Classic & Vintage - Want to build a road bike for my girlfriend - need ideas!

Hey guys, my girlfriend wants to get into cycling with me and I figure it would be fun to surprise her with a vintage road bike for our anniversary coming up. I'm looking for ideas on what sort of frame I should be looking for and for ways to do this as cheaply as possible! I guess my budget would be around $100 when all is said and done.

Mainly I just need a decent frame as I should have enough spare parts to build the rest of the bike. What size or style frame should I be looking for?

And if anyone of you have a small frameset with some (bad paint, dents, rust, etc.) flaws you'd like to sell cheap I'd be interested in that too!

Heres a pic of the girlfriend and I :)

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh105/peachey140/230321_2085024605048_1228114858_32608105_6600505_n.jpg

Mixtes are cool. I don't happen to have one, but check CL and ebay.

Any idea on what frame size you are looking for? What part of the country are you in? Shiping could chew out a chunk of your budget.

Mixties do look nice, but don't discount a good old fashioned diamond frame either.

Hmm as far as size, I am 6'4" so she's somewhere around 5'6"-5'8", so I'd say she'd need between a 50-56cm if I'd have to guess lol. Not sure what a mixte bike is, guess I can google it.

Also, I am in Sarasota, Florida!

What size bike does the girlfriend want? I went through quite a bit of hell fitting my girlfriend on a bike, which is a long and interesting story I'm sure, but the bottom line is I never did find her a bike of the right size. All my efforts were in vain, because even though I did get her on a very ncie Trek 520 for a while, it was always too big for her. Only after we'd been married like eight years she went out and bought the Bianchi she now rides. But I digress. Point is, what size?

If it's 19" and you want a mid-to-late 70's Gitane in blue, pickup is free in zip 08648.

_________

Edit: man, all my questions answered before I even hit send! I'm impressed.

Take a look in the "frame don't fit pass-around-game" thread and database. See the Bianchi I posted there? Want that?

If I had to guess something between 50-56cm would be a decent range to fit her, 23" was way to big for her when she tried to ride my bike one time lol

http://sarasota.craigslist.org/bik/2431181014.html

Budget is too low for a mixte, or anything really decent, unless you get a score. Unfortunately, its hard enough to get a score in any size, to find one in a particular style and size, is very difficult.

And large mixtes are extremely rare.

I would revisit that budget, and get her something really nice.

That Schwinn posted above is low end, and too small for her anyway.

Mixte http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/bik/2407678116.html

Hey guys, my girlfriend wants to get into cycling with me and I figure it would be fun to surprise her with a vintage road bike for our anniversary coming up. I'm looking for ideas on what sort of frame I should be looking for and for ways to do this as cheaply as possible! I guess my budget would be around $100 when all is said and done.


http://sarasota.craigslist.org/bik/2451367651.html

http://sarasota.craigslist.org/bik/2451367651.html

Yea I was talking to that guy earlier and then he stopped responding. I figure he sold it :/

Budget is too low for a mixte, or anything really decent, unless you get a score.

I would revisit that budget, and get her something really nice.


What would you recommend my budget be? And kind of bike would you consider "really nice" for my situation?

Thanks!

What about this Biria? Bet I could get it for $40 or so.

http://sarasota.craigslist.org/bik/2452530650.html

What would you recommend my budget be? And kind of bike would you consider "really nice" for my situation?

Thanks!

Depends if you are willing/able/ready to do rehab work yourself, or you want a bike ready to go. Also it depends on how hard you are willing/able to look.

Good vintage road bikes around here start at the $200 to $225 range, and the nicer ones bring around $275. Of course, you can spend a lot more than that. Under $200, the bikes tend to be low end/and/or need quite a bit of work. By the time you put $$ into fixing them, you are right back at the earlier figures I just mentioned.

I am talking market price, I will occasionally see good bikes for less, but they go fast, really fast. There are always scoopers, in every market, waiting and ready to pounce on deals.

And you really need to lock in the appropriate size first. A great deal on a bike that does not fit is not such a great deal.

Depends if you are willing/able/ready to do rehab work yourself, or you want a bike ready to go. Also it depends on how hard you are willing/able to look.

