information on Ross Bicycles

On Mon, 06 Mar 2006 22:28:07 -0500, Jason <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I may be buying a rebuilt single speed Ross "from the 80's". I was
trying to find some information on this brand because I'd never heard of
them before. Google search doesn't really reveal anything. Does anyone
have any experience w/ these bikes? I'm pretty sure they are out of
business and I'm hoping that its not because they made crappy bikes.

http://www.randinternational.com/

They were typical US-made bikes in the '70s; I don't know about the
'80s. The ones I recall were stodgy, heavy, low-tech units marketed
primarily through outlets like department stores. Ross was bought out
by Rand at some point, and I'm pretty sure it continues to exist
merely as a brand label that's applied to imported bikes.

I'd consider them on the same level as Huffy for the most part.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
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My friend bought one at a bike shop circa 86, as he was jealous of my
"uber" Shogun Prairie Breaker, but hadn't saved as much as me over the
summer. His was the sort of bike that's at the bottom of the bin as
far as bike shop bikes go. Don't know if they made anything fancier,
but they probably did.

The frame is probably hi-ten steel, but you might get lucky with
cromoly, and it's again probably made in Taiwan like everything else
and of reasonable quality, if a bit porkly. I'd worry more about the
quality of the assembly of everything else, the frame is likely fine.

Jason said:

I may be buying a rebuilt single speed Ross "from the 80's". I was
trying to find some information on this brand because I'd never heard of
them before. Google search doesn't really reveal anything. Does anyone
have any experience w/ these bikes? I'm pretty sure they are out of
business and I'm hoping that its not because they made crappy bikes.

'sup jason
\\paul
--
Paul M. Hobson
Georgia Institute of Technology
..:change the f to ph to reply:.

Jason said:

I may be buying a rebuilt single speed Ross "from the 80's". I was
trying to find some information on this brand because I'd never heard of
them before. Google search doesn't really reveal anything. Does anyone
have any experience w/ these bikes? I'm pretty sure they are out of
business and I'm hoping that its not because they made crappy bikes.

I also don't know a ton about them, but contrary to what might be
assumed from the existence of Ross dept. store bikes, for at least some
part of their history they were a pretty typical dealer-level brand,
with models up and down the price/quality ranges.

The first mountain bike I bought, must have been about '84 was a Ross. The
model was Mount Whitney and it was a pretty good bike for the time. Before
that I knew of them only for their cheap department store bike. They did
try to step up for a while. I remember that they sponsored some of the
early pro mountain bike racers.

What I remember about that bike was all other mountain bikes at the time
used primarily Suntour components but Ross was one of the first to use this
new, cheap line named Deore from a bit player by the name of Shimano.
--
Mike Buchanan

"Nate Knutson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jason said:

I may be buying a rebuilt single speed Ross "from the 80's". I was
trying to find some information on this brand because I'd never heard of
them before. Google search doesn't really reveal anything. Does anyone
have any experience w/ these bikes? I'm pretty sure they are out of
business and I'm hoping that its not because they made crappy bikes.

I also don't know a ton about them, but contrary to what might be
assumed from the existence of Ross dept. store bikes, for at least some
part of their history they were a pretty typical dealer-level brand,
with models up and down the price/quality ranges.

The really nice Ross road bikes were the Ross "Signature" line. I have one
and it's a very high quality frame.

Some of these were built in the U.S. by Jim Redcay.

Google for "Ross Signature Bycicle" for more info.

Ed Chait

"Ed Chait" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The really nice Ross road bikes were the Ross "Signature" line. I have
one and it's a very high quality frame.

Some of these were built in the U.S. by Jim Redcay.

Google for "Ross Signature Bycicle" for more info.

Ed Chait

Although you might get more hits for "Ross Signature Bicycle" 🙂

Ed Chait

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Mike Buchanan said:

The first mountain bike I bought, must have been about '84 was a Ross. The
model was Mount Whitney and it was a pretty good bike for the time. Before
that I knew of them only for their cheap department store bike. They did
try to step up for a while. I remember that they sponsored some of the
early pro mountain bike racers.

Yep, Joe Sloup, one of my heros, rode for Ross.

Greg

--
"All my time I spent in heaven
Revelries of dance and wine
Waking to the sound of laughter
Up I'd rise and kiss the sky" - The Mekons

Jason said:

I may be buying a rebuilt single speed Ross "from the 80's". I was
trying to find some information on this brand because I'd never heard of
them before. Google search doesn't really reveal anything. Does anyone
have any experience w/ these bikes? I'm pretty sure they are out of
business and I'm hoping that its not because they made crappy bikes.

