bykemike 

I asked this question in the general forum and was sent here. I bought a Rex Criterium bike 34 years ago, did a lot of riding (across the USA, 3 months of hell) and kept the bike. Now I have become reinterested in riding and was looking at this bike and thinking maybe I should recomponent this bike and keep it. It has a sticker on the frame that says "Arayya 631 tubing " leather saddle, campy hubs and shifting gear...should I bother? I am not into vintage (****, I'm vintage) just riding ,but I hate to dump this if it is worth keeping.
Opinions please..I have been away much too long.

Mike

jet sanchEz

It looks nice to me, do you have a full shot of the bike?

bykemike 

I'll take a couple right now

bikemore 

Gosh, the standard reply to a request like this is
"I think it is total junk and you should just box it up and send it to me.
That way it will be off your hands.".

I donno - I've never seen a bike like that. Reynolds 531 tubing
is very coming. The 3 numbers refer to the metals that make
up the alloy steel. There are 753 and 853 and 501 and others.
I've never seen 631. I have seen a few Araya bikes, but they
generally don't garner much interest. But they weren't 631 either.

I'm sure there is someone here that has seen something like it.

dbakl

Looks like a Japanese bike trying to look English.

bykemike 

OK, here is a full shot..I appreciate this input.

Mike

bykemike 

Bikemore,

Actually I bought this bike when I lived in RI from a bike dealer in Cambridge named Phillips.

Mike

Sianelle 

Dump it?!! (faints)

Good rule of thumb, - if it works nicely after a clean and a lube leave it be. I'm always doubtful about the urge to update components on nice old bikes in original condition that have good for their year components already.

Can I add my name to the if-you-don't-want-it-send-it-to-me list?

bikemore 

Mike, I've only lived right in Boston for the last 9 years. There have been a lot of changes
although there still are a few bike dealers in Cambridge and Somerville including an old time
one that I haven't been to in since I got into the vintage thing.

Iowegian

Well, the bike and/or parts are certainly worth something. It looks pretty French to me which means that switching to modern components might not be easy. It also means you could get good money for some of the parts if they're in good condition as old French parts can be pretty pricey.

I really like the fancy (Nervex?) chromed lugs and the front rack. It looks like a nice old bike but I don't think it will bring in the type of money a 60's PX-10 would, but who knows?

I'd clean it, lube it and ride it. Then, if you find you want to move on to a more modern bike you certainly have some 'cash in the bank' with this one.

cudak888 

It's a Japanese copy of a French machine - the tubing decal is a giveaway. Someone had something with this same tubing decal (the bike was white) listed in either C&V Rides or Catch Of The Day (forgot which)

Note the pattern of the top head lug as it joins the top tube; a very close, but not identical copy of a Nervex Pro.

-Kurt

bykemike 

The fork on this bike is in bad cosmetic shape..paint was scratched off years ago and it is rusted. Since it is Japanese can a new fork be put on? Is it worth repainting what is there or has the rust weakened it.
I would really like to just ride this for a while.

Mike

Little Darwin

Even though the name Criterium would indicate to me an agressive geometry, it actually does look like a touring geometry.

It does look like a nice bike, well worth tuning and riding. As far as the rust on the fork, it could just need a repaint, depending on the depth of the rust. Of course, if it is more than surface rust, you don't want to take a chance with a fork.

MyBikeGotStolen

I dont think its worth riding personally. I'll swing by and pick it up for you next time I'm in Jacksonville (next weekend?)

Just kidding, cleaning it up, tune it, and ride it and remember your cross country trip on it...... The memories have to worth alot more then the 1/1000 of a gram or what ever you'll save by updating the components.

sykerocker 

Definitely worth keeping. Take it down to the bare frame and just start cleaning each individual part. Probably will take you a week's worth of evenings. If it was a good rider then, it'll still be a good rider now.

bykemike 

I am getting more enthusiastic about rehabbing this old bike every minute. It will be a trip tearing this down and building it back up, trying to use as much of it as I can. After being into motorcycles (BMW's) for so many years it seems like bike stuff is so, well, inexpensive. The saddle might be good to update. It hurt me then and it will hurt more now so that might be an upgrade. It has high flange Campy hubs that sound a little sandy. I don't even know how I have kept this 34 years..in that time I've been through 9 houses, 7 jobs and two wives.

Mike

Iowegian

Yup, that makes sense. I guess the Nervar crank and what looks like Mafac brakes got me going off on a tangent. Must be all the PX-10's piling up in my basement

Charles Wahl

The tubing decal doesn't say Reynolds (though it has the green/black scheme of Reynolds), it says Araya.

I believe that Reynolds 631 is the same alloy as 531, but heat-treated.

luker

A very nice bike, and equipped with largely french parts...makes me think that the frame, like koga miyatas, was the japanese part, and the country of origin was france. No telling though, without more info. This is the reynolds 631 sticker, and it is much more recent than this bicycle (courtesy of gts753, and for sale right now on eBay).

SingeDebile

it looks beautiful, either keep it as is and enjoy it... or sell it to someone who will hehe (Im too tall but you can see there are others)

RichinPeoria

Mike,

Ill pass on the advice a couple of the well known internet guys gave me (ie Peter White, Sheldon Brown and others) when I was considering what to do with my early eighties Dawes. "...just ride it!"

I cleaned up my bike and with few diet changes and riding 3-5 hours a week I lost 20 pounds in 5 months.

Later after you get back into riding you will have a different perspective on the new bike you want and you can keep this one for your bad weather rides and/or put racks on it and use it to get groceries.

Lube the pivot points on the brakes/deraileurs/levers. I like to use Mobile 1 (auto shop) in a oil can (Home Depot). Consider replacing the cables/housings if they are not smooth. This made a big difference on my bike

Replaced those tires with some Continental Ultra Sports (15$ each on line) Fill them to 85psi if the rims dont have a lip thats curved in to hold the tire bead or 100psi if they do have this lip. Get some new brake pads while you are at it. Even the cheast ones are better than 30 year old ones.

I replaced the chain and the rear cog after I found that the chain was worn. The new/modern ones shift much better.

Regreasing the hubs/bottom bracket/ head set would also be a good idea soon.

Spend some time with some aluminum polish and some kind of automotive "wax" to keep your newly poilshed parts looking newly polished.

Sammyboy

That's really pretty, and it'll cost you next to nothing to do it up. Then you'll have a very useable, unique looking and classy bike. I can think of no good reason to dump it!

bykemike 

It is raining here today so I'll be in my shop taking it apart. I'll post some pics of what comes off it.

I love when enthusiasm replaces indifference!

Mike

bikemore 

I guess I was incorrect to compare the two. It is hard to find anything on Araya bikes. Most
of what I found through google points to bikeforums. I suppose Araya was trying to do a looks
like thing to help sales.

This came up. Refers to an ebay auction, but doesn't list the price.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/174619-araya-631-tubing.html

And this table while interesting, doesn't help with Araya tubs.
https://www.desperadocycles.com/Table_1&2.htm

bykemike 

I got to cleaning off the grease and dust and found the name on some of the components. Campy hubs, 36 spoke high flange, bars say "Win Rode" on one side and "Rode Win" on the other, Dia-compe brakes with Weichart levers, Shimano front derailer, Crane rear, Blackburn front rack, "speedo professional " saddle, Cinelli bar stem. Pedals look like crap, I would like to replace them with something up to date I think.

Mike