Good vintage road bikes around here start at the $200 to $225 range, and the nicer ones bring around $275. Of course, you can spend a lot more than that. Under $200, the bikes tend to be low end/and/or need quite a bit of work. By the time you put $$ into fixing them, you are right back at the earlier figures I just mentioned.

I am talking market price, I will occasionally see good bikes for less, but they go fast, really fast. There are always scoopers, in every market, waiting and ready to pounce on deals.

And you really need to lock in the appropriate size first. A great deal on a bike that does not fit is not such a great deal.

Hmm that is true. I am very able and willing to do the work, actually I would prefer it! I'm home for another month and a half before I go back to school so I have plenty of time too!

Guess I need to find out what fits without being too suspicious as I would really like to surprise her with it without her knowing about it at all

I would probably look for a 51-53cm frame if she's 5'6 to 5'8.
But before you dump a ton of money into making it pretty, just get it running and then surprise her with it. Have her ride it for a week or two to make sure it fits. Then, take her to a shop and let her pick out the fun stuff- like handlebar tape, a bell, maybe a new saddle and tires if the bike needs it. If it turns out to be the wrong size, you can turn it around and resell it for what you put into it. If it fits and she likes it, she may have different ideas for how to pretty the bike up and may want to change whatever you just put on there for her anyway.

I would find a bike that needs a rehab since you might want to either replace or refurbish most of the parts. A cheap mixte with paint (not structural) damage would be perfect since it would theoretically be cheap (theoretically) and a perfect opportunity for a custom paint job that will show her the extra effort you put into the project. I agree, $100 is far too little but with some TLC and smart buying, you'll make a beautiful mixte for a reasonable price. I would prioritize frame quality over others, so maybe a nice Japanese frame (Tange would be great).

A durable clear should make the paint better than most rattle can jobs:
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=231398
If the parts are aluminum, then you can polish them like new:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/697520-KHatfull-s-Aluminum-Polishing-Thread?p=11841802&viewfull=1#post11841802
Then all that's left would be maybe new tires, a bell, basket/rack, wires, gears. Depending on how many hills there are there you can do a single speed or a rear derailleur only type of thing, to keep things simple. I found out that a lot of females appreciate the "look" more than anything.
I personally would make something as close to this as possible:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/5080551952_1d9a6247d8_o.jpg
But a lot cheaper.

Sure to win (http://umbertodei.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=98&lang=en):

http://www.bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/regale-d.jpg

Anybody have an idea what make/model frame this is?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280682804819

I would get her a normal road bike. I threw together a random old steel trek that weighs ~25lbs for my girlfriend and she's put hundreds of miles on it. She has since ridden a mixte, a mountain bike, and other kinds of bikes and prefers the traditional road bike because it's the fastest and best for climbing.

I have a mixte frame for you. I sent you a private message. If you don't get it, email me at the address below.

Going to look at an old American Eagle (Nishiki) Bike tomorrow. Its a mixte, which I haven't decided whether a mixte is cooler/better than a road bike or not, but its complete and only $30! Its a 10-speed which is supposedly super rare for the American Eagle bike, although not that collectible! It will be fun fixing it up for my girl tho if I decide to get it.

10 speed is not super rare for American Eagle, its typical (depending on how seller is counting speeds). $30? Deal, unless it is totally trashed.

10 speed is not super rare for American Eagle, its typical (depending on how seller is counting speeds). $30? Deal, unless it is totally trashed.

Oh hmm, guess one person said it was rare that it wasnt a 3 speed, guess you cant trust everything you read on the internet lol

Going to look at an old American Eagle (Nishiki) Bike tomorrow. Its a mixte, which I haven't decided whether a mixte is cooler/better than a road bike or not, but its complete and only $30! Its a 10-speed which is supposedly super rare for the American Eagle bike, although not that collectible! It will be fun fixing it up for my girl tho if I decide to get it.

A mixte is a road bike. Unless, by definition, you are referring to the more modern WSDs of road bikes. The nice thing about a mixte is you get all the benefits of a step through design - which, since you don't know her exact fit, is nice - plus what many feel is a more stable ride.

