Found this Univega Gran Turismo in the trash yesterday! It just happens to be exactly my size, and the paint job is in excellent shape. The chrome fork (!) will need a little polishing, and it just needs a basic overhaul, but not bad for my first legitimate dumpster bike!

As far as I can tell it's all original. Dia-Comp brakes and brake levers, and Suntour everything else. I stripped all the junk cables, housings and stuff off of it, and am getting ready to shine 'er up!

I'm excited!

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f4...9/IMG_0944.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f4...9/IMG_0943.jpg

Just so you know...
You suck.
-Gene-

Weasel9... he certainly lives up to his user name, doesn't he?

He he he... I think it's about time. I've been perusing alleys and people's trash for MONTHS looking for road bikes!

I just moved to a tiny town in the mountains, and was bummed I wouldn't find anything. Turns out to be the opposite...

Nice! I love Gran Turismos. But could that be a replacement fork? I used to work at a place that sold Univegas--this would have been around 1980--and as I recall they all had painted forks, not chromed ones.
Nice find whether the fork is original or not.
JV

You know... It would make sense if that's not the original fork. The front rim also doesn't match the rear rim. It's a Weinmann, oddly enough. The front brakes are definitely the same as the rear...

Maybe I'll discover more when I take the thing apart.

Thanks for the info though.

Hey - that's my bike! I have the same one. I bought it new in about 1986. Mine has a painted fork, Diacompe brakes, Suntour everything else, and a black painted seat tube. I can't quite tell if your second and third chain rings are eccentric ("ergonomic"), like mine. Yours look round. The frame size on yours looks the same as mine (which is a little big for me). My wheels are Araya aluminum alloy. Bomb-proof. Heavy bike with low, low gearing but once you get it rolling you can go all day. I still use it for wet weather commuting - I fredded it out with fenders, bullet-proof tires and lots of lights. I hope you like restoring and riding your new Univega... Have fun!

Here is what it looks like if you pick up every bike you see put out for trash or lying along the road. Quite a assortment of bikes. A CV fantanic would have a field day, trying to figure out which one to work on first. Pics are of our CO-OP ( http://www.marchforjesususa.com/recyclebike/index.htm ) in Harrisburg, PA.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...P/100_0804.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...P/100_0805.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...P/100_0806.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...P/100_0811.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...P/100_0814.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...P/100_0815.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...P/100_0818.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...P/100_0819.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...P/100_0820.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...P/100_0828.jpg

What is the brake you have on the front wheel? It looks like a really long reach on it.

That is a bmx single pivot. Probably made by dia-compe (or whatever they were calling themselves during that week)

I live in a small town and it's rare to find any bicycle-shaped-objects at our local transfer station that are even somewhat interesting, so I was happy to spot this Raleigh Grand Prix when I was unloading the trash this morning. It is complete, but obviously has some issues. Looks like it spent some time outdoors; there is some rust. The pulleys on the Simplex RD are broken too. But this one is my size, so I might do the minimum to get it rideable and hang on to it a bit. It is one of the ones made by Gazelle, and the SN starts with "2" (no letters), so I'm guessing it's from 1972? Also there is a faded shop sticker from A.T. Nault & Sons, Manchester N.H.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3293/...88cb284b_o.jpg

Hey fellow Main-ah! Now you CAN get they-a from he-ya! :D

That bike should have had a suntour on the back of it.

If your interested, send me a pm, I should be able to sort you out with a period correct rear dr for it...

here's my latest aquisition... $10 AUD on ebay.

It's all there, just need to add some tyres, grease and lube and adjust stuff, and it's good to go.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ernStar001.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ernStar002.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ernStar003.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ernStar004.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ernStar005.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ernStar006.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ernStar007.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ernStar008.jpg

I see three '70s-era Vistas. You've sufficently scared me off from that place :p

-Kurt

Do a top-tube check on that -- your bottom photo looks like the tube may be bent nearer the headset. If not great, but if so, that explains the replacement fork.

I'm embarrassed, Charles - I'm usually the first to spot kinked top tubes here at C&V ;)

I'm putting first dibs on that fork if Weasel9 decides to part it out...

-Kurt

Just went out to the garage and checked that. Incredible eye, Charles. There is a tiny bend in the top tube! That explains the replacement fork and replacement front rim. Poor guy must have run the thing into a wall...

Hm! Does anyone think it's structurally unfit for touring because of that? Seems to be a small bend. However, I was glad I was on a really sturdy bike last time going 45 down a Colorado pass hitting big notches in the road... Opinions?

So long as any attempt to cold-set it back has not been done, it should not be entirely un-safe (though you never know - it is weakened, regardless), but it will handle funny, look funny, and folks who know it is bent will quietly laugh about it when you're not in earshot :p

-Kurt

Yeah Dale, I don't see anything that gets me excited. Definitely a good way to match people up with basic transportation, but not anything from the collector side of the hobby.

Unless you are on-site when those items show up.

At the dump the other day...saw the folks drop off the TREK mtn bike...watched the guy cross the yard and haul it to the register. I saw him coming and I was closer, so I could have gotten it for $10 or less.
But my bike eating tree is already well fed.

This is also why it IS good to carry a twenty or fifty in the back of your wallet.
So if you ARE there when something shows, it's yours! :D

I'm sure there are one or two decent mid-range machines somewhere in the lot, though most of it looks to be the stuff that gives you fits because of a crappy crankset, equally bad front derailer, and suicide levers that effectively take off 5mm of effective travel from the brake levers :eek:

I've worked on enough of them to run like hell when I see 'em! :lol:

-Kurt

It's like they are all looking back at you... ready to pounce....

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...P/100_0828.jpg

I am I correct about the year? It has a label that inidicates it is a Gazelle built Raleigh, which I believe narrows it down to '71 - '74. The serial number is on the bb and is 270216. Based on what I read about the Raleigh numbers, I guessed it must be 1972. There is a 1972 Raleigh catalog on Retro Raleighs that lists the Simplex Prestige derailleur for the Gran Prix on the specifications page. The front derailleur and shifters are also matching Simplex parts, so I tend to think they are original to the bike.

Anyway, thanks for your offer, but I already have a good Suntour VGT Luxe in the parts bin that I'll probably try on it first.

yes, we have alot of useless crap, but once in a while we get something decent. Most of our MTB's and road bikes go to the work release guys and the mission. Our winter project is to go through everything and weed out the unuseables. Thought you all would appreciate the pics, see I am not the mad horder of vintage bikes that some think I am.