Ricardo Appreciation Society

[singlespeedscott]

The Pinnacle was always 531, the lesser models used Tange. Although Tange 2 was just as good as 531. Leisure Industries also used 531 tubing for bikes they built for other manufacturers and bike shop brands. They also had Ishiwata tubing in their catalog, which is good stuff.

[silentbutdeadly]

Ricardo Appreciation

Mate...I'm stuffed if I know how you can keep white bar tape that damned white. My Pinnacle runs black because the dust would just render white to a shade of poo brown in no time...

Must say though I'm tempted to try a dark grey tape next...

[big booty]

The Pinnacle was always 531, the lesser models used Tange. Although Tange 2 was just as good as 531. Leisure Industries also used 531 tubing for bikes they built for other manufacturers and bike shop brands. They also had Ishiwata tubing in their catalog, which is good stuff.

Just found some old catalogues on the net. It would appear that the 531C main tubes wall thickness was 0.1 mm less than the Tange2. Equivalent to Tange1, but then then the other tubing (chain/seat stays, forks) was still 0.1 less than Tange1. The 531ST was probably close to a Tange3.

The old Ricardo catalogue listed the Pinnacle at 9.5kg and the White Lightning/Nouvo/Exceed at 10kg. Not bad for a steel frame. What's a Carbon fibre bike come in at, 8.5kg? Not giving away too much.

cheers
rick

[jbchybridrider]

Ricardo Appreciation

Mate...I'm stuffed if I know how you can keep white bar tape that damned white. My Pinnacle runs black because the dust would just render white to a shade of poo brown in no time...

Must say though I'm tempted to try a dark grey tape next...

Dude I use Ambrosio tape, looks identical to the original stuff and washable. The Pinnacle doesn't get ridden all the time either.

[silentbutdeadly]

The old Ricardo catalogue listed the Pinnacle at 9.5kg and the White Lightning/Nouvo/Exceed at 10kg. Not bad for a steel frame. What's a Carbon fibre bike come in at, 8.5kg? Not giving away too much.

I can assure you that my Pinnacle weighs well north of 9.5 kg...more like 11kgs. And that's with changes from stock that amount to a shorter Nitto stem, a Thomson seat post and HPlusson TB14 rims.

If it ever actually weighed 9.5 kg even sans pedals then I'd really like to use that scale in the real world...

[big booty]

Wow not sure whats going on there?? My Nouvo comes in at 10.7kg (with water bottle cage + empty bottle + pump + pedals included). Measured on an old fashioned chemists scale with sliding weights, none of this new-age strain gauge scales that never read the same number twice. How big is your frame, the 635mm one? Mines 585mm. Take the bottle cage + bottle + pump + pedals off and it would come in at 10kg easy.

cheers
rick

[WyvernRH]

I acquired this Ricardo the other day, basically to strip for parts. It has 'Elite' on the top tube and has a mix of SR and Shimano Light Action parts so I'm assuming it is from the lower end of the range? Still it has a Tange CrMo frame and is pretty lightweight. It would have been (is still probably) a nice ride. However it is being stripped for parts so if anyone wants the frame and can pick it up from somewhere in Newcastle or the Lower Hunter they can have the frame gratis.
Whoops forgot the photo!


Richard

[frailer5]

Wyvern RH, that's the same colour scheme as my work-horse/commuter. Is it 54"? If so, and if you can hang it out of the way for a week or 2, I'll see about picking it up.
Shall PM you.
Am in Wahroonga, so it's just a matter of forcing the car onto the F3/M1 sometime.

[WyvernRH]

Wyvern RH, that's the same colour scheme as my work-horse/commuter. Is it 54"? If so, and if you can hang it out of the way for a week or 2, I'll see about picking it up.
Shall PM you.
Am in Wahroonga, so it's just a matter of forcing the car onto the F3/M1 sometime.

It's yours, I'll hang it on the wall for as long as you like, no problems.
It is 52cm center crank to center top tube and 53 cm center crank to top of top tube.
On reading the tubing sticker in daylight it says Tange CrMo Double Butted - no wonder it's light.
It will be just a bare frame tho I probably won't want the gears and brakes so I'll put them aside too.

Richard

[frailer5]

Wyvern RH, that's the same colour scheme as my work-horse/commuter. Is it 54"? If so, and if you can hang it out of the way for a week or 2, I'll see about picking it up.
Shall PM you.
Am in Wahroonga, so it's just a matter of forcing the car onto the F3/M1 sometime.

It's yours, I'll hang it on the wall for as long as you like, no problems.
It is 52cm center crank to center top tube and 53 cm center crank to top of top tube.
On reading the tubing sticker in daylight it says Tange CrMo Double Butted - no wonder it's light.
It will be just a bare frame tho I probably won't want the gears and brakes so I'll put them aside too.

Richard

Just measured up mine. Same colour, same measurements. Too good to not take up the offer. Happy to take gears'n'brakes.
Shall be in touch; got friends at Floraville, so next time up there, shall contact you beforehand.
Cheers,
Paul

[frailer5]

[singlespeedscott]

Here's the latest iteration of my old Ricardo Elite.

[djdave]

Hi everyone,

I'm after a bit of info/help on a bike I have.

It's a single speed, red, with an Australia Post sticker on it, and I am starting to think is a Ricardo. It has a sticker on the frame saying"Leisure Cycles Aust, Regency Part SA". The BB is stamped with L6E0856, and the sticker has the number C836942.
It's in really good condition, with the handlebars the same as in the bike posted by Randyrob above. In fact, the whole thing looks really similar save for the colour and basket.

Since it's only a single speed and no branding, are there any ways to tell if it's a Ricardo?
Does anyone know if Australia Post used these bikes legit as delivery bikes?
Any ideas if it's worth anything?

