Show your classic sports touring bicycle
#526
CL Addict
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Evanston, IL
Posts: 1,067
Bikes: '50s Leon Cattrysse - late 50s Raleigh Lenton Sports - 1960/61 Raleigh Lenton Grand Prix - '72 Canadian Tire Company Supercycle - '74 Raleigh International - '83 Nishiki Cresta - '84 Centurion Turbo - '86 v. Herwerden (Chesini) - '87 Specialized Sirr
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 85 Post(s)
Liked 96 Times
in
59 Posts
Only the Modolo brake levers and Specialized touring pedals are vintage but I built my Rambouillet in the tradition of classic sports touring bicycles. With 73 and 72 degree head and seat tubes, 2 degree up-sloping top tube and 44.5 cm chain stays it has the geometry that encourages long rides. If I can't do the distance it will never be the bike's fault.
Likes For b dub:
#527
Full Member
#528
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,159
Mentioned: 481 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3811 Post(s)
Liked 6,715 Times
in
2,613 Posts
This thread inspired me to measure some chainstays on the fleet. Interestingly, the relatively modern bikes that get ridden the most have 43cm-length stays. My 2020 Rivendell Roadini has 44cm stays, so a bit longer. My '74 Raleigh Int'l has 43cm stays. The only thing significantly shorter is my Lemond Zurich with 41cm stays (and I really like the way it rides; great climber and very stable descender).
#529
Full Member
This thread inspired me to measure some chainstays on the fleet. Interestingly, the relatively modern bikes that get ridden the most have 43cm-length stays. My 2020 Rivendell Roadini has 44cm stays, so a bit longer. My '74 Raleigh Int'l has 43cm stays. The only thing significantly shorter is my Lemond Zurich with 41cm stays (and I really like the way it rides; great climber and very stable descender).
My favorite bike to ride is my Gios Compact Pro, which has 39.5CM chain stays. Really great bike to ride. But no way would I want that to make that a touring bike. I think the longer chainstays nowadays is due to increased tire sizes becoming more popular, and therefore, the really short chainstays are likely a thing of the past outside of TT specific bikes.
#530
Full Member
This thread inspired me to measure some chainstays on the fleet. Interestingly, the relatively modern bikes that get ridden the most have 43cm-length stays. My 2020 Rivendell Roadini has 44cm stays, so a bit longer. My '74 Raleigh Int'l has 43cm stays. The only thing significantly shorter is my Lemond Zurich with 41cm stays (and I really like the way it rides; great climber and very stable descender).
#531
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Baton Rouge La
Posts: 1,214
Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 394 Post(s)
Liked 346 Times
in
230 Posts
That looks pretty nice! Is it mostly as originally equipped? Actually, looking at it closer, it looks like all the parts belong on it, but I think maybe just the seatpost and possibly the stem came with the bike? Very nice.
Last edited by Hobbiano; 02-09-21 at 09:40 PM. Reason: second thoughts
Likes For Roger M:
#533
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Humboldt County, CA
Posts: 832
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 405 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 430 Times
in
286 Posts
1985 League Fuji
I'd put the mid-80s Fuji Club / League in at the sportier end of the sport-touring continuum.
43.2 cm chainstays. Longer than the full race bikes (41 cm) but shorter than the touring bikes (44 cm).
73 degree parallel angles, vs race bikes (75s / 74h) and touring bikes (73s / 72h)
50 mm fork rake, in between race (40) and touring (65), yields 50 mm trail.
Single rear eyelets, none on the fork.
Standard reach sidepull brakes.
110 mm double crank.
--Shannon
Likes For ShannonM:
#534
Pedal to the medal
#535
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Humboldt County, CA
Posts: 832
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 405 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 430 Times
in
286 Posts
All I did was convert it from a 42x16 singlespeed to a 42x14-26 6-speed.
Full story here.
--Shannon
#536
Full Member
Likes For IsleRide:
#537
aka: Dr. Cannondale
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 7,735
Mentioned: 234 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2155 Post(s)
Liked 3,406 Times
in
1,206 Posts
1978 Davidson custom with first gen Dura Ace:
__________________
Hard at work in the Secret Underground Laboratory...
Hard at work in the Secret Underground Laboratory...
#538
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,435
Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones
Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5888 Post(s)
Liked 3,471 Times
in
2,079 Posts
Likes For bikemig:
#539
Señor Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Colorado
Posts: 896
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 284 Post(s)
Liked 299 Times
in
150 Posts
Without scrolling back thru all of this, I did notice that there were several examples of the Centurion ProTour posted here, but that strikes me as more of a full-on touring bike than a sports tourer. For example:
I picked up a mid-70s SemiPro a couple of years ago, and I had thought that it slots better into this category (lighter tubing, single-eyelet dropouts, no posts for brakes, narrower gearing from factory).
But maybe it's not that simple, and my 21st-century perspective is biasing my categorization? I'm not in front of the bike to measure angles or chainstay length, but perhaps that's a better tell.
Honestly, mostly just looking for an excuse to repost a picture.
But maybe it's not that simple, and my 21st-century perspective is biasing my categorization? I'm not in front of the bike to measure angles or chainstay length, but perhaps that's a better tell.
Honestly, mostly just looking for an excuse to repost a picture.
