kpo500

Hi All,

I'm new to your forum and I've searched around looking for this answer. I have had this old Windsor 10 speed for 10 years or so and I started using it as a commuter for my 8 mile ride into work. Can someone help me with determining what year or model it is? Should I upgrade or is this bike decent enough for the daily ride? I don't have a lot of experience on road bikes but it seems to be fine. I'd also like to get some fenders for it if anyone has recommendations.
Oops. I tried to post pictures but it won't let me until I've had 10 posts. Their is a stamp below the seat post that says 9710. I was told the bike was from the 70's.

Thanks!
Keith

juvela

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Hello Keith and welcome to the forum.

No shortage of Windsor owners here; you shall get plenty of response once readers are able to view your photos.

On your member page here at the forum there is a spot on the right side of the page marked "albums" -
you can create an album there by uploading your images without any minimum post requirement.

Readers can visit the album and place the images into this discussion thread.


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Camilo

Cruise around the various forums here and just participate a bit. You'll get the 10 posts easily and might enjoy it in the mean time. Also, search this and other forums for Windsor. Be aware when you do this that in the past decade, give or take, the brand has been revived, but not the same bike.

While you're waiting to get up to speed here to be able to post pictures, check out this page -

Classic Mexico Cycles (classicrendezvous.com)

and do some more searches on your own, you'll get several interesting hits. Carabela was a very closely associated brand as well (maybe same bike with different decals?)

SurferRosa

Don't "upgrade." Overhaul instead.

machinist42

1979 Acer-Mex Windsor (Profesional?).

(Though it features the fastback seat stay array, and chrome socks. the crooked Champion Tubing sticker is novel. Curious as the branding of the dropouts.)







If you could, would you please post photos of the Drive Side and salient Frame Details, and the underside of the Bottom Bracket Shell?

In your Album?

unworthy1

this era Windsor (Tange tubing) might have used SunTour dropouts and fork ends

Kabuki12

I’m not sure which model this is. I haven’t had much experience with the “newer” Windsors. The earlier Pro’s were different than this bike .

kpo500

Thanks for the info! I'll give it a shot!

kpo500

I'm working on it. I was in an accident with it a few years ago and had the local bike shop put it back together with new rims, etc. It runs great right now but does jump out of low gear sometimes on inclines.

kpo500

I just posted some more pictures to my album.

kpo500

Ok, I can post pictures now. Any input would be helpful. I'm looking at keeping this for my commuter or buying a new bike. I think I'd like something with larger wheels and wider tires. My commute has some rough spots. Also, looking for input on the age.

juvela

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certainly appears an AM6

it may exhibit the odd A-M combination of 68mm Italian thread shell paired with BSC headset and .833 steerer/stem

a manufacturer like no other


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3alarmer 

.
...I think it's something they sold as the "Touring Elite", but the one I had was made from Columbus tubing. No idea on the year made and sold, but it should make a good commuter, and from the photos, it looks like there's clearance for bigger tires.

machinist42

As previously noted in Post 5, serial number suggests this example is from 1979.
Concur that it is probably the "Touring Elite" variant of the "Profesional." (sic) Brazed on eyelets are the tell.

Don't think you can buy "larger wheels" then the 630s, which the Bontrager Sport B (27x1?) tires seem to suggest it currently sports?
If the geometry is as generous as the 1973 Acer-Mex Carabela Profesional currently on queue, your Windsor should easily accommodate 700x35 Rene Herse Bon Jon Pass rubber, which can handle almost anything in the path of your commute. Caveat, they may need to be deflated when installed.

Nice Bike.

3alarmer 

...before you buy and install fenders, you need to decide how big a tire you want to put on there. The simplest and cheapest fender sets that work well for me ( I have all sorts of fenders on bicycles), are probably the ones made and sold as full road fenders by SKS. They are usually easy to find on Amazon and ebay, but the wider the tyre you use, the sider the fender needs to be. And there is a lot of clearance on your bike, but it's not unlimited. With 27" wheels on there (and I personally like 27" wheels), you probably need to do some measuring, with the tires mounted first.

Or you can work backward, mount the fenders, and then measure to decide the biggest tire you can run with them. SKS-Germany Blue Mels Reflective Bicycle Fender Set

If you have zero experience with mounting fenders on a road bike, you might want to go someplace for some experienced help.

Fahrenheit531 

Assuming the first-gen Cyclone derailleurs are original, that would put it late 70s, yes? I'm going to latch onto that 9 at the front of the serial number and second the opinion of a 1979 date of manufacture.

Mildly educated guesswork, that. At best.

kpo500

Thank you for the information! I've been riding it around for many years but this is the first time I've bike commuted to work. It's definitely holding up but some bigger tires would be nice so I appreciate the input.

kpo500

Thanks for all the information on the fenders. Unfortunately I already bought some but I haven't installed them yet. Here's what I bought. https://www.rivbike.com/products/sks...2&_ss=e&_v=1.0
I have zero experience with fenders but I'm a building contractor so I'm pretty handy. We'll see how it goes! It may very well end up at the bike shop, lol.

kpo500

I don't know what any of that means but it sounds cool! Thanks!

3alarmer 

...your link is to the SKS version of a fender for 26" fat tire wheels. You might be able to make them work on your bike, with the 27" wheels, but they will never work as well as fenders that are specifically molded and designed for 700c/27" wheels, which are curved in a more generous radius. If youi can return them to Rivendell, I would do so...unless maybe you are planning on riding different wheels as your commuter wheels. You can reshape them a little, using a heat gun, but it's an iffy process. You're better off starting with something closer to the radial curvature you need.

kpo500

Dang it. Not sure how I pulled that off but thanks for pointing it out. They're still in the box so I'll be returning them!

3alarmer 

...you're in the right general area. SKS work pretty well and are virtually indestructible, IME. The stay designs make it easy to adjust the overall fender line.