Yeah, the handlebars are original, apart form the Grab On foam, as are the the Dia Compe brakes/levers and Suntour shifters/derailleurs. All it really needs is... all the parts that make it go: chainrings, cranks, pedals, cassette, wheels, tires....

I am pretty sure that "Rob" won't be able to source original parts for most of that, but maybe over time I can!

Sears had a few decent models. Around the '64-'65 time period, they had their 'Sport Racer' type bike, which actually had Campagnolo Record components, believe it or not. It was made by Steyr I believe, in Europe. Sears was famous for putting their name on subcontracted goods - same thing w/ 'Craftsman'...made by Emerson, Parks, Syncro, etc. Jim Merz has detailed a story in which he used one of these bicycles (I think it was a '64 model, maybe before the Campy component spec) to take a bike trip w/ a relative, I believe from the Northwest down to Cali or something similar.

The '65 (?) Sport Racer I have is a lovely bike. It is not a high end bicycle, and while it has some low end features (crimped/pressed seatstay caps, stamped dropouts, etc), it has internal cable routing, chrome accents, and a good component spec - especially for '65. The frame by itself weighs around 2500g, which is not in 'racing' territory, but decently outside of normal dept store bike territory for weight (think 2700g+). I have no idea what the tubing is. Probably some sort of hi-tensile something-or-other, but not bad. The 531 framed Steyrs that Sears sold that Pompiere is referring to is the only version I know of, released in or around 1974.

Here is my '65, currently disassembled for cleaning/upgrading:


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c120f8854.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a875b6de1.jpeg

So what I'm taking from this is that if I had bought the top of the line Sear Best "Suteki" (and had another 2 years of allowance saved up), I might still have a nice bike!

https://christmas.musetechnical.com/...r-Catalog/0508

Also, your bike looks great, but I'd get that back brake looked at! 😉

Sagging bars, worn decals, pitted chrome socks, shot chrome headlugs, missing spokes. We got issues. But there was a lovely picture of one around here that was my inspiration, w/ new rims, a replacement Campy NR derailleur...the bike was ace. I'm very surprised, but actually the hub bearing races actually look okay! So I can rebuild the wheels, upgrade the rear to NR, and it should be a nice ride. I don't know yet if I will go for a full on restoration or not. Its going to wear the patina for a while, for sure. But that won't stop me from some upgrades, new shoes, cables, etc. Really, I just want to bring a Sears bike to a group ride amongst all the De Rosa's and Eddy Merckx's.

Mine is at the bottom of this page: 1974 Sears Spring Summer Catalog, Page 976 - Catalogs & Wishbooks (musetechnical.com)

and this is what it looks like today:

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d248ed9e32.jpg
1974 Sears Ted Williams Free Spirit with Reynolds 531 frame

I found it last year at a thrift store for less than lunch for me and my wife. Mainly, it just needed some TLC to get it ready to ride.

I consider the top end Techinums road or MTB to be under rated and some of the best mass produced bikes every made. They have a really great ride quality and the fit and finish is excellent.

I like that it has the original red dust caps online at the evil place there likely worth more than the bike complete great job.

First "fail" of 2024 and Momma's not impressed.
 

After acquiring the Falcon I said no more bikes this year but...... :o

I just got back home from a 200 mile morning cruise with this one owner 1979 Raleigh Super Grand Prix in 23.5" which in itself was no temptation but it was topped with a pretty decent brown Ideale 90 saddle which I needed and the asking price was less than half what I've seen the saddles advertised for. Seller had owned it since new but hadn't ridden it in years. He is moving halfway across the country early tomorrow morning and didn't have room to take it with. The saddle is going on my Peugeot PKN-10, I'll freshen up the rest of the bike and see how it fits and rides, then I'll decide if it's a keeper or not. All in all it's in pretty decent original condition and should clean up very nicely but it was at the far edge of my bike buying territory and had it not been for the price and that saddle I wouldn't have given it a 2nd thought.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...97917bfa3f.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9c6d93f524.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ff20025174.jpg

I really like the Raliegh branded Suntour VX shift with the bar end power shifters about the nicest of the late 70's shift groups.

