Lotus Steel Bikes 1980-90

[cipolinni]

Hi everyone
Have come across a very nice Lotus Steel Bike from 1980-90
Don't know much about them but the owner says it has full 105 Champagne groupset
Viewing this weekend and hopefully a purchase

Just thought if anyone here could give me any info

Thanks
Cipo

 

[non-fixie]

Lotus was an American company, and their bikes were made by different manufacturers, mainly from Taiwan and Japan. The Japanese ones are the higher-end ones. A few were even made by Cinelli in Italy. Browse through these for more information.

 

[dirttorpedo]

I have never seen one in the flesh, but the Japanese ones have a very good reputation. I had a line on a frame once, but didn't buy it.

 

[Txn67]

I've been wanting to get a vintage touring bike and I'm looking at this '84 Odyssey for sale. In '83 they went with Columbus SL tubing and were hand made by Tsuonda in Japan. The '84 doesn't have the Tsunoda decal, it may have been made by Maruishi. But Lotus bikes were very nice and to me this is probably the perfect touring bike.

Wish it had a little less patina but I could get it looking real nice.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Doesn't look bad at all. I think it'd clean up nice. Use carnuba wax to give it a nice gentle clean.

 

[kohl57@yahoo.com]

Founded in 1979 by Sidney Star, Lotus featured a complete line of lightweight cycles made in Japan by the well-established (dating to 1905) Tsunoda Industries, one of the country’s largest contract builders. Lotus was more than a marketing outfit and Star worked closely with Tsunoda, Pacific Cycles and framebuilder Yamaguchi and possibly Maruishi to develop a comprehensive range of top quality lightweight cycles for the U.S. market. Favoured by then prevailing exchange rates of the dollar and yen vs. British and European currencies, Lotus coincided with a shortlived heyday of Japanese designed and built racing bikes and new component concepts by Shimano, Nitto, Araya and Tange.

The quality of the top end Lotus machines is superb and Star never stinted on component selection, either.

One of the better known Lotus models was the Super Pro Aero, one of the very first aero machines and built around the brand new Shimano Dura Ace 7300 aero component group and featuring the new Tange oval profile Aero tubing. The Lotus models featured a special double butted version of this.

Here is my 1981 Lotus Super Pro Aero:

more pix and details here:


http://www.ipernity.com/doc/286349/album/738034

Peter Kohler
Washington, DC USA