I was just reading the Super Le Tour thread and the Continental (are they tanks) thread and it got me to wondering...how many of us reglarly ride a 30 + year old bike?

I ride the Traveler at least 2-3 times per week for upwards of 50 miles per ride.

I also wonder how many of the newer, much lighter bikes will be around and still riding in 30 years...so let's see...to qualify you need to be riding a bike that was built (or bought?) in the year 1976 or earlier...I'll bet there are a lot of Schwinns, but I wonder what else has stood the test of time?

KDB

Schwin Approved (Panasonic) Traveler bought in 1975

Nice, another chance for me to mention my 1959 Raleigh Lenton. It has been, from time to time, my main rider. Currently off the road for the addition of Bluemels fenders and other minor details.

1973 Fuji "The Finest". It's my "A" ride - 2-3 club rides per week.

Peugot PX10, but I don't ride it very much. It was my old racing bike bike in 82, and it was a 10 year old bike then.

1972 chrome Schwinn P15-9 Paramount, and it has become my main ride.

1973 Sam Cotten track bike. Bought it new, recently brought it out of retirement and back onto the track.

Either my '76 Motobecane Grand Touring or my '68 Raleigh Grand Prix.

My pushing 30, '79 Schwinn Traveler took me 31 miles through NH's mountains yesterday. A beautiful ride!

My '83 le tour luxe doesn't quite qualify for the 30-year club (yet), but I have wondered about the prospect of "classic and vintage" bikes once the huge numbers of aluminum framed bikes that have been produced in the last dozen years or so are considered "classic and vintage." Aluminum just doesn't lend itself to the timelessness that a well cared for steel bike does, particularly because of the properties of the material. And they're still making more aluminum frames than anything else, with no end in sight. Carbon fiber? I have no idea, although theoretically it should hold up well, but since the whole idea is saving weight, I have a feeling these super-lightweight carbon bikes won't be "timeless" either. One more reason to keep these old steel bikes on the road..............

72 Schwinn Paramount, 74 Raleigh International, 75 Raleigh Professional. All are ridden as my main rides.

1964-ish Raleigh Gran Sport. Basically stock with a rattle can paintjob (no decals), upgraded wheels, brakes, mudguards and a rear carrier. Daily rider in rotation with my other two (84-ish Rossin, 03 Fuji). Since late April, when I finally got around to installing a cyclometer, I've documented 305 miles, previous four months are proportional.

Not a long legged tourer, but definitely nice for a 75 mile day.

Now looking for a 70's World Voyageur (one of two very beloved bikes from my past).

Syke
Deranged Few M/C

1967 Vello Kombi Spesial
1972 Peugeot PX10
1973 Peugeot PX10
1973 Peugeot UO8
1976 Gitane TDF

These bikes, along with a 1991 Bridgestone RB2 (baby of the batch) are my current stable of regular riders. I've others (and older) but at least one of these bikes is ridden daily.

My main commuter is a late sixties Peugeot UO8.

The bike I ride most often is a ladies framed '73 Raleigh Sports with Wald's largest "Newsboy" backets on the back. The perfect errand bike. Jane has a similarly equipped '73 Schwinn Breeze. For longer rides I have a '73 man's frame Sports, fitted with modern alloy components and an S5 hub.

I know a couple of very high milage guys who often tour together. They can tell which people really understand bikes. Those are the ones more impressed that Tom has 60,000 loaded touring miles on his Crack-n-fail (Cannondale) than that Dave has 120,000 on his '74 Holdsworth.

My short distance commuter is a 1950's H.O.C. made in Israel bicycle very similar to a Raleigh Sports.

I'd be interested in seeing pictures, if that's possible. I've never seen one before.

early 70's Panasonic Sport Deluxe. Actually if anyone could help me with the serial I'd be interested to know the exact year. I found some other panasonic posts on here that were really cool. I can't remember who posted it, but I saw a 74 brochure that had my bike in it.

Two early 70s LeJeunes and a 75 PX-10. I figure the 75 Raysport does not count as the frame was NOS when I got it earlier this year.

This week and last week I'm tooling around on a 1953 Schwinn Starlet I found in my parents' garage. It's rusty, has a stuck seatpost, and at some point was poorly rattlecanned silver, but it is so cool nonetheless. Tubular tires, how neat is that!

I've got a '72 Schwinn Super Sport that was my only bike up until a few weeks ago.

It's campus green, and has an Arvada, CO bicycle registration sticker attached for 1973.

Picked it up at a thrift store a couple years ago for $20.

My rainy day bike is a 1967 Schwinn Racer. Use varies, depending on weather, but it’s not unusual for it to be ridden a couple of times a week on rides of between 15 and 20 miles. When it’s not raining, I often ride a 1947ish Schwinn Continental with similar frequency over similar distances. I still have a Paris Sport that I bought new in 1972. I rode it quite a bit last summer but it really needs an overhaul so it hasn’t seen much use this year. For longer, hillier rides, I lean toward a modern lightweight (2005 Cannondale).

My suspicion is that those, who’s first bike was today’s modern lightweight, will eventually come to view them as I view the Schwinn Racer (first bike was a 1965) or the Paris Sport, not the latest thing, but something that I like to ride due to familiarity. After putting some mileage on any of the older bikes, there’s nothing like launching up a steep hill on the Cannondale.

Regards
Alan

I ride whatever "Catch Of The Day" I happened to have rehabilitated most recently. Right now it is a 80-something Univega Maximo Uno, but that'll change soon enough.....

Peugot UE8 for rain day commutes and that bike getrs the kid buggy to get the little cutey home from day care.

can you send some photos and a bit of history ?

1972 Schwinn Super Sport and 1975 Schwinn Varsity. Neither one is close to stock.

I also have 3 proud members of the 20+ club.