'200 mile morning cruise'?

I've made too many of those as well.

I've been watching that ad for the barcons and seat. Ty for buying it!

Going to guess that's the drive to pick it up...

I didn't see it until Wednesday and it had already been on for a couple days. I kicked it around for a few hours talking myself out of it but then, logic failed me and I decided the saddle and barcons were worth the drive even if the bike turned out to be a roach. When I contacted him he said somebody else had already spoken for it and was coming Friday to buy it but he'd let me know if it fell through. I pretty much wrote it off but they evidently ghosted him and he let me know last night it was still available so I was up and on the road by 5:30 AM, which means I actually got to sleep in an extra hour LOL. I was hoping to wait until tomorrow but he's pulling out first thing tomorrow morning fo the other side of the country plus from a couple things he said when we were talking about the saddle I think there were others waiting in the wings if I didn't grab it. He didn't come right out and say it but I don't think there was any danger of it being left with the house or going to the curb. Thankfully it's not a roach, it's not like new either but is very well preserved for a 45 year old bike. Yeah, it's nothing special and just a carbon steel frame but it's growing on me and some of my favorite riders are HiTen.

Yes LOL.

Also the nice rat trap pedals are likely worth 75 or more online maybe bit more if there easton's.

I haven't tried them yet but I'm hopeful the toe clips are big enough for me as the seller was my size.

Murray Missile Looks like you are in a tough spot, when you like your parts bike too much..
:)
It does look like a nice Raleigh..

Not exactly classic or vintage. There's a man who collects scrap metal in my neighborhood. I spied this bike (without seat or seat clamp) in his pick up truck. I traded a couple of Huffy style frames for it. It fits me perfectly. My first bike with shocks. There was a tag in the spokes, it looked like a claim ticket for a pawn shop but just had a number, and no name of the shop. I'm guessing there's a story there.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...597797a828.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...124edbbf98.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...78827e3bc5.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...59dd8a2fec.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...840b5fb20e.jpg

I got a bike with a shock once. It was toast so I replaced it with a regular fork, which is what the bike came with. Apparently, my shock wasn't worth rebuilding. Hopefully yours is a good shock. I am a notably bad mountain bike rider.

Vintage or not, nice save!

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a26b71cb98.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c26e1319c4.jpg
Looks like the Spring Cleaning season is starting. The Peugeot had been rebuilt recently and could have been ridden in except for a failed derailleur spring. It's wheels got crunched and there are some new fender dents. The new tires and a clean set of Mafac Racers got it in the van, but its only a wheel swap from being a bike. The mountain bike is a cheapie, but a zero mile garage queen 7 speed Shimano cheapie, that just needs tires to be a bike. At this point I kind of prefer to find wrecked bikes, verses whole bikes added to the re-home pile.

PS. Google just informed me that Tunturi is a Finnish brand, so that's kinda cool...

Yep, Tunturi is a Finnish brand. I saw a bunch of their city bikes when I lived in Sweden.

Looking at the drive-side rear dropout, it looks to me like the frame was made in Taiwan by Giant. Is there an indication of where it was made?

A blue Serrota has rolled to the house o’ 66
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8a193da9b.jpeg

One mans junk is another…well…vintage Schwinn Continental, World Sport and a Peugeot. $13 a piece. Parts is why I snagged them. But…can I make them roadworthy? Or should I bother?

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6f0f2e593.jpeg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...13f59647a.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...be6119043.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1db04a9fe.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...53cec954d.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b87086077.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1801c6c23.jpeg

IdahoBrett In 1972 I really wanted that Sierra Brown Continental. I ended up with a Varsity..
These days, I really don't want a heavy Schwinn to drag it up hills. I think your hills are worse than mine.
I don't know which would be best to save. The parts on the World Sport look a little better to me.
Good luck!

-----

"Ladies and gentlemans, ve haf created ein monster!" :D


-----