Thanks in advance!

Hi Turtle,
I think I have one of these bikes! Any more info you have on these bikes? Is yours a single speed with a back brake?

[djdave]

Got this from the dump the other day $15, just needed two new tyres and a couple of brake cables and a jolly good scrub. Man I'm loving this bike , you forget how relaxing riding can be and how going slow never felt so damn cool! Its got a Shimano 3s hub that I inadvertently disassembled whilst greasing the axle and after 2 days of scanning the net for answers I fluked it and am happy to say it works a treat. Big question is it's a Ricardo... what?? Nothing on the frame I can make out, and any ideas of the year. Look forward to hearing back.
Cheers BurtO

Hi BurtO,
Did you have any more pics of this bike?
I think I have one like it but in red.
Cheers David

[Clydesdale Scot]

On Adelaide Cyclist there was some history given about the Ricardo origins.
Given it was on a local forum and under the thread titled 'Mixte bikes' it probably will pass unnoticed by owners of a Ricardo.
I thought it should be also located here.

Reply by mitch jones on August 27, 2015 at 20:56
G'day Andrew; I haven't been able to find out much about CBC (not from lack of trying...), but the general opinion seems to be that they were nothing special-just low end cheap stuff. I've actually been trying to find info on Leisure Cycles, (who made this frame), who were a big frame maker in Regency Park a while ago i.e who they built frames for etc, but there dosen't seem to be much info out there on them either.
..."

Reply by Gary Mills on August 27, 2015 at 22:38
Custom Built Cycles was owned by Bill Boyley and their factory was on South Rd. They made Slenderline exercise bikes and CBC bikes as well as several others as OEM. The business was sold to Gerald Richardson of Ricardo fame and became Leisure Cycles Australia and produced Ricardo and bikes for other companies. It was again sold a few years later before being taken over by Repco, who closed it down to eliminate Australian manufacturing and remove import tarrifs

Reply by Ian S on August 29, 2015 at 8:07
Gerald Richardson died in the mid 1980's when he crashed his Merc en-route to Victor Harbor. Gerald apparently started making bikes under the Porshe name*, however was made to change the name after the threat of a lawsuit from the Porsche motor company due to name copyright, something that they wouldn't be able to do today due to the different spelling and graphic. He then started making and marketing bicycles under the Ricardo name as a result. When the Ricardo factory was closed it was operating out of a Regency Park premises.

Reply by Guy on August 29, 2015 at 18:09
Hi Gary

"It was again sold a few years later before being taken over by Repco, who closed it down to eliminate Australian manufacturing and remove import tarrifs"

Are you saying that by closing down Ricardo (and presumably their own local manufacturing in the Repco name) they could lobby the government to remove the tariffs on their Taiwanese imports because there was no longer a local manufacturing industry for those tariffs to protect?

Reply by Gary Mills on August 29, 2015 at 19:49
Yes, that is exactly what they wanted to do and succeeded in their quest. They shortly after applied for the tariff to be lifted and the application was approved.

* I was told by a LBS owner that Gerald owned a Porsche at the time.

[singlespeedscott]

Poor form on Repco's behalf. Bloody bicycles built by business people not by people who actually like to ride

[Gyula]

Here is the bike I picked up at the local top today. I am pretty sure it is Ricardo. Can anyone tell me what model it is. Cheers.

[paulg1]

It is probably a viva sport. Post the serial number. It might help. 6 or 7 gears in the rear?

[HappyHumber]

Looks like a Tange 900 sticker on the upper seat tube. No fender eyelets on the front or rear dropouts suggest to me a more "serious" racer model. Whatever that means.

Middle range sorta spec.. Still a good, solid frame not too bad weight wise. Good starter project.

[Rodelus]

How old is she? Other specs....I have upgraded it slightly as follows:

Frame and Fork – Ricardo Deluxe model in silver with blue hand painted pin stripes and 6 Ricardo decals
Serial Number L3T0086 (Australia / original factory fitted) comes with stickers '10yr Warranty, Regency Park S.A., Leisure Cycles'.
Handlebar/Stem/ - Kusuki (Japan / original factory fitted)
Headset – Tange (Japan / original factory fitted)
Brake System –Diacompe (Japan / original factory fitted)
Chain – Shimano, Japan (upgraded from Sugino, Japan)
Derailleur system – Shimano 600 Arabesque (upgraded from SunTour, Japan)
Disk and Crank system – Shimano 600 Arabesque, Japan (upgraded from Sugino, Japan)
Cassette – Shimano (Japan / original factory fitted)
Wheel rims - (Can’t distinguish brand, Japan / original factory fitted)
Wheel hubs – Shimano VIA (Japan / original factory fitted)
Tyres – 27-inch gum wall tyres (Can’t distinguish brand / original factory fitted)
Pedals - KKT – RTSF (Japan / original factory fitted)
Seat post – (Can’t distinguish brand, Japan / original factory fitted)

Saddle – Brooks Leather (upgraded from generic seat)
Bike stand – Koba (Japan / original factory fitted)
Others – added leather handle bar tape and have upgraded to a brass bell that creates a very warm ‘ting’

I can't seem to be able to post photos here but I will send a link once it is up.

[Dropbear]

del

[Dropbear]

I have some shots of my Ricardo coming through soon, I think its about a 75 model but not sure, if anyone knows more let me know. thanks

[Dropbear]

[img][IMG]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz198/dropbear6/ric3_zpszso22nd8.jpg[/img][/img]

[Dropbear]

[img][IMG]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz198/dropbear6/ric4_zpsgcrjuhyh.jpg[/img][/img]

[Dropbear]

[img][IMG]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz198/dropbear6/ric2_zps2x6xyak9.jpg[/img][/img]