jordanpeter

T-Mar

Welcome to the forums. The subject bicycle is a 1981 Corsa. This is an entry level model with a hi-tensile steel frame and rims. In most Canadian markets it would sell for $50-$75 CDN. Irregardless of the level and aggressive pricing, this bicycle is not appropriate for you. The frame is 21", which is far too small for someone 6'-1". You should be looking for a frame in the 23"-25" range. Good luck.

jordanpeter

T-Mar

Brand names are somewhat irrelevant, as most manufacturers offered a full range of models from entry level to high end and, in the end, the critical factor is how well the bicycle was maintained. However, you may want to consider expanding you search to include ATBs/MTBs, They can make excellent commuters when the knobby tyres are replaced with quieter and easier rolling.road tyres. Compared to traditional road bicycles, they offer the advantages of a more upright riding position for better visibility, wider and heavier tyres for more comfort and puncture resistance, wider range gearing and they typically have fittings to accommodate racks and fenders, which some road bicycles may not have. However, be aware that for a given height of rider, ATBs frames are sized significantly smaller due to the longer seat posts and riser stems which place the handlebars in higher position. ATB frames rarely go over 22", which is considered to be about equivalent to a 25" road frame.

wrk101

Look for higher quality, not brand or model. On the bike above, claw RD hanger, steel chain rings, stem shifters, steel rear rim, nutted axles, turkey levers, no lever hoods, all typical signs of low, low end. Probably has steel handlebars and seat post too.

Commuting for beginners? A rigid frame MTB can make a fine choice.


Most of the well known vintage brands made a full line of bikes, from really low end to top of the line. And of course, they sold a lot more of the low end bikes, so there are more of those out there today. Being able to spot the difference is key to making a better decision. And on older bikes, they typically require maintenance work, which can easily consume your budget. People rarely maintain their bikes. And some resellers do less than complete jobs of refurbishing bikes they sell. Its not unusual to see the easy cosmetic stuff done (like the bike above) while the stuff you can't see is ignored. Being able to spot the difference is important.

Dave Mayer

My first bike was a 60's CCM. It turned me off riding for years. One of the most satisfying moments of my young life was to huck that POS off of a railway bridge into the local river. No regrets.

I've been bike commuting for 20 years now. Here is what you should want to start out within your price range:

- A rigid frame mountain bike from the 80s. That is, no suspension fork or rear end. Suspension adds pounds of useless weight, and energy-sapping suspension bob. Plus rigid forks feature better steering and handling than suspension forks.

- Alu rims - obviously. Steel rims are heavy, fragile and terrifyingly useless in wet conditions.

- No kickstand. This seems arbitrary, but one of the most reliable laws of the universe is that bikes that come stock with Kickstand's are low-end junk. I've assessed and repaired hundreds of bikes in my time, and I've only ever seen a single exception to this rule, where someone rigged a kickstand onto a Pinarello. Sad sad sad....

- Slick high-pressure tires. Knobby tires are useless on the road. They slow you down by several Mph, and feature poor traction on asphalt.

randyjawa 

Great advice wrk101 and for those who do not understand what constitutes better quality in a vintage road bicycle, feel free to have a look at Bicycle Quality and you should come up to decision making speed pretty quickly. Hope it is a help.

wrk101

Yes, I am glad Randy waded in as I was going to recommend his site. Get knowledge or get taken.

ramzilla

CCM bikes have a sort of fan base that drives up the price higher than it should be. The best deals on 80's vintage bikes are the high value low price items like Fuji or the Kuwahara built Raleighs or Schwinns that were made in Japan. Look for Shogun, Takara, Miyata, Panasonic, Sekai etc., etc., etc...........................Me love some Japanese steel. 1/3 the price of vintage Italian and equal or better in quality. Yay!

Hummer

I have never seen a Raleigh that had a frame made by Kuwahara. Do you have an example?

kross57

Just to voice a different opinion, there is decent quality (meaning it will last and work properly) and there is, well, fluff. Stem shifters often function just as smoothly as down-tube levers. Quick release rims aren't necessary, although alloy rims are to be desired. A few extra pounds is no biggie. You want everything to function as it should, and the bike should fit well and be a pleasure to ride. Personally, I would not own a bike without a kickstand and safety levers. You want what you want, and you can afford what you can afford. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You should be able to find what you are looking for within your budget. Best of luck with your search.