Getting back to a true "save from the dump", this one followed me home (literally, since it came via the trailer behind my Nishiki) after last weekend's neighborhood garage sale. Left on the curb, and around this time of year, approaching "hippie Christmas", the City is pretty quick to collect items people leave behind moving out. Livery and colorway indicate it's a Bridgestone 400 from 1986 (see
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/bridges...stone-400.html ). Minus the wheelset.
I swear there's some secret cabal of agents in this town, operating for years now, putting absolutely dreadful flat/riser bars on otherwise innocent unsuspecting road bikes that did nothing to deserve such treatment.
It did have a saddle, but I removed it for the photo, just to maintain the forum's community standards.
Caught up in the "butted-er than thou" craze of the mid-'80s.
Master U-lock, NOT a "bic pen" cylinder. I was astonished (and a bit un-nerved) at how little it took to get through the shackle with a cutoff wheel on an angle grinder.
Front brake is original, you can JUUUUST make out the "Bridgestone" logo screen, pretty sure it's actually a Dia-Compe. Rear is a black anodized Tektro replacement.
I think there was some discussion in a recent thread about braze-on-mounted Suntour ratcheting shifters. This one's got 'em, and they're quite nice.
Major crud throughout, and no shortage of rust (nothing serious found). But nothing stuck, nothing inop, nothing really worn down. There's the triple option referenced in the catalogue. Gotta go check the parts bin(s),
ARX is original, FD is a replacement Cyclone II from 1981 (shrug). Chain is a replacement (obviously) Hyperglide, near zero wear according to my chain checker. A day's soak in Evaporust, and a couple go-rounds with some Simple Green in my new
toy err... essential tool (ultrasonic cleaner), and it's ready again.
Looks like it was re-set for 700s sometime in its life, I put a set of 700s on for a (successful) test ride, and the brakes lined right up. Not sure if I'm gonna run 700s or 27s once I get it all cleaned up.
**Edit** - one thing has me confused. Original catalogue spec is 6-speed friction. But the dropouts are spaced at 130.7mm. Must've been cold set for someone to run 7- or 8-speed, right?
Edit2 - serial number begins with A6, not sure what format / maker that corresponds to, but it appears consistent with it being in the 1986 catalogue.