Likes For CO_Hoya:
#540
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 3,421
Bikes: 1984 Miyata 310, 1986 Schwinn Sierra, 2011 Jamis Quest, 1980 Peugeot TH8 Tandem, 1992 Performance Parabola, 1987 Ross Mt. Hood, 1988 Schwinn LeTour, 1988 Trek 400T, 1981 Fuji S12-S LTD, 197? FW Evans
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 533 Post(s)
Liked 1,007 Times
in
516 Posts
I'd put the mid-80s Fuji Club / League in at the sportier end of the sport-touring continuum.
43.2 cm chainstays. Longer than the full race bikes (41 cm) but shorter than the touring bikes (44 cm).
73 degree parallel angles, vs race bikes (75s / 74h) and touring bikes (73s / 72h)
50 mm fork rake, in between race (40) and touring (65), yields 50 mm trail.
Single rear eyelets, none on the fork.
Standard reach sidepull brakes.
110 mm double crank.
--Shannon
43.2 cm chainstays. Longer than the full race bikes (41 cm) but shorter than the touring bikes (44 cm).
73 degree parallel angles, vs race bikes (75s / 74h) and touring bikes (73s / 72h)
50 mm fork rake, in between race (40) and touring (65), yields 50 mm trail.
Single rear eyelets, none on the fork.
Standard reach sidepull brakes.
110 mm double crank.
--Shannon
#541
Groupetto Dragon-Ass
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lostin Austin, TX
Posts: 617
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 415 Post(s)
Liked 787 Times
in
372 Posts
1979 Echelon Odyssey (built by Cherubim)
1989 Davidson Discovery
1983 Austro-Daimler Inter-10
1985 Raleigh Team USA
1987 Mercian Olympic
1989 Davidson Discovery
1983 Austro-Daimler Inter-10
1985 Raleigh Team USA
1987 Mercian Olympic
Last edited by Chuckk; 02-11-21 at 04:15 PM.
Likes For Chuckk:
#542
Senior Member
i enjoyed reading through this thread and will add my own bikes at some point. but I came across this 3Rensho sport tourer today on the website of a Japanese pawn shop. I had no idea that Konno ever made bikes like these! I've never seen a San Rensho bike that wasn't either a track, road, or time trial before. I have to assume that based on the logo style and components that it dates from the 1970s or early 80s.
__________________
Check out www.djcatnap.com for articles on vintage Japanese & French bicycle restorations, components and history.
Check out www.djcatnap.com for articles on vintage Japanese & French bicycle restorations, components and history.
#543
Shifting is fun!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Holland, NL
Posts: 11,007
Bikes: Yes, please.
Mentioned: 280 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2198 Post(s)
Liked 4,609 Times
in
1,765 Posts
Just curious: how does that Inter 10 compare to the others? I happen to have an Inter 10 (see post 501) and I've become rather fond of it, but I am not familiar with the others you posted.
#544
Shifting is fun!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Holland, NL
Posts: 11,007
Bikes: Yes, please.
Mentioned: 280 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2198 Post(s)
Liked 4,609 Times
in
1,765 Posts
Thank you! That kind of confirms a conclusion I was about to come to, albeit reluctantly, after trying quite a few other bikes: it doesn't get much better than the Inter 10, at least not for the kind of riding I do.
#545
Newbie
All nice pics. I find the sport tourers so much more comfortable as I’ve gotten older. Still quick, but more more relaxed. My older cannondale ST have a beautiful ride and put my old criterium frame to shame.
#546
Drip, Drip.
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 1,575
Bikes: Trek Verve E bike, Felt Doctrine 4 XC, Opus Horizon Apex 1
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1034 Post(s)
Liked 193 Times
in
163 Posts
Here's a pic of my Nishiki Olympic Tri-A. The frame is much stiffer than my otherwise similar Norco Monterey. I haven't carried anything heavy with this bike yet, but back when I would ride my Norco, I weighed 200+lb and would occasionally carry up to 35lb without an issue on the bike.
#547
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,435
Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones
Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5888 Post(s)
Liked 3,471 Times
in
2,079 Posts
For some odd reason, all of my favorite sports touring bikes are blue. I'm not going to run out of blue sports tourering bikes anytime soon since I have a blue 1968 Schwinn Paramount on the build queue.
I like them all but my favorite is likely the 1979 Trek 510:
1979 Trek 510
1970s Fuji Finest
1985 Cannondale ST 400
I like them all but my favorite is likely the 1979 Trek 510:
1979 Trek 510
1970s Fuji Finest
1985 Cannondale ST 400
Last edited by bikemig; 07-23-21 at 02:54 PM.
Likes For bikemig:
#548
Ride, Wrench, Swap, Race
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern California
Posts: 9,194
Bikes: Cheltenham-Pedersen racer, Boulder F/S Paris-Roubaix, Varsity racer, '52 Christophe, '62 Continental, '92 Merckx, '75 Limongi, '76 Presto, '72 Gitane SC, '71 Schwinn SS, etc.
Mentioned: 132 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1565 Post(s)
Liked 1,296 Times
in
866 Posts
~1990 Klein Performance
#549
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Humboldt County, CA
Posts: 832
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 405 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 430 Times
in
286 Posts
That stem is the business. One the best looking stems I've ever seen. What is it?
--Shannon
#550
Full Member
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: Barboursville, Va
Posts: 278
Bikes: N+1
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 94 Post(s)
Liked 419 Times
in
159 Posts
So this one seems to check all the boxes… long reach brakes, eyelets front and back, room for 32mm+ tires. 73 motobecane le champion