I've been lurking a bit, but this is my first BikeForums thread. I bought a nice, new road bike a couple of years ago, which I've loved riding enough that I went from a couple hundred miles a year on my 25-year-old Raleigh Technium CityLite to a couple thousand a year on the new bike, which is fast and light. In short, I love, love, love the road bike and no longer even like, like, like the CityLite, which is nevertheless handy for short runs to the community garden, library, etc. But I'm completely paranoid about riding the newer bike into the city (about 24 miles roundtrip) if I'm going somewhere I might want to lock up for a while. And the old Raleigh is so heavy (I'm partially blaming the crazy old drum brake and the metal baskets) and creaky that I don't enjoy riding it for more than, say, eight miles, unless the weather is so beautiful that I don't care about how slow I'm going. I've been eyeing older road bikes. The last one that's caught my eye is a Raleigh Grand Prix mixte that's being offered for a bit more than $100--they say it's like new, but from the blurry pix, at the very least, the tires look rotten. I assume anything I buy, even if they say it's in great original shape, will need a bit of work. I'm no mechanic and will probably have to pay someone to any real work.

In short, knowing how many of you have had a zillion and three bikes (I've had three in my lifetime), I'm just wondering if I'm likely to like an old, low-investment road bike enough (meaning, are they light and fast enough?), compared to my other old non-road bike and on a continuum to my newer road bike, to justify having it, or if I should just put my money into doing some sort of overhaul on the currently upright CityLite.

What new road bike did you buy? What city are you riding it to? How long would you be locking it up for? Is it covered under home owner's?

My gut instinct is to ride the bike you like and lock it up in town...I don't know what area you're in, but if you use a quality u-bolt, chain the wheels and aren't leaving it over night, I don't think the risk of theft is too great in my city. You can always get unlucky of course, but I think the threat of theft is somewhat overrated if you behave intelligently. If one of my bikes was stolen, I'd use homeowner's.

If you really feel it's too risky, I'd spend a little bit more and get a mid-range Japanese road bike - something like a Miyata.

Welcome ms.!

Yes, you will like it. There's a huge difference between an old city bike and a decent vintage road bike. Older steel bikes often have a much better ride than modern bikes, plus they're much better looking The only real difference is the way the bike shifts gears, but for most people adapting isn't too much of a problem. Weight-wise only the top end bikes gained much of an advantage over vintage bikes. Cheap modern stuff will way more, break more and cost more than good quality vintage stuff.

They say a good road bike, vintage or not, disappears underneath you when riding along. I found this to be the case with my own vintage road bike (which is lighter than my modern one!).

Have fun looking around here, and maybe you'll meet some locals that can point you to knowledgeable shops or co-ops.

If you want an older reliable road bike that you can leave locked up you can try trading your Raleigh (and maybe some cash) for one. BTW Ive never seen a Raleigh Technium CityLite? Ive seen a Raleigh Technium, and a CityLite though. (both of which have no drum brakes)

Welcome to C&V, Ms Thorpe. How it works with vintage road bikes (and lots of other stuff): if you want to like them, you will. If you don't want to like them, you won't. Spend some time here finding out what's what, and feel free to ask for advice. There will be many opinions to choose from!

My wife has a 75 Raleigh Sprite which I was not allowed to touch. Instead when we rode (which I hated) I used her Mongoose which was like running in sand. Then one day 2 years ago I decided to take her Raleigh out for a quick turn whilst she was shopping. It was marvelous! coast forever, little pedaling effort, great ride. I bought a 1978 Grand Prix Raleigh immediately and I love cycling now, so yes the older road bikes are worth it.

Welcome to the Forum! My path to road cycling is similar to yours. Once I upgraded my main ride to a Cannondale CAAD 10 aluminum roadbike, I no longer wanted to ride my hybrid to conduct local errands and I wouldn't dare lock up my roadbike for fear of losing it. Following advice in the C&V forum, I decided I wanted a Japanese-made steel road bike from the 80's. On Craigslist, I found a 1986 Taiwanese-made Nishiki Olympic 12that didn't need any work for $220. The ride is more comfortable but the bike weighs 25lbs versus 17lbs for the Cannondale (I really feel when I'm climbing). The down-tube shifters didn't require much adjustment. BTW, sold the Hybrid for $200 so the Nishiki had a net cost of $20.

If the GP has chromed steel wheels, which is more than likely, I'd keep looking for a mid 80's mixte that has alloys.

Thanks, everyone, for the replies. Active forum! Aaron--the newer road bike is a carbon-forked Specialized Dolce Elite with SRAM Apex (I think it's thought of as entry-level for a good road bike), and the city is Chicago. Judging by the stolen bike registry, theft is common and organized. I do have a good Kryptonite u-lock and matching heavy (!!) chain for the front tire/frame/object, plus an older not-so-great u-lock for locking the rear tire to frame, and I do have homeowners's, and I know the odds are generally with me, but still. I hate that feeling of being inside somewhere, worrying about whether someone's going to angle-grind away my $$$ bike investment in a few short minutes. I worry less when my bike is no better, and ideally a little worse, than most of what's on the rack.

