Your Catch of the Day / Saved from the Dump!
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I've been told I probably overpaid at $40 for this 72' Super Course. It's the rustiest frame I've had so far, but my good buddy 9volt is helping me get things sorted out. I hope it rides better than it looks!
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Well, I'm not far behind her so she may still be a "fox" LOL. One of my friend's had a Varsity at the same time and another had a Nishiki, we rode all over the place. Yeah, to a 16 year old kid in a small Midwest farm town the Grand Prix was a pretty fancy piece of equipment, I'd love to have another one just for old time sake but the prices they are asking for them are INSANE!!! I'm sorry but they weren't that good to bring that kind of money, I bought a pretty nice '85 Prestige for less than what they want for an early 70's GP in the same condition. Don't remember much about my one friend's Nishiki except it was a cool metallic green and had aluminum wheels vs. the steel wheels on my Grand Prix. He was a year younger than me and he got a '67 VW convertible for his 16th birthday the next year, we never saw the Nishiki again and I'm pretty sure it's the last bike he ever rode.
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".....distasteful and easily triggered."
".....distasteful and easily triggered."
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Well, I'm not far behind her so she may still be a "fox" LOL. One of my friend's had a Varsity at the same time and another had a Nishiki, we rode all over the place. Yeah, to a 16 year old kid in a small Midwest farm town the Grand Prix was a pretty fancy piece of equipment, I'd love to have another one just for old time sake but the prices they are asking for them are INSANE!!! I'm sorry but they weren't that good to bring that kind of money, I bought a pretty nice '85 Prestige for less than what they want for an early 70's GP in the same condition. Don't remember much about my one friend's Nishiki except it was a cool metallic green and had aluminum wheels vs. the steel wheels on my Grand Prix. He was a year younger than me and he got a '67 VW convertible for his 16th birthday the next year, we never saw the Nishiki again and I'm pretty sure it's the last bike he ever rode.
aka Tom Reingold
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I have a very ugly Super Course, from the same series (1971-1972). I love it.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
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“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
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Dumpster Dive: Lotus with Shimano 600 Arabesque
I was watching a dumpster that a home owner (along my daily riding route) was filling over the past week. Yesterday, I saw it; a bike seat sticking out of the top of the dumpster. I approached the house, spoke with the owner; he said, "go right ahead, the dumpster is being picked up tomorrow." I just saved this bike from the trash heap. Its a Lotus Excelle; Shimano Arabesque; Sugino Super Mighty cranks; The real score was the long cage RD. I cannot ID the exact year; I thinks its a 1981 or 1983. Drop outs are Shimano.
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I was watching a dumpster that a home owner (along my daily riding route) was filling over the past week. Yesterday, I saw it; a bike seat sticking out of the top of the dumpster. I approached the house, spoke with the owner; he said, "go right ahead, the dumpster is being picked up tomorrow." I just saved this bike from the trash heap. Its a Lotus Excelle; Shimano Arabesque; Sugino Super Mighty cranks; The real score was the long cage RD. I cannot ID the exact year; I thinks its a 1981 or 1983. Drop outs are Shimano.
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So it goes.
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Unusual for certain. I was scratching my head at the string under the model ID. The non-matching serial is stamped into the frame so no idea what that is, maybe something required at the time by in Germany where the seller got the bike. No clue, but however it got there it's held up better than the bike.
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1984 Schwinn Tempo?
I guess I saved it, on CL for $60 badge had 0834 which to my lousy calculations is March 23rd, 1984. Cool 63.5cm frame is what originally caught my eye. Wrong stem and rear derailleur and not sure what else as I have just got it home. Araya rims which is always nice to see cheapo tires unfortunately. Suicide shifters relocated to stem, nicely done. Modern seat and post and a cool gadget on the down tube to lock the tire straight for hanging the bike from a hook I imagine. As I look at it I continue to see things I did not see when haggling for price but it's mine now. I suppose it's Japanese I've done zero research as of yet just liked it's looks and made an impulse buy. Anybody who knows anything about this bike feel free to chime in. It has a long cage Deore derailleur on it now any idea what original equipment was? Paint is good decals are so-so not not bad for a 34 year old. I only have the one picture from cell phone. Opinions?
Stem makes it look like a steer!
Stem makes it look like a steer!
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Lump of coal.
Picked this up after work today, 1984 Schwinn LeTour Luxe. It's missing the original rear rack but I happen to have one. Not sure what I'll do with it yet but I couldn't pass it up.
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".....distasteful and easily triggered."
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@Murray Missile don't you ride a 25" frame? Finding a bike with center mounted Suntour shifters is on my want to find list, nice score on the Luxe
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I guess I saved it, on CL for $60 badge had 0834 which to my lousy calculations is March 23rd, 1984. Cool 63.5cm frame is what originally caught my eye. Wrong stem and rear derailleur and not sure what else as I have just got it home. Araya rims which is always nice to see cheapo tires unfortunately. Suicide shifters relocated to stem, nicely done. Modern seat and post and a cool gadget on the down tube to lock the tire straight for hanging the bike from a hook I imagine. As I look at it I continue to see things I did not see when haggling for price but it's mine now. I suppose it's Japanese I've done zero research as of yet just liked it's looks and made an impulse buy. Anybody who knows anything about this bike feel free to chime in. It has a long cage Deore derailleur on it now any idea what original equipment was? Paint is good decals are so-so not not bad for a 34 year old. I only have the one picture from cell phone. Opinions?
Stem makes it look like a steer!
Stem makes it look like a steer!
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@Murray Missile don't you ride a 25" frame? Finding a bike with center mounted Suntour shifters is on my want to find list, nice score on the Luxe
Kind of an odd coincidence that the rack I bought off Ebay is the same rack this bike is missing. The rack was from a local seller too, who knows, maybe it originally came off this bike?
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".....distasteful and easily triggered."
".....distasteful and easily triggered."
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I love this stem cap! I found one a few years ago at the bike church in Santa Cruz and use it to keep the fork from falling off my touring bike. I'd always wondered where it came from... but not hard enough to bother looking it up
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Yes I do but as soon as I saw the center mounted shifters and triple crankset I knew I was bringing it home regardless of it's diminutive size. I had it narrowed down to a '84 LeTour or LeTour Luxe by the color, graphics and shifters but I wasn't 100% sure what it was until I actually laid my hands on it. For $20 and a couple gallons of gas how could I pass it up?
Kind of an odd coincidence that the rack I bought off Ebay is the same rack this bike is missing. The rack was from a local seller too, who knows, maybe it originally came off this bike?
Kind of an odd coincidence that the rack I bought off Ebay is the same rack this bike is missing. The rack was from a local seller too, who knows, maybe it originally came off this bike?
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Yellow perforated Turbo saddle, one small bruise, in the original box for $10. Another Turbo Special with a damaged corner for $5.
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Good grab. I'm a huge fan of 80s Schwinns of any flavor. This era might be my favorite of the decade.
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Saved from the dump? Well, not quite but bought at a yard sale really cheap. Unfortunately, this one should not have been saved. Though almost brand new, it belongs in the dump..!
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"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
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Found this plastic Craftsman toolbox full of bicycle tools at the flea market today. A bunch of Park wrenches, a Sugino bottom bracket set, German tire levers, England chain tool, Suntour and Park FR1 freewheel tools, spoke wrench, etc. I thought it was a nice haul for $20. I didn't even bother haggling on the price, and the purchase also gave me a lead on a "chest of drawers full of used and NOS parts" and a couple vintage bicycles. Now I just need to find the time to get to the seller's house to check it all out.
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Tortoise Wins by a Hare!
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