Bought a Roland Coral today ...

[RatRodDad]

I found a ladies cruiser bike on Craigslist today for a reasonable price, so I bought it.

It's a Roland brand - Coral I model - whatever that is. Couldn't find anything about that brand with a quick web search so it was probably made by one of the main bike makers and branded as a Roland.

It has a heavy duty stem on it - similar to the one that was on my Caloi cruiser, and underneath the black foam it has chrome handlebars, which is a plus.

A little surface rust here and there but nothing that a little steel wool and WD-40 won't take care of.

Here's some shots.

 

[Markm]

cool!

 

[Rat Rod]

Almost looks like it has aluminum wheels.

Looks like a good deal for the price.

 

[RatRodDad]

The wheels are chrome. Whitewalls, but not super wide ones.

Most of the chrome parts - crank, sprocket, wheels, fender braces, etc., have some surface rust, but nothing too bad. The wheels are probably the worst.

The front fender was originally bolted to the front of the fork - which put the indentations in the fender that should line up with the fork arms sticking out front of the fork. So I unbolted it and moved it to the back side of the fork - which makes the indentations line up correctly. I need to look at it again, though, since now it looks like the whole fender sticks out a bit too much in the back - which may be why they bolted it the other way.

I'm a sucker for blue, so that's one reason it looked good to me.

 

[RatRodDad]

I ran across this web listing ...

Men's version of the same bike - and someone with lots of extra time on their hands - plus an old leaf blower motor ....

http://mywilson.homestead.com/gallery91.html

 

[RatRodDad]

Okay, the rat wheels are turning tonight, so I got to thinking about the new ladies bike I just bought and I checked my wife's Columbia and the two frames look almost identical.

So I'm now thinking I may pull the fenders off of the Roland and stick them on her Columbia.

Since the Columbia has black handlebars, a black sprocket, black grips, and a black seat, I'm also thinking about painting her front fork black and also the fenders black and giving her a black and white combo on the Columbia.

Check out the two bikes ...

 

[ACD]

RR Dad, I don't know, that coral looks awful pretty in that blue! Either way nice find.

Aaron

 

[RatRodDad]

Yep, Aaron, I love blue. It immediately grabbed my attention in the CL ad.

I will probably pull the fenders off first and see how it looks without them - more rat style.

If it looks okay, then I will most likely use the fenders on the Columbia. I can always stick them on and make sure they fit first.

If they don't fit - or the Roland looks too bad without them, then I can put them back on it. Lots of options.

 

[RatRodDad]

The ratting process began today on the Roland.

I took off the fenders and checked them out and sure enough, they will work perfectly on my wife's Columbia, so I was really pleased about that.

I also removed the black "bumper pads" from the handle bars and underneath were a set of pristine chrome cruiser bars. That made me smile too.

Then I got a call from the people I bought the Roland from saying they would sell me a Schwinn Skyliner (newer comfort bike) fairly cheap, so I went back and bought that. Not sure why - or what I will do with it, but worst case I can eventually stick it out on CL and try to make a dollar or two on it.

Here's the Roland in her current rat state, and the Schwinn Skyliner.

 

[Rat Rod]

Both of those new bikes look good.

You should be able to sell that green Schwinn very easily....for at least $75.

The blue one would look even better without the reflectors and the decals.

Fun Fun Fun :mrgreen: