Point83.com

Anyway just showing this bike I got at the thrift store for $20 and fixed up for my brother who is moving back end of april 2006...



don't know much about Ross bikes but this is a Ross Signature 290S with a ISHIWATA 024 Cro Mo Triple butted steel frame...rustless now thanks to some rubbing compound magic...it's got 700c alloy rims and all shimano parts except for the cranks & chainring which are sugino...I did read this at the bikeforums.net

" I just stumbled across a few more tidbits on Ross. The top line Signature series was established in 1981. As noted in an earlier post, the builder was Tom Kellog, who left in 1983 and was replaced by Jim Redcay. In 1984 there were 5 Signature series bicycles and 7 "sub-Signature" models using CrMO tubing. The top line Signature Road Criterium cost $2100.00 US - not a typo! In addition to these 12 top and mid-range models, Ross apparently produced 90+ models of low end bicycles, tricyles and wagons. No wonder their entry-level reputation was/is hard to shake off!"

Sweet Bike! Lucky brother to have his sister fix up a bike for him.

Ross was big in the early 1980s when I was in high school. Big names in road/touring bikes were: Raleigh, Univega, Lotus, Nishiki, Bridgestone, Ross, Fuji...and others (Sean, can you remember any others?). There were also a lot of smaller Italian brands like Faggin. I rode my friends Faggin when I was your age. It is really cool to see you "kids" riding all these older bikes.

Below are pics of the same bike (frame and fork). The first one is my old friend Larry when the bike was new, the second is at the start of the 1987 National 25K Individual Time Trial Championships in Colorado. The guy is Mike Buxman. The last pic is me in the late 1980s in Winslow on Bainbridge Island. The bike is a Faggin from Italy.




So when someone asks me what is a good bike for a fixie or a fixer I always recommend an old 1970s or 80s steel lugged bike.

Hey langston, post a pick of your dad's Schwinn!
A bike is still the best Christmas present ever!