Geelplakkie

Hi everyone, I am currently considering buying a interesting mystery bike on craigslist here in Austin, TX. It's not a great deal considering the quality and quantity of bikes that pass through the Austin craigslist all the time, but it is a pretty decent touring set-up with some barend shifters. My purpose in buying the bike would be to get the barends, drivetrain, randonneur bars, seat, and 36 spoke wheels for cheap for a commuting build.
I am going to go look at it in person today, but I have some high resolution pictures I got from the guy selling it that I have been looking at for two days.
The main thing bugging me now is I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT BRAND OF BIKE IT IS! It looks like the decals have rubbed off, and I can't see a headbadge. The lugs on the bike are distinctive, semi-long with cutouts in them. The lugs aren't too fancy thought, and they don't look like any lugs I've seen on any other vintage bikes.
I am pretty annoyed by this mystery, and I really thought I would be able to figure it out. But no such luck.
So any help would be appreciated in identifying this bike.
This is the austin craigslist post.


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A closeup of the lugs


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The things I know:
Red (I think original color)
Touring frame
Nice semi-long lugs with cutouts
The dropouts look 70's to me
The seat tube has a little hook to put the frame pump on to it
Reynolds 531 Steel
Attachments for rear (and I think front) racks
Japanese cranks (indicates JIS standards, and thus a japanese frame?)

My best guess so far is a older Miyata touring, and a smaller chance of a older Peugeot touring model. But I am not sure.

Any help would be appreciated greatly. And I an not buying this bike for the asking price in the ad. I know enough to stay away from a no-name 70's frame. I might try to bargain this down to a much lower amount.

Bianchigirll 

I don't think it is japanese but I am no expert. it looks to be a Randonneur type (sport touring) bike. also it can't be too bad with a 531 frame and fork. I am thinking maybe a raleigh or le june? the front has eyelets which are more for fenders. is it your size? judging from the seat position it is just a bit big for the current rider.

EjustE

This 531 frameset will be better than pretty much whatever else you can find (unless of course it does not fit).

I think that either American or European origin (with France and Italy unlikely for several reasons), based on the 531 frameset and the components. This bike has brazed guides on the DT for barcon shifter cables, which is an interesting detail.

stien

$350 seems like a lot but it's a sweet ride. WIDE range gearing. Big frame though, how tall are you?

Geelplakkie

It was supposedly built as a touring bike by a friend of the owner, explaining the hodgepodge of parts. I know that the frame is of decent quality, but I don't really know how decent unless I find out the brand. The frame is not my size, but I intended to use this for parts. I am trying to build a commuter, and the Sugino AT crank on this bike is of pretty decent quality. The Shimano Deore XT rear is a commonly used dérailleur for touring builds, and is of good quality. And the barend shifters are tempting if I can get the price low enough. I don't know if the wheels are of good quality, but I will know when I see it in person this afternoon.
I ride a 58cm, so 61cm is indeed too large for me. But I already have one lugged Raleigh frame, and I don't really want another retro frame. If I got the bike, I would likely sell the frame back on craigslist. Someone building a fixie would buy it for $50.

Geelplakkie

$350 is way too much for this bike, especially on this craigslist. From googling the parts and surfing the touring forum, I learned it is a pretty well thought out touring build for the time period (70's or early 80's).

stien

Good plan, good parts.

EjustE

That is much more that a $50 frame Of course depends on the condition, but a nicely lugged full 531 frame is more than that, regardless the brand. The brazed on shifter cable guides on the DT (lots like MTBs had later) makes me think that this is either a custom frame or a fairly unique production bike. It would be a shame is a Drew gets a hold of it.

Geelplakkie

Yeah, it's kinda a shame to live in a city like Austin with a crazy amount of fixie riders. The market for old steel frames is very very competitive. So many old ten speeds come out of the woodworks here that this frame is average. If the paint was in better condition and it had a headbadge or more identification, I think I could get $100 for the frame and $25 for the fork. But due to the frame's condition I am less optimistic.

Geelplakkie

Well the bike is gone, somebody bought it after I took a look at it. I couldn't tell much more about it in person. I did learn that the frame was a really really nice 80's 531, it was super light. The bar ends were Suntour, which means they were pretty old. Strange.
Thanks for the help everyone.