trmcgeehan

I have a 1985 Ross road bike, which is my regular ride (50-100 miles a week). Does anybody have a regular ride that's older (and why are you so cheap?)

mike

1985?! You gotta be kidding. I know guys who's NEWEST bike is older than 1985. Heck, even ET's bike was before 1985

Around here, road salt eats bikes alive, so nobody rides new bikes in the winter. I often commute on a 1976 Continental (among others). When I feel sporty, sometimes I take out the 1964 Spaceliner.

A guy in my neighborhood has been bicycle commuting every day for 26 years on a 1973 Schwinn Varsity. I went to his place to help him do some bike repairs and he had six bikes - all pre-1979. You can laugh, but that guy puts on more bicycle miles than most people who consider themselves avid cyclists.

That is the beauty of bicycles. With just a little maintanance, they can remain as rideable as ever even forty or fifty years after they were built.

D*Alex

My favourite ride is built from a Trek frame made in june, 1978. I also have a fixed-gear Panasonic, probably made in the early 80's, and an old Raleigh "Dutch" roadster, made in 1971. I know people who still ride frames made in the 50's, too.

WorldIRC

We have a 1920-something Simpson bike for sale at my store.

lotek 

I'm riding a 1985 Trek, but I'm looking at a 1970's
Lambert (complete with death fork!). I really want a
late 60's Gios, De Rosa or Masi. . .

marty

John E

You guys should know better than to compete with an American-born son of Scotland on an issue such as this.

transportation/commuting bikes:
. 1959 Capo "Modell Campagnolo"
. . original shifters and brake calipers
. . most other components from early 1970s
. 1980 Peugeot "PKN-10 Competition"
cyclecross bike:
. 1971 Peugeot "UO-8" w/ 27x1-3/8 knobbies & SunTour barcons
club bike:
. 1982 Bianchi "Campione d'Italia"
mountain bike:
. 1988 Schwinn "Project KOM-10"

Dougmt

1988 (I think) Schwinn sierra comp (chrome and baby blue)
The only things original though are the frame, seat post, crankarms, and front der.
Doug

WorldIRC

My Concorde frame is from 1990 but the components on it are from 1986.

ndbentrider

Most of my riding is done on a new Bacchetta SWB - My first rode frame was/is a 70/71 white Peugot PX 10 - love the old Reynolds 531 stickers on the fork blades.

iamlucky13

My mom has some kind of schwin road bike (don't know what kind) she got in the seventies, but she doesn't ride anymore, so it doesn't really count (holy run-on sentence batman!)

WorldIRC

My mom has a blue old old bike. I think its called a Grand Prix or something. Its got a dually kickstand (two support arms instead of one)

SteveE

Although it is not rideable at present, I have a 1970-ish Italian Romani Columbus SL frameset hanging up in my garage. Originally it was set up with 10-speed Campy Nuovo Record components. I had gradually swapped components on the bike and transformed it into a 27-speed rig but I kept all of the old stuff that was still in working condition. After getting a Ti frame earlier this year, I stripped it down and hung it up.

My plan is to put the Nuovo Record stuff back on and use it as my retro bike. All I really need is a Campy headset in working condition. A new seatpost and tubular rims would be nice.

pat5319

I have a 1972 Gitane Tour de France, a 1952? Schwinn "Double Bar" Cruiser, and a 1966? Schwinn Speedster. I ride them all occasionally.

Ride Retro
Pat

jmlee

I didn't think that I would even be able to be competitive in this competition for bragging rights, but I see that I come in just under a few folks.

My bike is a 1983 Trek 760 (a racer), Reynolds 531 Steel, decked out with the original Suntour Superbe Pro components (aside from a few things like Speedplay pedals). It is my only road bike, so I ride it regularly. Yesterday: 76 km--we got cut a bit short by snow.

Cheers,
Jamie

MichaelW

I used to ride a Triumph All-Steel 3 speed. I think it was 1950s/60s.
We played this game in the Cyclists Touring Club magazine, but excluded Sunday-best bikes. The winner was a 1930s club/sports bike which has been in daily use since new.

Waxbytes

My main commutor is a Peugeot UE-8 (Same as the UO-8 but setup for touring) It's starting to show it's age now though, some of the components are getting a bit worn. Guess 30+ years is a decent age for a bicycle.
My "Sunday Bicycle" is a Giant 2002 OCR -1 (the 105 group).

Poguemahone

Beater bike: Late eighties Raliegh citilite
First bike: 1980 Peugeot PF10, now warped beyond recognition, with many parts replaced... still in service, although I'm currently building a new wheelset.
Favorite ride: 1980 Peugoet PKN10E, all original except for period simplex teardrop shifters. And I have a campy record/mavic wheelset I built for clinchers; the original normandy/mavic wheelset is for tubulars, and I'm not masochistic or period enough to constantly sew up tires...
Current project: 1973 Peugeot PX10, currently being turned into a fixed gear... very slowly.
Thinking of buying a 1978/9? Peugeot "Course" at the thrift store in town as another beater, as well... and they've got a UO-8 from the early 70's in my frame size; if it gets below ten bucks I might pick that up, too. Just to monkey with.
Not terribly old, but I note that in two years all but one of my bikes would qualify for "antique" plates if they were cars...

John E

Sheldon Brown would be proud of you!

I test-rode my project bike (1971 UO-8 with a shorter-rake fork, knobbies, and barcons) over the weekend, and was very favorably impressed with the ride and handling. My previous UO-8, with the original long-rake fork, was a notoriously slow steerer, but at least it did not have CPSC-disapproved toe-tyre overlap, which in practice is a nonissue.

I agree with your assessment of the 1980 PKN-10, which is perhaps the best all-around compromise (comfortable, responsive, practical, lightweight) road bike I have ever owned.

deliriou5

post some pictures, guys (and gals)!!! we want to see!

easyrider

Hello,

I rode a beautiful Basso Gap from 1987 until recently. Bought it back then for over a grand, sold it on ebay and recouped about $600. Felt good at the time and I did buy a sweet Colnago, but it seems like I lost a friend...

trmcgeehan

I wish I still had my very first bike, a 1947 J.C. Higgins from Sears. Had front shocks and a horn. I lived on that bike for about 10 years.

dougc

My commuter is a mid-70s Ross Eurosport, complete with one-piece crank and front-freewheel setup. New fork, seatpost, alloy wheels, stem, fenders, handlebar, and seat, but the drivechain and brakes are mostly original equipment.

tom cotter

1988 Trek 520 used as a 2nd bike.

lotek 

My wife is riding a 1976 Eisentraut (not all the time).

Marty

jfz

My current project is a 1964 Hercules 3 speed which I will use for my 10 mile one way commute in Spring. I also have a 1971 3 speed Hercules in excellent condition I use for pleasure riding. 1980 Ross Mt. Bike, 1973 Fuji Finest, 1974 Fuji Ace, 1975 Schwinn Paramount Track Bike, 1975 Orero, 1985 Schwinn 3 speed and about 5 or 6-3 speeds waiting for repair.