TrekSandra

I bought this baby on ebay yesterday. Don't have it yet, but I'm planning to fix her up as I can. Please make recommendations (along with links ) as to what you would do to her and still keep her classic.

If you have any information about Lotus, I'm interested. I've not been able to find much online.

She also needs a fabulous name.

East Hill

What components are currently on the bike?

The handlebars do not look OEM at all!

Mulling and pondering over a fab name...oh, what's the model name, by the way?

East Hill

TrekSandra

This was the ebay description:

EXCELLENT LOTUS 12 SPEED MIXTE EXCELLE. THIS BIKE IS IN FULL RIDING SHAPE IT IS A SIZE 53CM AND THE STANDOVER=31 INCHES. THE RIMS ARE STRAIGHT AND TRUE. HERE ARE THE SPECS AS FOLLOWS: HEADSET=SHIMANO, HANDLE BARS=SR ROAD CHAMP, BRAKE LEVERS=C-STAR, BRAKE CALIPERS=SHIMANO 500 AND TOURNEY, FRONT WHEEL=27 1 1/4 UKAI, REAR WHEEL=SAME, HUBS ARE SHIMANO VIA, SHIFTERS= SHIMANO 600 ALONG WITH BOTH DERAILERS, PEDALS=MK THE FRAME HAS NO CRACKS OR BREAKS.

TrekSandra

OEM? Told you I'm new. I need lots of help.

East Hill

I suspect T-Mar can help you more than I can, but I was under the impression that this was a mid-level bike in the Lotus lineup. The Shimano 600 derailleurs would be an indication of that. But the Tourney brakes would seem to be lower end equipment. I don't think the C-Star brake levers are original--it looks as if someone removed the original handlebars and replaced them with upright riding versions.

I think I may have mis-used OEM (Original Equpment Manufacturer)--all I meant to say was that I don't think that the handlebars look as if they are original to the bike.

If you go to https://vintage-trek.com/ , you can look up the component dates for your bike.

East Hill

TrekSandra

bump for any info on Lotus and my mixte.

nlerner

Your Lotus is Japanese made, likely in the 1980s. Here's some info on Lotus from Sheldon Brown: https://sheldonbrown.com/japan.html#lotus

"The Lotus brand was introduced in 1980. They were made by made by Tsunoda, distributed by Alpha Cycle, Syosset NY.

* Odyssey, 1981
A sporty 18-speed, with a racing-type frame"

Neal

bbattle

The bike screams 80's to me except for the flat bars. Personally, mixtes should have North Shore commuter bars; drop bars just don't look right(to me) and flat bars are right out. Grab some Nitto bars like these for $30.

TrekSandra

The black bars and the stem have to go. That's exactly what I want. Where do I get those bars online for $30?

stronglight

I don't know anything about Lotus, but that looks like a very nice bike to me. ... Where shall I begin...

First of all, nice headbadge and nice lugs, and I really like the twin upper tubes on this type of bike. The paint and chrome appears to be in VERY nice condition. Get rid of the spoke mounted reflectors - unless you plan to get drunk and do donuts in the middle of a dark road with your i-pod cranked up so you won't hear traffic coming. [Those were a 1970s CPSC mandate directed at bikes for a 5 year old, and because adult bikes still fall under the "toys" designation, we still get them on our $5,000 racing bikes too ... sorry, a pet gripe.]

The Shimano 600 derailleurs and shifters could be the original ones for the bike. Those components were produced (I think) around 1976-1978, and the 600 line was presented as a complete group of components just one notch down from the top-end Dura-Ace (the 600 group would more recently be re-named Ultegra). Look at the shift levers. These were known as their "Arabesque" components because of the ornate castings, and the darkened sections of the shifters are not grime, they were factory colored recesses. The whole package was intended to highlight the Shimano quality workmanship and position Shimano as a rival to the best components Europe had to offer... and I did.

The rear brake caliper is a nice set-up. Very clean. Other lower end mixte and Ladies bikes often had cheaper quality side-pull brakes set on the upper bridge with the cable inverted (coming up from beneath) and with a big messy loop of cable housing just hanging beside the left seat stays. THIS is the right way to do it on this type of bike, and was the traditional placement on the fancy European bikes since the 1940s or before when cantilever brakes were used. Centerpull brakes actually are a form of canti and are much more powerful than sidepulls, and more versitile - which is why Rivendell had recently helped revive the Weinmann/Dia-Compe models. I would just replace the brake pads as soon as you get the bike, they're probably old dried out and ineffective. Lube the caliper pivots and springs and they should be perfect; later you can replace the cables with modern teflon lined cable housings and you'll have a really silky smooth brakeset - but hold off until you make final decisions about the bar & stem. Jagwire, for one, makes a perfect knockoff of the basic Weinmann "WX" brake pads which would be fine for those calipers too - and without having to spend more than just a few bucks, total to ensure your safety.

