OK, I want to talk about my NEW BIKE!!!

**sandra** · 10-05-2007, 08:48 AM

Right or wrong, I bought this.

Honest opinions please. Tell me what you think and what I may need to upgrade. The seat? OUCH! I'm guessing the bike is from the 80's. How can I find out for sure?

Description:

AN EXCELLENT LOTUS 12 SPEED MIXTE EXCELLE. THIS BIKE IS IN FULL RIDING SHAPE IT IS A SIZE 53CM AND THE STANDOVER=31 INCHES. THE RIMS ARE STRAIGHT AND TRUE. HERE ARE THE SPECS AS FOLLOWS: HEADSET=SHIMANO, HANDLE BARS=SR ROAD CHAMP, BRAKE LEVERS=C-STAR, BRAKE CALIPERS=SHIMANO 500 AND TOURNEY, FRONT WHEEL=27 1 1/4 UKAI, REAR WHEEL=SAME, HUBS ARE SHIMANO VIA, SHIFTERS= SHIMANO 600 ALONG WITH BOTH DERAILERS, PEDALS=MK THE FRAME HAS NO CRACKS OR BREAKS.

**sandra** · 10-05-2007, 08:55 AM

Oh my gosh. Have I seriously messed up? My Trek 1000 is a 52 cm. My hubby's Trek Pilot is a 54. I can ride either. This is a 52. Were they sized the same back then?

Looking at the links on the other thread for the bikes on ebay, I'm wondering if I have made a mistake.

**mimitabby** · 10-05-2007, 09:09 AM

it depends! even with modern bikes, they are often measured differently..

**sandra** · 10-05-2007, 09:11 AM

keeping my fingers crossed.

**sandra** · 10-05-2007, 09:13 AM

How can the standover be 31 on a 53 cm bike that has a sloped tube like that!

**rij73** · 10-05-2007, 09:13 AM

It's hard to tell fit based on the info they gave you... BUT, what is the standover on your current bike, and how much clearance do you have? Measure the height of the top of the top tube from the floor.

The bike looks really cool for an errand bike! How much was it? Did you get it on ebay?

**rij73** · 10-05-2007, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by sandra

How can the standover be 31 on a 53 cm bike that has a sloped tube like that!

Oh yeah, you're right! Weird... Maybe they are giving a "virtual" standover or something... See if you can get more measurements from the seller!

**sandra** · 10-05-2007, 09:19 AM

My Trek 1000 has a straight bar and the standover height is 30. I have an inch and a half clearance. I just don't understand how a sloped bar can have a 31" standover.

Yes, I found it on ebay. $129. Did I get ripped?

**mimitabby** · 10-05-2007, 09:21 AM

nah, 100 bucks for a bike that works is a fine deal!

**rij73** · 10-05-2007, 09:23 AM

I think $129 is really cheap and worth the risk... They must be wrong about the 31. Look at it this way, if the wheel diameter is 27+1/4, it looks in the picture like the seat tube ends about 4 inches higher. So they must mean that from the floor to the top of the *seat tube* is 31 inches. If there *was* a top tube, it would theoretically be 31 inches off the ground or so. So, that must be what they mean.

Again, just consider the wheel diameter and look at the picture. I don't think it's too big...

**sandra** · 10-05-2007, 09:23 AM

yes, but PLUS shipping.

that did not include shipping. $60 more bucks. The guy said via email that the bike was in really nice shape.

**sandra** · 10-05-2007, 09:25 AM

I really don't think it is too big either. I think it will be fine. And for what I want to use it for, short rides around the neighborhood, it doesn't have to be a perfect fit....

DOES IT?

**uforgot** · 10-05-2007, 09:33 AM

I like it! I wouldn't change the seat unless you don't like it. The seat that came on my mixte is very comfortable. Did you find it on craigslist? If so, if you go see it and find it doesn't fit well, don't get it. It's like classifieds. A black brooks would be pretty cool though! I find that they usually need new tires and chains. The rest is a learning curve. I've learned to change bar tape, fix brakes, change cables, and change handlebars. It's been a relatively inexpensive way to learn about basic bike mechanics.

I find that I can ride a wider range of sizes on the mixtes, so hopefully you are okay. The Bianchi was about 6 cm bigger than my normal size, so I didn't mean to make you panic. I was just in bike lust with it's looks!

Edit: Oops! Saw you got it on ebay. Ignore my craigslist advice...

**Torrilin** · 10-05-2007, 09:34 AM

Calm down, take a deep breath, and relax.

The good thing about a mixte frame is that it lets the builder do a lighter frame than a traditional step through, while still getting a lot of the advantages of a step through. So "standover" is something of a misnomer. Unless you're trying to stand with your pelvis hitting the handlebar, it shouldn't be an issue. It's a really neat piece of engineering

. I hadn't realized just how neat til I rode one, but it is *spiffy*.

The Classic and Vintage forum over at bikeforums.net is really handy, even if you just lurk and use google to dig up old threads. Do not let the prices people there cite faze you. A lot of the regulars there are like DebW, and have been working on bikes all their lives, so they know the good stuff and have an eye for a deal. It's like going to a thrift shop with an older woman who sews and has worked in fashion for years... she'll pick out lovely things much easier than a younger woman would. Mixtes tended to be higher end frames, and most men won't ride them. Most vintage bike collectors are... men.

Also search a bit around here. You probably won't find anything about your exact bike, but it's pretty handy getting a female viewpoint about what works and what doesn't when fixing up a vintage bike. Collectors tend to get focused on things that don't matter as much for actually *riding* the bike.

**Torrilin** · 10-05-2007, 09:38 AM

Originally Posted by sandra

I really don't think it is too big either. I think it will be fine. And for what I want to use it for, short rides around the neighborhood, it doesn't have to be a perfect fit....

DOES IT?

It doesn't need to be perfect. It does need to not hurt

. Not hurt should be very doable.

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