PilotFishBob 

I like Mercians, that's a nice one. Thanks for the add'l info, I strive to cram new info into my ossified neurons - some of it actually stays in there...

artclone

This year's Vent Noir (1982) was sold as a Sport Touring w/ TA triple, Duo Par derailleurs, long reach brakes. The 33mm Soma Vitesse SL tires are very nice.

bikemig 

+ 1 on all this. Lovely Mercian btw.

kcblair

Here's my recently restored Huffy "Strayvaigin". I dropped the Concorde model, as the bike got some major updates and several tubes fresh paint. Bought the bike new in "80ish and spent many miles touring. The last decade, it sat in my shed, resting. Going to do some touring this Summer. It was not met to race, but has the "racing" style, but all the features to tour with, plus my upgrades. KB

P4150343.jpg

Renamed.jpg

3speedslow

Serious machine. Good luck with the touring this summer. Love the bags you have attached. Is the paint original? At first glance it reminds me of a Motobecane. I am not familiar with this model of Huffy.

I finally goofed today and road off on a ride without attaching the bungee cords of my handle bar bag to the hooks. Just a little ways and I wondered if my 12 yo put cards in my spokes! After all the years...

kcblair

Thanks. Yes , original black. Some area sanded and repainted, easy to match, basic black. Yep, Motobecane made the frames for this model of Huffy Concorde. I renamed it "Strayvaigin" a Scottish word for "Wandering", which is what I plan to do. Only the center pull brakes , levers and F & RD are original. The bags are from Bike Warehouse (now known as Nashbar) bought in '80.

I've done that trick, with bungee cords, too. KB

gorillagirl

I'm not certain about the clearance with BSPs. They might fit but be a little tight? I've seen some people fit Hetres and fenders on their Sequoias, but maybe different years had different clearances, or maybe clearances vary a bit with frame size. I've been keeping this bike in SF, otherwise I'd check right now or post a pic. The LLPs are some of the best tires I've ridden, and they are wonderful on this bike. Light and fast, with just the right amount of cushion to float around on. And there's room for fenders. Highly recommended!

Edit: I actually remember fitting a pair of Fatty Rumpkin ~42mm tires on my Sequoia and they spun without rubbing but were pretty tight. Weirdly, the tight spot was not at the chainstays, but between the fork blades. My tires were mounted on Velocity Synergy rims both times.

Andy_K 

Thanks, @gorillagirl. Gugie has been highly recommending 42s, but if I end up using the 650B wheels on the Sequoia I'll probably go with the LLPs and that seems like my best option right now.

machinist42

Was the hole in the downtube for the lamp wiring stock, or added? (From another picture you posted, it appears to be a switching cable and enters the stem?

Could you please post pics of the aperture(s)?

(More photos are almost always the better way to go?)

noglider 

Here is my 1971 Raleigh Super Course, rebuilt several times and due for yet another rebuild. I rode it on gravel on Monday and had a blast.

Darth Lefty 

I bought some late-90's bags from a BF member and though the style of logos and zipper pulls look contemporary to 1997-8, they are still quite like the B042 Shuttle and B043 Switcher bags shown in the 83 catalog. They add an expander zipper and a pocket on the large face, and a pouch on the side that's convenient for keys and garage door opener. They still have FRP interior frame and it looks much the same.

ascherer 

Can't see the picture, Tom.

3speedslow

Thanks for the info. Looks like mine is from the 80's

3speedslow

Here is the full shot.

Andy_K 

That's pretty sweet! My AD (I think it's a '79 "Team") is one of my few vintage bikes that doesn't meet the criteria listed on this thread for a sports tourer. It has 74 degree tube angles, no eyelets and takes short reach brakes. That didn't stop the previous owner from squeezing fenders in there and strapping on a rack. (I recommend that those who are squeamish not click that link -- he also made it a fixie.)

non-fixie 

You'll need to page @Duke7777 to get an answer, I'm afraid. Hope this works, as I haven't seen him around for a while.

noglider 

Fixed. Google photos is acting really weird(ly).

artclone

That's very nice. Like the chrome. I think a missing dropout bike would be great for a IGH conversion. Mine has same 74 degree headtube but slightly longer wheelbase than yours, according to the catalog.

artclone

I'm building a Raleigh Super Tourer copy that will end up outfitted close to this. Looks like fun!

noglider 

The geometry is approximately the same. You may not see this, but I have nearly flat bars with extensions on the ends. I've had other handlebars on this bike, too.

The Super Tourer is a great frameset.

non-fixie 

Update on the PA60: I've ridden it a couple more times, and I must say that I am a little disappointed. Once I had it dialed in it was fine, but that's where the riding experience stayed: just fine. Which is fine (duh!), but I have more than a few bikes that are nicer than 'just fine'. One of them is this Jacques Anquetil, BTW. Fresh from the stand, and despite a Campy transmission grumbling at my Eroica-for-seniors gear range, it immediately showed what French bikes are generally very good at and where the PA60 misses the mark: offering the perfect combination of liveliness and comfort. Where the PA60 kept feeling kind of heavy and cumbersome, this one just disappears from under you after a couple of miles:

Andy_K 

Happily, the previous owner didn't cut anything off. He even gave me derailleurs and the chainring he had removed. This bike has made me an AD fan.

artclone

Oh, I see the hanger now . . . it kinda blends in with the wall color. Either that or my eyes aren't what they used to . . . nah.

I'd never cut one off myself but would save a hacked bike if it needed it.

Andy_K 

@gugie has a bike where he brazed a hanger back onto a bike where someone had hacked off the original. Now that's a serious save!

3alarmer 

.
...the rear derailleur is a replacement for the original, one of those unfortunate Duo-pars that work OK until they don't any more.