1986 Bob Griffin built up from new, 531 Pro frame built by a local frame builder rides lovely and is sub 20lbs.

1975 Paris Sport Model 700
 

Like most such machines of its age, the second bicycle I ever bought with my own money has gotten quite a number of replacement parts installed on it over the years - not all of them because of the original parts breaking or wearing out. I did a number of upgrades and many of those I bought over 30 years ago. Like the Huret Jubilee front derailleur (the rear one is in a box somewhere) and Avocet micro-tilt alloy seatpost

That said, it's still running the original ball bearings in the headset, front hub, pedals, and crank.

Here's the original receipt.

Alan

[QUOTE=striegel;19799894... Avocet micro-tilt alloy seatpost

...[/QUOTE]

Careful. That post may be about to fail. I've had two Avocet posts. Both broke. Both times on rides. 2nd time the seat just fell off, leaving a jagged broke clamp and me finishing the ride out of the saddle. FIrst time i was 60 miles form home. Jury rigged a tie. That was one of my all-time painful rides.

Avocet has a 100% track record with me. Every Avocet anything I have owned has broken on a ride. (Actually not true. Selle Italia made their seats and they get it right whether or not their name goes on it.)

Ben

And back on topic: the Peter Mooney I mentioned in post 242 has been re-purposed and found a new life, as a gravel worthy fix gear to ride this year's Cycle Oregon with its many miles of gravel plus a (paved) loop around Crater Lake. A great ride with fat tires (38 front; could go a lot bigger and 35 in back, a tight fit with the horizontal dropouts). And for the paved days, a super ride with those new 28cVittoria Corsa G+ tires. (The ride is reminiscent of the old Clement Del Mondos.)

Ben

Avocet seatpost failure?
 

Wow! Mine has lasted through tens of thousands of miles and has its 4th saddle bolted onto it. It sounds like you're describing a failure of the top clamps? I've never heard about this before.

I suppose I should inspect it carefully and watch for problems. Has anybody else noted this type of issue?

Alan

This is my second bike to reach the 30+ milestone. 1986 Schwinn Sierra in Black Chrome. I never did much off road riding, but a lot of neighborhood streets and bike paths with the kids. It is currently wearing Origin 8 Gary bars so I could test the waters for the gravel grinder/heavy duty touring bike fad. I got the position dialed in, but this is a heavy bike and there isn't any gravel nearby, anyway. I have bikes for that, so I may put it back to it's original configuration. I even have the original Schwinn tires. The only thing missing is the grips and seat, which the 1986 Bicycling review said were "made from a substance that is harder than concrete".

I'm looking at the thread title and thinkin' 30 years ago isn't as long ago as it used to be.

When I graduated from high school in 1981, I wanted to take some of my graduation gift money and add it to some of my earnings/savings to place an order for a custom Peugeot PRO10. My father strongly advised against it reasoning that I would be better able to utilize the money for college expenses, etc. It's the only piece of bad advice that I ever got from my father. Still stinging from that setback, four years later a bike shop at the edge of campus started stocking a rather extensive line of gorgeous Denti bicycles. They were exotic, beautifully made and exclusive as the shop imported them themselves from Italy. I had to walk by that shop every day on my way into campus. Flush with cash for college graduation, just prior to walking across the stage to receive my diploma, I left the family in attendance to spend time enjoying an extended lunch prior to the ceremony and slipped off to the shop and bought a gorgeous Denti Master and a handful of pantographed parts. I completed the build with Super Record. I raced the daylights out of that bike that summer and fall while I was job hunting. I consider it the best possible use of that graduation money...I'll find photos to post of the bike..

Mike Melton, early 80s
 

I worked in a bike shop in the 80s and this Mike Melton frame was hanging in the shop. I couldn't afford it then as I was in college. I went back to that shop in the 90s. That frame was still hanging there and I bought it as I had a job that paid better than being a part time bike mechanic, : ).

Mike Melton was a really fine frame builder. Mike Melton

Back in the day, this might have been called a touring bike but it is really more of what the Brits would call an audax bike or which we might call on this side of the pond a sports touring bike. It was designed around 28c tires with long reach brakes, it has fittings for a rack and fenders, 3 water bottles, and a pump peg. It was clearly designed for long, unsupported rides. The bike is beautiful (I think) and rides like a champ:

I bought this 1984 Tempo in 1985 (and had to let the Peugeot go in order to help fund the purchase). The Tempo was a huge step-up over the U08 so at the time I didn't miss the Peugeot at all...nowadays, I kinda wish I still had it.

anyway, here is the Tempo and the catalog w/receipt

Steve

'84 Peugeot PH10LE bought new in '85. Still ride it every Saturday for my weekly ride. It's my one and only velo.
Jon

I still have the Puch Mistral Superleight I built when I worked in a Schwinn shop in Columbus Ohio in the early 80's. So yes. 531 frame came from Columbus Cycle, and I built the rest.

