Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

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find_bruce
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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby find_bruce » Sun Sep 09, 2018 10:37 am

Welcome outside bustidandruptured.

Why would you want to spend time & money on a dunger? Plenty of nice steel frames but it depends on your size & budget

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10speedsemiracer
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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby 10speedsemiracer » Sun Sep 09, 2018 1:48 pm

singlespeedscott wrote:The frame is the heart, but don’t get hung up on names. Japanese made frames may not have the name but they are well made.

I would be looking for something made from quality butted steel. Reynolds 531 or better, Tange 2 or better, Columbus SL or better or Ishiwata.
Exactly what Scott has said, although I would add that if you can find a mid-high end 7sp era steel frame, your life will be much easier for the first time around. Late 80s Peugeot with the HLE Mangalloy frame are quite nice to work with as are upper end Ricardo, Apollo, Fuji, Nishiki, Shogun, Repco and Malvern Star.
Campagnolo for show, SunTour for go

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familyguy
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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby familyguy » Mon Sep 10, 2018 8:56 am

Even with a limited budget, you can find suitable stuff with a little research. For example, this list is what is sitting behind me at work (in my size, most importantly) at the moment and what they cost me:
Reynolds 501SL - $65 as a complete bike, sold the parts for double that
Tange Champion No. 2 - cost me a six pack
Koga Miyata FM-2 - $150 shipped
Reynolds 531 - $140
Ishiwata EXO-H - $75, sold parts for more than that

You don't need to spend big money on a frame unless it's the right frame. I do also have a Gazelle frame I bought NOS, which cost me more than all those combined, but that was one of my grail frames and is almost perfect for me. The good thing is if you buy one and its not quite right, then find something else, swap the parts, and try again!

Jim

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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby bustidandruptured » Wed Sep 12, 2018 7:23 pm

Thanks for all the replies.I'm thinking from one extreame to the other at the moment.I am keen on finding possibly a nice Repco superlite or a yummy Alan.I did say one extreme to the other.

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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby NASHIE » Wed Sep 12, 2018 8:35 pm

bustidandruptured wrote:Thanks for all the replies.I'm thinking from one extreame to the other at the moment.I am keen on finding possibly a nice Repco superlite or a yummy Alan.I did say one extreme to the other.
Not sure of price range, but vitus/alan frames come up at good prices. As long as you check them out for any damage they are a great frame. Im currently riding my vitus 979 with 2016 campy chorus and just love it. Weighs in around 8kg


One here
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/heidelb ... 1192558624

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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby nickobec » Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:22 pm

bustidandruptured wrote:I am keen on finding possibly a nice Repco superlite
If you intend to ride it, I would avoid the Superlite and go for the next model up in Repco an Olympic or a step further the Tri-A.

The Superlite has 4130 Chromoly main tubes, but good old 1020 forks and seat stays.

The Olympic has Chromoly throughout depending on the year badge 535 or 4130 made by Giant in Taiwan (as was the Superlite) exception the 84 Olympic made by Nishiki in Japan from decent quality Tange tubing.

The Tri-A (well the pre 90s one) are Japanese made, Tange Infinity.

I currently have one of each, the Superlite is my take to the train station and chain it up bike, it is not really a fun bike to ride. The Olympic is currently a single speed, but is much more fun to ride and just feels better on the road. The Tri-A is very original and I just have not spent enough time on it.

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Derny Driver
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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby Derny Driver » Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:29 pm

Yes good quality frames are easily sourced. I just bought a nice 70s Italian frame from a guy in Itally tonight for 150 euros. My daily rider is a tattered Apollo frame i paid $20 for. I have several high quality tubing frames ... what size are you? I have a beautiful Miki built frame I couldnt even give away so i have had it resprayed and will be built with Japanese components. Good frames are cheap and easily sourced.
PS I am not a Repco fan. Overpriced rubbish in my opinion.

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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby bustidandruptured » Thu Sep 13, 2018 6:47 pm

Thanks for your input DernyDriver.Too many choices not enough time.I ride 56's most of the time but sayind that my BMC is stamped 53 but measures 55.5,my Domane is a 54,and the Felt is 56.so somewhere around there.(you know how it works).Sorry Derny I gave up on campy gear years ago :D But that does't mean I don't enjoy it.

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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby singlespeedscott » Thu Sep 13, 2018 8:07 pm

Actually don’t measure your classic steel frames this way. Fitting a classic steel frame like a modern bike will have you on to small a frame with to much seatpost length. And quite frankly it will look !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !!.

If you want a classic look take your ideal saddle height and multiply it by 0.76 if you want an 80’s Lemond type fit, or 0.78 if you are after a Merckx fit. These are seat tube lengths centre to top. Don’t worry about top tube length just adjust it with your stem.
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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby nickobec » Thu Sep 13, 2018 10:15 pm

singlespeedscott wrote:Don’t worry about top tube length just adjust it with your stem.
Unless you value your bike's handling over looks, get the stem length right, then the right top tube + stem, before worrying about how much seat post you show.

