It took me a while to find, buy and pick up one, because these bikes seem to be pretty rare (although I know that quite a lot have been manufactured). And when there is one for sale, it's either too far away, too expensive, too old and in most cases too big (56 or 58 cm).
This one was just fine, I placed my bid, it was accepted and I rushed to pick it up.
The 53 cm frame and fork are Bordeaux red, a rare colour with some small, traditional quality problems: some small paint chips fell off. Nothing bad, certainly not for a bike this old. I do not remember that this colour was used in the years that I was working at Gazelle, so the bike must be older than 1985. The presence of the down tube shifters (Campagnolo) confirms that. On the other hand, it's not too old, because the bridges are tubes, no plates. The brakes are Modolo sidepull, no centrepull.
I thought that it would make a very nice bike for my wife, but I'm not so sure if she is "in to" vintage bikes. She already has 2 road bikes, a city bike, a spare trekking bike and an MTB, but all she uses is the heavy Nexus 7 speed city bike.
So, the question is: what to do with the Gazelle?
As a fully equipped semi race, it's a bit like her Giant trekking bike, but with drop bars. May be too inconvenient for her and needs precise assembly, adjustment, maintenance and lots of new parts.
With all the excessive parts removed, especially with drop bars, it's looking like one of her road bikes, but a lot older and cheaper.
With the original touring bars, but all accessories removed, it looks very, very strange.
Personally I think that it will look nice with drops, drop bar brake levers and single speed drive train. Clean, simple, stylish. Red with silver and white accents.
The alternative is riser bars with MTB brake levers.
When these trials are not appreciated, I think I'll give up my ideas with a vintage Gazelle Semi Race and sell this frame set (or bike) again.
In the end, it's a very good, very nice and original product with lots of possibilities and heritage. It would be a shame to let it go.
