PS 32s and fenders on an old 27" wheeled bike usually takes eom time to set up. If you hate setting up fenders and getting a good fenderline, maybe go with 28s instead.
Another bike to look for is a certain year of Schwinn Prelude. IIRC it would have satisfied every one of my listed characterstics, but I never found one to confirm.
I used to be all about that 531 steel lyfe. But I’m a big guy and honestly 501 works fine, as does Tange #2, Columbus Tenax, etc.
1983 Trek 500, Kojak 32s with NJS-clearance fenders.
…and while we’re on the subject:
1984 Trek 720. Looong chainstays, annoying 27"-to-700c canti boss location issues. Still a cadillac to ride and a nice bike. 32s + fenders obvs.
Ant, I may have a line on an older Trek, maybe late seventies, that you could have for shipping. It was abandoned at one of the buildings I manage and I found it today in a pile of junk bikes in the basement. I’ll try to remember to take a tape to it tomorrow, but it looked like a 56 or 57 to me.
I’ve got a late 80s/early 90s Specialized Allez, pretty sure it’s a 57. Pearl white, no decals. It’s set up 650A at the moment with the long reach Tektros.
I always thought they were just common steel junk, but it turns out lots of Centurion “Iron Man” frames were Tange #1.
My old 1984 Trek 760 (not pictured above) was 531c and planed like, um, a plane. It was a sweet riding frame, and I really could stay on top of larger gear and not get bogged down when climbing certain hills. It did also ghost-shift on really steep/slow standing climbs, but I had downtube shifters and am a man of substance.
Unffff. That 640 is PERFECT. I had been looking for one of those for eons during the time I owned all the above bikes. Look at those brake pads down at the bottom of the slots, a good sign for fitting bigger rubber. Look at that paint and those old logos.
I was looking for a frame only too. Kinda tough to drop all that on a complete. But hear me out: Buy it, ride it as-is. you might be surprised how well it goes down the road. Especially with a nice set of tires and some new brake pads.
