JAG410

I love my 39.5 year old bike, and plan on sending it off to get refinished this fall, so it looks shiny and new for its 40th birthday next April. I intend on keeping this frame until it dies, so I'll be adding some braze-ons and other non-period correct (but builder correct) updates too.

It's reasonable to assume the Reynolds 531 frame and fork has a couple more decades in it right? How many of you put 1000+ miles a year on a bike this old?

rootboy 

Sheer speculation on my part but, I would think it will last another 40 years no problem, as long as it is not allowed to oxidize. IE: rust.
I wouldn't think materials fatigue would be an issue unless the frame is put under a lot of stress, as in criterium racing, etc.

FrenchFit 

As I've posted before, I commute on a 40 year old bike, occasionally take it on a metric century just to loosen its legs. It's essentially OEM, though I changed the rims to Sun M13s and made a few cosmetic changes. I do top to bottom maintenance on it once a year. I have no doubt it would go another 40 years. But, one of these days I'm going to have to break down and give it a new chain.

I think the key is what rootboy said; always stored inside, never raced or beaten up on hard climbs, gentle shifting, fair weather commuting, etc.

20 miles a week? Easy.

RoadTire 

Nice! What is it? I couln't make out the brand.

rootboy 

I would be sure to coat the inside of the tubes after you get it back from the painter's.

Bandera

I have a machine of the same vintage that I rode this AM.
It's seen unknown thousands of training, road racing, touring, cyclo-cross and around town miles and is as solid as the "modern" steel frame I built this year. I've put more time on it than any of my other bikes this season and I expect it to outlast me.

Nice to see you are keeping yours in excellent nick. Please post before & after pics of the restoration.

-Bandera

rootboy 

Just curious but ...what frame is it?

Pars 

I put 1000+ miles a year on my 40 year old RRA, and see no problems with continuing that. I haven't been riding as much this year, and have started commuting on a mid '80s Trek, so may not get as many miles on the RRA this year, but not from lack of trust in it.

JAG410

Even at almost 40, there's not a spec of rust on it and no signs of decay or structural damage. It stays inside, but does get ridden in the rain. It's fully chromed under the paint and frame saver'd inside. There aren't any big hills here and I rarely stand and sprint on it. For the most part, it's babied.

First before:

First after:

Current:


Proposed after:
Same as current but with a front rack/different bags, braze on cable guides, period correct decals (seen here: https://www-hsc.usc.edu/~rpinder/richsromic.html), a similar green color, and if I'm feeling impulsive...Athena 11. I love the 650B Randonneur style bikes, and this bike has identical geometry to what the "new school" guys are building, even though it was never intended to be 650B. It seems foolish to spend $1500+ on a new frame when my old frame can do the same stuff...and looks better.

iab 

I frequently ride an 80-year-old bike. Not 1000/year but maybe 600-800. No worries on my end.

Jseis 

My 40 year old Motobecane Grand Jubilee gets ~500 miles a year. Needs a repaint to really bring it back but the patina and decals remind me of great adventures. In 4 decades I've changed stem, wheels, pedals, brakes, hoods, shifters, cables, and pump (Silca long gone). It'll easily go another 40. But this winter is a full disassembly to take stock & replace as needed; bearings, headset, possibly BB, polish all the Al, new brake levers (to better match MaFac canti's), tape, cables. If I go a full resto I'll add cable bosses too.

rootboy 

You're going to paint that? hmmmm...OK.

Lascauxcaveman 

That's kinda what I'm thinking. Looks pretty nice already, to me. The only bike I ever painted was really beat up. But, y'know, I guess it is his bike.

wahoonc

I don't see an issue as long as you keep it from rusting and don't totally abuse it. I have a Raleigh Sports Standard that is 42 years old and has not lead a sheltered life. It is still rolling along after tens of thousands of miles. I expect it to be around long after I am gone.

