Austrian Free Spirit
 

Shimano Swallow components. I didn't see any tubing stickers. I have a feeling I know the answer but I'll ask anyway. Is it worth getting? I have a few bikes already but am always on the lookout. So I put it to you O wise knowers of all things old and funky, is this a boat anchor? It has internal rear brake cable routing which I thought was kinda cool.

Oh no! Leave it. It is a piece of crap.
Where is it?? Maybe to be safe I should check it out for you. :roflmao:

Here is a picture

That's not the model I thought you were talking about. This one looks to be better than most Free Spirits, but only worth getting if you see yourself spending a lot of time riding it.

I was thinking of singlespeeding it. One of the reasons it caught my eye (other than being Austrian) was the internal cable routing for the rear brake. What scares me is that the rear brake bridge seems to be just a flat piece of metal and I think the rear dropouts are just crimped in the stays. I thought I remembered people saying the Austrian ones were good. I know it's not the 531 model. If it was I would already be happily involved in rebuilding it. So is it good or bad? I know nothing of Austrian bikes. I certainly don't need another bike as I already have 3 nice ones and 2 mediocres. If I understand correctly, you're saying it's a step up from Huffy but nothing special. Right?

That's my opinion, nothing special. I would hold off if I was you.

It's crap. From what I can see the blue bike with fenders looks more like a real bike.

Even though I am strongly biased in favor of Austrian bikes :), Governor Schwarzenegger would be embarrassed by this specimen. I care for neither the frame nor the crankset nor the shifters nor the hubs nor the saddle nor the pedals nor the fork of that Free Spirit. The centerpull brakes would not be too bad, if their reach were not so long.

-- I ride a REAL Austrian road bike.

I have one of these. Bought it at a yard sale and fixed it up for my son. Two notches above the typical Free Spirit, probably a notch above a Varsity or Continental. A low end frame dressed up with alloy components.

The fork on the one you have pictured looks like flat steel, vs. a convetional fork on mine. Brakes look different too. Dia Compes on my example, Shimano Tourney GS derailer too.