Repco Road 700 - spruce up and new cranks?

[X-wing]

I hope this is the right forum for this post - if not i am sure the mods will point me in the right direction.

I picked up my eBay $40 roadbike yesterday, a Repco Road 700, circa unknown. It looks a lot like a bike that used to get me to and from school in the last century, but in less tidy shape.

I need to tidy it up a bit - probably get some new tyres, but I was wondering if anyone could help me with two bits of advice...

1) Cables. The gear selection cables are down on the tube that slopes from the head to the bottom bracket (obvious terminology gap here for X-wing, feel free to enlighten me). They look like they are in good shape, but the selector units themselves have been somewhat exposed to the elements for a while. Does anyone know of a good place to take it to be 'freshened up' and checked for safety? I don't know if the cables need replacement, or if the selectors are dodgy etc... and I don't want to find out 25 kms from home.

2) I think this bike may be just a tad too big for me. The reach to the pedals has me within a smidgen of straightening my leg when I push all the way through the stroke. I am worried that this could be bad for my knees. I have the seat all the way down, so I am thinking of replacing the 170 cranks with something shorter. Is it as simple as that? Part of me thinks that there has to be more to it than that. Other than that, what are my options for sorting out my short-leg shortcomings?

Ok, any help would be much appreciated. This is my first road bike in a long time - I am surprised (after my MTB) just how twitchy and responsive it feels... feels great!

Cheers,
Marcus
[/i]

[heavymetal]

1) Cables. The gear selection cables are down on the tube that slopes from the head to the bottom bracket (obvious terminology gap here for X-wing, feel free to enlighten me). They look like they are in good shape, but the selector units themselves have been somewhat exposed to the elements for a while. Does anyone know of a good place to take it to be 'freshened up' and checked for safety? I don't know if the cables need replacement, or if the selectors are dodgy etc... and I don't want to find out 25 kms from home.

These are friction shifters, (down tube mounts) which I still use on my modern bikes. (I know of a secret supply ) They are usually resistant to the elements, and you can clean them up by taking them apart.

If the levers are the alloy type, they can be shined up with a good toothbrush. There is not much to the internals of the shifter, and I usually put a smear of grease in them when putting them back together.

The cables are usually exposed to the elements on friction shifters and if they look rusty, it's only about $10 to replace them both yourself.

Kev.

[europa]

Friction changers can take a lot of surface rust and deterioration without affecting their working ability - as long as you can shift between gears and can tighten them enough not to drift under the tension of the derailleur, you'll be right.

Rusty cables are easy to change and should be.
Rusty brake cables should definitely be changed.

But you'd be amazed what you can get away with on those old girls and they are amazingly forgiving. The worst thing that can happen with gear changes is that you'll be stuck in one gear for a bit - you won't have to walk home unless you destroy the chain.

Frame size?
My Europa touches my groin when I stand over her flat footed. This has never been a problem. It's only a problem if it presses against your pelvic bone. This flies in the face of modern thinking and what has been preached for many years, but realistically, if you can stand over the top bar without it pressing against BONE, you're okay.
Don't worry about crank size, just ride what you have.

You've bought a bike that will teach you a lot about bikes, about rebuilding and tinkering with them, and which will allow you to make monumental stuffups with little or no drama. It'll also ride well and give you a lot of fun. The only scary bit is meeting Kev on one of your rides

Richard

[LuckyPierre]

'cos I'm in a 'tyre mood' at the moment, I'll chime in on that bit. If the bike hasn't been ridden a lot, the tyres - even though they might have tread on them - will probably be a bit perished, ie. they'll look a bit cracked, especially on the sidewalls. By all means, ride them until they start giving problems, but that could be pretty soon. Check the tyres for size (they should be 700c's, but might be 28 inch) and start looking for a good deal on replacements. 531db and others are fans of Maxxis Detonators as an 'everday' tyre, I'm a recent convert to the Continental Ultra Gatorskins, and there's plenty of reasonable online deals avaialbe form stores like Cell or Torpedo7.

[X-wing]

Thanks one and all for the response. I am heading to the lbs tomorrow to get them to have a look at the cables etc.

The bike also comes with clips, but I cannot identify them (meaning: no obvious brand splashed on them for me to read). So I will also be looking at maybe buying my first riding shoes! I have had this bike 4 days and already big changes are planned in the X-wing household!

[LuckyPierre]

Have you got any photo's x-wing?
If you do, do you want to put them in the "You beauty ..." thread?
Some-one might be able to recognise the pedals.

