Harding road bike
07-17-18, 09:52 AM
#52
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One more option is the Cresta, it seems to have all my specs but the only pics of the 1981 model I can find dont have brazed cable guides on the top, but instead down the side. I'm thinking it could be this but the mystuiqe has the same cable guides and it comes in the gold color which it doesn't seem the cresta was offered in during 1981. I also notice in this catalogue (1981)they list the mystuiqe as a full 531 frame.
Edit:
so in 1981 the crests was 531 fork blades with a different frame while the mystuiqe was full 531, then in 1982 they switched! The crestsa was full 531 (the crestsa 531) while the 82 mystuiqe only advertises "531 forks" as in the previous catalouge clipping.
could this be my bike!?
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=226983
This bike was in a forum on another site, it looka to be identical down to the lack of a 531 sticker. Unfortunately no drive side pic was given and they dead ended at possibly a 1981 cresta, with someone pointing out the difference in cable guides
Edit:
so in 1981 the crests was 531 fork blades with a different frame while the mystuiqe was full 531, then in 1982 they switched! The crestsa was full 531 (the crestsa 531) while the 82 mystuiqe only advertises "531 forks" as in the previous catalouge clipping.
could this be my bike!?
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=226983
This bike was in a forum on another site, it looka to be identical down to the lack of a 531 sticker. Unfortunately no drive side pic was given and they dead ended at possibly a 1981 cresta, with someone pointing out the difference in cable guides
Last edited by Buellster; 07-17-18 at 12:00 PM.
07-17-18, 01:40 PM
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This bike has been on Portland CL for quite a while. I think it's a pretty nice bike for the price you paid. It's definitely not a hidden gem with extreme collector value. It's also definitely not a piece of junk. Like the vast majority of good vintage bikes, it's somewhere in between. Where, exactly, in between really is almost exclusively a matter of how much you enjoy riding it.
Now, by all means, carry on the good work of figuring out what you've got.
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07-17-18, 01:46 PM
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+1 for Andy’s comments!
Buellster, as I have commented many times, lots of lower end bikes offer a fine ride. You have quite an intriguing bike, and whatever the frame is made from I suspect it would be great fun on the road. So, go ride it and tell us what you think!
Buellster, as I have commented many times, lots of lower end bikes offer a fine ride. You have quite an intriguing bike, and whatever the frame is made from I suspect it would be great fun on the road. So, go ride it and tell us what you think!
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07-18-18, 07:44 AM
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I can appreciate and relate to your obsessing over trying to fine tune the identification of this bike, but there is one foolproof way to definitively answer the question you've asked here -- take it out for a ride.
This bike has been on Portland CL for quite a while. I think it's a pretty nice bike for the price you paid. It's definitely not a hidden gem with extreme collector value. It's also definitely not a piece of junk. Like the vast majority of good vintage bikes, it's somewhere in between. Where, exactly, in between really is almost exclusively a matter of how much you enjoy riding it.
Now, by all means, carry on the good work of figuring out what you've got.
This bike has been on Portland CL for quite a while. I think it's a pretty nice bike for the price you paid. It's definitely not a hidden gem with extreme collector value. It's also definitely not a piece of junk. Like the vast majority of good vintage bikes, it's somewhere in between. Where, exactly, in between really is almost exclusively a matter of how much you enjoy riding it.
Now, by all means, carry on the good work of figuring out what you've got.
I was disappointed initially because I thought I'd found an upper end Harding. Now knowing this was likley an economy model doesnt bother me. It was more of a "wow I lucked into an amazing deal? Oh... it's a good deal, okay." Type of feeling. To be clear though I am a big fan of the bike and intend to give it some real love. Will post pics when complete.
as far as ride feel goes:
Running into general issues with not too well cared for bike. New front tire helped a lot, going to run some new gear cables and get a new chain as well.
Despite its issues I am a big fan of the feel and think those Brits who thought the fork was the most important part of ride "feel" were on to something haha
07-19-18, 07:45 PM
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Update!
I've been working away on my Harding. 8 had pondered turning it to a 3 speed with an internal gear hub, but thought I'd check and see if the gear from my Dave Quinn would work with it.
Dave has 700c campy tires and some real nice new touring tires. The front tire fit perfect with no adjustment even needed in the brake height.
The rear... did not.
At first I figured the rear spacing was different, but it was SO close. I became suspicious that one of the hangers was a bit bent just from eyeing it, so I took it to my LBS to see what they had to say.
