Originally Posted by rustystrings61

Sedgemop asked about the ride quality, and, yes, it IS both quick AND comfortable. Mine, a green '71 60cm TdF I acquired as a frameset, is set up as a fixed-gear for longer, but faster rides, and the ride quality is at least the equal of anything I have ever ridden, including custom Rivendells and Mercians. Over the last 20 years I've owned two Professional Super Corsas (both pretty much stripped, alas, and both too large for me at 63cm) and three TdFs, and kick myself for not keeping all of them. I wouldn't mind finding another one to keep as a geared bike to complement this one.

They handle much more crisply than the slack angled Peugeot PX-10s and dramatically more comfortably than the 70s PX-10s with the much more upright angles. They feel zippier to me than contemporary Raleighs (aside from the Professional - I've never ridden one of those).

I think it's a combination of well-thought-out, subtle changes in head and seat tube angles and a perfectly set fork rake and trail, coupled with the juju of metric-gauge Reynolds 531. I really love mine!