10 speed is not super rare for American Eagle, its typical (depending on how seller is counting speeds). $30? Deal, unless it is totally trashed.

Lookes good in the picture, but when I told the guy I was gonna drive an hour to get a $30 bike he thought I was crazy and now wont respond to my emails! loll

I may be a little late to this thread but as a girl I might have a little insight.

Do you think your GF wants to get into "cycling" or "riding a bike"? Because there is a vast difference between the two. If she's a generally sporty person and, say, runs several times a week outside - snow, rain or hail, then there are good chances that she might want to get into cycling, in which case performance is probably important. If she's more of a workout at the gym kinda gal then maybe she just wants to ride a bike with you - maybe some romantic rides by river etc. In which case, maybe a more upright and prettier bike might be key.

I don't know either of you, but let's say you spend some money and considerable effort finding and fixing a great diamond frame. She hops onto it and there are friction levers and drop bars. Her lady bits hurt from the saddle. You're going too fast for her. She gets annoyed and so do you because you spent time/money/effort on something she seems not to appreciate. Might be best to get her something more comfy so you can ride together. Then she might get hooked and want something faster.

If you do think she wants to get into cycling for reals, but you want to get her a vintage frame, then maybe something with a nice chrome fork might appeal. It does to me! And I totally second what a pp said about letting her choose the bartape.

I may be way off track here, but I do think it is something you should consider.

I will have to agree with rookgirl.
If she hasn't ridden in a long time, riding a roadbike right off the bat might be a bit intimidating, unless she's the kind of girl that specifically wants to do cycling. Otherwise there should be plenty of options for her.
Have you looked at any vintage 3-speeds like the Raleigh Ladies Sport? She sounds like she would be a good fit for it (the frame size is typically 21"). I am slightly over 5'8" and it can feel a little small for me at times, but is still rideable and a very fun bike. Since she is slightly shorter than me she should be a perfect fit.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Ladies-Raleigh-Sports-3-Speed-Bicycle-/260804240881?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb924e5f1#ht_500wt_1156
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-BLACK-PHILLIPS-WOMENS-3-SPEED-RALEIGH-BIKE-1970-/290579979973?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a7ea9ec5#ht_500wt_1156

Also, searchtempest.com is a good thing to use for looking on craigslist:
http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/bik/2428892699.html

Veloria has a good resourse for buying and repairing vintage bikes for women:
http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/p/vintage-options.html

Hope that helps!

Rookgirl, you rock. (Or rockgirl, you rook?)

Keep in mind that what you like may not be what she likes. Does she like old looking retro things or is she all about modern? When I built my fiancee's bike the primary objective was comfort. It may not be the typical C&V cliche but my fiancee likes to ride it.....(obligatory fiancee pic included)

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/jimr2527/Paramount%20P65-9/DSC00243.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/jimr2527/IMG_0291.jpg

Stainless Ruger MK III with fluted barrel. Nice.
Never field strip one without an afternoon to reassemble it.

No idea where you are in Sarasota, but there are two bike shops right next to each other near the bridge to Siesta Key. One used to be a schwinn dealer, still has old schwinn sign. That store keeps a lot of old trade ins chained up outside. I picked up a pretty nice old scott MTB for 125( was staying on the key with a friend and did not want to rent a bike). Anyway, they had a pretty good selection while I was there, but its hit or miss. Check it out real good before you buy one, there were some "as is" duct tape and bent rims. They had more cruiser hybrid frames that might work better, if you take Rookgirls good advice.

The trigger shifters on the scott I bought did not work. two blasts of lube, and I was ready to go.
Good luck.

Oh, heres a picture of what not to do with your bike in Florida. Built these two Univegas for my friend and his wife who live on the key. Every time I see them, it takes me hours to clean the rust off and clean the sand out of the gears.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5137/5445295062_119e7bf09e_z.jpg

Oh, heres a picture of what not to do with your bike in Florida. Built these two Univegas for my friend and his wife who live on the key. Every time I see them, it takes me hours to clean the rust off and clean the sand out of the gears.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5137/5445295062_119e7bf09e_z.jpg

That's an environment that calls for a belt drive.