Repco Appreciation Society

[Hamster]

Bought my first repco last week, for the princley sum of $70, its a large frame olympic 12 with the lovely grey and glorious pink two-tone..
I cant get over the quality of the frame !

An excellent example of cycling excellence, mine gets a regular outing if only as a commuter. In pink it's an absolute chick magnet .

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[Kermit TF]

Whooa thats neat...
Mine was pretty nasty, the pink was that faded it was a light salmon colour..anyway, I stripped it, and resprayed it, cleaned it up.
I had some left over decals, so I stuck em on also...
Say hello to ....Re-pollo !!
P.s. if anyone has some Repco Olympic decals they are willing to part with let me know....

[cray-]

My Repco Superlite workhorse is finished. I'm really pleased with the way it came out, it's the first time I've used black components and I think it matches the paint nicely. I think this might be the first bike I've built that I'm genuinely really happy with. It's a really fun ride. Swept flat bars work perfectly with the Superlite's relaxed geometry, and 1x8 gearing (40 tooth by 11-34) is plenty for a commuter runabout. Yay or Nay for Repco decals?

Whilst I agree with kukamunga on the issue of original paint & decals, sometimes a bike transcends the level of a simple re-spray and is transformed into something far superior. This is one such example, it looks like something which could have rolled out of the Surly factory last week. Very nice work.

[cray-]

Oh sure, I totally get that! The whole idea here is so I can learn as much as I can about working with an old bike, and to do so without ruining something otherwise worth preserving.
...
I'd appreciate any guidance on where to look for "better" bikes though

Perfect bike to learn on, just don't spend too much on the frame. Components you can always strip and move onto a better bike so it's not a total waste of time.

Have a flick through this thread and the Idiots guide to salvaged 80s roadies, learn the common model ranges and the tell-tale signs of top-end vs. bottom-end bikes, then hope to get lucky on the classifieds or verge collections. Have fun!

[jools]

Hi all, just thought I'd share my recently-acquired Repco Traveller; I haven't bothered to check serial numbers or anything but judging from the componentry and condition of the bike I'd guess it's an early-mid 80s model. When I picked it up it was 100% original, down to the tyres and brake pads, so needless to say it needs a bit of love. I picked it up for a good price from a retired bloke with a directive from his wife to clean out the shed "or else..."

Chrome work is pretty much mint, the original foam bar grips are in reasonable condition still, and after a bit of cleaning and re-greasing the BB and freewheel hub both work quite well. I've never owned a roadie before, so I don't have much to benchmark it against, but aside from weighing in at just over 14kg it's a good fun bike to ride!

I have plans! I would like to have the frame powdercoated forest green, get some chromed forks and convert to 700c - if I do that the chances are it'll be going to a cassette hub as well, so there's a bit of learning for me to do as to what I can reasonably expect to achieve. Unfortunately I can't leave it as is, as it turns out the rear wheel (being 30+ year old mild steel) has enough corrosion to prevent it being trued. The front wheel was badly warped so I have already popped on a spare alloy 700c wheel I had in the shed.

Hi Stu, there are lots of people on the forum with a lot more experience than I do, but if it was me, I wouldn't muck with it. The most valuable part of your bike is the condition and the originality. Once you strip this back and powdercoat it then it may as well have started as a rusty junker you picked up from the side of the road. You can't reproduce originality. Depending on how much it owes you I would suggest give it a good clean and polish and pick up some wheels in good condition. Take lots of good photos to show how nice and original it is and how good all the original paintwork, decals etc look. Stick it up on ebay with a nice description of how good and original it is and you should get a good price for it. Use the proceeds to find a better quality bike like a repco superlight or better, which is in worse condition cosmetically so that when you invest in this with paint and upgraded components, you will end up with a bike that is immeasurably superior to ride and own. With the traveller you'll just end up with a nice looking gaspipe that is nothing special to ride.

[Crowz]

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/blakevie ... 021378249#

[munga]

crazy cheap. worth more than that in parts.
(i wasn't going to post it coz it was so cheap!)
apparently the same guy had another one for sale last year too.

[Crowz]

My Eurosport even got $100 more

[Kermit TF]

I picked up this repco at my local carboot markets this morning.
Can anyone tell me the year , is it a mid spec ?.
Its suntour groupset, and immaculate condition....it looks better equipped than my olympic 12.
I also got those campagnolo wheels with it also which are mint..they guy told me the wheels are early 90s. I paid $150 for the bike and wheels.
Chris

[munga]

sell the vic for $150 and sell the wheels for mad profit.

1991 model, almost top of the tree.

shamals are possibly worth more than the bike.

[singlespeedscott]

I picked up this repco at my local carboot markets this morning.
I also got those campagnolo wheels with it also which are mint..they guy told me the wheels are early 90s. I paid $150 for the bike and wheels.

