Not sure what your size is (and I get the search for a nice long chainstay)
 but might I suggest some lower-model Waterford Treks?

I'm riding a 1983 Trek 620 (which was, unfortunately, listed as a 720) and
an even older Trek TX500 that can fit a 700c X 38 tire without fenders.
They ride great, I think - though not as nice as a Waterford AHH

Nothing I know-of that's older is going to have those Trek 720/728
chainstays though - mine are only a 44mm

And while the prices aren't nearly as crazy for the lower models in
smaller sizes (just running a quick ebay search), as Matt noted, prices are
still going up ....

Best of luck,

MATHIEU BROWN



On Wed, Sep 15, 2021 at 4:17 PM Yankeebird <freeski...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Oh these are all great, thank you. I mention the Roadini because to my
> eye, it mimics a lot of the older touring bikes. The Roadini chainstays are
> not uber-long, but a bit longer than a tighter bike, and tubing is not
> ultralight, but a bit beefier. To my amateur eye, seems somewhat comparable
> to bikes like the 720 or Passage that had slightly longer chainstays and
> slightly heavier tubing. Sure, the descriptions might be different, the
> Roadini is more "Riv-Racey" and the 720/Passage are serious touring
> machines in their era... I wouldn't think that a 720/Passage would ride as
> stiffly as an unloaded Long Haul Trucker, for instance.
>
> Am I wrong?
>
> On Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 4:31:31 PM UTC-4 Mike Godwin wrote:
>
>> I've been counseling a friend on CL bike, pointing him to a Univega Sport
>> Tour, or Gran Sprint (champion 1 vs 2 and mangaloy), early
>> Miyatas-Centurion-Fuji-Nishiki crowd, the usual UJB selections. He found a
>> Jamis Axis, still to be checked out. Looks like a Tange Infinity sticker on
>> the seat tube. UJBs seem to be a better bargain now than low or medium
>> grade 531 bikes, but the prices are all over the map. Also check out the
>> Schwinn Tenax trinity of Circuit-Tempo-Peloton. Less tire clearance but
>> under the radar bikes too.
>>
>> Mike SLO CA
>>
>> On Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 1:01:03 PM UTC-7 Christopher Cote
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Good point about the 27" to 700c conversion. My Univega Viva Sport
>>> originally had 27" wheels, and now has 700c wheels. Plenty of adjustment on
>>> the standard reach brakes, and it now has room for at least 35mm tires,
>>> maybe 38.
>>>
>>> I've had a bunch of 80s road bikes, and have yet to run into one with a
>>> bad headset, but YMMV. 80s MTBs on the other hand... well, they often lived
>>> a harder life.
>>>
>>> Finally, the OP is looking for a Roadini replacement, but mentions the
>>> Trek 720. The 720 is a pretty serious touring machine, and not really
>>> comparable to the Roadini. I focused in on the Roadini part, and as such,
>>> was suggesting 80s sport touring bikes.
>>>
>>> Chris
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 2:58:49 PM UTC-4 Coal Bee Rye Anne
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> You may have success with a variety of steel frames initially built for
>>>> 27" wheels and caliper brakes.  I've successfully converted three such
>>>> frames to 700x32-38 with Tektro 559 or 539 caliper brakes.  I'm 6'5" and
>>>> because of the difficulty in finding tall enough frames I've been entirely
>>>> opportunistic for such projects but still have 2 of the 3 conversions
>>>> essentially serving collectively as stand-ins for a
>>>> Roadini/Hillborne/Homer/Quickbeam.  Mine are all lower end models with
>>>> non-premium tubesets so not exactly comparable to the more desirable models
>>>> with higher end steel but they still function the same for my purposes.
>>>>
>>>> A word of caution if you find yourself considering any lower end frames
>>>> you find locally that many take JIS headsets with 30.0 cups and 27.0 crown
>>>> race (vs. 30.2 cups and 26.4 crown currently more common)  One of my many
>>>> lessons during my own evolution as a DIY bike tinkerer.  Not an issue if
>>>> you find something with a good/serviceable headset and you'll stick with
>>>> the stock fork, of course.
>>>>
>>>> My 700c conversions were on the following frames (in order of
>>>> acquisition:)
>>>>
>>>> '87 Schwinn Traveler / '83 Schwinn Traveler / late 70's mystery Raleigh
>>>> 'DeLuxe' import from Denmark.
>>>>
>>>> The '87 Schwinn was a curbside freebie and my own gateway into DIY bike
>>>> tinkering.  Turns out this one was rather crudely constructed (headtube was
>>>> admittedly pretty cool after discovering it's a faux-lugged single cast
>>>> piece but the top and downtubes weren't even mitred and just brazed in and