I would agree with bbattle about the handle bars. And, you could also go with handlebar shifters or stem mounted shifters of some sort instead of the downtube mounts on your bike - just a lot more convenient, and you can easily find simple clamp-on cable stops to put in the same place on the down tube as the current shift levers - they're always on eBay for just a few bucks. [But DO save the 600 shifters for the collector market] You may want to keep those bars on at first, at least briefly, just to see how comfortable the current reach and height feels to you. You could also eventually get a long alloy Nitto Technomic stem - if it does not put the bars too high for you. I like the look of both the bars and traditional "7" shaped stem on the photo below... VERY classy! I think that set-up with MTB style brake levers and perhaps a set of 6-speed indexed thumb shifters (or perhaps bar-end shifters) would be ideal on that bike.

You should check out what Rivendell has to say about their own Mixte bikes HERE and you'll feel great about your purchase... which I will assume had cost you a bit less that $2,500! You can also check out MY PEUGEOT MIXTE - a very recent eBay purchase I made and then modified a bit, removing the original drop bars, adding fenders and a rack, etc.. And, check out the link at the bottom of my "description" blurb on that page for more photos and info.

Very Nice Purchase! ~ Enjoy!
Bob

TrekSandra

Bob, your bike is a beauty!

East Hill

hehehe, I have to go against the tide of opinion and say that I much prefer drop handlebars on my mixtes. The only mixte I have which does not have drops is the one being discussed in the TE thread. I just don't like riding upright that much, as I need to stretch out my back.

I agree with stronglight about the beauty of the centerpull rear brake. All but one of my mixtes are set up that way, and it's a much cleaner design. I still seem to remember the Tourneys as being lower end, but I could be wrong. I have Dia-Compe centerpulls on my mixtes.

I've never personally seen DT shifters on a mixte. I think I might find them awkward on a mixte, although I have them on my traditional diamond frame bikes. I would certainly agree with stronglight that if you choose not to use them, collectors will pay some decent money for the Arabesques.

Did you come up with a good name?

East Hill

nlerner

I've just about finished putting a mixte together for my wife, and her preference is for upright bars. However, the standard SR North Roads model that we tried first was too narrow. We went with Nitto Albatross bars, which are quite wide (and available through Rivendell). Soma also makes a few different models of upright bars: https://www.somafab.com/bars.html

Neal

TrekSandra

I'm still learning. Would you explain centerpull rear brake? or point it out to me? Thank you.

Still thinking about the name. Do you have any suggestions?

Grand Bois

My wife likes the Nitto Dove bars from Rivendell on her mixte. I think they're a but narrower than the Albatross and they cost less.



The brooks B18 saddle is very comfortable and she gets compliments on it everywhere she goes.

The brakes are Shimano 600 sidepulls and I had to get creative with the rear cable routing. You can see it running up the seat tube. The bends result in rather high cable friction, but the levers are sprung and it works fine.

late

Take the bike to a bike shop and tell them you want old fashioned bars that bend back. Grab a couple and try to decide which shape you like best.
It will likely involve rewiring and it wouldn't surprise me if the bike needed a tuneup and/or a chain.

One last thing, some mixte frames develop a high speed wobble. Most that buy such bikes never go fast, but you should be aware of the potential for a problem.

East Hill

Here you go:



A slightly disorienting photo of a sidepull brake from my Nishiki Sport mixte



Centerpull from the Centurion mixte



A nice shot of the centerpull on the Raleigh mixte, showing how the brake is actually 'upside down', as compared to a regular brake



A sidepull from my World Sports lady's model

Still thinking of a name, although I like 'Ladybug'.

East Hill

TrekSandra

ahhh. thanks for the pics!

Names in the running:

Ladybug
and
Blossom (for Lotus)

alicestrong

Hi there
Any excuse to post about my much-loved mixte... shifters on the down tube, Brooks Ladies sprung flyer, center pulls and upright bars...although the originals were drops. A friend of mine just put flat bars on his mixte, so whatever is comfortable for you is OK...

East Hill

^^^
Ah, your centerpulls are 'right side up'! But they are still centerpulls. So elegant on mixtes.

East Hill

Blue Order

Beautiful Lotus, I was watching that one, but decided not to bid. Congratulations!

fender1

My wife's mixte. I put a 7 Nexus 7 speed internal hub in w/ a coaster brake, per her request. Th efenders and rack are from a trashpicked Peugeot mixte.

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stronglight

Here is a scan from my 1957 Peugeot catalogue showing their model PLX-55 very well appointed Randonneur Mixte. This gem has front & rear racks, alloy mudguards and chainguard both painted to match the detail trim on the frame, front & rear lighting, cantilever brakes, flat porteur bars with guidonnet levers, an Ideale ladies saddle similar to a Brooks B-18, wide 650B size wheels, 4 speed rear derailleur, and even a frame pump mounted behind the seat tube. A lot of nice features on this bike.

Blue Order

The Bianchi mixte I bought for my girlfriend has flat bars, and it looks great. They transform a mixte from a wannabe racer (drop bars) into a hybrid, which is exactly what some people are looking for (including my girlfriend.). In fact, her Fuji mixte will also be getting the flat bar treatment.

Flat bars for a city bike, or if you absolutely must have those ugly Nitto bars, turn 'em upside down so they have a bit of a drop, and a lot more class.

My .02.

Blue Order

Why, oh why, must women name inanimate objects?