Nice! Certainly a bit more Rivish than mine. Where's the basket from? On Tue, Sep 1, 2009 at 8:41 PM, Ryan Watson <rswat...@nyx.net> wrote:
> I spruced up this nice little Miyata: > > > <http://www.flickr.com/photos/7556...@n06/541257963> > http://www.flickr.com/photos/7556...@n06/541257963 > > > > > On Sep 1, 2009, at 20:35, John Aydelotte <j.m.aydelo...@gmail.com> wrote: > > It rides very well -- with the sprung saddle she get's a very smooth ride, > even on rough city streets. > > Yes, the Le Tour series are quite nice, and this one was (from what I could > glean online) made by Panasonic. There are still lots of them out there in > garages and they pop up on Craigslist pretty frequently. They are a step up > from the World Tourist (made by Giant in Taiwan, I believe), and certainly > lighter than the old Varsity bike, which may have still been cranked out in > Chicago back then. Was that the one you were thinking of? > > The original catalog page for the Le Tour Touriste can be seen > here.<http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1980_1990/1981_10.html> > The Mixte isn't prominent, but the lower left photo shows one. > > My only regret is that she will be too tall for it in another year or two > and will need something else. And even though it will fit my son by then, > he probably won't want what he calls a "girls bike". > > On Tue, Sep 1, 2009 at 4:28 PM, JoelMatthews < <joelmatth...@mac.com> > joelmatth...@mac.com> wrote: > >> >> > 1981 Schwinn Le Tour >> > Mixte<<http://www.flickr.com/photos/aydelotte/2577031655/> >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/aydelotte/2577031655/> >> > >> > ...which had a nice Japanese lugged frame, but otherwise rusty and/or >> broken >> > components, and turned it into this: >> >> Thanks John. That really turned out well. >> >> When I warned against Schwinn earlier, I was thinking of the old >> Chicago cruiser models with the one piece crank, and old north >> american standard stem and seat post sizing. The Le Tour - I believe >> there was another as well, conform more readily to modern parts. >> >> And it has the nice center seat tube join design. I bet it rides >> pretty well. >> >> On Sep 1, 5:07 pm, John Aydelotte <j.m.aydelo...@gmail.com> wrote: >> > Another vote for the Schwinn idea -- I took this Craigslist special: >> > >> > 1981 Schwinn Le Tour >> > Mixte<<http://www.flickr.com/photos/aydelotte/2577031655/> >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/aydelotte/2577031655/> >> > >> > ...which had a nice Japanese lugged frame, but otherwise rusty and/or >> broken >> > components, and turned it into this: >> > >> > Birthday Mixte < <http://www.flickr.com/photos/aydelotte/2577051527/> >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/aydelotte/2577051527/> >> > >> > ...for my daughter. I wouldn't call it "Riv'd Up" so much as "Velo >> Oranged >> > Up" but I think the outcomes might be similar. The frame was stripped & >> > powder-coated locally, and my total cost was less than $400 plus some >> parts >> > (saddle, pedals, brake levers) I had around the garage. >> > >> > I didn't want to spend a ton as she's gonna outgrow it in another year >> or >> > two, but she loves the bike and gets more compliments on it than I do on >> my >> > Atlantis. >> > >> > Good luck! >> > >> > >> > >> > On Tue, Sep 1, 2009 at 3:19 PM, JoelMatthews <joelmatth...@mac.com> >> wrote: >> > >> > > > Its a middle ground between a Betty and a Beater but have you >> > > > considered Soma's Buena vista? >> > >> > > Certainly good looking bike, and I really like the fork. For whatever >> > > reason, Soma went with the double skinny tube design with only a brace >> > > attaching to the seat tube. >> > >> > > If the rider is not a tiny little thing or carries any sort of loads - >> > > and a mixte is meant to be an errand bike - the ride will be less than >> > > ideal. >> > >> > > I have seen a lot of people on these bikes. But with all my 165 lbs >> > > to carry around, those I have ridden just did not feel right at all. >> > > Maybe I am fussy. >> > >> > > On Sep 1, 3:29 pm, RoadieRyan <rya...@hotmail.com> wrote: >> > > > Its a middle ground between a Betty and a Beater but have you >> > > > considered Soma's Buena vista? A quick google search shows them >> > > > between $375 and 475 for the Frameset. I don't have personal >> > > > experience with them but it seems like a sweet frame and good bang >> for >> > > > the buck. >> > >> > > > I am actually building up a Mixte for my wife right now from a older >> > > > CroMo Schwinn that I actually found for free at the side of the >> road. >> > > > After taking it all apart its going to need some lovin' but I can't >> > > > argue with the price of the bike. In Seattle I frequently see >> "Ladies >> > > > 3 speeds" for decent prices on Craigslist an older english ladies >> bike >> > > > will be plenty strong (IMO) but not light. >> > >> > > > R >> > >> > > > On Sep 1, 12:41 pm, JoelMatthews <joelmatth...@mac.com> wrote: >> > >> > > > > > - Rene Herse >> > > > > > - Alex Singer >> > > > > > - Jack Taylor >> > >> > > > > Well, yeah, I'll concede those three ;) >> > >> > > > > But the chances of finding a Herse or Singer on Craigslist or on >> eBay >> > > > > with a starting bid less than $1k are virtually nill. Jack Taylor >> > > > > does not have quite the cachet in the U.S. as its French >> counterparts >> > > > > (though indeed, it ought to), so you might get lucky. More once >> in a >> > > > > blue moon type of thing. >> > >> > > > > There are any number of bike boom French mixtes, Japanese came at >> the >> > > > > tail end of the boom. Some good and some not so good. Schwinn >> made >> > > > > some nice middle weight mixtes. I would hesitate to recommend >> them >> > > > > here, as the proprietary sizing will make squeezing in Riv parts >> more >> > > > > of chore than with the French and Japanese. >> > >> > > > > On Sep 1, 1:16 pm, Steve Palincsar <palin...@his.com> wrote: >> > >> > > > > > On Tue, 2009-09-01 at 09:57 -0600, PATRICK MOORE wrote: >> > >> > > > > > > On Tue, Sep 1, 2009 at 7:45 AM, JoelMatthews < >> joelmatth...@mac.com >> > >> > > > > > > wrote: >> > >> > > > > > > Off hand, I cannot think of one brand better than >> another. >> > >> > > > > > OK, here are three: >> > >> > > > > > - Rene Herse >> > > > > > - Alex Singer >> > > > > > - Jack Taylor- Hide quoted text - >> > >> > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - >> > >> > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - >> > >> > - Show quoted text - >> >> > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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