dedhed

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...4-51a2ccec0962

​​​​​​https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...4-51a2ccec0962

​​​​​​https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...4-51a2ccec0962

sd5782 

Lots of deals at that.bike show, especially on more common mass market bikes. I went the last couple years and had a nice time. The one you have pictured actually looks very nice if one is an accomplished bike mechanic and has spare parts which it sounds like you are not. The only problem is the steel wheels. I bet you could get a ready to ride bike that suits your needs that has been completely gone through with aluminum wheels and maybe even shifters for less than $200. I’m sure several of us will be there too if you want advice at that time. We love doing this and spending other people’s money.

The Golden Boy 

I think $40 is a fine deal for that bike.

dedhed

Specs and pictures show Weinman AL rims

sd5782 

Even better yet. I wasn’t sure from pics.

merziac

None of that rust is life threatening and it has integrated RD hanger/DO, maybe forged, big step up from stamped hanger/claw DO.

They are essentially the same bike/frame, again, 10's of 1000's of these and the like on the ground .

If this is close and cheap at $40 i would encourage you to get it and get to it as well, these are typical, solid, good value.

You could have this up and running in good shape well before you find another in your size and ok shape this cheap.

At this price point most will need all consumables which is wise anyway so its all part of the fun.

This all assumes you have the skill and tools to do the work, if not you will be at the mercy of the vultures and miscreants.

thinktubes 

I had a Traveller from that era - lots of bike for the money

merziac

This, its rarely about strength and that just requires a longer lever and or proper fulcrum positioning.

The co-op is a great idea, they are usually stocked with some of the best helpers that have more experience than many shops.

The hurdles are usually just idiosyncracies specific to bikes, mainly one side threads turning the opposite of the other and bearing adjustments that are a bit fiddly/fussy even once you get the hang of it.

I strongly encourage you to dig into this, it can be immensely satisfying once you start to really get the hang of it.

merziac

Also bear in mind that many of these are basically the same, Traveler, LeTour and others just got the name changed to accommodate its place in line along the way.

The 4130 Traveler on efbay is in the higher end of these and is the one I would go after and maybe more likely to fill the void of the LeTour better.

dddd

That bike looks practically un-used, the kind of bike that responds readily to a simple "oil-can tune-up" of the sort that I perform almost weekly on one bike or the next.
Don't forget to oil up the shift lever pivots!
The hubs, freewheel, bottom bracket, pedals and headset are just in need of oil to re-hydrate the old grease.
I apply a drop of oil at each spoke/nipple junction to facilitate any future tensioning/truing of the spokes.
I always check that the BB cups are secure/tight, and that the axles spin freely, also that the axle locknuts on the drive side of the rear axle are tight against the cone to preserve adjustment whenever the axle nuts get re-tightened (requires freewheel removal, so you'll need the particular tool for this bike's likely Suntour 2-notch freewheel).
If the brakes calipers are by Dia Compe, likely the pads are still usable. If by Weinmann, not so much!

I get whole seasons of riding on such tune-ups. I prefer using silicone-PTFE types of lubes on the cables though, for less friction resistance over the longer haul (assuming plastic-lined cable housings).

$40 is almost free considering the riding that you will be getting in if you don't have a bike to ride at present.

I like the radiant blue on this one!

ciclista_pazza

Thanks for the links! These all look great but I'm looking for one with swept back handlebars. Other than that, I would have gone for any of these.

ciclista_pazza

Thanks! I asked the ebay seller a question Friday evening and never heard back so not sure if that bike would work out anyway. It's too bad since a lot of these comments are making it sound like a good deal.

ciclista_pazza

Oh wow, I didn't catch that. Even better!

ciclista_pazza

Thanks! I'm sure you're right. The biggest hurdle I have with bikes is my lack of confidence in fixing small things and I want to get over that.

ciclista_pazza

Thanks! It's cool that several others here may also be attending the bike swap.

merziac

Good plan and as you know can be challenging but almost none of it is life threatening with patience and diligence.

Be realistic and take your time to get the hang of it.

Good tools can be key as they often simply work better, you can be doing it right but a cheap, crappy tool can keep you from being successful.

Good tools can be much more expensive and sometimes only a little bit better, but that little bit can be critical, make a big difference in the outcome that builds confidence and make them well worth the extra $$$$$$.

ciclista_pazza

Thanks! This is really helpful advice!

campfire

My thought exactly. I miss mine and wish I had kept it.

merziac

You're welcome, I am a lifelong mech/tech/hack, bikes, drag racing mc's and auto's professionally.

I have a lot of tools and even so it often still takes a lot to get the job done but tools can be key.

Patience is also key and the ability to step back and maybe think outside the box keeping in mind the constraints at the time.

One of the biggest things IMO is not to resort to brute force unless all other options have been exhausted, it usually damages something, you, the tool, the offending part or all of the above which usually escalates the cost, time and frustration.

ciclista_pazza

Thanks! Every time I go to the bike shop for a basic repair, I try to ask them what tool they used for the fix and then I try to make sure i have that tool on hand but still have trouble with getting the force to be enough to get a bolt or screw to move. I think the Coop idea is great since they can take time to show me how to use the tools properly. I feel a lot of embarrassment for taking bikes in for basic things like saddle removal, but a lot of older bikes have bolts that are really on there and don't seem to budge. I'm sure I can get it figured out with time and your advice gives me hope.

ciclista_pazza

I have an interesting update. Before I moved to Michigan, I'd sold my beloved Le Tour mixte to a bike shop in Arizona. It occurred to me that they might not have sold the bike yet, so I called them today to check and they still have it! They are going to ship it to me for a fee of ~$150 (and of course the cost of the bike, which is now $200). I know it's crazy to pay all that, but I'm sure I'd end up paying even more with getting another bike and getting it setup to be right for me. I sold it to the bike shop for $125, so not too bad all things considered.

At least the Le Tour is all set (it has a new aluminum wheelset, new tires, thumb shifters, brakes, etc that I had put on it before I moved). I'm thrilled about getting it back!

I'll still probably visit the classic bike swap in May and end up getting yet another bike.

52telecaster

Congratulations! If you ride it enough, no bike is too expensive.

merziac

Great news and I still strongly encourage you to dig in on working on them yourself, maybe go to the co-op and go through your bike even if it doesn't need it.

Then you will be invested in your own bike and know it inside out and may not be to hard if most of it has been done.

The co-op may have classes and volunteering you could lean into to get the skill you need, hopefully they have one on one help that can get you going on your own with a very guiding hand.

I know its hard but you should not be embarrassed, it is the biggest impediment to success and needs to be turned into positive mindset that gets you there.

ciclista_pazza

Thanks! And I agree!

ciclista_pazza

Thanks! I'm going to see if they have a build a bike class at my local coop. They had that class at at bike coop in Arizona but I never got around to attending it. I agree it's worth it. I want to stop shelling out so much money to the LBS for basic fixes and it would be a huge boost to my confidence!