Nice!

http://bikecatalogs.org/SCHWINN/1985...r_Le_Tour.html

I stopped reading at Cyclone, hehe. A nice catch, and also a nice shifting one too:D.,,,,BD

I just have the itch to put that Symmetric shifter on something...

Raleigh Sprite 5 Speed - Advice needed
 

Here are a few photos of my latest find, a Raleigh Sprite 5 speed. (I was on vacation and saw it in a thrift store for $15--I know little about English bikes, but I couldn't resist.) I'm guessing that it's 60's vintage, and I love it that everything's still there, down to the solid rubber block pedals and the Dunlop Sprite tires, made in England, still ready to ride.
But I need some sage C&V advice: Is this a bike with value that I should flip, or are these Sprites as common as dirt? ( I don't live in a big city or college town.) If I don't flip it, I need to decide what to do with it. The previous owner was riding it as a single speed, and the internal skewers for each side of the 5 speed hub are missing. Are those easy to find? Do I need to learn to rebuild a Sturmy Archer hub? I love a repair project, but there's always a limit.
Thanks in advance for all the advice.
Bob Johannes

You can say that again. When they're not jammed up with age and dirt/corrosion, they're one nice system. The FD trim feature actually doesn't work half bad, and they're stylish too. The Nishiki International I sold had those and Cyclone as well. How I wish the frame had been larger.,,,,BD

I picked up 12 bikes and a lawn mower for $50 yesterday from a local junk dealer and it included a new aluminum 26" QR rear wheel w/stainless spokes. Nothing great but there was a good parts machine a Schwinn Traveler w/105 RD,FD and shifters. Shouldn't be hard to recoup my money and still get a few good parts.
Glenn
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics239.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics242.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics240.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics241.jpg
This is cool, has a tank w/lights that work second one this year even the same color.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics247.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics246.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics245.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics243.jpg
This Chopper is the second one I found this year also this one has a lot of rust though.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics238.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics237.jpg

One of the other bikes that I got that had some good parts is this Western Germany made Mentor 3 speed,it has a Sachs 3 speed hub and shifter and the wheels look like they will clean up nice. It also has a nice set of Altenburger brakes on it.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics226.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics229.jpg
A Raleigh Gran Prix that has good chrome and should clean up nice.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics223.jpg
A nice clean vintage Roadmaster 3 speed easy flip.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics222.jpg
A USA made huffy 10 speed MTB w/new tires and tubes already installed looks like it was never used.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics232.jpg
A cruiser that has like new aluminum wheels w/stainless spokes and a coaster brake,I have a few good name brand cruisers that need wheels so this will be used for parts.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics236.jpg
beater bike at best.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics231.jpg
Another low end Schwinn.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...ikepics225.jpg

I like the Chopper, is that a geared hub?

This one has a lot of rust, but a Grand Sport Raleigh is probably worth the effort, and it is my size too!
all original save the derailleurs and shifters, front is Campy as are the shifters and the rear is a Shimano Crane.
Brooks seat is pretty dry, maybe I can bring it back to life some how, gallon of
proofhide maybe :D
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c1...t/IMGP1919.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c1...t/IMGP1920.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c1...t/IMGP1921.jpg

DEFINITELY worth the effort, Toytech. These Grand Sports are wonderful riding bikes.
Can't tell from the pic but are those the original randonneur bars? They had the most extreme splay I've seen, but are very comfortable.
...Looking forward to seeing some "after" shots of this one, for sure.

Saw this on CL, but I knew I was too late replying. Glad it went to a fellow BF'er.

I am not sure if the bars are original or not, they have no markings and they were shimmed with a piece of coke can :D
I have it stripped down and the parts bagged so far except for the bottom bracket. Fortunately the seat post was not stuck, and the bearing races are in good shape after cleaning out the "protective varnish" ;). The Nervar Star cranks are in really good shape too. I just need to find a free kiddie pool to soak it in, and a bag of oxalic off ebay.

