without photos:

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Hi Bike Forums! I'm a pretty inexperienced bicyclist - I commute by bike but don't go for longer rides too often, and I've only owned cheap used bikes. I'd like to start going for recreational rides more often, so I've been paying more attention to my bike recently. It has been somewhat of a mystery to me ever since I bought it a couple of years ago from the campus craigslist, and I'm hoping that the more knowledgeable folks here might be able to shed some light on it.

Here it is:

[Photo of whole bike. There are a couple of examples of different color schemes as the first results if you do a Google image search for "Simplon Vuelta"]

I haven't changed anything but the rims, tires, and bar tape (which was a now unavailable pink, gray, and black splash tape). I wasn't sure about the color scheme at first, but it has grown on me. The cable lock on the seat was my attempt to deter a bike seat grab-and-go, and at this point I've forgotten the code, so despite its ugliness it remains. The frame is a bit too big for me, but it's a lot of fun to ride, though I don't have much to compare it with. The decals suggest that this is a Simplon Vuelta 540 STI. Simplon is an Austrian brand, but I haven't been able to find much information on its history or its past models. A perfunctory internet search found only two other bikes of perhaps the same model, with no information to add (one was labeled '1980s', though I have doubts - more on that later).

[Detail photo of top tube. Includes decal that reads 'Intersport Spettel Alberschwende - Hittisau']

Intersport Spettel is a bike shop in Austria, so I'm assuming that the bike was originally sold there. I bought it from a young Chinese international student, so the bike's journey from Austria to California is a fun mystery as well.

The sticker on the frame indicates it is short-butted chrome moly:

[Detail photo of sticker. Reads 'Simplon / Conquest Ultralight / Multiple Short-Butted Chrome-Molybdenum Tubes']

The fork and stays are chromed, and from what I've seen under the paint, I believe the rest of the frame is as well.

[Photo of the chromed fork]

The frame is stamped 'A-PRO', which is a Taiwanese frame manufacturer that in 1986 "began a 2-year process to transform the product lines form BMX frames and Miniscooters to MTB and Road racing frames". When I first checked under the bottom bracket shell, I found a frayed front derailleur cable. The bike mechanic who replaced the cable told me it would fray again due to the cable guides - "it felt bad running the cable through".

[Photo of bottom bracket shell underside, with 'A-PRO' stamped on either side]

The bike has Shimano 600 components. Neither of the other two bikes of this model I found online had Shimano 600 components (one had RSX and the other 105), so I have no idea what the bike originally came with. Perhaps it was the customer's choice.

[2 photos of Shimano 600 components]

The saddle isn't in good condition, but I've kept it since it is original.

[Photo of saddle in rideable but ugly condition]

The underside shows the saddle was made in Taiwan as well.

[Detail photo of saddle underside. Reads 'Velo / VL-190 / Made in Taiwan']

The handlebars, on the other hand, were made in Italy by Italmanubri.

[Detail photo of handlebars. Reads 'ITM / Mod. Mondial / Made Italy']

I looked at the date codes on the Shimano components to get a sense of what year the bike might have been made. Most of the components were made in 1991 except for the front derailleur, which was made in 1989. This should place the bike around 1991-92, not the 80s, unless it was overhauled at some point.

That was a lot of photos and tidbits, but I still feel like I have an incomplete picture of my bike. Does anyone have more to add, or any corrections? Has anyone had experience with this make or model, or similar ones? Is there anything interesting about the history of Simplon? I've become attached to my bike, and have been thinking about getting a beater bike for commuting so that it stays in okay shape, but when browsing through used bikes I find myself drawn to the eye-catching, nicer old bikes instead. Is this actually a bike worth preserving? I know the components are quality (though the pedals and rear derailleur are a bit scuffed up - oops), but what about the frame? Do I just think it rides nicely because I haven't tried anything better?