# rodriguez custom bikes



## thom (Jul 3, 2014)

I don't know how vintage this bike is. I hope to find out when it was made. Its a Rodriguez, made in Seattle WA.


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## rustjunkie (Jul 3, 2014)

Www.rodbikes.com


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## bulldog1935 (Jul 4, 2014)

we could date the components - got a close-up of the rear derailleur?  
If perchance a SunTour, the RD will have a date code.  
The general layout of the bike suggests late 70s/early 80s.  Non-aero brake levers, etc.  
Crankset is a Campy Strada or the clone, Sugino Mighty.


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## thom (Jul 4, 2014)

Thanks. The rear derailler is a Suntour VGTluxe. I see no numbers on it , but will remove it, clean it, and look for numbers. The crank arms have "Super Mighty" cast into them. The brakes are Gran Compe and the shifters are Suntour. The rims are Rigida.


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## rustjunkie (Jul 4, 2014)

Call with serial #, or send pictures to Rodriguez/R+E Cycles, betting they'll tell you exactly when it was built:

R+E Cycles | 5627 University Way NE | Seattle WA | 206.527.4822 | info@rodbikes.com


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## bulldog1935 (Jul 4, 2014)

here's the SunTour date code
http://velobase.com/ViewBrand.aspx?BrandID=b0cbe80a-c06e-4864-a3ab-dac2d4abd9e6


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## thom (Jul 5, 2014)

Thanks. The code letters are WA , making the derailler a Jan 1980 model.


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## bulldog1935 (Jul 5, 2014)

matches the style of the bike just right.

It's a well-equipped quality bike.  Kind of a shame to see such a nice bike that weathered.  
I'm sure everybody around here has their cleaning preferences, but I clean rust like that with vinegar, a little Simi polish, and then treat with Boeshield.  
(vinegar is also great for getting waxed grease out of bearings)

Last summer my daughter built up this Team Fuji frame (the city pedals were borrowed until we replaced them with SunTour supreme).  
The Sugino Mighty Comp had been on my Raleigh since I stripped the original splined crank on Austin hills in 1978.  I later replaced it with a cyclotouriste triple.  
It's a perfect match on her '86 Fuji.  A classy crank.  TA still makes nice very 144bcd chainrings, though the best price is ordering from Europe.  
There is a new Super Mighty listed BIN on ebay for $450 - nice crank, but more than a bit excessive - still, lets you know how desirable are these quality Strada-clone cranks.  
IRD has revived the style in their new Defiant
http://www.interlocracing.com/cranks.html




Not to offend, but the rodriguez has a crazy long stem.  If I were going to ride it, I'd put something shorter-reach and taller quill on there for comfort.


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