Aaron

repechage

see below.

repechage

My thought is why the need to add braze ons to a chromed frame? Yes, bits can be silver soldiered to chrome, but the strength is then passed to the plating / tube interface. Removing the chrome at the regions to be brazed will degrade the ultimate long term corrosion protection.

From the subsequent posts, it reads as though the components will be possibly set aside for a modern build which will also most likely entail widening the rear triangle... With the cost of the mods and paint work... I would just maintain this as it is, and save for a geometry replica designed for what you really want.

I would bank long term consumables now and build another.

JAG410

This bike is the textbook example of a 10 foot paint job. Up close its obviously done by someone impatient with a paint gun and free time. Fingerprints, zip tie indents, half a coat under the seatstays, and chipping under the cable guides that weren't located properly. I wonder how bad the original flamboyant red paint was before a previous owner sprayed it green.

I should have prefaced the thread by stating that I'm looking for my "forever" bike. I have tentative plans to get a custom Waterford, but my Romic has qualities I'd like in a forever bike as well. Since I could make the improvements to the Romic for a fifth of the cost of a Waterford, it seems like a decent investment. However, I am extremely indecisive There are pros and cons to each direction I could go with this. Repechage makes some good points...

gomango 

First of all, the Romic is a very nice bicycle.

You have done a nice job of getting it ready for the road.

That being said, I agree with Repechage.

I would ride, keep and enjoy the Romic for what it is at the moment.

A custom Waterford would be a worthy goal for a forever bicycle, as they are gorgeous and can be set up exactly as you wish.

Give yourself some time to save for it or another as you narrow your decisions.

Just my opinion.

Chombi

Here's looking forward to another 40 years from a different perspective.....

It's on it's 41st year.....
Easy enough to think about extending a bike's life for another 40years if it's a steel bike, but a CF bike is another thing all together. I guess as I'm lucky enough to find this one in such great but certainly used condition, but although the bike rides nicely as restored, I do question myself when I occasionally ride it, as I'd feel very guilty if anything ever happens to it, whether it does start to fall apart at the joints or be involved in a riding accident that can finally end it's long life once and for all. For now, I guess I'm happy to just treat it like a semi-wall hanger.

eschlwc

yeah, it's about time you overhauled that sweet old moto. but painting and adding bosses would be a tragedy, as you'll lose too much history and originality. let the next owner, forty years from now, do that.

also, try to keep the headset and bb in place. even if there's a little bearing indexing in the races, first try to polish it out or reinstall new bearings without their retainers before you give up on the components.

and document the process and post a well photo'd thread if you have time.

Bandera

Do what you want to get that machine to a spec that you require, you actually ride it.
Fretting about "history & originality" doesn't seem to be your interest so knock yourself out and let others preserve and patina away to their heart's content. Different strokes etc.

-Bandera

Jseis 

Well, coastal weather has been hard on the chrome...particularly the headset. But if I can get by with just bearings (as in loose bearings in the BB and..,Huret Jubilee rear d has freakin cones no less and loose bearings), then I'll forego a re-spray. A seat and new tape, hood covers will spice things up. She looks darn good and a little wax and TLC makes her shine.

Chrome Molly 

FWIW I have 1700 plus miles this year on an 84 trek 760 made from 531c. I put about 2000 on it last year also. So, 30 year old bikes hold up just fine. Original parts include only the seatpost, brakes, and frame. The rest was sold off to fund modernization. Glad I did that, since it's now a smooth and fun rider that keeps up with the latest bikes if the engine is up to the task that day.

John E

40 years is just nicely broken in. I really enjoy riding the Capos, which are about 53 years old.

Steel frames to not last forever -- I have broken a Peugeot UO-8 at the chainstay, between the chainring and tire clearance dimples, and a Nishiki Competition at the bottom bracket shell's seat tube lug. The Nishiki had accumulated about 20 years and 40k miles at the time.

gomango 

Thought you might get a kick out of seeing these two Romics.

Snapped the pics on the ride the other day.