mwarddoc

I'm new here, came here looking for a Lotus Excelle 84-85 Model, to replace mine that was inadvertently shipped to Africa, I bought it in 1984 in Morgantown, WV.

But, during the course of this search, that lasted two years, I found in a LBS 4 unopened Lotus bikes, sitting in storage for the last 29 years, I bought one from 1984, a burgundy Classique, in my size, the others are 84-85 IIRC, one is a Legend, the two others are Classiques.

The Legend doesn't fit me or it would be hanging on my wall right now.

Anybody found a 23" or 58 cm Lotus Excelle, 1984, Silver preferably, in great condition (preferably new in box) and still know where it is? If you do, I'd love to hear from you.

I don't get on here much, but I check periodically.

jonwvara 

Wow--are either of those a 62-63 cm/25"? If so, I'd snap it up, given half a chance.

mkeller234

This thread is worthless without pictures!

Chrome Molly

I'd like to hear more about the inadvertently shipped to Africa part...

andyfloyd

I too would like to see pics, and wonder how it got shipped to Africa. lol

mwarddoc

The sad thing is that I rode the bicycle for thousands of miles and I don't have a single picture of me or the bike at that time...1984-1988. I gave the bike away, to a brother, he used it very little but did ride it occasionally. Then he and I ended up moving thousands of miles away from each other. In 1996, I realized that it was a way better ride than either of the two bikes I'd had since, despite being cheaper. Called him and got him to send it to me, it was in fair shape after all that, I kept it in storage till 2008 when it dissappeared

As far as how it got shipped to Africa (it's in Togo by the way if anyone wants to go looking for it...I'll pay you 1000 dollars for the original frame - yes I have the serial number so you can't fake it...so go over there, look for it, and find it, buy it from someone, and the bring it back and we can talk), we let someone store a bunch of bikes at our place 4-5 years ago, that they were shipping to Togo, "a few bikes" turned out to be hundreds of them and a stack that filled a shipping container. Then they left them for a year and we couldn't get anything done in our storage shed. Unfortunately, they had stacked them where I kept the old frames and odds and ends of bikes, but they were not mixed into mine. When they came to get the bikes, some doofus loaded up that frame of mine. I didn't know that it was missing till later, when I finally had figured out what I wanted to do with it, I was going to build it out with a full Ultegra groupo, went out to get it and begin work, then after searching for it realized it was actually gone.

mwarddoc

No pics, but I bought one of the new old in box Lotus Classiques and it is now drying from the second coat of Frame Saver and picking it up in 3 days.

I'll post some of them.

mwarddoc

I'll let you know, but I think the largest was 58 cm. Mine is 58 cm and it is beautiful. When I see the guy later this week I'll let you know if I'm wrong.

mwarddoc

Go to Togo, take pictures of all the silver bicycles you see that have CroMo frames and while you are there check the serial numbers and call me, you can email the pics and I'll post them...

theblackbullet

58cm is my size. I'd be interested in one of these bikes!

mwarddoc

I finished my business with the LBS where the Lotus Classiques and Legend Comp were found, 1984 NOS, in box, and they have at least two more upstairs in their warehouse that I'd love to rummage through for a couple of days.

They even have 25 year old Avocet touring shoes, but not in my size, still sitting around somewhere (I noticed a pair like the ones that I wore out in the 80's today, that clearly had not seen the use that mine got and asked about them).

I bought both a Classique and the Legend Compe, both are striking beauties, and the Legend Comp is now my daughter's...man I am so jealous of that full out campy group on her bike and yet the Classique I got is even prettier. What a score!

I still have dibs on any excelles that come in, used or otherwise, and they still have a missing Legend Compe (probably sold and not taken out of inventory list) that is silver that I have dibs on if it turns up.

I've only taken the Classique on one short ride, and it was immediately like stepping back onto my Excelle in 1984, rides like silk, both bikes ride/rode better than any other bike I've ever been on and put my Trek 2100 and the old Giant road bike I had to shame. I had thought that the intervening years, and my physical decline, as well as memory of being young vs the reality of being 50 might have been coloring my perceptions of my bike (the Trek).

Nah, it was just the damn bike.

Anyone who comes across a new or used Lotus Excelle 1984-85 in silver, in good to excellent condition or NOS in Box, 58 cm, I'm still looking.

Anyone who is interested in the Lotus Bikes one can contact the shop. They don't want people wasting their time though, apparently in the past guys have come in and they've pulled a bike down and opened a box and the guy has just wanted to see one of the bikes...not buy them.

Falcone Schwinn
1900 Harrison Ave NW Olympia, WA 98502
(360) 943-2091

kc0yef 

Jim at Falcone is a great mechanic.
They Have listed many bikes on CL in the past year so his stock is dwindling
NO 62 63 64 \