[triode12]

Does Repco still sell bikes under their name?

[europa]

Does Repco still sell bikes under their name?

K-mart specials - they're still using up supplies of late Victorian water pipe

Richard

[triode12]

Thanks Richard - for the info.

So is Victorian Water Pipe better than 531?

[X-wing]

Thanks for the info guys.

I took the bike to the lbs yesterday, and they guy behind the counter told me that 'no-one' makes shoes or cleats for 'those old pedals any more'! I was a little surprised, and I had to maintain my smiling face as he then talked to me about new pedals and shoes.

I put it in for a service, and I will take some photos when I get it back... maybe someone out there has a different opinion about just how ancient these things are.

Cheers,
Marcus

[cludence]

If I remember correctly, I think I saw the bike you bought on ebay. It wasnt that ancient! It might seem old to a bike shop person who is selling 2007 bikes, but it looked fine to me if I remember correctly.

But then, I often ride down the shops on my old 40's bike with 3spd sturmey gears and it is a great old bike so most bikes made after this look new to me.

[LuckyPierre]

If it was this one, then I'd wait before rushing out for new pedals etc. For a start, they'd cost more than twice what the bike did - and I think the guy at the shop wasn't really interested in anything other than selling something new.
Send us some photo's - of both the bike and the pedals, especially looking down on the pedals. They're probably generic Look or Shimano SPD-R compatible pedals and there are plenty of cleat options and plenty of shoes that will take them. If you want some pedals in the interim, I'm sure I could get some alloy pedals from that era from one of our recycle centres for about $10 - sorry, I don't have any in my parts box at the moment.

[X-wing]

Yes, that was the one on eBay.

Re the bikeshop guy, I have to admit to being a little suprised at his reaction, and it was truly my first ever 'not interested in what the customer is asking' experience at that shop... the guy I normally deal with is very enthusiastic, which is just what a noob like me needs.

I have taken some photos - hopefully there is enough detail here to show you the pedals. If there are better photos needed I may have to wait until daylight...

Any advice, hints, suggestions or treasure maps to where I might source something to go with these would be greatly appreciated.

cheers,
Marcus

[X-wing]

oops... where did my photos go? I better go read the posting photos link again... ahem.

[X-wing]

ok, got Flickr sorted now... here are the photos...

First, the new bike...


and some shots of the pedals...
#1
#2
#3

Fingers crossed...

cheers,
Marcus

[Mulger bill]

Sorry XWing, still code...

Maybe it's the (email me) bit?

Shaun

[X-wing]

Grrr... <Marcus mutters about technology, remembers he works in IT, reaches for bigger hammer.../>

Ok, I have had to be a bit creative... if you take out the spaces after the word 'photos' it should take you to the site...

http://www.flickr.com/photos / 9865781 (AT) N04/

all being well, you may even see the photos!

[LuckyPierre]

I'll stick my neck out - I think that they are generic Look-compatible pedals - the 'classic' ones, not Keo's. That said, there are two types of Look-compatible cleats - one type has a 'lug' on the back to match the 'gap' in the black part of the pedals, the other is straighter across the back. I can send you a used pair that should fit - then if they do you can take them in to your lbs and get some (or I can get some for you, because I know that Paul has them).

[X-wing]

Sounds like it could be more like the second example you gave... i just went out to have a look.

The 'gap' between the two black parts is a simple straight 'wall'... it does not follow the inverted L-shape of the black parts. So looking at it from side on, the profile for the middle part is perpendicular to the 'body' of the pedal.

That would be absolutely great if you could send me a set to take to the shops. I might take you up on your second offer, depending upon the reactions I get at the local shops! Naturally they will be returned in good order.

I am excited now... I was worried that I had purchased an example with a rare pedal that was only available in one of the more obscure ex-Soviet republics!

I will pm you with my details!

Cheers,
(a very happy) Marcus

[LuckyPierre]

Of course, I didn't bring them in with me today - but I will send them soon. I think that it is worth asking a shop (maybe a different one) for some generic Look-compatible cleats. Have a pedal in your pocket so that you can check whether they'll fit as best you can without putting the cleats on your shoes. In 'brand' terms, BBB's Look-compatible cleats have the wedge, and Exustar's have the straighter back.

[X-wing]

Thanks Peter - information is power!
I will head into some of the other shops in my area - see if I can't get a better response how that I have some information to back me up.

cheers,
Marcus