Ilikebikes--My old bike is, according the frame, a CityLite Technium City Sport, sort of a turquoise/seafoam color with little neo-classic triangles splashed here and there. Really '80s! From what I've read, the Technium was a fancy new frame (mostly aluminum?) for Raleigh for a while, and then it drifted into the more general market. Thus the upright, not-quite-mountain-or-road-ready "city bike" with the weird drum brake that is perhaps somewhat less effective than something simpler. I loved the bike when I bought it new in about '88 or '89, though I've long found it harsh at the seat--a big improvement over my childhood Schwinn 5-speed Suburban that got stolen. But after riding the Specialized, the Raleigh feels like I'm pedaling a U-haul truck, and I actually find it less comfortable. I can do it, but it's no longer love. Here's someone selling what looks to be the same model, https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/bik/4147325276.html, though I don't think it sold with fenders (or racks). At some point I put a better Ritchey wheel (spousal spare) on the front of mine, and there have been new tires, but that's the only real improvement it's seen over 25 years. Even if I end up with an older road bike for easy street riding, I'd probably keep the old Raleigh as a short-haul utility bike. Even then, I'm realizing how nice it is to have handlebars no wider than my shoulders and am contemplating some modifications.

Italuminium--I don't think I'd have a hard time adjusting the older shifting systems (I had a lever on my very first 5-speed Schwinn, after all), though I think I want the shifters up in the neighborhood of the stem or handlebars. Have never dealt with downtube shifters, and around town, where traffic can be heavy, I tend to not be in the drops (and I assume that's the only position in which it's easy to use those low levers). Chicago is pretty flat, so not much need to shift for terrain, but sometimes the wind is vicious! I read that the Grand Prix was Raleigh's second-lowest-end road bike. I guess I'll have to ride some older bikes to see how I like them, and if ancient mid-range is plenty good enough for my purposes or not. I'm guessing there aren't a ton of old higher-end frames out there for people who are 5'3". I like the look and idea of the mixte, but it's not a requirement.

Whizzer--you get it! Oddjob--thanks for that bit of practical advice.

Anyway, I am going to a big bike thing tonight, which I've never done before, so I might have the opportunity to talk with people riding nice older road bikes.

So you love one bike, but dont wanna leave it in town

and you loved the other one, but its heavy

then the easiest would be to make the old/heavy lighter?


edit
damn thats a tank!

it would be A LOT lighter with a regular v brake (single speed an option??) rear wheel, and unless you wanna carry stuff (that wont fit in a bagpack) you can improve steering too

From what I've heard, Chicago's theft problems are different than ours...our thieves are mostly opportunist junkies and I still haven't heard of an angle grinder theft in Philly of a bike that wasn't left over night. My experiences might not apply...

I think getting another used bike is a good idea, but I'd aim a little higher up. You aren't in a rush when you have two bikes (and it's winter). Hang in there until you can get a mid-level Japanese bike at a good price. Maybe a rigid steel MTB and convert it to drop bars? Those are FUN!

Welcome,

I think that if you like bikes, you will like the right old steel.

It sounds like you still want road bike (drop bars, etc).

It would be helpful to know your frame size.... and you could also use the C&V for sale/wtb area to look for a bike.

And great for people who have trouble finding a right-sized vintage bike.

You might even want to keep the flat bars, or shorten them.

Just adding light wheels with 25-28 mm tires can yield a very zippy bike that finds a happy medium between a road bike and a roadster.

Good heavens, in Chicago I wouldn't leave a $1400 shiny new bike in a rack out-of-sight ever. Mixtes or step thru frames are perfect for your height.

With new or old, lower end bikes will suffer from lower end parts, dropouts, grades of frame materials, etc. what you want/expect from a bike may be highly personal. I'll first tell you my story, then my advice. A number of years ago I was seriously into cycling. I had worked my way up to full Italian componentry on a top of the line Carbon Belgian frame. I was in great shape & I had the bike of my dreams. One problem, I was putting on a lot of miles & I didn't want to destroy this amazing bike. I had always dreamed of a steel racing Bianchi. I remembered seeing this as my holy grail in the 80's & thought it would be the perfect daily ride. I was having trouble finding just the perfect bike but, a freind of mine owned a shop & had been hounding me about this old Pinarello frame he was trying to sell for someone. It wasn't what I wanted. It was ugly & I wasn't into it. He finally talked me into it, the price was right, it had high end tubing the size was within the range. Not expecting much I built it up with some avg wheels & components. Every time I took it out I was amazed. I would descend down a twisty road & it Handled better than anything I had ever been on. I'd get out of the saddle on a climb & it felt like it knew what to do. Long story short, I've owned this bike since. I've had it longer than anything I own & built a frame based on its geometry(slight changes in tube length to fit my short legs/long torso. It's now built up with mostly period correct Italian componentry. I've owned a couple of those Bianchi's since & sold them.
My advise? If you buy an old steel frame, maybe buy one with terrible paint. Buy a high end frame with quality tubing & forged dropouts(not stamped steel)Buy some nice working vintage components & ride the heap of junk knowing cosmetics mean nothing. You might just end up like many of us steel junkies who have sold our carbon fiber or aluminum bikes because we have seen the light.

