Where can I fond more info about make of old bike etc?

[wissy]

I have decided to rescue my old racing bike from the shed where it has been ever since I met my partner.. 12 + years later and 2 stone heavier I have decided to revisit my youth.

My bike was/is a racing bike - Peugeot Triathlon

am hoping to tidy it up and would love to be able to check its specs etc in case I need to replace a part or source original part. I'd like to keep it as original as possible so I can pretend I'm 21 again and also kept well! Would like to keep to original type tyres if there is such a thing?

I also have another bike - larger frame - which I'm considering looking at. All I know is that I believe it's frame was handbuilt (?) and its called a Milky Way (??) - I need to brave the spiders in the shed on the weekend to get both bikes out but at moment it's too dark and the shed is down steep garden where there is no lighting (burglars do not read this).

Thanks and hope somebody can assist. I think it's time I get back on the road and making room in shed for my extremely heavy and useless mountain bike which I got fed up pushing up hills.

 

[ian turner]

See this

 

[wissy]

thanks - got excited until I realised carbon fibre not a possibility. Mine was bought I think in late 80s?

 

[wissy]

I also think the second bike is not Milky Way but Milk race branding.

 

[ian turner]

Mavic alloy rims, Reynolds 501 alloy tubes and forks. The rest of the setup is Sachs friction derraleurs, Heliomatic rear hub.

from 87?
Mind you other listings say shimano 105s but then some of the examples are restore jobs so the specs could be way out.

Sure its not a reference to the milk race ? There is a dawes from 20 years ago and a raleigh milk race special.

 

[zacklaws]

I also think the second bike is not Milky Way but Milk race branding.

Was it a Raleigh "Milk Race"? which I do not think was a hand built frame if it was. As I still have one myself I searched for the specs for it and finally found them about a couple of months ago, cannot remember where though but I was disapointed to read they were a load of rubbish. One way of checking would be to look at the drop outs on the rear stays, one of the odd things about the bike that was mentioned, was one of the drop outs was far larger than the other for no apparent reason.

 

[wissy]

Thanks for all the advice. Have checked it out a bit more but it's still in the shed (Milk race one) as I'm going to tidy up the Peugeout Trathlon first. Have noticed one ending on ebay and that's at £100 at moment but that bike has added bits and bobs. Still not a bad price for an old bike.

The Milk racer is a Dawes one. It has the milk race type decals and one of these says 'handbuilt' on it - so I guess that's different to hand 'made' - ? Tube = Reybolds 500 which I believe means relatively heavy and nothing special?

Added questions:

If the rubber on tyres are dry and bits are coming off I guess that means they are cracked and useles?? (Stored for a while on the wheels I'm afraid and for a while in greenhouse!).

 

[palinurus]

The tyres and tubes will need replacing if the bikes have been sitting around for a good few years on flat tyres.

 

[ian turner]

dawes milk . the other pics seem to be a reconned bike.

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks for all the advice. Have checked it out a bit more but it's still in the shed (Milk race one) as I'm going to tidy up the Peugeout Trathlon first. Have noticed one ending on ebay and that's at £100 at moment but that bike has added bits and bobs. Still not a bad price for an old bike.

The Milk racer is a Dawes one. It has the milk race type decals and one of these says 'handbuilt' on it - so I guess that's different to hand 'made' - ? Tube = Reybolds 500 which I believe means relatively heavy and nothing special?

Added questions:

If the rubber on tyres are dry and bits are coming off I guess that means they are cracked and useles?? (Stored for a while on the wheels I'm afraid and for a while in greenhouse!).

Dawes didn't really make bad bikes. Even the less good ones were still pretty good. And there's nothing wrong with Reynolds 500. Worth digging out and tidying up, I'd say, so long as there's nowt much wrong with it beyond needing new tyres.

The Peugeot's probably the better bike, but even so...

There's also the question of size - the right size bike, not quite so good, is better (for you) than a not the right size bike (that's 'better').

 

[Globalti]

It will need new cables all round to get the best from the gears and brakes.

Your problem will be the same as I faced when restoring a neglected 1990 Harry Hall. The bike industry often changes its standards and dimensions supposedly in the name of improved performance but we all know it's to keep us gullible fools buying new bikes. This means you'll be searching around a lot for replacement parts. This website is your friend and a good place to flog the bike too, if you decide to: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/

 

[wissy]

thanks for all the assistance... from that site I think it's a 1986 model but that was from a USA catalogue .....?

tyres still staying inflated and will take it for a small spin tomorrow. Found the original seat but am going too leave my gell saddle on it for now as the original seat is for blokes.

Next out of the shed will be the Dawes - have found the mudguard which was missing. This bike is too big for me but I bought it for £40 I recall some 8 yrs ago for my other half who's about 6 foot but he eventually wanted a hybrid/mtb he could mess about with. Am not too sure if he damaged this one when he did use it (seem to remember he hardly used it) as he's a bit of a rough rider - will see.

Then I will try to see if I can tidy up my father's old green racer from the 60's / 70's whose rear wheel used to come off when putting some pressure on pedal. Was a nice bike I recall. Soon to have a nice collection in shed. Have promised myself to empty all the rubbish stuff from there and turn it into a bike shed.

Next - cycling!