Budget retro looking bike

[le_al_khemista]

The Temple bike looks good with a reasonable spec but seems a bit pricey for what it is. The Tokyo just looks plain odd with it’s 26” wheels and very long wheelbase and again expensive.
Why not buy a real retro bike? Plenty of them around and your budget could get you a fully restored example. I know @biggs682 on here has several examples available. What size is she?

I agree that between the two I'd go for the Temple, I think it's a better bike. Not the best value as you say.

Do you have any suggestions of real retro? I've been looking through ebay but it's a bit of of minefield as we know.

She's around 160cm (5'3) tall so I reckon around 49cm for frame size.

She doesn’t want secondhand
That said, I got lucky in lockdown and got a virtually immaculate 2015 Eq disc for under £600

Yeah, I think she'd go secondhand if we found something suitable in good condition. Most of the "retro" stuff on ebay will be rusty gas pipe from the 80s.

 

[uphillstruggler]

Great offer here on a fine classic:
https://www.merlincycles.com/gios-vintage-tiagra-road-bike-190924.html
…maybe make her a gift of the extra £69.00.

that is a fine looking bike

 

[le_al_khemista]

Ease of maintenance was mentioned, for me that means hub gears, and if budget allows, belt drive. I'm a fan of SA 3-speeds myself, but more hills=more gears I guess. V-brakes as a minimum, and disks for hilly stuff. Seen some of them Tokyo bikes over here - look very well put together. Anyways, happy hunting

Agree on the hub gears. We're based in London so not a great deal of hills but I think it's always good to have the option of gears should she want to take the bike elsewhere.

 

[le_al_khemista]

Great offer here on a fine classic:
https://www.merlincycles.com/gios-vintage-tiagra-road-bike-190924.html
…maybe make her a gift of the extra £69.00.

That looks ideal and I'd definitely add the extra £69.00! Unfortunately they only have the 54cm which is way to big for her.

 

[vickster]

She's around 160cm (5'3) tall so I reckon around 49cm for frame size.

I think you're going to struggle size wise with an Eq, although they did do a WSD one briefly in the past

 

[yo vanilla]

Would she consider purchasing a second hand bike from a bike shop? Then you can get the best of both worlds, a higher-spec bike for the money, and (hopefully) gone-through by the shop to ensure it is good as new condition.

 

[12boy]

I don't know if you have tariffs on stuff bought in the US but were I to buy a new bike I would seriously consider a Wabi cycles Urban Elite single speed with a Reynolds 725 frame weighing 20 lbs and with the capacity to run bigger tires for gravel paths and crap city streets. It wouldn't be hard to mount a IGH 3 speed wheel either. I'm afraid to check out their shop in Denver Co next time I'm there for fear I would buy yet another bike.

 

[Chris S]

For reference, she found these 2 that she likes:
Tokyobike - CS26 - https://www.tokyobike.co.uk/tokyobike-cs26.html
Temple Cycles - Classic Lightweight - https://www.templecycles.co.uk/products/classic-lightweight

There's a Tokyo Bike for sale in London with £200 worth of extras for £620. You won't have to pre-order it either.
https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/tokyo-bike-classic-sport-cs26-m-size-57-moss-green-/1385070688

I've just noticed that the bottom gear is about 43 inches. That's the same as my Sturmey Archer 3-speed with a 21T sprocket.

 

[vickster]

There's a Tokyo Bike for sale in London with £200 worth of extras for £620. You won't have to pre-order it either.
https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/tokyo-bike-classic-sport-cs26-m-size-57-moss-green-/1385070688

I've just noticed that the bottom gear is about 43 inches. That's the same as my Sturmey Archer 3-speed with a 21T sprocket.

And it’s a size 57, the purchaser is 5’3. She’ll need a stepladder to mount and go go gadget arms to ride

 

[le_al_khemista]

Would she consider purchasing a second hand bike from a bike shop? Then you can get the best of both worlds, a higher-spec bike for the money, and (hopefully) gone-through by the shop to ensure it is good as new condition.

Yeah, she would. I can't find many shops selling second hand bikes is London. Any suggestions?

 

[le_al_khemista]

I don't know if you have tariffs on stuff bought in the US but were I to buy a new bike I would seriously consider a Wabi cycles Urban Elite single speed with a Reynolds 725 frame weighing 20 lbs and with the capacity to run bigger tires for gravel paths and crap city streets. It wouldn't be hard to mount a IGH 3 speed wheel either. I'm afraid to check out their shop in Denver Co next time I'm there for fear I would buy yet another bike.

Those look cool and just the sort of thing she's after. They seem to ship worldwide but I'd be a bit nervous buying a bike from the US. Quite likely to get hit by customs charges

 

[wafter]

Two observations relative to perception and price:

- New steel is trendy, niche and hence expensive.
- Old steel is less trendy, old hat and often dirt cheap.

I hear what you're saying about used, but if she can get over this and is prepared to compromise on component modernity (such as downtube shifters or 3-speed geared hubs) she could get something old, characterful and really capable for under a couple of hundred quid.

If going new tbh I don't think the budget is going to stretch to a whole lot in steel.

The third option would be something used but relatively recent; as others have said Genesis make some nice steel bikes; my choice being the Croix De Fer. Prices of old examples of this bike are somewhat all over the place currently and small ones seem to take more of a price hit. Obviously not sure of her size but this caught my eye recently - reckon it'll go for ballpark £400.

Personally given the inflated, supply-restricted new market (and expectation that the used market will be awash with cheap bikes in coming months) I'd struggle to justify a new purchase at the moment tbh.

 

[Venod]

Pashley do a few quirky models.

https://www.pashley.co.uk/bikes/bicycles/countryman.php

 

[vickster]

Two observations relative to perception and price:

- New steel is trendy, niche and hence expensive.
- Old steel is less trendy, old hat and often dirt cheap.

I hear what you're saying about used, but if she can get over this and is prepared to compromise on component modernity (such as downtube shifters or 3-speed geared hubs) she could get something old, characterful and really capable for under a couple of hundred quid.

If going new tbh I don't think the budget is going to stretch to a whole lot in steel.

The third option would be something used but relatively recent; as others have said Genesis make some nice steel bikes; my choice being the Croix De Fer. Prices of old examples of this bike are somewhat all over the place currently and small ones seem to take more of a price hit. Obviously not sure of her size but this caught my eye recently - reckon it'll go for ballpark £400.

Personally given the inflated, supply-restricted new market (and expectation that the used market will be awash with cheap bikes in coming months) I'd struggle to justify a new purchase at the moment tbh.

She’s 5’3...a Croix will be too big as I think the smallest historically was an XS. Even at 5’10 long legs, I’d need a S!

 

[vickster]

Velorution's £500-1000 range (clearly not all will be available in all/any size)
https://velorution.com/bikes.html?price=500-1000