Show Us Your Techniums! (Technium? Technia?)
03-01-17, 03:41 PM
#26
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For the record, the "Olympian" tag was also previously used on a heavy-ish entry level road bike made from the Raleigh 555 tubing with the label that looked like a Reynolds label. I flipped a very clean one a few years back. I believe it was a 1985, just predating the technium era.
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● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
Last edited by Lascauxcaveman; 03-01-17 at 04:00 PM.
03-01-17, 04:12 PM
#27
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03-01-17, 04:16 PM
#28
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My Technium was entry-level as well. Called the PRE, I examined the '89 Raleigh catalog before I bought, and noticed that all four "levels" of Technium were all the exact-same frame. I knew I would be upgrading components, so went for the least-expensive model.
Last edited by 1989Pre; 09-04-18 at 05:54 AM.
03-01-17, 05:20 PM
#29
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Any special reason? Do they differ from the rest of the line in any way that you know of? When I started this thread, I was hoping to find out more about the many, many variations Technium. I bought two of them from a guy last spring and they are very different bikes.
I have a thing for top tube lettering. There, I said it
P R O L O G U E
T E C H N I U M
It has to be the lettering that goes all the way across the top tube
I also still have a thing for the Peugeot victory flag graphics
I've tried several therapists and even a hypnotist. Various medications couldn't touch this fetish. Currently in a 12 step program
So far I have been successful hiding my shameful lust from family and friends but fear time may be running out
I should probably start a thread about weird bike things so I don't feel so alone
Last edited by sdn40; 03-01-17 at 08:05 PM.
03-01-17, 08:08 PM
#30
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Found a stock pic from the net
Last edited by sdn40; 03-01-17 at 08:15 PM.
03-01-17, 08:16 PM
#31
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Yup...That's the paint scheme mine came with. I actually liked the dark pink accents. I got mine as a left-over for $319.00. I think the price was supposed to be $350.00 or-so. I think the bar tape was originally white cotton. I cut the dork disc off with wire cutters and rode with it that color for ten years before re-painting in yellow. The Accushift needed to be adjusted quite often, but now I make it easy on myself and just ride friction.
Last edited by 1989Pre; 03-01-17 at 08:22 PM.
03-01-17, 08:19 PM
#32
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He was asking $225 and I told him I like it but couldn't pay that price.
20 minutes later he said he would let it go for $150
Last edited by sdn40; 03-01-17 at 08:24 PM.
03-01-17, 08:27 PM
#33
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Wow, Chuc, I had not seen anything like that before. Are they calling that bike Technium? Amazing stuff coming from Raleigh USA's R&D at that time.
03-01-17, 08:31 PM
#34
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$150.00 is a good price. It came with Araya 32H alloy wheels. In 1988, Raleigh USA stopped using 27" wheels and went to the 700c. They weren't bad wheels, but when I went to the Sun Mistral, I realized there were better ones that were not a ton of money.
03-01-17, 08:36 PM
#35
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Appreciate the info. $150 to me doesn't sound like a bargain by any means, but maybe I'll take a look at it.
03-01-17, 08:38 PM
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I hate to say it, but if you can't afford $150.00 for a quality bike, you might consider public transportation.
03-01-17, 08:42 PM
#37
Young Vintage
Here's the '93(?) MT500 that I built probably a decade ago and still have most of sitting on the back porch.
I thought it was interesting because they had changed the technique to using just two bond points.
Front (head, top and down tubes) is 7005 aluminum, while the back including the entire seat post is Tange Prestige.
That makes only two bond points, and I guess gets it a stiff front section and more compliant rear?
A cute feature is the "Satellite" stem which has a lever that loosens the stem angle and the handlebar clamp simultaneously, which means a quick switch from sporty to city.
I thought it was interesting because they had changed the technique to using just two bond points.
Front (head, top and down tubes) is 7005 aluminum, while the back including the entire seat post is Tange Prestige.
That makes only two bond points, and I guess gets it a stiff front section and more compliant rear?
A cute feature is the "Satellite" stem which has a lever that loosens the stem angle and the handlebar clamp simultaneously, which means a quick switch from sporty to city.
03-01-17, 08:43 PM
#38
Senior Member
LOL - It's not the money. I just usually find better bargains on bikes I have access to better info on. This one is a bit of a mystery to me that's all. Not a lot of info out there on it
03-01-17, 09:13 PM
#39
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Vari-Wall, the brand-behind-the-brand. Part One
03-01-17, 10:11 PM
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From what I've been able to find, this Olympian came with some mix of Exage gear, mostly 300LX with Exage country canti brakes I'm led to believe. And this is far from scientific, but I would hope the previous owner wouldn't have paid to put Campy wheels on a junk level frame. I'll be back home Saturday and will get cleaner pics, phone's lens is cracked.