In 15 minutes they had it set up so I could put the new tire in. They said the rear spacing was off but likley only because of the slight bend ik the drive side hanger. So they bent it straight with some fancy tool and my like new campy tire slid right in! Well at that point I realized that even with the bolt all the way out it couldn't make the seventh gear (I figured this would be the case but had to try because I wanted to hold on to my suntour VX if possible). This meant I needed to put the shimano 105 derailur on so that I could use my new 7 speed gear set and rim I stole from Dave.
I got the old chain off of each and attached the new derailur annnnnnd then I ran out of time for the day. Yesterday I put my VO crazy bars and my city cruiser brake levers on with a threadless adapter quill. I (poorly) wrapped my flat bars and some old grips I had in leather. I also out on a wooden fender I bought awhile ago off Etsy. I had intended to put it on another bike but found a great deal on full coverage fenders so this one was collecting dust. Lastly, I re ran the brake lines and managed to strip my pinch bolt which I also got from the BS today and was able to complete the Job. Well the brakes part of it at least.
Tommrow I should be able to get my new chain on and see how things move.
I am worried the non OEM 3 gear front crank is too much for the front derailur to handle but we will see tommorw.
I may try and put my biopace crankset on as well to preserve my 2×7 set up but I'd probably have to change the bottom bracket too and frankly I want to ride this bike again!
more updates soon.
Its coming together okay i think
My new rear gear set up
My crazy bars
Wooden fender i picked up from Etsy awhile ago
I've been working away on my Harding. 8 had pondered turning it to a 3 speed with an internal gear hub, but thought I'd check and see if the gear from my Dave Quinn would work with it.
Dave has 700c campy tires and some real nice new touring tires. The front tire fit perfect with no adjustment even needed in the brake height.
The rear... did not.
At first I figured the rear spacing was different, but it was SO close. I became suspicious that one of the hangers was a bit bent just from eyeing it, so I took it to my LBS to see what they had to say.
In 15 minutes they had it set up so I could put the new tire in. They said the rear spacing was off but likley only because of the slight bend ik the drive side hanger. So they bent it straight with some fancy tool and my like new campy tire slid right in! Well at that point I realized that even with the bolt all the way out it couldn't make the seventh gear (I figured this would be the case but had to try because I wanted to hold on to my suntour VX if possible). This meant I needed to put the shimano 105 derailur on so that I could use my new 7 speed gear set and rim I stole from Dave.
I got the old chain off of each and attached the new derailur annnnnnd then I ran out of time for the day. Yesterday I put my VO crazy bars and my city cruiser brake levers on with a threadless adapter quill. I (poorly) wrapped my flat bars and some old grips I had in leather. I also out on a wooden fender I bought awhile ago off Etsy. I had intended to put it on another bike but found a great deal on full coverage fenders so this one was collecting dust. Lastly, I re ran the brake lines and managed to strip my pinch bolt which I also got from the BS today and was able to complete the Job. Well the brakes part of it at least.
Tommrow I should be able to get my new chain on and see how things move.
I am worried the non OEM 3 gear front crank is too much for the front derailur to handle but we will see tommorw.
I may try and put my biopace crankset on as well to preserve my 2×7 set up but I'd probably have to change the bottom bracket too and frankly I want to ride this bike again!
more updates soon.
Its coming together okay i think
My new rear gear set up
My crazy bars
Wooden fender i picked up from Etsy awhile ago
07-24-18, 01:06 AM
#57
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Update again!
So I finally got the fork out.
I was trying to clean up the bearings in the head set and managed to bend on of the bearing cages and lose a few ball bearings. I'll be stopping by my LBS to get a replacement tommrow but thats not the point of this story.
I got the forks out and the serial number did in fact match the BBs picture below.
Is it common to see the paint like this? Going up into the fork stay? Seems off for a production piece but ive never taken another fork out so i dont know.
Serial number
So I finally got the fork out.
I was trying to clean up the bearings in the head set and managed to bend on of the bearing cages and lose a few ball bearings. I'll be stopping by my LBS to get a replacement tommrow but thats not the point of this story.
I got the forks out and the serial number did in fact match the BBs picture below.
Is it common to see the paint like this? Going up into the fork stay? Seems off for a production piece but ive never taken another fork out so i dont know.
Serial number
07-24-18, 08:11 AM
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Buellster-
Paint partially or even almost totally up the steerer is normal production side effect.
Paint partially or even almost totally up the steerer is normal production side effect.
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