Chrome Molly

83 Lotus Legend
Columbus SL
Mix of Campy/Cinelli/etc

Posting for Lotus posterity...

sh00k

I dig the upright feel of being on a bike so I took the drop bars off and added some swung back bars. ths bike FLIES and i can see everything im flying by without murdering my neck i love the look of drop bars but i honestly dont enjoy the ride as much when my neck is contorted.... so i did this.

i think i spent $60ish on the new handle bar, brake cables, brake levers. the ride now is amazing - this bike screams and rolls effortlessly down hills. crazy that this thing is almost as old as i am and still performs so well

Also, yes, i will make the brake cables shorter i also straightened out the seat when i was done with the ride.

Deal4Fuji

I picked up 2 Lotus Excelle's this w/e. My tall oldest daughter feels self-conscious on her compact frame Trek Pilot and wanted a C&V bike, and loves the color combo of the burgundy/black head tube '84. While looking over Craigslist and on the road for bikes, I saw a tall frame '87 that was in great shape at just $100, so we're now into the Lotus club. My 27" Excelle Sport Series looks a lot like shOOk's set up above, but I want regular drop bars and that seat and rack have to go, so these are the "before" pics.

aeshultz

Just came home w/ me - I believe this is an '84 Unique. Very good shape, and mostly original. Even has the reflectors on the wheels! Not the lightest, and will need some cleaning, but a pretty nice bike - for $50!
Sorry - doesn't look like I'm able to post photos.

sh00k

Deal, your Excelle is gorgeous! I love the handle bar setup - it looks soooo comfortable. and you can't beat black + red And your frame is huge - how tall are you? I felt really bad taking off the original drop bars (and tape) but the comfort level of this bike now is amazing.

I'm not gonna lie, most of my bikes have granny gears and I wish my lotus had that. Sometimes i am out with friends and they're walking so it would be nice to ride slowly without destroying my knees but still loving the setup overall.

Deal4Fuji

Thanks @Shook !! I'm excited about it and finally getting a great deal off of Craigslist...you hear so many stories of bargains on BF that never seem to happen to me. I'm 6'5" and I have two other 27" (well one's 66cm - almost the same) bikes that fit me well, but the set up on the Excelle as pictured must have been for a guy 6'9" or so. That seat and the handlebars are way up there.

I couldn't reply to your post for some reason....thought they fixed that ??

Deal4Fuji

After pic - here's my tall frame Excelle with Nitto road bars from an old Fuji, Dia Compe brake levers, saddle and minus the rack. My 1st experience with down tube shifters that all the purists seem to love...I can't say I like them better than stem shifters.

AngryFrankie

Here's my Odyssey!
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...93&oe=58C8E84D

LittleGinseng 

1984 Supreme

scale

What a great thread. I have a cheap pro series 2000R frameset that i have built up as a single speed and it is hands down one of the best frames i have ever ridden. 1000s of miles on it. I absolutely love it. I am waiting to see if the classic Lotus sites gets any more of the Lotus shrits in black.......because i want one. Id love to fine another Lotus for sure. Great bikes. I suppose i should probably post a pic to stay on topic. Ill try and dig one up in the next day or two.

sh00k

Took this guy out for a 3-4 mile spin yesterday just to get the heart pumping. admittedly, i have not been riding any of my bikes in recent months despite it being the perfect weather out (i have a newborn and work obligations)....

but i loved taking it out again and everytime i ride it, i have so much fun. i wish i could ride it more or had local friends to visit and ride this bike to but such is life...

Deal4Fuji

Glad you're out again @sh00k I'll bet we're about the same height and had similar bike setup until I went back to road bars from those hi-rise Wald bars that were on it when I got it. Because the Nitto bars I had available were pretty pitted and not in great shape I buffed them with emery cloth and painted what's covered with primer. The open logo area was pretty dull looking too, so I took to it with a red Sharpie pen and I think it came out pretty well. Surprisingly the ink stays on better than expected. I've only gone back to touch up once...thoughts ??

before & after

sh00k

very nice cleanup job. i would be so happy to ride a vintage bike that looks brand new one day, i will have to do that to my lotus... and there is minimal paint missing on it too which needs to be repainted... i wonder if someone would do this all for me for a price... hmmmm....

as for the sharpie, i have dark wood floors and have often used black sharpie to cover up surface nicks/scratches great minds think alike.

miamibeachcg

My thrift store find is in amazing original condition!

robertj298 

!984 Unique. All original except tape and brake hoods.

ollo_ollo

1982 Classique, Just enough decal left to read Lotus. After touching up a few hundred scrapes, scratches & big chips, & adding some bar tape scraps, it became a great bargain ride. Don

billnuke1 

-holiday76

Lotus Eclair. No longer with me / was too big. Full on touring machine.


Lotus Eclair Tourer

Lotus Eclair

mkeller234

mkeller234

Deal4Fuji

When I found my Lotus Excelle it had a setup very similar to sh00k's above. I have the Wald bar and brake levers I'd be willing to part with if you're interested.

mkeller234

rjhammett

Picked up the Lotus Unique at Goodwill for $25. Way too small so I passed it on.

sh00k

I appreciate the kind words on my setup and your Lotus America is gorgeous! I have 4 bikes and I think this one is my favorite for care-free cruising around my neighborhood and when i'm in the city. I get really envious when I'm on these forums and see really nicely optioned vintage bikes (with fenders, racks, etc - basically your Lotus America ) and i am considering doing the same to my lotus. With 2 small kids and a demanding career, i wish i had more time to ride around on the Lotus

How long have you owned your America and how much did you pay for it? I live in a major city so these vintage bikes come at a premium. I paid $200 for my Classique and another $60-ish for handle bars, brake levers and cables but this is the most comfortable ride in my fleet so I am happy with it

an aside: how did you mount the bottle cage to your handle bars? I've been in the market for a coffee cup holder and your setup is perfect. I even have a black bottle cage that came with my lotus i can use 8-)

Classiq 

I recently picked up this old Lotus frame from eBay and am trying to identify what model it could possibly be. I am leaning toward the theory that it's a 1984 Legend that has been heavily modified with custom braze-on frame elements like the re-routed brake and derailleur cable holders, bike pump peg and extra water bottle mounts. The first letters of the serial number are very indistinct but appear to read "something-H19219" which if the first letter is actually D that would put it right in the middle of a run of 1984 Lotus Legend frames and there isn't any place else in the series of known Lotus production frames serial numbers where a _H19219 would fit the pattern.