What to buy 1980/1990 race bike.

[Boon 51]

Just checked velo orange who do these things and their grand cru stem is sixty quid!

That's £50 quid more than the bike cost me..

 

[Boon 51]

I need an adjustable spanner for the big nut on the steering I have a 30 mm too small and a 32 mm to big. I have seen a Bahco adjustable with 38 mm jaw but its a plumbers type so would that be strong enough.

 

[goldcoastjon]

I have been thinking about getting an older race bike 1980/1990 ish but don't know nothing about what is a good buy or not?
So some tips would be helpful please.
Don't mind having to replace stuff or even having it repainted as long as the frame is sound. Not too worried about price but just want a fair price.

Cheers.

Boon 51,

If, like me, you are a bit more "seasoned" (I'm 68) and are looking for somewhat more comfort, you might look at a 1970s road racer with Reynolds 531 butted tubes that is made for stage racing and all-day comfort rather than a more upright criterium-style frame. A 1970s Super Mondia, Peugeot PX-10 (with Nervex Pro lugs rather than the more modern rounded Nervex Duprat ones), or similar frame might do very well. A Jack Taylor would be a terrific choice, too. A frame with the room fo0r wider (700 x 28-35 mm) tires will be more comfortable on rougher roads AND offer less rolling resistance than a comparable tire of only 23-25mm. I love the feel of my Windsor Pro and dearly miss the lively feel of my 1975 Nervex Pro PX-10. (I also loved my USA-built TREK 730 from 1982, which had a slightly longer top tube than the then-fashionable "crit bikes" with fat aluminum tub bis (Cannondale, Klein) that seemed so fashionable back then.

Try riding lots of bikes in the range(s) that you want until one *insists* that you take it home because you have a broad grin on your face... ;-)

Jon

 

[rogerzilla]

Harry Quinns are very good (may have been built by Harry himself or Terry Dolan in the 70s). Get one with a "Q" prefix to the frame number, though - all the real HQs except a few very early ones have it, made by overlapping a "0" and "1" stamp. Harry Quinns with no Q prefix from the 80s are low-grade stuff made under licence by Falcon. Harry bought the rights back eventually.