Riding a 20 yr old clunker to work
#101
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
Raleigh made a lot of adult sized bikes with 20 inch wheels... my daughter has an adult's Saffron that she just loves and this bike also came in a folding version called the Compact.
Hers is a 1980 model.
#102
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Bikes: IRO Rob Roy SS, ~1979 Pogliaghi, 1991 Bob Jackson, 2014 Seven Axiom 007 Tandem
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Like that internal hub. Here's another 28-year-old Schwinn, this one a Continental that both my brothers owned before me (and they weren't the original owners either). Converted to single speed with an IRO build kit. 46-18. Brooks saddle, Arkel trunk, Schwalbe Marathons, MKS pedals from Rivendell. I've commuted a few days a week on it for about a year. Not too bad for a 12-mile round-trip commute.
#103
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my 1989 performance vitessa has tange d/b chrom-moly frame w/shimano comps that work great too!
it has shorter wheelbase, appropriate for quick-tour/commuting in flat s nj.
like a good wine, they can get better with age!
t
it has shorter wheelbase, appropriate for quick-tour/commuting in flat s nj.
like a good wine, they can get better with age!
t
#104
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My Schwinn 564 is a 1992. I love it, it looks good to me, and feels somewhat new, but the gears click, 14th gear is useless, it takes forever for it to shift using the 2nd lever (whatever it's called)... The wheel has never been straight, the OEM rear wheel has broken multiple spokes in weeks, even after I got it home, I broke a spoke picking the wheel up.
When it starts snowing heavily, I think I might rebuild the gears and such. I would like to keep it more or less OEM, but it would be nice to install new style gears, brand new wheels/tires. So far I think the Shimano clip pedals and the Bontru... seat, and the rear wheel are the only things not factory.
When it starts snowing heavily, I think I might rebuild the gears and such. I would like to keep it more or less OEM, but it would be nice to install new style gears, brand new wheels/tires. So far I think the Shimano clip pedals and the Bontru... seat, and the rear wheel are the only things not factory.
#105
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that older bike...
may be cool, and the price is right: but be careful that the brakes are all they can be. it is possible to retrofit brakes and have brakes that actually stop you.what a concept.!
also,i had a accident where my front wheel quickrelease on my late 70s Fuji came open and i lost my wheel at 20MPH..with bad consequences. Newer bikes have 'lawyer locks' that prevent such accidents. I personally will not ride a bike that does not have them. Your call. Just be mindful of them.
also,i had a accident where my front wheel quickrelease on my late 70s Fuji came open and i lost my wheel at 20MPH..with bad consequences. Newer bikes have 'lawyer locks' that prevent such accidents. I personally will not ride a bike that does not have them. Your call. Just be mindful of them.
#106
Just a commuter
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This is my 1984 Crescent. A Swedish classic.
I only use it as my winter bike, studs and all.
DSC00193.JPG
I only use it as my winter bike, studs and all.
DSC00193.JPG
#107
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old commuter
I am in love with older bikes, especially raleighs. I found a late 60's raleigh sprite in May and I love it. It is the bike I always wish I had. It is in super nice shape so I don't want to upgrade it or anything, but it is only a 5 speed. It is my sunny day nice weather I don't have to go up any big hills ride. Lately my regular bikes have been ill so I had to take the raleigh where it had never gone before to work and places with mountain grade hills. It did really well, I had to walk some of the big hills, but otherwise it's so fun. I always have a smile on my face while my other bikes are fraught with problems, don't fit properly etc.. When I was in high school I rode my mom's no name raleigh style bike and thought nothing of it. Then mountain bikes became the it and only bike around so I got a mountain bike which I used for commuting for YEARS! Not too smart. I had to replace my beloved steel mountain bike and got an aluminum one and then an aluminum hybrid which is my main commuter. Meh! So my next dream project is to find a nice old steel bike like a raleigh and set it up with an 8 speed(or whatever works) internal geared hub.
Keep those old jewels going!
Keep those old jewels going!
#108
)) <> ((
1982 Miyata 1000. My old clunker I ride everywhere:
latest build:
latest build:
Last edited by illwafer; 01-13-09 at 07:00 PM. Reason: new build
#109
Humvee of bikes =Worksman
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The beauty of an older refinished bike is............they look like new!!
__________________
My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
#110
Two Wheeled Maniac
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Late to the thread, but I took some shots of bikes in Firenze earlier in the year. I was very much wishing I had a bike (or the city had a BikeShare/rental program) while I was there.
