ricohman

Who's got one?
Here is my newly restored 84'-85' Nishiki Continental.
I rebuilt nearly every part as period correct as I could find. I laced these wheels myself and some of you might notice the hubs and rims are 88'ish and a bit new for this resto.
I even found an NOS middle chainring as my original was worn beyond use.
My 15 year old boy wants this bike and the seat height is from last spring in these pics. Since he's now around the 6 foot mark he will need to get that seat up 2 or 3 more inches.




My 85' Velo Sport Everest with factory luggage.
I never restored this bike only took it apart and regreased everything.
This is my favorite vintage touring ride.




And my 88'-89' NOS Trek 520.
This bike is new and since I'm not riding it (yet) I haven't done a thing to it.
I don't really know what will become of this time-machine Trek yet. It seems a shame not to use it but it may well be the best original 520 of its era and should be saved?

maidenvoyage

I just posted this a few days ago but what the heck. The frame is from 82 or 83, most of the parts are new however.

ricohman

Nice.
What is the gearing on the crankset?

maidenvoyage

48/36/26!

BengeBoy 

Thanks for sharing these vintage tourers.

Can you say more about where you found the Trek - was it in a shop or did someone buy it and never ride it?

Normally I hate the idea of old bikes just sitting around without being ridden, but it's hard to imagine that there is another 520 in the same condition as yours...


Also, here's a thread from the C&V forum from 2007 with some vintage tourers.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=319254

smovlov

That can only be decided by a coin toss. Any scratches on it? Where did you find it?

I really like that Nishiki. Whats the rear rack on that?

ricohman

The Nishiki has an ordinary Blackburn rack. These were the standard back in the day. the luggage is Cannondale. Also the standard back in the day.
I bought the Trek 520 off a lady last winter. Her dad bought it and hung it up until he could tour with it. Apparently he never did get around to riding it and I assume he passed away as she spoke of him in the passed tense.
I guess it isn't really NOS as it was previously owned and no, it doesn't have a single scratch. It doesn't have any braking marks on the rims yet!
I paid $75 for the 520. The Velo Sport was $50 and included all the factory luggage, lights ect.
I bought the Nishiki new in 84'-85'. I can't remember exactly what I paid for the Nishiki but I believe it was around the $800 mark.

chrispe

75 for that trek!!! It may be because I feel like steel treks are some of the nicer bikes from their era but that seems like a steal even if it wasn't a trek. I would pay more than that for one that was pretty beat up. Its a very beautiful bike and I would be in the same position as you with the ride vs. not ride thing. I would say make it a good weather bike and enjoy it but please don't scratch it . Sorry I'm a bit of an old trek fan I could care less about he new ones though.

BengeBoy 

A stunning find. The old Univega I'm riding now had an old belt-driven odometer on it when I bought it with about 900 miles showing on it - based on the condition of the bike (it still had original tires) I think those were all the miles the bike ever did. Still, it had enough wear on it that I didn't hesitate turning it into my daily rider.

But your Trek is another matter -- I think if I owned it I couldn't stand to ride it, but then I couldn't stand to own a bike I wouldn't ride. To keep the universe from imploding, I'd likely sell it to a collector and spend the money on a bike I would ride!

CardiacKid

Great deal on the Trek. I have an '88 that I paid quite a bit more for. Mine has the same paint scheme but has Reynolds 531 main tubes while yours has True Temper. I believe that was the major distinction between an '88 and an '89.

Raiden

Obviously you guys enjoy older hardware, but do you have any further opinions are serious long-distance touring, using limited gearing and increasingly-rare components?

My first loaded tour was on a Schwinn Super le Tour; it was a fun experience, but my wacky gearing and more-flexible-than-I-expected wheels caused some issues and cost a bit of time. These days, I would be terrified of riding away from urban areas on that bike. I bought a new, proper, tourer within a week of getting home.

Below is, strangely, the only good picture I have left of the bike.

ricohman

I would go anywhere any any of my three vintage touring bikes.
In fact, the gearing on the Nishiki and Velo (and the Trek I guess) is superior to most new touring rigs.
And that would include my 08' Rocky Mountain Sherpa 30.
The Nishiki's half-step with 28 chainring is very flexible. The 26 ring on the Velo cab really climb with a load.
I wouldn't really consider the Schwinn Super Le Tour a full on touring bike though.

Raiden

Yeah, the Schwinn wasn't the best touring bike- my original intent was something cheap I could do a little of everything on, and it DID fill that role. After buying my new(er) ride, though, I can't see myself ever stepping back away from a 27+ -speed setup (though I do like the ratios youve got on your old bikes... as old bikes go).

wrk101

My most recent cleanup was on a 1983 Trek 620. Underneath the dirt, the bike was near NOS condition. It cleaned up really nice. This is my fourth vintage touring bike.

Pictures are gone and so is the bike (sold it).

Sixty Fiver

Both of these are original and un-restored aside from having their bearings serviced, bars re-wrapped, and brake pads replaced.

1957 Peugeot PLX8...



1955 Raleigh Lenton... a great all rounder and a bike that loves to be ridden all day. It is 100% oil lubricated in it's bb and hubs and is smooth as silk.



The Lenton is also a factory built fixed gear.



I would have no worries about riding either long distances save for the fact the Peugeot's running gear is rather rare and irreplaceable. For that reason she gets ridden less than the Lenton which is a favourite for doing century rides.

I also built up a 1987 Kuwahara Cascade as a more modern fixed gear tourer... I could not be more pleased with this bike.



And because I am not completely nuts...

I also have a '99 Trek 7500 that I converted from a hybrid into a geared touring bike with some very low gearing to handle the longer steeper climbs one might find if they were to be crossing the rockies as I plan on doing later next year.

mrhedges

nice pictures. bikes really haven't gotten "better" since the 80s. atleast as far as touring goes, wide gear ratio and the ability to run wide tires were common on most older road bicycles.

That said I prefer to tour on a new trek 520 or LHT then a schwinn LE tour circa 1980.

trek logos from the early 80s are pretty awesome, what font is that? why don't they use it anymore?

what is that gear ratio? on the 1983 trek 620 ? is it something like 42 26 up front?

wrk101

Trek 620: 50/45/28 chain rings; 13-28 six speed rear.

+1 I love the seat tube wrap decal.

tenordl

Here are links to my touring bikes.

https://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/...+Side.jpg.html

https://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/...+Side.jpg.html


https://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/...+Side.jpg.html

txvintage

My unrestored Dawes Super Galaxy. When I got it all I did was lube everything, add new cables just because, and change the bizzaro bar wrap. I also transplanted my trusty Brooks.

It's currently stripped down but the Blackburn racks and Cannondale bags are right behind me up against the wall. I would love to find some original optional fenders.

tarwheel 

Some really nice vintage touring bikes. Thanks for posting pics. I am surprised nobody has posted photos of any Miyatas.

I am in the process of building up a new Bob Jackson touring frame. Although new, it will have all the classic features -- steel lugged frame, threaded Nitto stem, DT or bar-end shifters, silver components. However, I'm having trouble finding many options for silver racks anymore other than Nitto.

txvintage

I would love to have a Miyata 1000. Too bad they are so expensive, if you can find an owner willing to part with one.

drewcifer

why would you need too? the nitto big back rack that riv sells is amazing.

sesmith

OK, here's my '81 Miyata 610.

Gotte

Here's one


and here's the other (best image I have of it)


Neither are genuinely 100% original. They're a mish-mash of old and new, but that's how it goes in my garage. Function, style, but also reliability.

Gotte

My word, that Chemineau is a beauty. Did you build it up, or did it come as is?