Suggestions for lighter weight Mixte frames
02-02-10 | 07:31 PM
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 18,841
Likes: 11,745
It's a personal bit of deductive work. I ran across a '77 Grand Prix which I am rebuilding into a city bike/grocery getter. When I looked up the serial # WL6086 I found that W means worksop plant, L the fortnight it was built (Jul or Aug) and 6 being the year of manufacture. Now according to legend (and Sheldon Brown) the Worksop plant was dedicated to building only the high end frames with Reynolds 531 tubing. The Super Course was the only mixte frame Raleigh built with 531 tubing, and discontinued it after 1976. That plus the fact that my bike has no kickstand plate while the Grand Prix was always spec'd with one leads me to the suspicion that it was a leftover Super Course frame they decided to sell off the following year. I don't know if that's true, but nobody has been able to provide a better explanation for the serial #. At any rate it's fun the think I might have benefited in some small way from a corporate misjudgment. It also feels a lot like the old 531 Follis I rode during my college days.
Neal
02-02-10 | 07:32 PM
#27
My wife's Fuji Espree is fairly light, even with zebrawood fenders and a Brooks B18. The tubing is their own Val Lite
02-02-10 | 07:50 PM
#28
www.theheadbadge.com
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 29,026
Likes: 5,538
From: Southern Florida
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
02-03-10 | 08:35 AM
#31
Thread Starter
Papa Wheelie
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,470
Likes: 0
From: Madison, Wi
Bikes: Jamis Aurora '02; Takara Medalist (650B)
Well, Matey, I'll just have to keep me eyes peeled.
So it's looking like 80's Miyatas
Centurion LeMans
Fuji
maybe Panasonic
the golden years of Japanese Frame building
where the lighter mixte frames might be
02-03-10 | 09:59 AM
#32
multimodal commuter
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 19,810
Likes: 597
From: NJ, NYC, LI
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
Wouldn't they have different seat post sizes? I'm thinking 25.4 for the Grand Prix, and 26.8 for the Super Course?
02-03-10 | 10:08 AM
#33
www.theheadbadge.com
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 29,026
Likes: 5,538
From: Southern Florida
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
02-03-10 | 10:37 AM
#35
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 18,841
Likes: 11,745
02-03-10 | 10:43 AM
#36
www.theheadbadge.com
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 29,026
Likes: 5,538
From: Southern Florida
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
'50s, but filmed in the '70s. Fonz has left the studio.
-Kurt
__________________
02-03-10 | 01:14 PM
#37
Decrepit Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 10,488
Likes: 94
From: Santa Rosa, California
Bikes: Waterford 953 RS-22, several Paramounts
In 1983, Schwinn had both Le Tour and Le Tour Luxe mixte models with 4130 frames (main tubes and stays). Earlier Le Tour mixtes were heavier (carbon steel frames).
02-03-10 | 04:35 PM
#38
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
From: Montreal Quebec, Plateau
Bikes: 91 bridgestone rb-2, Univega viva sport, 04 masi Nouva Strada,Dave Scott Ironman, Changes like every month
Shogun made one out of Tange 2. Great paint work and came with a suntour/sansin/sakae mix. 531 Supercourse mixte is pretty light but the simplex group mmight be chronically worn
02-04-10 | 06:57 AM
#39
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,119
Likes: 159
From: Kalamazoo, Mi.
Bikes: Sam, The Hunq and that Old Guy, Soma Buena Vista, Giant Talon 2, Brompton
02-04-10 | 08:47 AM
#40
www.theheadbadge.com
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 29,026
Likes: 5,538
From: Southern Florida
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
02-04-10 | 09:06 AM
#41
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 18,841
Likes: 11,745
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
darker
Classic and Vintage Bicycles: Whats it Worth? Appraisals.
4
10-02-17 05:20 AM