These are taken near the Grand Synagogue / Ospedale Florentino. I saw a number of enormous bike parking areas, but this might have been the biggest.
I liked this one -- even the tires got the spray-paint treatment.
These are taken near the Grand Synagogue / Ospedale Florentino. I saw a number of enormous bike parking areas, but this might have been the biggest.
I liked this one -- even the tires got the spray-paint treatment.
#111
The Drive Side is Within
'81 (?) Panasonic DX-2000. This has been seeing use on the 14.5 mile R/T once-or-twice weekly night runs to church choir and deacon meetings. It's stowed now awaiting an overhaul and a much needed cleaning, but will soon be pressed into service for a bike/train commute.
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The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. Christopher Morley
The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. Christopher Morley
#112
230lb Hill Climber
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'81 (?) Panasonic DX-2000. This has been seeing use on the 14.5 mile R/T once-or-twice weekly night runs to church choir and deacon meetings. It's stowed now awaiting an overhaul and a much needed cleaning, but will soon be pressed into service for a bike/train commute.
#113
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My daily commuter that I just converted to single speed
I've never heard of premier and can't find any info, I figure it was a short live dept store brand. Had suntour components and steel everything, very heavy. little bit lighter now with aluminum wheels.
I've never heard of premier and can't find any info, I figure it was a short live dept store brand. Had suntour components and steel everything, very heavy. little bit lighter now with aluminum wheels.
#114
1973 Sekine
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1973 Sekine (Seh-kee-neh). Japanese steel. Rear wheel and drive train reengineered to 21 speed.
Manufactured in Japan, assembled in Saskatchewan by Canadian First Peoples :-)
I know, it has the world's longest handlebar stem and seat post. It was a women's bike I rescued from a friend's garage and refurbished in 2001 when I was unemployed.
It's my trusty commuter and randonneur bike. It's truly special. The more I ride it, the more I like it. 27" wheels are a PITA, but as long as tires and inner tubes are readily available, hey, I don't mind.
Manufactured in Japan, assembled in Saskatchewan by Canadian First Peoples :-)
I know, it has the world's longest handlebar stem and seat post. It was a women's bike I rescued from a friend's garage and refurbished in 2001 when I was unemployed.
It's my trusty commuter and randonneur bike. It's truly special. The more I ride it, the more I like it. 27" wheels are a PITA, but as long as tires and inner tubes are readily available, hey, I don't mind.
#115
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Just like I feel about 80's and 90's sporty cars. My over 15 year old 92' 16 valve GTI is a much more fun vehicle with some character than all the new cars that are over weight and overly packaged/complicated with power everything and more crap to go wrong. I would rather spend $500 a yr on repairs than over $3000 a yr in car payments on a car that looks and drives like every other new car on the road.
#116
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Bikes: Fixie conversion, a few 10 speeds, a trailer, I GT Transeo for utilitarian riding
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'86 Schwinn Varsity Fixed Gear, lugged steel, tiny fram, fixified=VERY LIGHT, and fast, and fun on the ice. its only a couple of pounds heavier than the empty trailer
#117
The Drive Side is Within
Currently hitting some of the downsides to owning an older bike... a spoke broke when the shop tried to true it (not their fault, I had tried myself the day before and probably caused it) but then they could not disassemble the freewheel (?) and so I bought a cheap new wheel and had them take my $15 worth of wheel truing and do the front wheel. Put the new rear and freewheel assembly on, did a major de-greasing. adjusted the screws on the rear derailleur, and now I still can't ride it-- the deraillieur is bent or something. Now I've got to schlep it back to my LBS and either put a cheap low-end component on it or invest in a good one--- when who knows what will be next to go!
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The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. Christopher Morley
The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. Christopher Morley
#118
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Yeah, my other varsity is 40 years old this month, and has a bad habit of breaking spokes...the guy who works on it for me though only works with old bikes so he knows what he's doing...
#119
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It's been so long since I posted pics, I forgot how. Here's a link to my post when I first got his bike on the road. One weekend I had nothing to do so I drove to Connecticut and Rhode Island to look at $20 bikes. Yeah, I know I spent way more than that on gas but I got a good ride. I continued the insanity by spending easily $200 on parts and lights for my 17 mile commute.
