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Old 03-23-09, 07:29 AM
  #338  
Fibber
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Dutchess County, NY
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Bikes: Fuji S-12s, Trek Navigator 200, Dahon Vitesse D7, Raleigh Sprite Touring ('70's)

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This past Saturday afternoon I did a search on Ross Professional Gran Tour, and read this thread start to finish (all 14 pages). I have to admit that under normal circumstances I wouldn't give Ross a second look based on my childhood experiences, but now have a new-found respect for the mark.

My dad's company did some advertising services for the Ross company back in the early/mid '70's, and out of the deal apparently came some free bicycles. Sometime around '75/'76 my father asked me to drive his Ford Galaxy to the factory loading bay in Far Rockaway and pick up a boxed bike waiting there, take it home, and assemble it for my sister. Needless to say, this kids bike didn't impress me.

This past weekend I responded to a Craigs List add for someone selling their bike collection. I didn't make it in time for the nice bikes, but did come away with a small box of misc parts brake and derailleur parts to feed my restoration projects. And perhaps as a portent of things to come, I grabbed a nice alloy drop bar & stem with '84 Diacomp brake levers that said "Ross" on it.

While driving further thru the neighborhood I spied a bike frame visible between units, and stopped to investigate. There I met the owner of maybe 15 vintage bikes, all (unfortunately) slowly rusting away outdoors. We got talking, and he offered me two Ross Professional Gran Tour models for $5. One had steel wheels and a cracked rear brake bridge, the other alloy rims and in overall better shape. Again, I have to admit that the Ross name was an immediate turn-off, but a look at the componentry and lugged frames quickly made me realize that they did make some better stuff. I couldn't transport them at the time, but do plan to go back during the week. Maybe between the two of them, I can construct one whole bike? Worse comes to worse, I strip them for components. Guess I can't loose for $5.
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