Early 70s racy bikes=early 80s Sport tourers
03-25-23, 12:18 PM
#1
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Bikes: 1964 Huffy Sportsman, 1972 Fuji Newest, 1973 Schwinn Super Sport (3), 1982 Trek 412, 1983 Trek 700, 1989 Miyata 1000LT, 1991 Bianchi Boardwalk, plus others
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Early 70s racy bikes=early 80s Sport tourers
I am a bit slow, but this has finally dawned on me. It is often seen in posts how racier bikes from the earlier 70s era make such fine sport tourers. Raleighs, Peugeots, Fuji, and others come to mind. Generous tire clearance, nice frame angles, and all day riding characteristics abound. It seems this formula was used in the early 80s Sport tourers, and is seen in custom frame builders offerings of that era that people post. This doesn’t much affect the racy guys here, as the mid to later 80s sporty and racy stuff opens many doors for them. This does simplify one’s outlook when looking at ads, as judging wheelbase and tire clearance and such rules some bikes out pretty easily. It is very nice that some of these formerly quite nicely built frames with higher quality steel can still give fine service in a slightly different application. I enjoy watching those builds pop up here.
03-25-23, 07:44 PM
#2
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I am a bit slow, but this has finally dawned on me. It is often seen in posts how racier bikes from the earlier 70s era make such fine sport tourers. Raleighs, Peugeots, Fuji, and others come to mind. Generous tire clearance, nice frame angles, and all day riding characteristics abound. It seems this formula was used in the early 80s Sport tourers, and is seen in custom frame builders offerings of that era that people post. This doesn’t much affect the racy guys here, as the mid to later 80s sporty and racy stuff opens many doors for them. This does simplify one’s outlook when looking at ads, as judging wheelbase and tire clearance and such rules some bikes out pretty easily. It is very nice that some of these formerly quite nicely built frames with higher quality steel can still give fine service in a slightly different application. I enjoy watching those builds pop up here.
It works so fantastic IMO that it makes all this so much better for me to be able to ride these on my terms.
03-26-23, 06:32 AM
#3
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The Fuji America is a top choice from this era. The model was nicely upgraded from 1975 through the early '80s. The evolution of the Fuji America, involving numerous upgrades and refinements, is quite educational of the changes taking place in the industry then.
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03-26-23, 09:17 AM
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Yep, win, win for us, so amazing when you can take a C+V from the 70's, add 8, 9, 10 speed and brifters if you want and fly down the road like came that way, my interest would not have ratcheted all this up near this much had this not been so.
It works so fantastic IMO that it makes all this so much better for me to be able to ride these on my terms.
It works so fantastic IMO that it makes all this so much better for me to be able to ride these on my terms.
03-26-23, 11:26 AM
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I get that and to be honest I don't actually have any that didn't come to me that way so....
Also never raced or embraced DT shifters, always had bar cons or stem ones growing up, and being tall always made them a challenge to reach as the bikes were small with the seats jacked up to fit me even more than they are now.
And of course the new Strawberry frame was built for it but I haven't desecrated any, yet.
Also never raced or embraced DT shifters, always had bar cons or stem ones growing up, and being tall always made them a challenge to reach as the bikes were small with the seats jacked up to fit me even more than they are now.
And of course the new Strawberry frame was built for it but I haven't desecrated any, yet.
Last edited by merziac; 03-26-23 at 11:35 AM.
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03-26-23, 12:41 PM
#6
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Early 1960s racing and sport touring bikes, like my 3 Capos and my Carlton, also make superb and versatile touring bikes and general-purpose all-rounders.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
03-26-23, 02:08 PM
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Yep. I like early 70s road bikes because they can nearly always take a 32c tire.