Italktocats--I loved the old one before I had a new, better one. The old one still shifts poorly (possibly fixable, though we've tried), sounds like an eggbeater when I pedal (new chain might help), is unwieldy and wide through the handlebars, and is less comfortable to sit on than the new one. It was a $300 msrp bike in the mid-late '80s, so not crappy, but my husband was already buying bikes that cost two and three times as much. Also, I do really like having at least one bike with baskets (sometimes I carry shovels and loads of tomatoes to or from my community garden), and making the old one lighter would probably mean giving those up. Otherwise, that probably would be the most obvious solution, though switching to a pannier system would probably save me 4 lbs. or so over the 2 steel baskets I've got.

And Aaron, you're right. I'm not in a hurry--I'm mostly looking at the vintage road option so I can enjoy rides to downtown that might entail locking up for a few hours and not obsessing that I'm leaving a big chunk of change vulnerable on the street. I'll move the Japanese brands up on my radar--I think my husband liked his Miyata. I hadn't even thought about drops on a steel MTB, though I've thought about drops on my old CityLite, if I wanted to really strip it down and change it.

I think it will be a while before I know the good vintage bikes from the average ones--I'd be thrilled to have a great-feeling, quality, right-priced bike like Blue Belly's--and all the better if it has some serious urban camouflage in the way of ugly paint and a few dings.

As others have mentioned, mid-range sport and racing
bikes from the 80's are good quality, plentiful, and often quite cheap. Get one with a chrome-moly steel frame and aluminum components, and it should weigh 25 lbs or less.

Or closer to 20lbs. You can find Mavic gp4 & gl300 rims laced to dura ace hubs, pretty cheap. Those are sewup, but they make an equiv in clincher. The gp4 being a little more stout. There are some great frames out there with nice tube sets. I saw a Bridgestone frame on my local CL for $100 a few weeks ago. If you find something, post it here. There is plenty of knowledge floating around this site. Often times your own research will pull up old catalogs & plenty of info.

Welcome to the forums. Are you a Honeydogs fan?

it always makes sense to buy another bike

A raging paranoia about unattended anything in CHI is well warranted, even fire hydrants aren't safe from pilferage there.

Time for Requirements Planning.
A certain older bike would fill the bill nicely but might take patience and a few $ to get right for you.
As others have said 80's Japanese, Raleigh Technium or Schwinn mid-level bikes w/ alloy wheels that will fit fenders and a rack can be fun to ride, not attract undue attention and are not "collectable" expensive.

Get "your" frame size, no compromise here. A mixte if necessary.
Must not be beat, plenty of dusty almost never ridden stock in garages that can be yours for very reasonable $.
Ask your mechanic where your good bike came from if anything suitable is kicking about. They are tuned into a network that is wide and deep, you are in it if you ask.

Have fun. Snow starts tomorrow so prices drop and shop time opens up, and get a very good lock or two.

-Bandera

my experience in chicago is if it looks old and crappy and has a decent u lock you can park it locked downtown over the weekend and nobody messes with it.

most of the bikes stolen with angle grinder are new bc new looking bikes bring more money quickly.

Another thing to be said about buying a mid-range 80's Japanese bike - it seems like alot of these are painted in neutral, subdued colors, the decals (if left on) arent' flashy. They don't really attract attention. But the ride can be excellent. The best ride of any bike I've ever owned was a 1987? Univega Gran Premio, in a run-of-the-mill blue color. A non-bike person wouldn't give it a second look. Giving it touches that make it look like a worthless bike could help protect it - foam handlebar covers, "turkey wing" brake levers, leave the reflectors on it, etc. Make an art project of it - splotches of slightly off-hue touch-up paint, painted-on rust effects, etc.

^^This.^^
Something like a 52cm Centurion Iron Man or 19" Schwinn Tempo would be perfect. Light at 21 pounds or so, excellent Shimano 105 12 speed component group, very tough and reliable. Lots of them sitting unused in basements and garages, figure under $300 easy. Downtube shifters, but trust me you will learn to live with (and love) them- you can ride the hoods and easily reach them. All you need is the bike, a set of new tires, and a couple small bottles of hobby shop paint (I prefer Testor's because it reminds me of building models as a child in the 50's) in ugly colors. The less you clean it, the less likely it is to be stolen.

Something no one has yet mentioned so I will, vintage anything is above all, a labor of love. Be prepared to learn arcane words, concepts, sizing and searching high and low for ephemeral pieces that may difficult to source should you blindly purchase what seems to be an inexpensive and solid deal. The land of C&V is littered with tales of woe of those looking for grail parts and the tools to actuate them, hence the reason for the suggestion of Japanese bikes, avoid French, Italian, British etc for the time being until all things vintage are made manifest. Godspeed and enjoy your journey into the land of C&V.