VintageLOTUSbicycles.com
Super Pro Aero
If Lotus, a young company in the early 1980's, wanted to make an impression on the cycling community with their new line of bicycles they certainly did with the Lotus Super Pro Aero. Equipped with the then new aerodynamic Shimano Dura Ace AX group and built with Tange Aerodynamic tubing the Super Pro Aero was the flagship of the Lotus fleet.
It's easy to view this bicycle today with jaded eyes, but back in 1981 there were not many bicycles like the Super Pro. The hidden brake cables, aerodynamic oval tubing, smooth aero components, and triangular water bottle were all very new concepts at the time and actually quite shocking. We remember seeing the "new" Super Pro Aero on the showroom floor for the first time back in 1981 and we were awe struck.
The Lotus Super Pro was built using Tange Aero Dynamics CR-MO Butted Tubing.
In June of 1981 Lotus sponsored Jim Black to ride the Lotus Super Pro from Santa Monica, California to New York, New York in an attempt to break the transcontinental world record.
The Super Pro was so impressive that it was featured in the July 1982 issue of Popular Mechanics Magazine. (See the scan here). The fillet brazing and hand-made details on this bicycle made it time consuming to build. It was also nicely equipped with top-of-the-line parts. The 1982 price for the Super Pro was listed at 1,200 dollars, in today's money that's about 2,800 bucks.
By 1983, Lotus also offered the Aero Sport, a lugged aero frame with Shimano 600 AX componentry and clincher rims instead of tubular rims.
Below is a very well preserved example of the Lotus Super Pro Aero. The water bottle is an original component to the bicycle as is the Kashimax Aero leather covered saddle. Kashimax also made a hard plastic Aero saddle without the covering, for BMX use. The first generation Dura Ace AX and 600 AX brake hoods were a light blue-green color.
Lotus offered a top-of-the-line conventional frame bicycle at the same time as the Super Pro, that bicycle was the Lotus Supreme.
| 1981 Lotus Super Pro Aero 1983 Lotus Super Pro Aero |
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| Frame Details | Aerodynamic oval tubes, lugless frame, top tube cable guides, bottom bracket cable guides, brazed on water bottle bosses, brazed on shifter bosses, recessed brake bolts. | ||
| Frame Tubing | Tange Champion DB Cro-mo, Oval Tubes. | Headset | Dura Ace AX |
| Fork | Tange Champion DB Cro-mo, Aerodynamic Full-Sloping Forged Fork Crown, Chromed | Handlebar | 1981: Dura Ace AX 1983: Nitto Aero w/ Benotto Tape |
| Colors | 1981: Gold 1983: Gold and Raspberry Pink |
Stem | Nitto Crystemblue |
| Frame Sizes | 1981: 50-63 cm 1983: 50-64 cm |
Brakes | Dura Ace AX Para-Pull |
| Crank | Dura Ace AX DD Road Series 42-52 | Seatpost | Dura Ace AX Oval |
| Pedals | Dura Ace AX DD Road Series, Clips and Straps | Saddle | Kashimax Aero Pro |
| Shift Levers | Dura Ace AX | Rims | Araya Aerodynamic Tubular |
| Front Derailleur | Dura Ace AX | Hubs | Dura Ace AX |
| Rear Derailleur | Dura Ace AX | Spokes | Oval |
| Freewheel | 1981: Dura Ace AX 6-Speed 1983: Dura Ace AX 7-Speed |
Tires | Soyo 230g Tubular |
| Chain | 1981: Dura Ace AX 1983: Specifications say only "Uniglide" |
Weight | 21 lbs. |
| Notes | Shimano Aerodynamic Water Bottle | ||
