Is my bike vintage?

[WesternBikingGirl]

After looking at the catalog I believe it's an '81. Does that still count?

 

[Poacher]

After looking at the catalog I believe it's an '81. Does that still count?

Not until Jan 1 2021.


Just kidding; definitely vintage!

 

[WesternBikingGirl]

I can't wait. I'll stay up.

Actually the original owner thought it was an 80 or 81. It had super thin 90lb tires and he got endless punctures on the lousy roads in his area. So he switched to heavier tires and all is well. I ride about 100lbs. and it's fast but a hard ride. I tried 120lbs. and it was a bit too rough.

 

[matticus]

Do bike ages work like race-horses?

 

[Eziemnaik]

In the absence of any authoritative rule, I suggest that the rules for bikes one can use in the Eroica rides offer a useful threshold for 'vintage'.
Since the OP is from over that way, here's a Californian page: https://element.ly/2015/03/how-to-play-by-the-rules-at-the-eroica-california/
A snip from some Italian 'regulations' says:

"bikes built up to and including 1987, both with and without gears . . . These bicycles most likely have a steel frame or an Alan type aluminium frame. [Side note: I have a glued and screwed ALAN about to celebrate its 40th birthday.]
"Regarding components, bicycles should adhere to the following general guidelines:
1. bikes with gears and derailleurs must have shift levers on the down tube of the frame; exceptions include pre-1980 non-indexed bar-end gear shifters;
2. Pedals must have toe clips and straps or original pedals for older bikes; quick release, clip-less pedals are not allowed;
3. Brake cables must pass outside and over the handlebars (cables can pass inside the frame);
4. Wheels must have at least 32 spokes laced to a low profile rim (20 mm depth or less); rims must be of either steel, aluminium or wood;
5. Both tubular tyres and clinchers with inner tubes are allowed"

What if the frame is carbon like Look kg86?

 

[Ajax Bay]

What if the frame is carbon like Look kg86?

Lovely bike. Are the fork blades carbon too?
I am not the arbiter of 'vintage'. But my reading of the L'Eroica rules (if that's what you're asking) is that that bike would be allowed if it was built in 1986 or 1987 (and later since noone wgaf). Just as my 1981 glued and screwed ALAN is not steel but qualifies.
However you'd have to sort out the brake cable runs as aero (ie under bar tape) ones are proscribed. See my posts #6 and #13 for the links and some detail.

 

[WesternBikingGirl]

Question: What vintage bike does Jason Bateman ride in Arrested Development? All I know is it is blue and has the look of a 70's road bike.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

What if the frame is carbon like Look kg86?
View attachment 564901

In my book, that would count as vintage. CF technology has been around a long time, and the frame silhouette is traditional.

 

[Drago]

A nice, interesting bike. Ticks all the vintage boxes there.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Arrested Development

When asking this, bear in mind that the vast majority on here are this side of the pond so the cult membership of AD is low to very low (my guess). However I discover this image.

The red frame has those ghastly and dangerous stem-mounted levers. The light blue headbadge is shield-shaped. And I note a front reflector.

 

[WesternBikingGirl]

What's bad about stem mounted levers? I think he had a blue one in the early episodes.

 

[DCBassman]

What's bad about stem mounted levers? I think he had a blue one in the early episodes.

Stem-mounted levers are dangerous in a crash, can puncture your gut or seriously damage genitals, any genitals, but particularly male.
In use: had one on an old Peugeot mixte, found it very convenient. You takes your choice...
Merry Christmas, by the way

 

[Gravity Aided]

What's bad about stem mounted levers? I think he had a blue one in the early episodes.

They had a tendency to be the weapon of choice for cheaper bicycles, for whatever reason. I find them convenient in some applications. Now I have to watch old episodes of Arrested Development, if Netflix is working again. The bicycle in the picture also looks like it has cottered cranks, which stayed on less expensive bicycles for a few years after better bicycles adopted square taper cotterless.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Also, the "suicide levers" denote a lesser quality bicycle. The extended brake lever additions were not as effective as the regular brake levers were, operated from the hoods, hence the term. This bicycle appears to have been prepared for Tv, which means a fictitious or obscured name has been applied, so as not to inadvertently advertise or otherwise a non-participating bicycle company.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Season 1, episodes 5 and 6, show the bicycle quite a bit.