Vista empress ??
 

I was looking on CL and found a nice looking ladies 3 speed bike in great condition. I did a search but couldn't find much info on it, has anyone heard of the Vista Empress?

Here is a few pics of it.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...icture1-14.jpg

I've never encountered the Empress model, but other Vistas I've seen were on par with Huffys and Free Spirits of the era. It might be ok for occasional use, but it probably won't stand up to more than that.

I've got a Vista Duchess 3-speed. Someone on BF some time ago said the Vista was Columbia's attempt at a better quality bike, on a level with the Schwinn Varsity.

Search BF for "Vista", you'll find some info. Here's one thread: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ighlight=vista

thanks for the link David, I didn't realize there was a link to Columbia. A local shop has an old Vista tandem that looks very similar in quality to my Columbia... Come to think of it, the Columbia's headbadge is missing...

I had a Vista Sophisticate for a while, it was a 3-speed very similar to a Schwinn Breeze, the frame looked just like an electroforged one, but made in Japan. The hub was Sturmey Archer, dated 1972; ashtabula style crank; rims were Rigida, made in France; the brakes were Dia-Compe and surprisingly nice. A little later I saw another Vista Sophisticate which was evidently about five or ten years older than mine; it was a rebadged Raleigh Sports: same "made in England" decal, same lugs, same mudguards, same everything as a Raleigh Sports.

I can't tell for sure, from your photos, but the shifter is clearly not a Sturmey Archer, more likely a Shimano; and the lugs are clearly not Raleigh lugs; and the crank might be ashtabula. I'll guess you have a higher end model from the made-in-Japan years, somewhat lighter than a Schwinn, though probably not as classy as a Raleigh.

Vista's are pretty good - for what they are. They will hold up, but they are heavy. Not bad for around town, but you won't enjoy going up hills on them.