Suggestions: Vintage Steel Racing Road Bikes Around 600-700$?
06-30-16, 05:14 PM
#26
Senior Member
Well well well.......................... the bike has to pass the "two finger" test. (Bikes under 21 lbs can easily be lifted with two fingers). The frame has to ring like a bell. (Hang bike on a ceiling hook and tap it with a stick & listen). Look for stickers. Tange 1 & 2, Reynolds 531, Columbus SL & SLX, Ishiwata 022 & 012. It's all good. Have fun.
06-30-16, 05:22 PM
#27
Senior Member
You need to post your location, $600 buys a lot of vintage steel in small markets, not so much in big markets like San Fransisco or NYC.
06-30-16, 06:21 PM
#29
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That's not a bad market and lots of bikes for sale. Just have to constantly watch, have cash and be ready to go. I have even picked up bikes there when in town. Things pop up and you don't see them because deals sell quickly. Or, make a lower cash offer on something you want, the most they will say is no. Many times they get back to you or you follow up with them if ad is still around. Just mark it with the star and keep a list.
Offer up has occasional deals as well.
Good deals are posted bad many times so have a good search list. Or if you don't look for some time make sure you dig. Cinelli, Campagnolo, Campanolo (common misspell), Italian, old, vintage road, antique, yard sale, must sell,,,,. Also search parts and antique section, there I only search bike or bicycle.
Offer up has occasional deals as well.
Good deals are posted bad many times so have a good search list. Or if you don't look for some time make sure you dig. Cinelli, Campagnolo, Campanolo (common misspell), Italian, old, vintage road, antique, yard sale, must sell,,,,. Also search parts and antique section, there I only search bike or bicycle.
Last edited by Bikerider007; 06-30-16 at 06:28 PM.
06-30-16, 09:39 PM
#30
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Hey guys, I am in the market for a new(but vintage) racing 
road bike (EXCITING I KNOW! loll). However, i have been online looking both craigslist/ebay to just come up short on my search on several occasions..
My road bikes;
A Fuji Gran Tourer, MY FIRST ROAD BIKE. Bought it for $90, tuned it up for another $110, rode it for several months till i got really into biking (which didn't take long) and sold it for my next bike..
A Columbus Tre-tubi Pink Faggin built on Campagnolo components. While in-love with this bike, I came across this bike for about $400 so jumped on it to test different waters. Why nottt~
An O'Brien Columbus SLX frame with 7400 Full Dura-Ace components. Came across this bike built on Dura-Ace components online, researched this "Obrien" brand and found myself talking to the man himself. He said the frame was Columbus SLX and the reason for 1 brifter and 1 downtube shifter combo was that it was the 'norm' back then.
All of these bikes were a blast in their own way, however, the Faggin i found to be the most enjoyable ride. FAST, zippy handling, solid, and felt it was the heaviest, but not in terms of weight..not sure that made sense. Both the Fuji and the Faggin i managed to be able to PUSH and KEEP pedaling harder downhill, but the SLX had a peak to the pedaling downhill or in any scenario in general (could be due to the higher gearing?). At times, i would even 'lift' the front-end of the SLX when i would aggressively push myself on the bike. So with all this said, Im looking for some suggestions, preferably something that would ride something similar to the Faggin, something i could go FAST in.
Am i looking in the wrong places? Should i be looking for a specific frame (columbus sl, tsx?) Specific gearing?
ANY suggestions would be great help..even listings in the range? Thank you.
road bike (EXCITING I KNOW! loll). However, i have been online looking both craigslist/ebay to just come up short on my search on several occasions..My road bikes;
A Fuji Gran Tourer, MY FIRST ROAD BIKE. Bought it for $90, tuned it up for another $110, rode it for several months till i got really into biking (which didn't take long) and sold it for my next bike..