I still have the Veloce I had custom built for me by John Stinsmen of Allentown, PA in 1986 (or thereabouts). Still in great riding condition. I'd attach a pic of it but the attachment feature asks for a URL and all my pics are in my pic files, not on a photo sharing site. Love this forum but it can sometimes be a navigational PIA.

Got my Legnano Roma new in 1964 as a junior racer. I've never thought of selling it, even though it hung on the garage wall for close to 30 years. I'm riding it now, and glad I kept it. I didn't actually buy it, my parents did. Lucky kid. Old and current pics attached.

Does a frame that I built myself count? Built it in 1981 and still am riding it today.

I don't see why it would be excluded. I think the idea was to show bikes that you have owned since they were brand new.

1984 Ciocc Aelle
 

Bought at a Local German Bike Shop, while stationed in Germany. Came with Shimano friction, Tri-color components , I believe. I still have and use the original Flamme tubular rims, with the Tri-color hubs. Had those re-spoked several years ago. The bike has under gone several upgrades , over the years. It now sports early (89-ish) 105 7 speed gear, The RD was replaced with a Shimano 105, 10 speed, so I could use a 32T low in the rear.

Future upgrade , will be 7 speed , STI shifters.

Attachment 576949

My wife's Fuji S-10-S from 1971 or 1972 recently cleaned up after this photo.

My Wife's Coffee Brown Raleigh Sprite 5 Speed Purchased New in 1970
 

Although I sold my 1971 Raleigh Professional a while back, we still have the Coffee Brown Raleigh Sprite 5 Speed that I bought for my wife in 1970. I think I paid $89 for it new and had the tires changed to gum walls prior to purchase. (Princeton Cycle - Lake Worth, Florida). It is still extremely nice with excellent chrome and finish. Our daily riders are Cannondale Silk Path 400's although my wife favors her Raleigh because of the lower step though. Cheers, Jim

still have two-
 

Still have the wife's '85 Raleigh (not ridden pending a hip replacement) and still have the '78 Ross Pro. I bought the Ross by trading in in a two month old Nishiki International (hated the barcons) because I was a sucker for the Shimano 600 EX gear. (MY) frame got shorter over 40 years and I stripped the Ross to use it all on a perfect sized '82 Nishiki Landau I found at an auto salvage yard for $10. Still have the frameset but not not sure what to do with it now. The pics are old- I had just gotten it back from a younger brother who borrowed it for a couple years. I retrieved it when I retired to Tennessee.

Yup!
 

Still have the 1984 Schwinn Supersport, that I bought from Benz cyclery, Mequon WI, in June of 86. It was a leftover, large frame, didn't give me much off, but was happy to get it, as it was the only higher end Schwinn they had, that fit me. Still gets ridden every other week or so, pretty much as bought, with the exception of tires, tape, and tubes. Also replaced the stem and pedals. Tim

Here's a few I've had over 30 years -

Roberts: frameset bought for me from Charlie
1984: Lightweight Unit Raleigh Corsa
1985: SBDU frameset
1988 Specialized Stumpjumper*.

And if it counts;

1951 Hobbs of Barbican bought new by my Wife's Dad.

There are one or two others, but I won't bore you !

John.

*ok not quite

I didn't know about this thread but I qualified two months ago (yay!) so another excuse to post the Ron Cooper. My 15th birthday present in June 1987, custom built in Ron's workshop about a mile from my home. The London to Brighton charity bike ride was its first voyage. I recently had a celebratory ride to Brighton pretty close to the anniversary.

Two Ron's in Brighton, June 1987 (me on the left):

https://scontent.flhr3-2.fna.fbcdn.n...1c&oe=5A1B9086

Ron relaxing at the top of Ditchling Beacon (traditional ice cream stop near the end of the ride), June 2017:

https://scontent.flhr3-2.fna.fbcdn.n...4e&oe=5A29F291

What it looks like standing up, after a couple of resprays (rusting head tube, my bad!) and modernisation a few years ago:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7205/2...a93dc415_b.jpg

I still have my black Miyata 912 I purchased from Pine St. Cycle in 1979 (like another person here!) I had sold my Univega to buy it and found it just outside what I could pay. The shop took parts off it to get it to the price I needed. Eventually I bought some wheels, a derailleur, and a seat and post and hit the road. Lots of camping trips, quite a big deal at 15 going off with your friends on a 50 mile ride with loaded panniers without parents! It is currently disassembled after being on loan for several years and being worse for the wear. A 'frankenbike' since new with mix of Shimano 600, Suntour Superbe, and Dura Ace. I'm glad to have it back.

1974 Motobecane Mirage & 1978 Motobecane Grand Record.