Tange Triple-Butted=what? Lotus 3000R
 

This is a well preserved Lotus 3000R Pro Series that has Tange triple butted main tubes. Would that equate to Tange 1, 2, or is it way down the quality line? Bike weighs in at 25 lbs with current configuration.Lotus Serial # U001422676 on the Taiwan built frame. Time line info would be appreciated also. Shifting is Suntour seven speed accushift . Dia-Comp BRS brakes. All the components as well as Lotus decal say Blaze. I am guesing a mid level frameset ?

look,s entry level , but is still a nice looking bike ,enjoy !

i just picked up a bike EXACTLY like this down to the color but without wheels for 25$. pretty heavy, but its my new beater bike anyway. how have you liked riding it?

I've flipped a couple with the Blaze (85 ish) components. They are nice bikes.

Four year old conversation here.

No kidding , my daughter hated the color so I sold it ALONG TIME AGO!

haha yeah old convo, but i was trying to find out more about the frameset. i mean in the bay area, you don't complain about a 25$ frameset, but i was still curious to know about lotus.

i havent ridden it yet, but im switching my suntour gpx components onto it tomorrow while my bridgestone gets powdercoated. excited!

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I'm looking at a similar bike. It is going for $200. Would you say that is too much?

It may be. But without pics, no way to tell.

Here are some pics. It has Suntour 'Blaze' components and also a triple butted tange frame. 700c wheels.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=189211http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=189212http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=189213http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=189214

If it fits you, has been recently had all the bearings overhauled, and is in as nice of condition as it appears to be, it is an OK deal. Not a steal.

It is not a top of the line racing bike but appears to be nice mid range rider. For more opinions please post about this bike in the Appraisals section of the forum.

Thanks for your opinion!

I think it's a little highish, depending on condition, but not by much. It's not a steal but it's also not unreasonable (again, depending on condition). I'd offer $150 if it's in acceptable condition...asking prices are exactly that, asking prices.

"Triple butted" came out of the "more is better" 1980s, led by Ishiwata. The selling point, as I recall, was that a little extra material was put in the down tube in the region where shift lever bosses would be brazed on.

Otherwise, this (yes, vintage bike content): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqosS6DBwhA

LOL! I'd often wondered about the 'triple butted' - 1n 1998 I bought a new Carrera complete road bike with a Tange triple-butted frame and although it's light(ish) it's nowhere near as light as my 531 and Columbus SLX frames. The tubing sticker is a solid odd shaped black & white affair mounted at the base of the seat tube. Can't show any photos, my son's taken it to London for his daily commute while I fix his MTB (just completed but he won't be back for a fortnight) - hope he looks after my bike, it's the only one I've bought new as a complete bike.

"I...ah...understand you have a...ah... Fifty Percent bonus in the aforementioned region."
"I've got three cheeks"
"yes"