03-02-17, 07:04 AM
#41
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I knew that Klein was one of the few fore-running bicycle companies in aluminum research and production, but I didn't know they used the Alcoa. Raleigh USA and TREK probably shared notes (and tubes?), both being located in Kent, WA. The employees of both companies would meet for lunchtime rides, which seemed more competitive than casual.
03-02-17, 08:26 AM
#42
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There was a company called Vari-Wall that worked with Alcoa in the late 80's to produce butted alu frame tubing for both Schwinn & Klein. As the link below states, that green Klein in Jerry's apartment on Seinfeld was made with it.
Vari-Wall, the brand-behind-the-brand. Part One
Vari-Wall, the brand-behind-the-brand. Part One
03-08-17, 01:00 PM
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Few more/better shots of the Technium Olympian I'm going to be working on soon. Really odd bike.
03-20-17, 06:02 AM
#44
Sapient
I built this one up for my son. He lives in Midtown Atlanta and needed a "city" bike to ride a short distance to his office. It's definitely a frankenbike with a hodgepodge of assorted parts from the parts bin, but it rides nice and shifts great.
03-27-17, 01:25 AM
#45
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I've got one that matches that description, too. But the graphics make it appear to be a different model year from yours. Anyway, Reynolds 531 main tubes with aluminum lug assemblies, which is bass-ackwards from your average Technium. Seat-of-the-pants impression is this one is a bit stiffer than the bike I showed in post #1.
Don't know just why this one is sporting an Alan aluminum fork.
It's pretty buzzy with those skinny tires. Haven't ridden it more than 20 miles at a stretch, it'd interesting to see how long I can tolerate it.
I think this sticker means the main tubes are 531 and the stays are 4130 CroMo:
"Made in Seattle" (Kent, WA)
Don't know just why this one is sporting an Alan aluminum fork.
It's pretty buzzy with those skinny tires. Haven't ridden it more than 20 miles at a stretch, it'd interesting to see how long I can tolerate it. I think this sticker means the main tubes are 531 and the stays are 4130 CroMo:
"Made in Seattle" (Kent, WA)
__________________
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
Last edited by Lascauxcaveman; 07-20-17 at 03:19 PM.
07-19-17, 04:34 PM
#46
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resurrecting the thread post-image bucket fail...
well ! the big technium tour...
technically it's only for a 110km x 2 (= round trip) ride to a country house.
but I think i'm far beyond recommended use here...
in particular, the weight on the back made it akin to riding an overcooked noodle.
still, the ride was smooth.
anyway, this proves that the bonding can withstand great stress...
my french randonneuse had a BB+HS issue and I couldn't get french parts quickly enough so I resurrected my old Technium Olympian (cantilever version)
it has a big fat dent on the DT and one of the dropouts has been re-welded.
having used only regular columbus SL steel (or similar) rides in the past year, it's become quite clear now for me that this frame is filtering vibrations way more efficiently.
pics :
well ! the big technium tour...
technically it's only for a 110km x 2 (= round trip) ride to a country house.
but I think i'm far beyond recommended use here...
in particular, the weight on the back made it akin to riding an overcooked noodle.
still, the ride was smooth.
anyway, this proves that the bonding can withstand great stress...
my french randonneuse had a BB+HS issue and I couldn't get french parts quickly enough so I resurrected my old Technium Olympian (cantilever version)
it has a big fat dent on the DT and one of the dropouts has been re-welded.
having used only regular columbus SL steel (or similar) rides in the past year, it's become quite clear now for me that this frame is filtering vibrations way more efficiently.
pics :
Last edited by bloom87; 07-19-17 at 04:41 PM.
07-19-17, 10:01 PM
#48
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I refurbished a friend's Technium Competition recently. Full 600 tricolor, looked to be late 80s. Reynolds 531 bonded to aluminum lugs. The headtube is fully aluminum. Here are some pics of the frame from mid-overhaul.
07-20-17, 07:04 AM
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a tribute to our dear sheldon brown
see https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-geometry.html (somewhere mid-page)
see https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-geometry.html (somewhere mid-page)
Last edited by bloom87; 07-20-17 at 07:15 AM.