Classic & Vintage - Lotus Elite

I am watching a Lotus Elite that's on eBay but in my local area, where the seller says he'd be happy to have it picked up. I'm not sure it's a great bike, and it looks to be a bit large for me at 56cm, but if the price is right...

However I can't find much about this model, at all. It's not in the c1981 Lotus catalog on wooljersey. Someone's comment here a couple of years ago mentioned that it supposedly has a Tange 2 frame, but there are no such stickers on this bike. In fact the components (Suntour VX derailleurs, Ukai 27x1 1/4 rims) suggest it's low to low mid level. OTOH it has nicely pantographed seat stays and unicrown fork. Color-fade paint job suggests mid to late 80s to me.

Anyone familiar with this model?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330421752680&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNA:US:1123

btw: seller quickly responded to a couple of questions I had, but has not sent a side pic showing the fork clearly, possibly a warning sign. If you are interested in this bike or preparing to bid on it, be my guest, I won't be disappointed if I don't get it.

Somewhere on here I'm pretty sure T-Mar or another member listed a model lineup for Lotus, but I can't find it. Bibliobob also listed a basic model lineup in the thread about the Unique (that you may have started).

I briefly had a Lotus Elan with the same color and decals, and it was definitely lower end, without the engraving on the fork crown and equipped cheaply with DNP derailleurs and some type of stem shifters. A nice frame still. If it's a 22" frame like my two Loti, it is likely 22" CTT, so it would be a touch smaller than 56 CTC, if that makes any difference to your fit. The Unique I picked up recently (same label style as this) was kinda heavy, and the later Excelle I have is lighter, even though it is lower in the lineup. Good luck!

This is a nice bike worthy of upgrading. Suntour Vx are nice components. I have a Lotus Classique and it looks similar. Nice to go after if you can get it for around $150 without shipping. $250 is dreaming! I'd say it's mid level.

Isn't your turbo equally too big? If so, why bother?

Lack of chrome, side stand, swaged crankset, and lower grade components make it sound like lower end (but not the bottom). Looks like a nice bike, and probably worth a shot at the current price.

You are right, beech, the Turbo is not ideal for me. But either I am growing or it's growing on me. ;) It's a keeper until Robbie (or someone) trades me one in 54.

This Lotus looks like it could go for a 'steal' price, and if so it might as well be to me. I suspect that cleaned up and photographed nicely it would do well on CL. But I bet others around Chicago have had the same thought, possibly even some who have contributed to this thread!

I certainly wouldn't compete with any of you for whom it would be a 'keeper' so if that's the case do speak up!

Ahhh. I thought that you were thinking about keeping it. I didn't understand why when you clearly have a better bike. Then again, I certainly don't follow that logic.

I'm passing. The seller didn't send a side pic including the fork, and the pictures he does show seem deliberately framed and staged so as not to show the fork angle. Likely it's fine, but if not that would be a hassle and it's not like I need this one...

edit to add a pic from the auction, so the next person to search for 'Lotus Elite' has something to look at...:)

btw I did find via google search an article in, I think, 'Money' magazine from 1987 about buying bikes. They noted the 'Lotus Elite 600' as a good 'sport' bike, priced at something like $650, more than a Centurion Ironman at the time. I would suspect that bike got its name from 600 components and was a higher end bike than this one.

http://i.ebayimg.com/22/!BqVP+(wBGk~$(KGrHqYH-C!Eum4fTbFsBLvR812Ldg~~_3.JPG

Well the item you linked ended, but its been relisted... If its listed locally, why don't you just go look at it and ride it around before bidding?