A Columbus Tre-tubi Pink Faggin built on Campagnolo components. While in-love with this bike, I came across this bike for about $400 so jumped on it to test different waters. Why nottt~
An O'Brien Columbus SLX frame with 7400 Full Dura-Ace components. Came across this bike built on Dura-Ace components online, researched this "Obrien" brand and found myself talking to the man himself. He said the frame was Columbus SLX and the reason for 1 brifter and 1 downtube shifter combo was that it was the 'norm' back then.
All of these bikes were a blast in their own way, however, the Faggin i found to be the most enjoyable ride. FAST, zippy handling, solid, and felt it was the heaviest, but not in terms of weight..not sure that made sense. Both the Fuji and the Faggin i managed to be able to PUSH and KEEP pedaling harder downhill, but the SLX had a peak to the pedaling downhill or in any scenario in general (could be due to the higher gearing?). At times, i would even 'lift' the front-end of the SLX when i would aggressively push myself on the bike. So with all this said, Im looking for some suggestions, preferably something that would ride something similar to the Faggin, something i could go FAST in.
Am i looking in the wrong places? Should i be looking for a specific frame (columbus sl, tsx?) Specific gearing?
ANY suggestions would be great help..even listings in the range? Thank you.
FYI, I posted this Marin Vicenza yesterday in the CL thread. It's your size, and it's a nice steel bike made with Columbus Brain tubes for $450 with Campy Veloce 9x3 Running gear, and it's in Huntington Beach.
If I were you, I'd definitely look at it:
Columbus Marin Vicenza 56cm
07-01-16, 01:04 PM
#31
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Thank you for all your inputs. So it looks like i MIGHT HAVE found a bike that I'm interested in, however, the size is 55.5 and not the 56 that I ride. Is this a deal-breaker? I mean to ME, i feel like its not that big of a deal..but of course I'm not correct all the time so hopefully you guys could help me with this as well. Thank you.
07-01-16, 01:52 PM
#32
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Thank you for all your inputs. So it looks like i MIGHT HAVE found a bike that I'm interested in, however, the size is 55.5 and not the 56 that I ride. Is this a deal-breaker? I mean to ME, i feel like its not that big of a deal..but of course I'm not correct all the time so hopefully you guys could help me with this as well. Thank you.
I am usually able to adapt anything from about a 58 to a 61-62 seat tubed frame (c-c) to my needs quite well, using a variety of saddles, posts, stems, bars, and the general adjustability of those components.
07-01-16, 01:56 PM
#33
Senior Member
Thank you for all your inputs. So it looks like i MIGHT HAVE found a bike that I'm interested in, however, the size is 55.5 and not the 56 that I ride. Is this a deal-breaker? I mean to ME, i feel like its not that big of a deal..but of course I'm not correct all the time so hopefully you guys could help me with this as well. Thank you.
(Edit) You should also pay attention to the top tube length.
Last edited by due ruote; 07-01-16 at 02:00 PM.
07-01-16, 02:07 PM
#34
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Thank you for all your inputs. So it looks like i MIGHT HAVE found a bike that I'm interested in, however, the size is 55.5 and not the 56 that I ride. Is this a deal-breaker? I mean to ME, i feel like its not that big of a deal..but of course I'm not correct all the time so hopefully you guys could help me with this as well. Thank you.
Basically, you need to have a comfortable distance for your leg to pedal reach, and your arms to handlebar reach. In addition to the seat tube and top tube measurements, the stem, the seat-post height, handlebar position, and seat setback are all going to have influence over those factors. I've basically set up several frames ranging in dimensions that I described in the first paragraph, to all have the same distance between the seat at the seat-post axis and the center of my handlebars (in my case 67 cm) and the same distance between the top of the seat at the seat-post axis and the center of the bottom bracket (in my case, 71 cm).
07-01-16, 05:48 PM
#35
Senior Member
I have my share of Italian bikes which I love but I also have a Centurion Ironman that is right in the mix with my expensive Italians. If I were you I would try to find an Ironman. You won't be disappointed.
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