LordMarv

My neighbor, who is a part-time vintage dealer, goes around to the garage sales, and found an early 80's or late 70's womans Ross Riviera 10 speed, dark blue in color, in almost pristine condition. He asked me for $60, and I snapped it up gratefully for my wife. Said the woman had kept it garaged and never rode it. I don't have a way to post pics, but the paint is almost showroom new, all cables are in beautiful shape, rides and shifts like a dream, I rarely ever see vintage bikes in such good shape, I can't believe my luck! This bike has stem friction shifters, and the front safety/suicide brake levers.

I've researched the web and see that Ross Bikes were american made out of Allentown, Pa...and that the company went out of business around 1988, and that they made good quality bikes. I can't find out much else, except a few examples for sale on craigslist from that era, all mens, and no date mentioned. I would really be interested to know more about these bikes. I live in Billings, Montana....now in the 70's and early 80's I wasn't very knowledgeable about bike shop models, I don't even know if these were sold nationwide, or if they were marketed more in the eastern half of the country? I don't ever recall having seen a Ross bike out here before.

Any info on the bike, the company, and how and where they were sold would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

LordMarv

I did finally find this site:

VeloBase.com - Catalog Scans

It lists the womens Riviera in the 1982 catalog, the exact model I have, in Peacock Blue, and the suggested retail for that bike was $225 in 1982. I found an inflation calculator, and according to that, relatively, that works out to be $535 in todays dollars. Interesting. So probably not a high end bike, but it looks to be of good quality.

I would still be interested in knowing if these bikes were sold nationwide, or more east coast? If anyone had or has this type of ross bike, what did you think of it?

wrk101

Inflation generator is meaningless on bikes. Ross did not only make high quality bikes. They made a lot of dept store quality bikes as well, maybe a half step above dept store. Ross did make some higher end bikes as well, but the more basic stuff is more common.

Ross kind of had a split personality. They would make a handful of high end bikes, but then spoil their name and reputation making the low end stuff. Too bad, as some of their high end stuff was quite nice.

Dept store bikes in the 1960s might have been $75 back then, and dept store bikes now might be $75 as well. Inflation? There really hasn't been that much, and on the dept store level, none. Google a Sears catalog and you will see some of the prices, often as high or higher than the prices in Target or Walmart now.

As far as dating the bike, google dating vintage bicycle and it will lead you to the vintage Trek site. Look up the component codes, they are almost always marked.

As far as bikes and locations, people move. I have found bikes that were not ever even imported to the US here. People travel, buy bikes and come home with them. Or people move.


https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...oss-bikes.html