Joe,
Interesting detail on it's origin as I picked up the bike at a tag sale on Spring Street in Ridgewood NJ while visiting my younger sister and family (Steve F. how did you miss this just a few blocks from your house?). I was thinking it was a lot like a Mondia but the cheaper dropouts threw me along with some of the componentry. Does RS555 mean/represent anything?
Can anyone else add to Joe's very helpful info?
Thanks again,
Eric
> I own one of these. Orange too. It is a Mondia. Swiss of course.
>
> The ones I am familiar with came out of Ridgewood Cycle in Ridgewood NJ.
> The owner bought a bunch of these. Supposedly the bike was to supplied
free
> in a deal with Finair so you could ride around Scandinavia and the deal
> didn't work out so the bikes were a surplus deal.
>
> Here are differences on mine as I got it: Tahei seatpost, brown leather
> covered plastic base saddle, Sunshine HF hubs (old types with round holes
> in flanges), Wienmann 27 X 1 1/4 rims, Sugino Mighty crank, Shimano
Titlest
> front der.
>
> It is really the same as a regular Mondia frame of the period except for
> Campy droputs and fade paint job.
>
> Great find!
>
> Joe
>
> At 09:40 PM 7/1/01 -0400, Eric Elman wrote:
> >I picked up a bike at a tag sale today and have never heard or seen one
> >before. Odd mix of components and frame.
> >
> >It is a "Tour de Suisse RS555" per the decals on either side of the
> >downtube. The headtube and seat tube each have a matching "Tour de
Suisse"
> >decal. Frame is Reynolds 531DB throughout and forks. Nervex
Professional
> >head and seat lugs, unknown bottom bracket. Pressed/stamped steel
dropouts
> >but nicely finished. Chrome headlugs, fork crown and all stays front and
> >rear. Paint is original and orange. Transition area on stays and fork
> >chrome to paint is a fade job, not a clean line. Top of seat stays wrap
> >around top of seat lug. Rear centerpull cable bridge is cheap stamped
> >steel. Workmanship is so-so - not bad but not anything special either.
> >Stem is mid 70's 3ttt Record and the bars are also 3ttt
Competizione(sp?).
> >Seatpost is a 3ttt micro adjust with a Brooks Pro saddle. All pretty
high
> >end stuff for that period. Brakes are Weinman 999 long reach calipers,
> >levers have white hoods and Q/R's. Hubs are Shimano H/F 333, rear rim
is a
> >Super Champion 81 and front rim is a Mavic MOD E2, both with Schrader
> >valves. Crankset is Campy Copy Shimano and Derailleurs are Shimano Crane
> >units. Pedals are unbranded cheapies with AFA clips and straps.
> >
> >Seems odd to have full 531/Nervex Pro but stamped dropouts and brake
cable
> >bridge. Also odd to have some high end stuff and meduim/low end stuff.
> >What's original and what's not? Where and by whom was the bike made?
Any
> >and all info greatly appreciated.
> >
> >Thanks in advance,
> >
> >Eric Elman