Hope this is not too strange. But maybe one (or more) of you Canada types can answer this. I have, in storage, a early 70's CCM bike, and I wonder if the frame is trash or not. From the website I see now they make department store quality bikes, but can't seem to find more info. Was it always so?

The road frame I have bears a Reynolds 531 double-butted" sticker, and the finish and welds look pretty nice to my untrained eye.

Anyone advice whether if it should be kept, or trashed?

Send it to me, I;ll throw it out for you

krimchick, that bike should be worth keeping. Back when CCM was a real company, it made mostly low end consumer bikes, just like Schwinn. Similarly, also like Schwinn, the company has a long history. In the 1930s a CCM Flyer track bike made of DB Reynolds tubing sold for $100, according to a book I have about 6-day racing. Here is an interesting interview with Mike Barry, who ended up with some CCM stuff after the factory closed. https://www.randonneursontario.ca/history/mbarry1.html

Today the CCM name is just a commodity used to sell bikes sourced from the lowest tenders in Asia.

I have a late sixties/early seventies CCM with the main triangle of straight gauge 531. The frame is the only original part of the bike. I upgraded all the components. I think the bike rides pretty nice for what it is. Makes my fillet brazed chrome-moly framed Schwinn Super Sport(also with upgraded components) feel like a truck.

531 marks it as a quality bike. If you don't want it you can sell it on eBay....no need to trash it.

I also have a 1975 CCM road bike. I always felt it was very responcive for a mid 70's steel bike.

CCM's were a decent quality bike back in the mid-70's, their biggest problem seems to have been lack of distribution - I mean, if you could only find one of two in Erie, PA (90 miles from the Peace Bridge crossing between Buffalo and Ft. Erie) back then, they certainly weren't trying too hard to sell in the U.S.

I was always impressed with what they put out, wanted one for the stable back then, but, of course, couldn't find any for sale. If it fits you, keep the bike and enjoy.

What model is your CCM krimchick? I picked up a CCM Concorde at the thrift shop for $20, it has a little bit of the 531 sticker left, was missing the front derailleur and had a plastic Simplex on the back. It's kind of a mix of low end and ok stuff, cottered crank with alloy rings, and wingnuts holding on the front wheel. Pretty cool and hey it's purple! Any idea how to find the year of manufacture on a CCM?

You could ball park it with the letter in the serial number, C would indicate early 70s, likely '73. You might wanna get in touch with T-Mar whom I believes has concrete info for dating the 70s stuff. CCM had quite a lot of various 10 speed models throughout the 70s.


PS: have any photos of it?

The Concorde was 2nd from the bottom of the lightweight line-up. The cottered cranks indicate it is circa 1973. The Reynolds 531 is plain gauge and is used only in the main triangle. The Simplex derailleur was original.

I have a concorde itala its teal with crome fork and Im sure Its not a CCM. I read somewhere that someone bought a truck load of Japaness copies but they werent built with 531 steel does yours have a CCM badge Would you mind posting a pic of it ?

I believe that my bike was a Concorde. The components were crap which is why I ditched them, but as I mentioned previously, the frame with upgraded components rides pretty well for a low end bike.

Anything made of 531 is worth keeping if it's not trashed. Write that down somewhere, it won't steer you wrong!

Thanks for the info guys! Here is a pic of my $20 Concorde without the cool wingnutted front wheel (thats on a city bike I'm working on). I think by springtime this will be a neat ride....

Dang, twice in one thread! Judging the merits of a frame solely on the basis of the tubeset is a dangerous thing. Knowledgeable cyclists will argue that proper design and workmanship are far more important. Granted, the presence of a Reynolds 531 decal is an indicator that you may be on to something good, but it requires a lot more investigation. I've seen some very mediocre bicycles made from Reynolds 531.

Is the Peugeot UO8 an example of this?
I've never ridden one myself but I've heard John E and others speak of how well they ride for a frame made of nothing special.

That's why I said 531 "marks it as a quality bke" It's an indicator that this was likely a high end frame.

From the pic of your bike, my concorde is not a ccm.

Somehow I feel dissed, by a Canadian no less!

Not at all. More relieved. Up here ccms are a dime a dozen probably have 50 in the pile out in the yard.

Yes, and oddly enough ive only seen a few CCM 10 speeds in the past few years, very weird I can dig up old 60s cruisers on a fairly regular basis but nothing from the 70s "boom" era. I havent really actively sought any out though, but I wouldnt mind finding a Tour De Canada model.

No offense taken, I like my clunkers. I'm guessing your Concorde is one made by Ciocc like this one

https://cgi.ebay.com/CONCORDE-made-by...QQcmdZViewItem

What are the chances? Just picked up a CCM Silver Ghost by the side of the road. Shimano Crane Group, Bar end shifters, Leather Seat (spitting image of Brooks Pro). Frame is rough, chrome pitted etc. Possibly restorable. Weird how all these bikes rise to the surface all at once, Id never heard of CCm (excepting hockey equipt.)
Sfene

Not at all odd, in fact it's par for the course and for good reason. CCM was basically non-competitive on the lightweight market, with the exception of the bottom of the line Targa. The Targa sold primarily to those people wanting the lowest price 10 speed with a recognizable brand name and/or adults buying bicycles for their teenagers. These adults had grown up on CCM, when the brand was still revered and they still considered CCM a quality bicycle.

But by the boom, CCM was in trouble due to various reasons and this was reflected in erratic quality. This was noticed by most consumers, who were typically males, late teens or early twenties and in control of there own finances. They were swayed by the allure of the exotic European and Japanese imports. Models like the CCM Concorde could just not compete with a Raliegh Grand Prix or Peugeot UO8 and in the latter years of the boom, the Sekine SHB/SHC. The Sekine sold in droves and with good reason. It was Japanese design and quality, made in Canada, with good looks, performance and reliability.

So if you're looking for Canadian, boom era lightweights, the most likely find is a Sekine SHB/SHC, followed by a CCM Targa. You'll also find quite a few CCM Elan and Elite, but they are city bicycles whose appeal is readily explained by the more adult oriented market who still revered the CCM brand.

Yup thats it, thanks for finding that site . And to think someone would just throw it out. Glade they threw it my way. Thanks