Not a bad looking bike but...

[Zoiders]

you get used to them and there are people on here who still use them. At 15-20 years old there not going to be indexed, so downtube friction shifters, even more fun. Buy it and emulate all your pre 80's cycling heroes (roughly).

20 years?

Thats places it in 1988, most certainly indexed

 

[Crackle]

20 years?

Thats places it in 1988, most certainly indexed

D'yer think. When did indexing start then? That bike looks older than '88 and them's definetly friction shifters as they've got the thumb adjusters on the side of the levers to tighten them up.

I remember sitting reading a cycling mag on the bus on the way home and they were talking about indexed shifters just making an appearance on pro racing bikes. One of the disadvantages they mentioned was the audible click which gave the game away to your rival that you were changing gear, ready, maybe, for a burst of accelaration away from the group, no more silent friction shifting (or missing the gear completely come to that). Can't remeber when though. Early 80's I thought but they weren't common 'till late 80's but I could be wrong on the dates.

 

[Zoiders]

Looks like a fairly good entry level bike so I would say indexed

The little turn screws on the out side arent the friction adjusters, they are for turning the indexing on and off

Cheaper gas pipe ten speeds would have had friction, but not many companies made them by 1988, most having switched to cheap and nasty MTBs

 

[Crackle]

Hmmm. Look at the rear mech Zoiders. There's no adjuster and the curve to the levers says it's older than index to me. He says in the description he bought it 2nd hand 10 years ago. I'm thinking it's older than 20 years. The only odd thing is the run of the brake cables. Somebody e-mail him

 

[Zoiders]

There is an adjuster, its a small screw in barrel, not a chunky one as used on current shimano, you wont see it in the picture as its tucked away

I have worked on bikes with that kind of mech, all the early shimano indexed kit was copied from suntour

 

[Crackle]

I bow to your superior knowledge Zoiders. I also just noticed that the levers are on brazed on fittings so maybe not as old as I thought.

 

[Maz]

Not to be put off...

How about this bike, everyone? At 50 quid starting price it's just about within my budget (without angering my wife too much). It's another downtube shifter. I think it looks higher spec than the one in the OP.

What d'ya reckon?

 

[4F]

Not to be put off...

How about this bike, everyone? At 50 quid starting price it's just about within my budget (without angering my wife too much). It's another downtube shifter. I think it looks higher spec than the one in the OP.

What d'ya reckon?

Looks OK for that money and my roadie is fitted with down tube shifters which I have never found a problem to use BUT I am always wary of ever buying anything from e bay on anyone who has less than 10 feedback. Is it close enough for you to have a look at before the auction ends ??

 

[Maz]

Looks OK for that money and my roadie is fitted with down tube shifters which I have never found a problem to use BUT I am always wary of ever buying anything from e bay on anyone who has less than 10 feedback. Is it close enough for you to have a look at before the auction ends ??

Well spotted. Feedback of 0. Hmmm. Could be an honest seller, but maybe not. Think I'll contact him and see if he's ok with me viewing it.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

i got an old 531 frame from lbs and built it up using an old sora groupset. still cost more that buying a new cheapo alu bike, but i wanted a steel bike for winter commute that also had lugs for 'guards. the bike rides really nicely, shame that the guards and lights are rattly.

 

[PrettyboyTim]

Darn. Last night I was looking at a similar bike on Guntree - a Raleigh Europa going for £50. The description was rather light on details but it looked in fairly good nick in the pictures. The ad has gone now though :-( .

 

[swee'pea99]

That's a lovely bike. I'd be surprised if it goes for anything like fifty, but if it did & you missed it you'd be kicking yourself. Incidentally, this is a handy link for checking out less common makes - tho' this one doesn't appear on it.

 

[domtyler]

Maz, don't get pipped at the post mate, use this tool when bidding on eBay:

http://www.auctionstealer.com/home.cfm

 

[Maz]

Maz, don't get pipped at the post mate, use this tool when bidding on eBay:

http://www.auctionstealer.com/home.cfm

Nifty piece of software! I think I will!