Greg Parker and I were discussing off list a few details of the Pike bike, and Greg cannily asked whether the tubing was 753R, based on the seatpost size. Lo and behold, it is in fact 753R. The archives indicate that 753R is the road vairant of the tubing, slightly beefed up compared to 1st gen. 753, and imperial sized as opposed to the original metric tubes. When did 753R appear? Did they make variants in wall thickness? Is that why mine is 27.0 as opposed to 27.2 at the seat tube? BTW, both Steve Willis and I looked with a gimlet eye at the seat lug, and a 27.2 was no go, while the 27.0 barely fits in, requiring force to push in and no wiggle room, gaps or slop to indicate an ovalized tube. So I'm fairly confident that 27.0 is the original size. The intoduction date of 753R may help date the bike a bit better.
If anyone knows serial #'s for Pikes, the BB reads: SS 89 DS, surmounted by SP, the builder's initials. BTW, the BB is a Cinelli, with under BB cable guides.
Upon looking I also find what I assume to be the original customer's name inscribed on the BB shell, a gentleman named "M J Clements". Do any of the english brethren know an MJ Clements who might have ordered a Pike in the early 80's? We know Mr. Clements was quite tall, as the frame is 62.5 cm ST C-T. He also may not have completed the transaction with Mr. Pike, as the frame had never been built before I got it.
Thanks again!
>From: gpvb1@comcast.net
>To: "Thomas R. Adams, Jr." <kctommy@msn.com>
>Subject: Re: [CR] 753 Stan Pike done, Photos up
>Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 14:27:33 +0000
>
>Not sure, but I'd guess about 1983 or thereabouts. Brian Baylis or Richard Sachs would probably know for sure. Do you know the vintage of your bike?
>If it's 753R, then it would be closer in frame weight to a 531 "standard gauge" bike, but still lighter. I have an '80s Merckx that is 753R. It takes a 27.2 post (I think - it's NOS, and a 27.0 is loose, whereas a 27.2 is snug - should be just paint on the inside of the seat tube I think).
>I think 753R is much better in your size than 753 would have been - in fact, I'm not sure you could get 753 tubes long enough to build a frame that big (the biggest Raleigh Team Pros were 60 cm c-t, which is what mine is).
>Nice-lookin' bike! Maybe we should start a "753 club." It's pretty uncommon....
>Cheers,
>Greg
>
>-------------- Original message --------------
>
>A shrewd observation. Checking the sticker does reveal that the frame is made from 753R. Of course that tells me little or nothing, other than this is a later revised version of 753. And as can be seen from the pics, this is also a later version of the Reynolds graphics. Do you know when 753R was introduced?
>Thanks for helping.
>Tom
>
>
> >From: gpvb1@comcast.net
> >To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> >Subject: Re: [CR] 753 Stan Pike done, Photos up
> >Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 01:14:40 +0000
> >
> >Hi Tom:
> >Sounds way cool.
> >Actually, if it takes a 27.0 post, and it's 753 (not 753R) it's some of the thinnest-wall Reynolds tubing ever made.
> >753 (as opposed to the later 753R) was only available in Metric (a.k.a. "French")diameters, so whereas Metric 531 used a 26.4 or 26.6 post, yours takes a 27.0 with the same tube O.D.! That's two- or three-tenths less wall thickness. Seriously thin stuff.
> >I can watch my (18 lb.) Raleigh Team Pro's 753 fork flex back and forth under "spirited" braking (not something I recommend that folks do a lot of, as it can be a bit unsettling to see that much movement from a fork at speed!).
> >Cheers,
> >Greg "753 rocks" Parker
> >Ann Arbor, MI
> >
> >Date: Mon, 09 Aug 2004 19:36:46 +0000
> >From: "Thomas R. Adams, Jr."
> >To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> >Subject: [CR]Stan Pike done, Photos up
> >
> >
> >
> >A few other oddities: This is apparently the "touring set" 753 tubing, as the
> >seat post is 27.0 (another minor assembly issue I forgot to mention above).
> >Very sensible for a big frame (63 cm). It also has the only fully wrapped seat
> >cluster that I've ever seen on a 753 frame. I haven't had a chance to weigh it
> >yet, but I'll guess 21 lbs with clinchers and no silly ultra light parts other
> >than the aforementioned TI BB. It does have "modern" (gasp!) light weight
> >skewers, seat post and saddle, but I've never claimed to be a "pure" purist.
> >Oh, and I used some Stella Azzura stitched faux leather tape, which looks neato
> >to my eyes. (I got it from World Cycling Productions.)
> >
> >Hope to make it to Steve Maasland's ride in two weeks near Philly, (the 22nd,
> >right Steve?), and if you are there you can have a look. Until then, here are
> >some pics.
> >
> >http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/thomasthomasa/album?.dir=/c6c1&.src=ph&store=&p
> >rodid=&.done=http%3a//f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/thomasthomasa
> >
> > or if that doesn't work, http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/
> >
> >and open the Stan Pike folder.
> >
> > Tom (whew!) Adams, Shrewsbury NJ
> >
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> >Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
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