Bridgestone 400
 

Craigslist is a funny thing, sometimes what you think is gone ends up being your's, funny thing.
This is the bike I posted about in the heads up thread up in the stickies. I've been emailing back and forth with the seller plus a couple of phone calls, and tonight I went and picked it up. Now to decide what to do with it. Last summer I picked up a Bridgestone 200, a 1987 model, nice condition, decent quality, nothing to sneeze about. Now I've got this one which I figure is a 1985 model by looking at some of the online catalog scans. The 400 brings with it triple butted tubing, the Bridgestone self centering brakes, and 3 pounds less weight. The 200 is a 10speed (2x5), the 400 is a 12speed (2x6). Both fit me fine on the top tube length and both are borderline squeakers on the standover height for me, the 400 measures to about 57ctc on the seat tube with around a 32" standover height, I think the 200 is close to the same.

The 400 needs a tube in front, otherwise it could be ridable as is. The worst aspect of the 400 are some handling scrapes in the paint over the years, the worst is shown in the pic of the front fork leg closeup. I'm thinking I can find some touchup paint for a close enough match, or just clean and wax it and leave it as is. Currently my thoughts are to have the 400 bump the 200 and I'll put the 200 up for sale on the local CL after I swap a couple of things like maybe that stem ;) and the tires.

Anyway, feel free to add your own comments and/or suggestions as to pre-Grant Bridgestones. Eventually I'll continue to upgrade and fine tune my keepers in the bike stable and if I find something comparable but better fitting then the 400 will get bumped as well. Such is this game we call C&V bicycling, a fun hobby it can be.

On with the pics.... and here's a link to the 200 http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=452019

balance of the pics, the last one is after I adjusted the stem and seat as far as I could

ps, that seat is going to go as well, feels like sitting on a goo pad, but someone might like it.

And just for grins a side by side comparison.

The seller also showed me a Raleigh he had down in his basement. An older Raleigh Superbe 3-speed, step thru frame, generator hub on front that I at first thought was a drum brake. The Raleigh looked like it was in very nice original condition clear down to the fenders and lights and seat. He's coin flipping if he's going to keep it or put it up for sale sometime. If I see it show up on the local CL I'll be sure to post a heads-up about it.

Good strategy! This is exactly what I do whenever I get a bike that is my size. I have enough bikes already, so if I want to keep a new acquisition, I have to push out an existing bike in the fleet.

I have been trading up this way for the past year. Example, replaced my ill fitting 1975 U08 with my good fitting 84 Lotus.


Bikes that don't fit are of course cleaned up and sold to a new owner.