I'm looking forward to spring to see if this '70 era Swchinn LeTour is still gonna cut the mustard or if I'm gonna upgrade some hardware, or just keep it whilst I shop for another good deal with better hardware.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...243&highlight=
I'm looking forward to spring to see if this '70 era Swchinn LeTour is still gonna cut the mustard or if I'm gonna upgrade some hardware, or just keep it whilst I shop for another good deal with better hardware.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...243&highlight=
#120
Senior Member
1973 Sekine (Seh-kee-neh). Japanese steel. Rear wheel and drive train reengineered to 21 speed.
Manufactured in Japan, assembled in Saskatchewan by Canadian First Peoples :-)
I know, it has the world's longest handlebar stem and seat post. It was a women's bike I rescued from a friend's garage and refurbished in 2001 when I was unemployed.
It's my trusty commuter and randonneur bike. It's truly special. The more I ride it, the more I like it. 27" wheels are a PITA, but as long as tires and inner tubes are readily available, hey, I don't mind.
Manufactured in Japan, assembled in Saskatchewan by Canadian First Peoples :-)
I know, it has the world's longest handlebar stem and seat post. It was a women's bike I rescued from a friend's garage and refurbished in 2001 when I was unemployed.
It's my trusty commuter and randonneur bike. It's truly special. The more I ride it, the more I like it. 27" wheels are a PITA, but as long as tires and inner tubes are readily available, hey, I don't mind.
The wheels were steel, so I replaced them with aluminum ones as well as replacing the derailuer with a Shimano 105. For the life of me I can't recall what the groupo was.
I remember the bike being about 30 pounds and not being good quality.
I had simply borrowed it from my father-in-laws new wife's sister (does that make her a relation?) who was a First Nations person. She had the bike because it was given to her. I wonder if there is a connection there.
#121
Senior Member
Here's my wet weather bike I bought used 8 years ago.
It might be 20 years old, but I'm not sure.
It had a Rocky Mountain Bikes stamp on the saddle (replaced after I did an endo and bent the rail) and has a Vitus 172 sticker on the seat tube.
My LBS owner who knew Derek Bailey when he started Rocky Mt. said he used Vitus tubing at the beginning of the business back in the 80's.
I first knew of Vitus back in the 80's when they were at the fore front of aluminum frames. 172 is steel and I think it was from the late 70's / early 80's.
It might be 20 years old, but I'm not sure.
It had a Rocky Mountain Bikes stamp on the saddle (replaced after I did an endo and bent the rail) and has a Vitus 172 sticker on the seat tube.
My LBS owner who knew Derek Bailey when he started Rocky Mt. said he used Vitus tubing at the beginning of the business back in the 80's.
I first knew of Vitus back in the 80's when they were at the fore front of aluminum frames. 172 is steel and I think it was from the late 70's / early 80's.
Last edited by closetbiker; 12-24-08 at 09:14 AM.
#122
You gonna eat that?
Ready for commuting duty:
A week before Christmas, I found this 1983 Raleigh Marathon in a dumpster. I cleaned it up some, put on wheels and a seat from another bike I had, and added fenders, toe clips, a rack, a headlight and rear blinky, saddlebag with spare tube and tool kit, frame pump, and I retaped the handlebars. For commuting I'll hang panniers from the rack.
It is my backup commuter, but I'll start the New Year on the backup because my primary ride is down and awaiting parts (Shimano crank recall).
A week before Christmas, I found this 1983 Raleigh Marathon in a dumpster. I cleaned it up some, put on wheels and a seat from another bike I had, and added fenders, toe clips, a rack, a headlight and rear blinky, saddlebag with spare tube and tool kit, frame pump, and I retaped the handlebars. For commuting I'll hang panniers from the rack.
It is my backup commuter, but I'll start the New Year on the backup because my primary ride is down and awaiting parts (Shimano crank recall).
#123
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I found a 1988 Trek 400 and a Schwinn Woodlands in the trashpile this morning before work. I stopped and rescued them away to my garage without even looking at their condition.
Turns out the Trek is a 64cm and in nice condition (frame/fork-wise). I'm going to take the components off my too-small '91 PDG Series-5 and turn it into an SS/FG commuter.
The Woodlands is going to get a similar treatment. Low gear singlespeed utility cruiser.
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"I feel like my world was classier before I found cyclocross."
- Mandi M.
"I feel like my world was classier before I found cyclocross."
- Mandi M.
#124
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Not quite 20 yrs, but my 16 year old "clunker."
The GT Talera that I love dearly. Bought him for $60 about 2 months ago. Set up with Blackburn rack, and SKS fenders it's a total commuting beast. Rode him around in the snow and actually rocked!!! I love this beast.
#125
Senior Member
"Later in the 70s/early 80s, the company introduced alongside Vitus 172 - slightly lighter than 171 - an extra-light series called Super Vitus 971. "
so I guess my frame is at least 20 years old.