80s Novara Strada
 

Here it is....


Lugged steel, Tange 11, frame made in Japan. As far as I can tell, it was an entry-level road bike made in the mid 80s.

Pros:
• Frame is in pretty good shape, a few tiny chips here and there but generally solid.
• It's reasonably spry and comfortable for up to 100 miles on pavement.
• I've replaced a few key items, mostly around 2,000 miles ago. New chainrings, new freewheel, new shifters, newish RD, cables are in good shape.
• I upgraded it to 7 speed, and the indexed shifting actually works. ;)
• Tires are fairly new, less than 500 miles on 'em.

Cons:
• It seems like something needs to be fixed every 100-200 miles.
• Currently the rear spokes are loose, so it might need to be trued or rebuilt. Sooner or later, both wheels will need to be rebuilt or replaced.
• The bike has the original rims, so it can't use folding tires.

Any thoughts?

Any thoughts on what? if you are asking about value you may be disappointed. if the frame material matches the decal on the fork I would not call it a lowend frame but a middle of the line, a upper end Sport bike. the brand is not highly sought out (it was REI's house brand)

if something needs to be fixed every 100-200 mi it was not done right the first time. why can't you put folding tires, well for that matter why would you want folding tires. what size are the wheels.

if you looking to seel it I waould say $200 would a be decent price but it may take awhile to find the right buyer.

Chain looks too long to me.

+1 Store brand (REI). They have nice bikes, but they do not sell well. Buyers want recognizable bike shop brands: Trek for example.

+1 The only thing REI is the frame, that should not affect mechanicals in any way. Bike has the same stuff everybody else uses. No reason for needing work every 100/200 miles unless the work was not done right, or not complete (worn parts were left on the bike). For example, I had a bike that would not shift well at all. I tried this, I tried that, etc. Ended up the freewheel was worn out. Swapped rear wheels with another bike, problem went away immediately.

Yes, I'm curious as to the bike's value. Hence the post in the "What's It Worth" subforum. :D

I won't be disappointed, it's not like I expect it to be worth $10,000, and I have plenty of time.

Yes, there are lots of original parts -- headset, BB (repacked but original), crank, wheels / rims / hubs. Once something is fixed it stays fixed. However, fixing the stuff that remains and really getting it up to snuff for my regular uses (e.g. 60-120 miles a week, centuries etc) is not worth the cost, and I have more than enough bikes cluttering up my living space.

Folding tires don't work with older style rims. The rim shape can't hold the tire on, so the inner tube bulges off the rim and *pop* you've got a major blow-out, which can occasionally damage the tube as well. I prefer much higher-end tires than what I can get in wire bead.

Just FYI, the chain isn't too long; the shifting is actually pretty good. I'm just no longer enamored of having to reach all the way down there to shift. ;)


Any other opinions on a possible value? Thanks

$200 to $250, depending on your location.