Classic & Vintage - Your Opinion on this Rare "Torrot"

Hi,

I am not familiar with vintage bikes and would like to get your opinion on this buy, in particular the frame tubing:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/bik/848282051.html

Thank you for your help!

no pictures of the drivetrain.

I'd like to know where he gets his definition of rare.

-Kurt

I'd like to know where he gets his definition of rare.

-Kurt

Thanks, Kurt. Is this not really a rare bike, then?

no pictures of the drivetrain.

Unfortunately, I have not made contact with the owner yet and these are the only pictures currently available. I'm not so concerned with the drivetrain as I am with the frame. I have a C-Record group that I may be able to use, and some other spare parts, if it comes down to having to switch out the bike's component (hopefully not).

Well - there are no shots of the drivetrain. True. The lugwork is occluded by paint. Bad sign. $450 - bring cash? Warning! Looks like it's supposed to be a tight racing geometry. But I'd want to know a lot more before I'd shell out $100. If the seller isn't forthcoming - forget it.

Aelle tubing is pretty low in the Columbus food chain. Hanging a C-Record group on it might be overkill. I think you could do better for $450, especially if all you want is the frame.

Aelle tubing is pretty low in the Columbus food chain. Hanging a C-Record group on it might be overkill. I think you could do better for $450, especially if all you want is the frame.

Great! This is the information I was seeking. Thank you everyone!

Walk away , there are better buys out there.

If all you want is a nice frame (fixie or geared?) you can buy a top tier older steel frame for that price.

In other words, it looks like a high priced POS.

Yep, I walked away, my hand on my wallet and my eyes toward future Craigslists.

Thanks, everyone! Helpful info.

Aelle was plain gauge carbon-manganese tubing and typically found on low, mid-range models. This particular frame is circa 1983-1987. Trtrot was a full range, Spanish manufacturer. I remember models form the early 1970s boom. It is rare in the fact that they were not distributed widely but that rare is not the same as valubale or collectible. Typically, they were nicely finished and well manufactured, but nothing special.

I would certainly be looking for a better frame to hang my C-Record on. The other concern is Spanish bicycles, depending on their age, use French threads. The boom era models certainly did. I'm not sure when they converted to English or if they even did, but I would assume that like most French models they converted in the mid 1980s.