Is this a solid frame? any issues for durability (racing over roads)
The chain stays have dimples for crank ring/arms.
Forks look simple.
Seat stays connection to seat tube looks simple.
If I was rough with with bike, do these frames hold up?
by l337g0g0
6 Comments
Fantastoc frame. Unlikely to have any French spec parts.
Any high tensile triple butted frame is quality pipes.
Can a lightweight road frame be subjected to hard use? Yes…but as intended. This is not a touring bike, cyclocross bike, or gravel bike.
OK first, I would grab that frame in a heartbeat having had a similar Peugeot I absolutely loved but finally had to give up as it was to big for me and that started causing issues but they ride like a dream and are great for a bigger guy like me.
More importantly what are your intentions? Road riding only? Rebuild? Restomod?
Well it’s been around for almost 40 years, so if it’s still in good shape then keep riding it.
It’s not light by modern standards, or even by its own time period, simply an entry level ” race bike” from that time.
Keep it original. It’s spaced at 126mm OLD so will only be suitable for gearing of the era.
The material steel all weighs the same per cubic centimeter. Stiffer steel alloys, made by adding a small amount of other metals, makes it able to be drawn out with thin tubing walls. Butted tubing means that the tubing walls are thinner in the middle of the tubes. It’s pretty sophisticated manufacturing, but it makes a great riding frame. Bikes of the round tube era all look the same. If you can wrap your head around tubing types, you can tell a good frame from a utility frame. Ishiwata has a golden reputation for tubing.
All that said, grab this one!
As an owner of both a Ross 292s and a 290s, grab it. Ishiwata made some exceptional tube sets, EX being one of their top end offerings. It makes for a rugged, middleweight (not super light nor a heavyweight), responsive and zippy bicycle from my experience.