VintageLOTUSbicycles.com
1987 Lotus Legend Triathlon
"For years the LOTUS LEGEND has symbolized something special for us. In many ways it personifies the Super Sport concept."
~~ 1987 Sales Literature ~~
"If you're serious about cycling,
the LEGEND is a goal worth attaining."
~~ 1987 Sales Literature ~~
"I absolutely love the way this bike feels and responds."
~~ Owner of our featured 1987 Lotus Legend ~~
~~ YYZ Sharon ~~
"The shop had hundreds of used bikes in this dark and dingy basement and he was suggesting so many….It was very overwhelming. But as soon as he pointed this one out to me, I knew it was the one!!!"
~~ YYZ Sharon ~~
Presenting our first Featured Bicycle, this "Coral" color 1987 Lotus Legend, from the Super Sport Triathlon Series is owned by YYZ Sharon from Toronto, Canada.
In 1987 the Legend was at the top of the Triathlon Series followed by the Esprit, Elite 600, Leger, Classique and Unique, in that order. All of the next-step-up Racing Series bicycles came equipped with sew-up tires and tubular rims, so the Legend was Lotus' best bike that came equipped with clincher tires and rims.
The Legend was available in two colors, "Emerald Green" and as pictured, "Coral" both bicycles featured contrasting head tube paint in metallic black.
The Legend was the only model that year to feature the fastback style chrome seat stays and fully chromed fork. The fork also features a fully sloping crown, a tradition brought back from the first generation 1980 Legend.
The 1987 Legend was equipped with the Suntour Accushift Sprint 9000 group with Nitto stem and handlebars. The photo below shows the graduated scale on the Sugino seat post and the high-quality fastback seat lug detail.
The 1987 Legend rode on Araya Super Hard Anodized rims with, fittingly enough, IRC Triathlon 700 x 20C 125 psi tires.
Lotus selected Tange #1 double butted chrome moly tubing for the frame, the only Lotus bicycle to use that tubing in 1987. The only Tange tubing better than #1 was called Tange Prestige, which Lotus used on the Lotus Prestige Dura Ace. The deep metallic gold flake on the tubing decal not only looks cool, it is difficult to fake. The Tange fork decal just happens to be pink and matches the frame nicely.
The bicycle came equipped with LOTUS branded toe straps and a LOTUS water bottle with an alloy cage. Cage mounts were brazed onto both the seat tube and down tube. There was also a pump peg brazed onto the top or head tube, depending on the frame size.
The Legend in a 54 cm frame size weighed 22 pounds and had a wheelbase of 38.8 inches.
Please visit the Lotus Legend model page for additional information.
"It's cool to have a piece of LOTUS history."
~~ YYZ Sharon ~~
All photographs courtesy of YYZ Sharon, edited by VintageLOTUSbicycles.com
