I went to the tip on Saturday...

[FluffyChicken]

They slotted in 100GS in 1991 and then the incredible 70GS was also slotted in in 1992. But 200GS then became better, might even have changed the GS to CX as well just to make sure 70/100 GS got all the ribbing

70GS was really Tourney, even had the TYxx coding or Tourney.

 

[raymondluxuryyacht]

I'm not sure 200gs was quite as bad as you make out. It wasn't desirable and it was heavy, but it did work...even if it didn't exactly feel like Volkswagen or Nissan build quality. BITD I think Mountain lx was what I thought of as a good benchmark groupset....but 200gs was at least better than the crap they bolted to many low end Raleighs, Falcons and Apollos.

 

[dbmtb]

It has a groupset below LX and has therefore failed to comply with quality requirements for use in this site.

Please unenroll yourself and take the pictures with you on the way out.

(For those who failed to spot the irony - this post was ironic and relates to other threads on this matter).

 

[hydorah]

I'm not sure 200gs was quite as bad as you make out. It wasn't desirable and it was heavy, but it did work...even if it didn't exactly feel like Volkswagen or Nissan build quality. BITD I think Mountain lx was what I thought of as a good benchmark groupset....but 200gs was at least better than the crap they bolted to many low end Raleighs, Falcons and Apollos.

Agreed a 200GS chainset will last forever!

Steel rings and steel arms encased in plastic

and 100/200GS are fully upgradeable

Beneath that you have oddities and undesirable characteristics like no deraileur hanger on the frame (it's part of the mech)

Oversize BB shells (heavy and not compatible with anything)

Among any other issues that may or my not be present like pressed drop outs

This here bike is a good basic frame and fork with usable - if very heavy components

Perfectly suited to rolling upgrade, if the owner is so inclined

 

[Goldie]

Thanks for your comments everyone. So this isn't a Falcon built bike? Having ridden it now, I'd like it either way, but it's a bit more interesting if BE were independent when it was built.

I had it out for a first run on Thursday night, and really enjoyed it. It does feel heavy, but not in a draggy crap way as it rolls really well. The thumb shifters are satisfying and instinctive to use - easier for me than the SRAM twisty-grip thingies on my current hack bike. The indexing on the front is completely random, but the back works perfectly. I cleaned it down yesterday, and there's not a scratch on the thing - the paint was literally perfect under the muck.

All in all, I'm very pleased with it, and I've warmed to it in a way I've failed to do to my current hack in fours years of ownership. It's a keeper, for sure.

 

[hydorah]

Thanks for your comments everyone. So this isn't a Falcon built bike? Having ridden it now, I'd like it either way, but it's a bit more interesting if BE were independent when it was built.

I had it out for a first run on Thursday night, and really enjoyed it. It does feel heavy, but not in a draggy crap way as it rolls really well. The thumb shifters are satisfying and instinctive to use - easier for me than the SRAM twisty-grip thingies on my current hack bike. The indexing on the front is completely random, but the back works perfectly. I cleaned it down yesterday, and there's not a scratch on the thing - the paint was literally perfect under the muck.

All in all, I'm very pleased with it, and I've warmed to it in a way I've failed to do to my current hack in fours years of ownership. It's a keeper, for sure.

It looks old enough - And it's made in Britain - Out of decent tubes

So I agree it's a great start

Falcon use BE as a brand for mostly supermarket bikes, since they bough it out

They use Claude Butler as their top brand so you'd be more likely to see a 501 tubeset on a CB if it were Falcon

So yeah I think it's a 'proper' British Eagle

There are lots of decent old Claude Butlers about which are also awesome bargains

 

[Goldie]

I should probably fess up to what I've been using off road up til now... here we go...

Arrgh!

Topically, there's a very small sticker on the bottom of the BB shell owning up to it having been made in Tunisia. It's going to be looking for a new owner now that the British Eagle's schmoozed its way into the household. The steering has been getting a bit grouchy lately, and I guiltily took it apart last night to find out why... the bottom headset race turned out to be filled with shards of rusty metal and mud where once there'd been bearings

One more guilt ridden photo...

Nice.

 

[Tad]

I should probably fess up to what I've been using off road up til now... here we go...

Arrgh!

The look on your cat's face says it all

 

[hydorah]

Gawsh!!!

Haha amusing post in a dark way

So yeah I think that clinches it

You probably noticed, there has been a big debate on here about how to save people from 'BSO's (Bike Shaped Objects) some of which are vintage now and get them on the glorious path of happy retrobiking...

In this case - You go to the tip and you find better

Maybe in need of some fettling but much better and FROM THE TIP

Do you notice how the front fork dropouts are just the crushed ends of the fork tubes?

Shameful

Though I wouldn't worry overmuch about where a bike was welded/assembled

A lot of decent bikes are made in Taiwan

Mass market Trek, GT, Kona, Marin, Specialized etc etc

 

[Goldie]

I had a sightly embarassing episode with the Inferno the other night when I was gazing at it lovingly, and then my eyes settled on the chainring, and then I started to think "Hang one... that's not quite circular is it? Have I bent it somehow? Oh b***er!" beforeI remembered voodoorider's post, and read what Biopace actually was, and then felt a bit shamefaced

Anyway, I can feel my resistance to the idea of spending money on the bike slowly crumbling, so I'd love it if y'all could post up your suggestions of period drivetrain upgrades. Bikeporn like pictures of upgraded compenents welcomed...