I just happened to be in front of the computer on craigslist when it was posted. I drove an hour and a half to get it, real nice guy. He was the original owner and now rides a Gunnar.

Check near bar ends, there may be a "GB - Made in England" stamp. Nice find!

My catch of the day is not so classic/vintage, but it is steel and i did find it off of craigslist.

Its a 2000 Marin Verona, which is full campagnolo mirage/veloce, with an ambrosio/mirage wheelset, and the frame is 'columbus thron'
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/7...0620101324.jpg

Paid $300 for it

Yeah it's a 3 speed hub.
Glenn

Just scored this Trek off local CL. Reynolds 531c maintubes, maillard/rigida wheels, suntour BL, dia-compe sidepulls. I originally thought it was an '83 630 due to the coloration, but this one has a gray headtube, whereas the '83 has a blue headtube to match the decals. Also that model, I'm told from the brochure, had Cyclone mkII. If anyone can help out with identifying this thing I'd appreciate it. The serial number on the BB is 32520, and vintage-trek tells me that this era used a 6 digit numerical serial number. Anyways I'm pretty excited about it, I paid 100 beans if any one is interested, which I think is a fair price. I might just have to keep this one.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/IMG_3177.jpg
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/IMG_3179.jpg
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/IMG_3178.jpg

Nishiki Olympic 12
DiaCompe
Suntour Vx

http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/a.../IMAGE_295.jpg

I just love the Suntour BL drivetrain looks real clean.
Glenn

Beautiful Trek jstewse, I'd call that a great score!

Tough to compete with that Trek jstewse. Great score there.
( I think it's a 1982 Model 613. (Apart from the blue ST decal, all else seems right))


Here is a Miyata 310 (circa 1985) that I just cleaned up. Short wheelbase, but it nevertheless does not ride jittery.
A solid riding bike with excellent Suntour Vx DRs front and rear, and a centering feature on the deluxe DiaCompe side pull brakes. You can see it in the last photo. (Why don't all side pull brakes have that feature?)

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...0-Blue010a.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...0-Blue009a.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...0-Blue004a.jpg

Thanks for all the complements folks, I'm pretty excited about too. I think I'll start tearing into it tonight. I looked at the 1982 Trek catalog a little bit closer and I believe this is a 613.

Sure looks like you scored to me. What wheelset is that? Race?
btw I like this page at the top of the posts!? return it to its rightful place.

trek and miyata are sweet. If the trek is in as bought condition then good on ya.

The Trek with Blue Line is one nice catch!

I also have a catch to share....just got home with my wife on a C&V midnight run (anyone remember that movie?). I raced across the city to beat another potential buyer to a circa 93-94 Lemond Titanium with full Dura Ace, 74xx 8-spd STI. The seller was getting rid of his wife's bike. It's 53cm c-t-c. A bit smaller than my 55cm size...but it still fits. I had 45 minutes to hit an ATM for cash, and haul ass. My wife said go for it. She came and played navigator and ran to the ATM for me. First one was out of cash! #%$%@$#^!
I did a number of illegal turns to reach the next ATM, and was a burgundy Honda UFO through the East Valley of PHX. :D
I was 10 minutes late! Oh the humanity!! But I was still first. Woohoo! The seller was a nice guy, garage full of road bikes. He threw in a new tube, a Blackburn saddle bag full of flat fixing tools, 2 water bottles, and cycling computer. The bike looks to have very little wear, and he informed me his wife stopped riding after their son was born.
It cost (us) a relatively good catch price of $150. Not as great as some of the prices posted here, but I'm satisfied.....I finally snagged a holy grail bike for myself. No pics, sorry, it's too late now. And the adrenaline has worn off. I'll try to update with pics asap.


[update]
pics are in this thread:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?670248-Finally-had-some-good-fortune-this-weekend...-Ti-content-ahead