[im_no_pro]

Nice score Kermit!!

Went to the tip yesterday, spotted a superlite in the (closed) tip shop in the funky Rasta colour scheme. Couldnt get a close look but colours hadnt faded at all. Went back this morning, got there 2 minutes after they opened. Nowhere to be found Fortunately the Apollo concorde with full shimano gruppo and nice, but mismatched belgian rims made up for it a little

[Kermit TF]

Yes, just spotted the apollo, nice...
If you want to swap my repco for your apollo let me know.. tad small for me..
Im still trying to get my head around the repco heirachy / family tree !
Whats great is ive made a good contact for future bikes, the guy is bringing in some sort of 60s Raleigh next weekend, he has a heap of bikes in an old barn just outside of Cooma.
Chris.....

[im_no_pro]

Yes, just spotted the apollo, nice...
If you want to swap my repco for your apollo let me know.. tad small for me..
Im still trying to get my head around the repco heirachy / family tree !
Whats great is ive made a good contact for future bikes, the guy is bringing in some sort of 60s Raleigh next weekend, he has a heap of bikes in an old barn just outside of Cooma.
Chris.....

If you were in melbourne I would at least consider it!

[william.olive]

New list member here, in Newcastle NSW. I've got two bikes, both 27inchers.
One's a Superlite and the other is, I think, an Olympic 12.
I'd appreciate any hints or tips I can get to identify the "Olympic". Problem is, by the time I bought it 15 odd years ago it had already been completely re-finished. There are no identifying marks or stickers and I have no idea if the running gear on it was original, and in any case I've replaced a fair bit of it. The bike is a 12 speed, FD and RD were Suntour unit (replaced with 105s, the Suntours wee ratshit unfortunately, just worn out), 52/42 chainrings on Sugina super maxi cranks. The DT shifters are clamp on, not brazed, cables go over the BB via brazed guides. The steerer tube has Tange stamped on it and the Seatpost diameter is 26.7mm. The serial number underneath the BB looks to be G1999. No further id I can find.

Also, can anyone suggest the approx time Superlites went from 27" wheels to 700c?

[cray-]

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/blakeview/bicycles/vintage-funny-time-trial-road-race-bike-reynolds-531/1021378249#

crazy cheap. worth more than that in parts.
(i wasn't going to post it coz it was so cheap!)
apparently the same guy had another one for sale last year too.

Aaaawwwww man, off the forum for a few weeks and I miss this! I hate that Gumtree removes almost all traces of the original listings, I'm kind of scared to ask, but exactly how much did that go for?

There was one in Perth in January listed for $550 which was out of my reach and needed work/parts anyway. I tried to bargain him down but he wouldn't budge and it sold a few weeks later to someone with deeper pockets than mine. I'm kind of regretting letting it get away now, but I'm hoping that eventually I'll score one for a more reasonable price.....maybe.

[munga]

it was listed for a couple of weeks for $250..

[cray-]

/me cries

[Rob74]

Re william.olive » Thu Jun 20, 2013 9:32 pm "can anyone suggest the approx time Superlites went from 27" wheels to 700c?"

I'd suggest 1984/85 was last year of 27" with down tube shifters on top of the down tube.(It was the last year of Apollo V that had 27" rims as well)

86/87 was last year of brake lines out of top of levers for Repco Olympic 12 and I think brazeons & 700C
87/88 was first year for Repco Olympic 12 brake lines back along the handlebar.

Rob

[william.olive]

Thanks for that info Rob.
I was thinking early 80s, and it seems that's about right. My two both have non aero brakes (cables out the top) and shifters via clamp on on the side of the DT ( no braze ons and not on top of the DT)

Just spent the weekend stripping and rebuilding the Superlite, it took me WAY longer than I thought it would, but she's good to go for tomorrow's commute to work, and hopefully should ride smoother. (Just need to true the back wheel when I've got another spare couple of hours).

And, when I get to work I'll get another dose of advise on "lose the old steam pipes and get yourself a carbon machine with brifters you won't know yourself".

Don't think I'll be doing that any time soon though.

[Kermit TF]

Ultra ultra rare.....
10 mins from my place...

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/downer/b ... 1022912950

[singlespeedscott]

Ultra ultra rare.....
10 mins from my place...

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/downer/b ... 1022912950

I didn't even know they were ever made in aluminum.

[munga]

too small

last of their kind. sr sakae litage by another name. good value considering the quality and rarity.

[HappyHumber]

Ultra ultra rare.....
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/downer/b ... 1022912950

in-ter-resting....

[jamesa1234]

was looking for repco superlites converted to tourers and saw them wheels, so i joined up just to say if you feel like selling them I'll buy 'em off ya!

Thanks anyway