>>>> smashed/bent for steerer clearance.  '83 Schwinn Traveler is Taiwan made by
>>>> Giant and has much cleaner construction, fits me better being a 27" frame
>>>> size vs. the 25" '87 Traveler which was big enough with long stem and drops
>>>> but ended up cracking seatstay on the '87 anyway.
>>>>
>>>> It's kind of interesting comparing these two Travelers side by side.
>>>> Both of these 80's Schwinns had 126mm rear spacing, JIS headsets, typical
>>>> 68mm british bottom bracket shells.  '87 had semi-horizontal dropouts with
>>>> derailer tab and downtube lever bosses with bolt on under bottom bracket
>>>> cable guide.  The earlier '83 Traveler has no derailer tab and clamp on
>>>> downtube shifter bosses, and brazed on cable guides on the top of the BB
>>>> shell.  I picked up a bolt on derailer mount to eventually be able to run a
>>>> multispeed wheel from the wheel I had upgraded on the '87 Schwinn but
>>>> otherwise have been running the '83 as a single speed/Quickbeam substitute
>>>> in the interim and had considered making this a IGH build instead with the
>>>> lack of derailer tab and brazed on BB cable guide... also as a 3spd
>>>> replacement since my mystery Raleigh project completely caught me by
>>>> surprise.
>>>>
>>>> I won't get into the weeds with this one here since it's not
>>>> necessarily relevant to your search but The Raleigh was bought cheap with
>>>> little more than a few photos showing a large frame with locking fork.  It
>>>> was intended to be a frame replacement/upsize to just move a typical 3sp
>>>> build from a too small 21" frame Raleigh Sports into the larger frame I
>>>> found.  Turns out the frame was even larger than I initially thought and
>>>> easily fits 700x35 - likely 38mm with fender if I could add some clearance
>>>> to the chainstays, but vertical clearance with current 35mm and Tektro
>>>> brakes is nearly 2cm.  I've essentially made this my
>>>> commuter/lock-up/basket bike (I don't have a commute but this is the one I
>>>> grab for any utility riding.)
>>>>
>>>> Probably worth checking out any local co-ops or bike kitchens in your
>>>> area.  Central New Jersey area has Second Life Bikes in Asbury Park and in
>>>> Trenton there is the Boys and Girls Club Bike Exchange that both run on
>>>> donations/volunteer support. I used to have an office within a 15min ride
>>>> of Second Life Bikes in Asbury where I'd make an occasional lunch hour trip
>>>> to both drop off parts donations or dig through the parts bins for anything
>>>> specific in need (and successfully found necessary seatposts/stems/levers
>>>> on several occasions plus the 27" '83 Schwinn I just happened to spot
>>>> hanging in the rafters one day.)
>>>>
>>>> Best of luck!
>>>>
>>>> Brian Cole
>>>> Lawrence NJ
>>>>
>>>> On Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 11:45:29 AM UTC-4 Yankeebird wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I would like a Roadini, but it's going to be a while, and I'm going
>>>>> through some money constraints right now, and I don't mind fixing up
>>>>> something else in the interim. I have a Cheviot right now, and it's my
>>>>> primary main bike for everything. I also have a Surly CC that I built up
>>>>> with an Alfine IGH 8 and Albatross bars, but I keep that at Mom's so when
>>>>> my bro and I visit we have a bike to bang around on to blow off steam.
>>>>>
>>>>> I would really like a decent smooth steel frame that will take at
>>>>> least a 32-38 tire, and I can build up either with another IGH/albatross 
>>>>> or
>>>>> a cassette and drop bars depending on my whims. Something zippier than my
>>>>> Cheviot but not a straight up triathlon bike.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'd like to get my hands on a '86 Schwinn Passage (my brother has this
>>>>> bike and it's an incredible) or an early/mid 80's Trek 720. But these
>>>>> things are going for PREMIUM money, almost ridiculous. I value them as
>>>>> $200-300 bikes, but they are listed at $800+ and it boggles my mind.
>>>>>
>>>>> Any other comparable frames to the above two I mentioned that I should
>>>>> be looking at? What about Motobecanes? Do they have standard sizing for
>>>>> components or am I going to be banging my head against the wall finding
>>>>> French sized parts?
>>>>>
>>>>> Biking is something I enjoy, and I can do basic bike MX and can learn
>>>>> the stuff I don't know, but I am not deep in the weeds of dorkdom when it
>>>>> comes to bikes. I have other much deeper passions. I probably won't build 
>>>>> a
>>>>> wheel, but I can replace a BB. I know what I like and what I want when I
>>>>> see it, if I'm pointed in the correct direction by those who know. Hence
>>>>> this query.
>>>>>
>>>> --
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