The Vintage Bicycle Thread

[jyl]

My 16 y/o daughter needs a bicycle. Nothing fancy, just an inexpensive serviceable machine to get her to the record store and back, with a bit of style.

So, $100 got us this basic French bike from the '70s:



She likes it. I'm fixing the stuff that needs fixing, which isn't much. #1 was the seat, so now it looks like:



It'll also get some hammered aluminium fenders, new brake pads, and a general lube/adjust. Even as is, it rides nicely - I rode it to work today.

Any "vintage" bikes you want to show?

[herr_oberst]

Nice Gallic machine. Is that a UA10?

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by jyl

My 16 y/o daughter needs a bicycle. Nothing fancy, just an inexpensive serviceable machine to get her to the record store and back, with a bit of style.

So, $100 got us this basic French bike from the '70s:



She likes it. I'm fixing the stuff that needs fixing, which isn't much. #1 was the seat, so now it looks like:



It'll also get some hammered aluminium fenders, new brake pads, and a general lube/adjust. Even as is, it rides nicely - I rode it to work today.

Any "vintage" bikes you want to show?

Don't get me started

[porsche930dude]

nice looks like my all-pro. its a single speed with coaster brake super simple. Iv been trying to sell it I dont ride it with all the hills around here iv got better bikes for that.

[genrex]

That "new" seat goes in the garbage immediately. Don't you care about your daughter at all? Get her something that won't damage her nerves in that area.

Sorry for being so harsh, but seriously wtf...

_

[tevake]

I'm with Genrex. the first seat looked really comfortable to me. The second not so much. Does she like it?

[LeeH]

$20 estate sale buy. If I recall, I sold it for a bit more than that.

[Superman]

I wish I still had my Schwinn Continental.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by Superman

I wish I still had my Schwinn Continental.

I wish I still had my Carlton Competition.

[jyl]

It is a UO8. I'm riding it to work while I sort out the various issues and get it fendered, illuminated, racked and maybe basketed.

I think I have the derailleurs working now. The brakes don't stop the bike in the rain, that's the next issue to deal with.

Anyway, the first seat was unrideable. A collection of lumps covered in waterlogged foam with cosmetic springs dangling off the back. I think the seller kept the original seat, would have been a leather Ideale, and stuck that thing on to sell the bike with.

The second seat is a Taiwanese copy of a Brooks Swallow that happened to be in the used bits bin at the local bike co-op when I dropped by, with aching bum, looking for a trash can to deposit the first seat in. (Can you tell this is a budget project?)

If she finds it uncomfortable, I'll get her a different one. I don't expect her to be riding the bike until the weather is less foul, and her rides will be a few miles maybe. I don't think anything short of a 2x4 is going to damage anything in a 15 minute ride.

I usually find the key part of a bike saddle is the rear part where your bones rest. If they fit you, the nose of the saddle is not very important.

[look 171]

Get her a Terry saddle. they are design for women. Most women like a slightly wider saddle with the nose pointed a tiny little bit toward the floor. For the typical men, we usually like our saddles with the nose slightly upward so you wouldn't slide forward. This way, the saddle actuallly holds you upright without having to hold yourself up with your shoulders and arms which can lead to tired upper body on a long ride. This is set up for long days in the saddle racing and training. For general riding, just find a spot that's comfortable and make slight adjustment from there. The middle of the saddle is the part that does the most for your bottom.

[HardDrive]

Nice score!

Originally Posted by LeeH

$20 estate sale buy. If I recall, I sold it for a bit more than that.

[Jim Bremner]

Time for a Bicycle pr0n Thread

[nikita76]

JYL,

Nice bike! Great way to get your daughter into some classic stuff!

My first thought was those brakes in the rain. Are those Mafac? Very nice! I would recommend getting some Matthauser(sp) cantilever posted brake pads or rain specific. There is another brake pad that I'm thinking of and can't remember right now but makes rain speific compounds in red or yellow.



Almost done with this for my wife. I need to find grey Weinman cable housing.

NRD

[xbrumossalesman]

My 1959 Schwinn Jaguar- found in a tool shed after my Mother died & restored.

Not for sale at any price- waiting for my Grandson to grow up to ride it.

[jyl]

1982 Peugeot PSVN 10. Just picked up from CL. The Simplex rear dérailleur was replaced w/ a random Shimano, the wheels and pedals are not the right ones, but otherwise original. A few rust spots to deal with (other thread).



The drilled crankset is original, Stronglight 104b.



The frame is Super Vitus 980, a pretty high-end tubing back in the day. 58 cm, which is 1-2 cm larger than ideal, but the only real issue is that the seat post looks a bit buried.



It is a 24 lb bike as-is, on the bathroom scale. That's about 2 lb heavier than spec 22 lb for a 56 cm.

Bought it as a summer "fast commuter": speedy, cheap enough to lock up in the parking garage, for days when you don't need fenders or racks.

[id10t]

Delivered to me by Santa in '76 or '77. Original everything, including the rust.

[Laneco]

Originally Posted by porsche930dude

nice looks like my all-pro. its a single speed with coaster brake super simple. Iv been trying to sell it I dont ride it with all the hills around here iv got better bikes for that.

[[/IMG]

Wow, nice! Real slack seatpost angle on that one.

angela

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by Laneco

Wow, nice! Real slack seatpost angle on that one.

angela

keeps 'em up and out of the way LOL

[BeyGon]

the oldest one I ever had, it's a Shire.