11-03-2012, 03:08 AM
Hi guys
Thanks for the links and a bit of history.
I never realised that the availability of bicycles were so limited during the Soviet time. From the book 100 years of Estonian bicycles or something like that I saw at a bookstore had many photos of sport bikes so I was overly hopeful perhaps.
OK so now I understand that XB3 Start Shosse is from Kharkov factory in Ukraine. Were there any sport bikes made by MMB3 in Minsk, Belarus which found a way to reach Estonia? I only find folding Desna and other utility city bikes which I also like very much but I cannot have them all so I am narrowing down my options to racing bikes for now. I have also seen some youth bicycles from Lithuania with Lithuanian brand and model names mostly named after some birds. Haven't seen any Lithuanian sport bikes in Estonia or if they ever made any...
All the frames or complete bikes for sale seem to be too large for me and my girlfriend. We are 166-170cm range so 50cm frame is just about right and 54 would be too big (even with a short stem the old fashioned deep drop bar will be too far)
From the part compatibility point of view I think Start Shosse from the 80's would be the best option if I want to use 700c wheelset for actually rising them. Do they have 130mm rear dropout spacing or narrower 126mm? Older 5-speed ones have even narrower spacing I suppose.
If anyone has old catalogues or price list in whatever language can you scan and upload them please?
Thanks
Sacci
http://saccithings.blogspot.com
Thanks for the links and a bit of history.
I never realised that the availability of bicycles were so limited during the Soviet time. From the book 100 years of Estonian bicycles or something like that I saw at a bookstore had many photos of sport bikes so I was overly hopeful perhaps.OK so now I understand that XB3 Start Shosse is from Kharkov factory in Ukraine. Were there any sport bikes made by MMB3 in Minsk, Belarus which found a way to reach Estonia? I only find folding Desna and other utility city bikes which I also like very much but I cannot have them all so I am narrowing down my options to racing bikes for now. I have also seen some youth bicycles from Lithuania with Lithuanian brand and model names mostly named after some birds. Haven't seen any Lithuanian sport bikes in Estonia or if they ever made any...
All the frames or complete bikes for sale seem to be too large for me and my girlfriend. We are 166-170cm range so 50cm frame is just about right and 54 would be too big (even with a short stem the old fashioned deep drop bar will be too far)
From the part compatibility point of view I think Start Shosse from the 80's would be the best option if I want to use 700c wheelset for actually rising them. Do they have 130mm rear dropout spacing or narrower 126mm? Older 5-speed ones have even narrower spacing I suppose.
If anyone has old catalogues or price list in whatever language can you scan and upload them please?
Thanks
Sacci
http://saccithings.blogspot.com
(10-03-2012, 22:12 PM)kass Kirjutas: Tere, Sacci!
Welcome to the forum!
I don´t know anything about the sport bicycles. But in Soviet Estonia the ordinary man from the street could buy from the shop only one kind of sport bicycle - Ukraininan Harkov factory´s Start Shosse. And only then, when these were in the shop, as usul they were not. The sportsmen could get other bikes from the clubs and funds, but not from the shops.
There were several Harkov´s models since 1950-s, like V-551 Tšempion (B-551), V-555, 155-411, 156-421 Rekord, ....
In addition there were more comman bikes for tourism, 3 and 4 - speed harkov´s models Sputnik, Turist and Sport (some 7 or 8-speed?).
Some links from Russian forums
http://photo.qip.ru/users/bestoloch72/1277001/71262006/
http://tourist.kharkov.ua/phpbb/viewtopi...a5d60ec600
http://tourist.kharkov.ua/phpbb/viewtopi...a5d60ec600
http://tourist.kharkov.ua/phpbb/viewforu...3ef8187e24