You'd think so. But you would be wrong.
Better be an exceptional Ross at a very low price.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

I worked in an LBS in 79 - 83. We sold Ross's. While they did have
departmment store quality bikes they did make some fairly decent low end
bikes too. About $135 in 1979 IIRC. I would call them mid grade but worthy
of a Bike Shop. I used to ride my Sister's Ross around college some and it
was decent inexpensive bike.

They were one of the first to mass produce MTBs too. Remember those
bullhorn bars?
"Jason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I may be buying a rebuilt single speed Ross "from the 80's". I was
trying to find some information on this brand because I'd never heard of
them before. Google search doesn't really reveal anything. Does anyone
have any experience w/ these bikes? I'm pretty sure they are out of
business and I'm hoping that its not because they made crappy bikes.

bull-moose! 😄

Jason said:

I may be buying a rebuilt single speed Ross "from the 80's". I was
trying to find some information on this brand because I'd never heard of
them before. Google search doesn't really reveal anything. Does anyone
have any experience w/ these bikes? I'm pretty sure they are out of
business and I'm hoping that its not because they made crappy bikes.

i'm mainly concerned w/ the frame+fork...the bike will have all new
components on it. What i want to make sure is that the frame was
sufficiently rigid and sturdy and that the BB, headset, and wheel
spacings weren't oddball sizes.

On Wed, 08 Mar 2006 16:36:12 -0500, Jason <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Jason said:

I may be buying a rebuilt single speed Ross "from the 80's". I was
trying to find some information on this brand because I'd never heard of
them before. Google search doesn't really reveal anything. Does anyone
have any experience w/ these bikes? I'm pretty sure they are out of
business and I'm hoping that its not because they made crappy bikes.

i'm mainly concerned w/ the frame+fork...the bike will have all new
components on it. What i want to make sure is that the frame was
sufficiently rigid and sturdy and that the BB, headset, and wheel
spacings weren't oddball sizes.

No chance of anything oddball on a Ross single-speed in my opinion,
but beware of the possibility that this may not have started out as a
single-speed bike. If the axle slots in the rear aren't horiontal,
then this frame was equipped with a derailleur originally. Is it
equipped with a one-piece or a three-piece crank? The latter would
indicate that this bike probably was originally sold through a bike
shop rather than a mass marketer, which would be a good sign for
quality. A one-piece crank would give it a greater chance of being
one of the low-end department-store units.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Jason said:

Jason said:

I may be buying a rebuilt single speed Ross "from the 80's". I was
trying to find some information on this brand because I'd never heard of
them before. Google search doesn't really reveal anything. Does anyone
have any experience w/ these bikes? I'm pretty sure they are out of
business and I'm hoping that its not because they made crappy bikes.

i'm mainly concerned w/ the frame+fork...the bike will have all new
components on it. What i want to make sure is that the frame was
sufficiently rigid and sturdy and that the BB, headset, and wheel
spacings weren't oddball sizes.

It's sorta like asking about a Schwinn road bike from the period. It
seems to me that Ross loosely based their brand and production on
Schwinn.
For my 10th birthday I received a shiny red Ross Eurosport. The frame
was "Tempered Steel", lugged, and mass produced. The components were
low end Shimano but no plastic [censored]. It was heavy but durable, and had
an air of quality to it considering the price of $100. I'd say it was
comparable to a Collegiate or below.
At the other end of the spectrum was the Ross Signature series, which
was comparable to a Paramount. I think Tom Kellog built them.
/s

Jason said:

I may be buying a rebuilt single speed Ross "from the 80's". I was
trying to find some information on this brand because I'd never heard of
them before. Google search doesn't really reveal anything. Does anyone
have any experience w/ these bikes? I'm pretty sure they are out of
business and I'm hoping that its not because they made crappy bikes.

More info on the bike:

"frame is a ross centaur, probably from late eightees to early nineties"
I'm asking some more questions:

"Obviously this was once a multispeed bike. Are the dropouts horizontal
enough to make a SS? If not how do you plan to get it SS (derailleur
type tensioner, eccentric hub, get lucky w/ gear ratios) Are the cranks
1 piece or 3 piece?"

Jason said:

Jason said:

I may be buying a rebuilt single speed Ross "from the 80's". I was
trying to find some information on this brand because I'd never heard
of them before. Google search doesn't really reveal anything. Does
anyone have any experience w/ these bikes? I'm pretty sure they are
out of business and I'm hoping that its not because they made crappy
bikes.

More info on the bike:

"frame is a ross centaur, probably from late eightees to early nineties"
I'm asking some more questions:

"Obviously this was once a multispeed bike. Are the dropouts horizontal
enough to make a SS? If not how do you plan to get it SS (derailleur
type tensioner, eccentric hub, get lucky w/ gear ratios) Are the cranks
1 piece or 3 piece?"

Ok reply: "dropouts are horizontal with long enough slots to tension the
chain. cranks
are standard three-piece square taper."

so everything seems good on this bike...thanks for all your help guys.