Project Victory Tri-A

[kukamunga]

I'm not usually one for showing-off my in-progress bike projects, but thought I'd share with you this one

Based on a circa 1990 Repco Victory Tri-A in excellent condition found on hard rubbish a couple of years ago, the frame and fork have been completely stripped of parts, and given a good polish



To counteract for the lairy fluro paint scheme, I've gone for as much black componentry as possible, as shown in this 'mock-up' state

I intend to run it as a seven-speed utilising a single chainring and a nine-speed MTB cassette, removing the two outer cogs or limiting the derailleur to the middle seven cogs to avoid chainline issues



Shifting will be done with a nine speed bar-end shifter mouted on the rhs of the bullhorn bars, in conjunction with an 'interruptor' brake lever for the front, normal 'time-trial' or matching lever on the left

I have seen a bar-end shifter and lever used in this way on a bullhorned Felt 'Gridloc' SA SX3-speed, but I'm not so sure how well it will work trying to shift seven gears in that position. Cable routing could be a bit tricky, though the Profile bars allow for partial internal routing

Anyway, this is just a mock-up at this stage. Any feedback is welcome. I intend to stick with the yellow and blue theme, right down to handlebar tape

My Victory Tri-A 7-Speed Urban Pursuit Bike !

[brokenbus]

If its not too late a step by step photo shoot on how you did the rear hub, cluster would be great
Cheers
Nicko

[Wayfarer]

It looks really nice; i like what you've done with the tire colours. I myself had found one of these, but was stupid enough to put it on a trash pile

The bike will be a beaut when you've finished!

[kukamunga]

.....removing the two outer cogs or limiting the derailleur to the middle seven cogs to avoid chainline issues

.....how you did the rear hub, cluster would be great.....

Ok, when I said "removing the two outer cogs", I meant removing the
larger sprocket (below left - this style of cassette cluster is easily pulled apart)

and replacing it with a spacer or smaller sprocket (maybe with the teeth ground off)

As for the smaller 11 or 12 T sprocket.....

....replacing it with an old one with the teeth machined or
ground off (as I have done before on a single speed conversion)

Of course, just leaving the 9-speed cluster as is, and limit-screwing the derailleur so as not to select the two outer gears (avoiding extreme chain line) is probably an easier option, as is also just running it as a 9-speed, and avoiding using those gears if possible !

It's all about avoiding extreme chainline bend (and saving weight ?), though I'll probably end up needing those two extra gears !!

[familyguy]

Looking good. Have you opened the back end to 130mm to fit a cassette hub in? With a 9-speed chain it might have enough sideways flex to allow a 1x9 without too much worry. Hundreds of cyclocross riders cant be wrong, right?

Why would the bar end cause issues up there? You might have to turn the barcon around and shift it backwards to avoid clashing with the brake setup, but it shouldnt be restricted or limit you in terms of gearing. Unless you mount the lever further down the bars, cause that reach looks awfully far. You could run interruptors on both sides, to at least balance the look

Where'd you get the blue pie plate??!

Jim

[brokenbus]

Thanks for the pics
cheers
Nicko

[MiG]

Nice. I'm a fan of doing up older bikes that don't have carbon and 10 speed drive trains. However isn't your gearing going to be quite low with what looks like a 46 or 48 tooth ring and the two highest cogs removed? It should be fine for flat windless conditions but if you hit a hill or a strong tail wind you'll quickly notice the aerobic cost of 120+ rpm.

[kukamunga]

I'll probably run 44T to 12-28 or 11-30 cassette - I think that's a fair range for an 'urban' bike with a few hills. I can change chain rings if necessary

The blue pie plate was from an older SRAM 3 x 7 Dual Drive hub

Frame will easily accommodate 130 mm OLD rear hub, but I may just tweak it a bit for a proper fit

As for the shifter, the only close-up pics I've seen of the Felt Gridloc seem to have the shifter body on a funny rotation to the bar to allow cable routing past the lever clamp - it shouldn't have to be as extreme if I remove (as pictured) the cable adjuster barrel. I'm more concerned with the ergonomics of shifting whilst braking

The reach isn't an issue, as the frame (54cm) and bar reach are similar to my SSuperlite, which for my 175 cm is quite comfy. I am restricted in my collection of black quill stem lengths and angles, so there may be some compromise there

[familyguy]

By reach I meant from lever to bar. This picture might help:



Maybe put it on the yellow stripe, make it easier to reach, and no worries with the barcon cable.

Jim

[kukamunga]

Yes, gap does look big, but I have large hands and long fingers, and the levers have reach adjustment grub screws - I can adjust them to be a bit closer to the bar. It's the nature of these 'interruptor' cross levers to have a short blade with a big gap to the bars - more accentuated by the curve away on the bullhorns, but if you look at the set-up on the Felt Gridloc, it looks very similar.....

.... not saying it's right, though

I may even swap the shifter to the left and run a proper bullhorn lever on the right for the front brake - I'd probably rather not have the gear shifting interfering with the front braking, anyway

As a comparison, this is a pic of my SSuperlite with proper, longer-bladed bullhorn levers....



.... and yes, the levers look better spaced. The set up on this bike is very comfortable and practical for me. I aim to have a similar set-up on the Tri-A (albeit, with gears)

Thanks for all the feedback so far. It may inspire me to get this project finished sooner rather than later (as is the case with most of my project bikes)

[gclark8]

One I prepared earlier:

[il padrone]

You could try and get hold of a shifter lever like this one, kuka. It would let you place the shifter down the bars closer to you and able to be operated while braking, perhaps

[kukamunga]

One I prepared earlier: http://www.cyclebucket.com/images/rimg0657.jpg

Uh... no tri-bar extensions for me, thank you ! I have thought about a small stub bar extension next to the stem for the bar-con shifter to mount in/on as an option - something I may need to manufacture myself.....

EDIT: Link to close up of Felt Gridloc bar/lever/shifter. Looks askew, doesn't it ? If any one knows the whereabouts of one of these Felt bikes in Melbourne, I've started a thread here

[kukamunga]

Looking for a black Shimano 105 short cage rear derailleur for this project, if anyone knows a cheap source for one.....

EDIT: $68 delivered from c r c is a few dollars more than the wholesale price from Shimano Australia..... I think I've found my source.....

[MichaelB]

Do you need a new one ? BiL is about to strip his bike to put Ultegra on it, and he has a black 105 GS version RD.

May have a few scratches, but it'll be cheap as chips.

Let me know

[kukamunga]

Thanks, but no thanks. Have a short cage on it's way from c r c, along with a 50/38 cheapy square taper crankset (no blue chainrings, I'm afraid). I have decided to go 18 speed afterall, with a downtube friction shifter for the front. Also have my eye on a slimmer, old stock, yellow/black Selle san marco

Progress on bike will resume in the not too distant future......