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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby singlespeedscott » Fri Sep 14, 2018 6:27 am

nickobec wrote:
singlespeedscott wrote:Don’t worry about top tube length just adjust it with your stem.
Unless you value your bike's handling over looks, get the stem length right, then the right top tube + stem, before worrying about how much seat post you show.
The odds of finding a vintage frame with a top tube of less than 55cm or next to nix. A stem length of 2cm or so difference is not going to have any effect. This bike will not be raced in a pace line at 40km he of hours on end. Neither will it be used in a crit. You will adapt in very short order.
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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby nickobec » Sat Sep 15, 2018 12:22 am

singlespeedscott wrote:This bike will not be raced in a pace line at 40km he of hours on end. Neither will it be used in a crit. You will adapt in very short order.
Your bike may not be, but I like my bikes to be capable of whatever I throw at them. Couple days a week after commuting to the city I do a short bunch ride, never know who is going to turn up, could be 35kph doing long turns on the front, 40kph pace line with sprints roughly every 10 minutes or hanging on the back at 45kph. Don't want ride up and go sorry can't ride with you today, brought the wrong bike. And yes I do race my classic frames sometimes by choice and other times not, ie start riding to race and snap FD cable, only race capable bike I have available was classic frame modern group set (I will not race classic bike with classic groupset and DT shifters)

At 184cm tall, my preferred option is 54TT and 120mm stem, with my weight over the front wheel, I can cope with 55 & 110, I am not as confident throwing a 56 & 100 into corners and by comparison my 57 & 90 handles like a truck, which is a shame because that frame does everything else really well.

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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby singlespeedscott » Sat Sep 15, 2018 9:25 am

I’m 178cm and all legs. Saddle height is 783mm. All my bikes are classic steel and have top tubes from 56-58.5cm with stems from 70-110mm. All handle fine and I have used them from crits, commuting to 300km, 5500m of climbing gravel epics. I have never found the length of stem to be an issue handling wise, it certainly hasn’t held me back on the descents around my way, dirt and road.

To be honest I’ll take a longer top tube with a shorter stem over a short top tube long stem every time. For me, longer top tube bikes are infinitely more comfortable due to flex in the larger main frame and they handle rough, high speed descents a lot better.
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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby PeugeotRepco » Mon Sep 17, 2018 5:56 am

I love old steel frames and you don’t have to spend a fortune to set up a nice rider that only weighs about 12 kg. I am not sure that fitting modern group sets with 10 speed cassettes gives you that much better riding, unless you are racing and then you probably want something lighter anyway. My road bike with drop bars is a Repco Tr A with Tange Infinity tubing. $250. I am just about to upgrade it to a sealed bottom bracket but otherwise it runs the original Exage groupset. I recently fitted in-line brake levers to replace a set of suicide levers I fitted originally to give me a braking option when not on the drops. My cruising bike is a Peugeot Aubisque frame, $50, which I set up with 100mm riser bars for an upright position. I fitted a sunrace 7 speed freewheel that has a 34 tooth cog for climbing hills. I matched that with a Deore rear derailleur from a hybrid and it shifts perfectly. I have kept the down tube indexed shifters on both as they make shifting reliable. I have another Peugeot that I set up with bar top shifters but it tends to jump gear under load. I think it is the longer, cheap shifter cables. Both my bikes have Biopace chainrings. I wouldn’t have a clue whether they make the ride better but they add to the history of the bike.

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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby jaseyjase » Fri Nov 30, 2018 5:57 pm

1999 Klein Quantum / SRAM Red / Fulcrums 1s

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hitchhiker
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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby hitchhiker » Fri Nov 30, 2018 7:29 pm

Lovely Klein!

Is that original paint or a respray?

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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby jaseyjase » Fri Nov 30, 2018 8:13 pm

hitchhiker wrote:Lovely Klein!

Is that original paint or a respray?
cheers mate!

original paint was in very poor condition, hence the respray

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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby 10speedsemiracer » Fri Nov 30, 2018 9:31 pm

Very nice Jase, I do like a Klein, yours looks nice'n'stealthy
Campagnolo for show, SunTour for go

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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby jaseyjase » Fri Nov 30, 2018 11:56 pm

10speedsemiracer wrote:Very nice Jase, I do like a Klein, yours looks nice'n'stealthy
cheers mate, cant go wrong with black!

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Re: Vintage Bikes With Modern Groupsets

Postby singlespeedscott » Sat Dec 01, 2018 6:35 am

Very nice Klein. I breifly had one in white
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