Barn Find Basso Pursuit

[Ti_on_Steel]

A friend of mine's father passed away recently, and she asked me if I could help her clean out a few old bikes he had. Most of them were pretty standard (a really nice carbon Orbea that I may stick up here later in the week) but this one is special.

I think she is still trying to decide what she wants to do with this one since it spent a long time on his office wall (sell, keep, store) but I was wondering if anyone could help me learn more about it. Looks like it has Dura Ace and a 650 front wheel, but I have not seen it in person yet.

http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/xx312/Altadog/Basso%20Bike%202_zpsnwimf4td.jpg (http://s767.photobucket.com/user/Altadog/media/Basso%20Bike%202_zpsnwimf4td.jpg.html)

http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/xx312/Altadog/Basso%20Bike%203_zpsotc508im.jpg (http://s767.photobucket.com/user/Altadog/media/Basso%20Bike%203_zpsotc508im.jpg.html)

http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/xx312/Altadog/Basso%20Bike%204_zpsm5algvfs.jpg (http://s767.photobucket.com/user/Altadog/media/Basso%20Bike%204_zpsm5algvfs.jpg.html)

http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/xx312/Altadog/Basso%20Bike%201_zpszyupguzf.jpg (http://s767.photobucket.com/user/Altadog/media/Basso%20Bike%201_zpszyupguzf.jpg.html)

[andrew+]

Very cool. These "funny bike" frames are not particularly rare on their own, but the Basso disc wheels make this one pretty special. Late '80s, I'd say.

[sw3759]

late 80's nice Columbus steel for sure .full 7400 group.not sure about the disc's though..doubt it would bring more than 2K but you never know

[ultraman6970]

Front is a 24... rear is a regular 700... maybe produced around 1984 or so... looks original... the wheels look like ambrosio lenticulars to me, that pretty much was what everybody had... sure behind the basso logo there is a hole, you can put more weight to the wheel so it runs unbalanced.

Looks like is a 1987.

http://velospace.org/node/2244

[CampyorBust]

Yeah them wheels are sumthin else. Very nice find!

[spacemen3]

Sweet rig, especially with that wheelset! They are possibly FiR Killing System discs. I doubt there's a big market for such a machine, but I'd certainly be interested if you decide to sell. :)

[Black Dog]

That is 7400 Dura Ace and if the parts are the same age as the frame that would put it between 1986-1988. If it is 6 speed then 1986 and if 7 speed then 87-88.

[Llewellyn]

Cool looking bike, but it would be a bugger to ride.

[smontanaro]

This must have been fairly early in the disc wheel period, yes? I thought people abandoned disc fronts pretty quickly because they were dangerous in cross winds.

[ultraman6970]

Well thats relative. They still sell full disc front wheels. The thing is this, once you get the wheels rotating you cant stop them, wheels are heavy unbalanced and with a lot of momentum, thats the idea behind those wheels.

Riders use to handle the bike better 20 years ago apparently :P

[smontanaro]

I was unaware that front disc wheels were still available. I'm stuck in the 70s. I suppose then that front discs are mostly sold to tri geeks? They'll buy any piece of equipment they think will make them faster, price and risk be darned. :D

[ultraman6970]

Modern wheels are 700 tho... UCI rules...

[Vinci]

That is immensely cool! I would never get anything done with that on the wall. I'd be staring at it the whole time.

[Grant McLean]

That is 7400 Dura Ace and if the parts are the same age as the frame that would put it between 1986-1988. If it is 6 speed then 1986 and if 7 speed then 87-88.

Yup.

Also, Aero brake levers, grey anodized and not silver polished shift levers, would indicate it's 7 speed.

[Ti_on_Steel]

Yup, 7 speed Dura Ace.

Yup.

Also, Aero brake levers, grey anodized and not silver polished shift levers, would indicate it's 7 speed.

[RFC]

Great bike! I've always wanted a Basso with the "Jamaican" paint job. I have owned and ridden a number of funny bikes from that era. This one is not that extreme and would ride well. I have had two Schwinn Prologues with the smaller 24" front wheel. Now, that was a challenge!