Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

bychosis wrote:Don't think you understand fixed gear. BMX has never been fixed, single speed yes, fixed no. Fixed has no freewheel, no coasting, no freewheel. An adult on a fixed gear BMX wouldn't be a fun experience either knees around the ears or standing up and full time pedalling? No thanks. BMX is not meant for that anyway.

As for bad situations, grabbing a few gears and mashing the pedals, that sounds like a recipe for a damaged drivetrain. I've done it on a MTB equipped with indexed trigger shifters - bent the chain, had to get a lift.

Hmmm... Well I don't think you've ever ridden an old school BMX bike which is reliant upon back pedaling for brakes with no free wheeling. Stupid and dangerous contraptions by today's standards but we're not talking about bikes prior to the 1980s very often these days in the BMX scene.

As to mashing the pedals, on a downhill slope one does what one has to do to cross across a bike lane where one has right of way in said situation but where the driver in question is completely oblivious to your existence. At speed I am no more likely to damage the drivetrain. In fact at those kinds of speed where you can't grab enough initial rotations of the cog on a bike you're likely to break your knees first before you're likely to break the bike. But one does what they have to, to increase the rolling inertia and get past a dangerous situation.

baabaa wrote:Have you even seen downtube or bar end shifters?
In both friction and also when in index you can shift from the smallest to largest cog or from the largest to smallest in one push or pull action. You don’t need to click,,,, click,,,,,, click,,,,,. Not sure how they slow the shifting process down. And yes as bychosis points out why would anyone want to mash gears like that anyway?
Can you please post a link or an image of a fixed gear BMX ? (Preferably in use and say a BMX race)
Oh and single speed mountain biking (with a BMX freewheel) is really quite a bit of fun but I am guessing you will have a solid opinion on that as well so anyone who does it should just stop it now?

I have a set on a spare frame I've been using for parts at the moment, non-ridable condition. I haven't actually ridden a down tube shift bike in a number of years now because I haven't seen the point. The exact mechanics of anything tend to fall out of your head if you haven't ridden one in a while but have a habit of actually coming back from muscle memory once your on one.

EDIT: going through the motions seems to suggest they go click, click, click, rather than click once and shift through a whole crankset as you can with Double Taps.

I think this thread has lost direction, is supposedly to provide guidance and a source of knowledge for people considering an 80s road bike. There are other places to debate the merits of MTB and BMX riding, and there are entire threads devoted to FG/SS riding.So before this deteriorates even further, maybe we just need to get back on track, and correct some of the stuff that's been thrown around.

10speedsemiracer wrote:I think this thread has lost direction, is supposedly to provide guidance and a source of knowledge for people considering an 80s road bike. There are other places to debate the merits of MTB and BMX riding, and there are entire threads devoted to FG/SS riding.So before this deteriorates even further, maybe we just need to get back on track, and correct some of the stuff that's been thrown around.

I kind of suggested that a long while ago now, but people would rather ping me for suggesting you'd get a safer more comfortable ride with a modern group set.

Kronos wrote:

ColinOldnCranky wrote:

Kronos wrote:
(Fixies) are (in my own thoughts) deservedly the second-most castigated form of cycle transport after unicycles when they're not being used for their intended purpose.

Kronos, I have to ask:

Unicycles? castigated? Seriously I have no idea what you are talking about.

I have my understandings of dumb methods of transports others have there's, I don't want to come off as a knob so I'll leave it at that.

Your comment seriously did confuse me. Your reply clarifies that what you really meant was that a unicycle is an absurd form of transport. No offence, it IS an absurd way to get about.

It can't really be castigated much. Just as sunbathing in the antarctic is not castigated as a stupid way of sunbathing. Neither is on the radar of enough people.

Kronos wrote:

Stem shifters generally indicate a junker / fixie candidate.

Where your shifters are located doesn't really matter as such. By modern standards downtube shifters are junk. You will most likely be deleting the shifters and replacing them with something more modern such as brifters, or in my case double tap brifters which make the bike I ride awesome because of the modern creature comforts.

Whilst shifters can be positioned anywhere on the bike, bikes with stem shifters were generally considered cheaper as they were found on all the gas pipe frames in the 70s/80s, as stated by bychosis already.

By modern standards, I would not call down tube shifters junk. Friction and indexed shifters all work as well as integrated levers, although integrated levers are just more conveniently placed so that you don't have to move your hands away from the bars. Sure if you like integrated levers, then by all means use them, but don't go around telling everyone that down tube shifters are junk.

Kronos wrote:A fixie is a perfectly good waste of a bike frame. Fixies are for kooks... If you want to ride one gear then just leave your bike in one gear.

As said by P!N20, as long as they dont go cutting stuff off a good frame, then there is nothing wrong with making a frame into a fixie build. Although I wouldn't really ride fixed on the streets, there's no need to call them kooks.

Kronos wrote:I just threw out the gears and Shimano RSX STI groupset from a Giant steel bike.

Don't really worry about any of the running gear. You're going to throw this out. 90s steel bikes are much more accessible and can be made to fit just about any current groupset with some effort by the owner. Don't worry about rebuilding old groupsets even Shimano Soara groupsets will be better than anything that was on the bike. Switch to modern brifters, you will love yourself for so much longer.

Throwing out a set of first generation integrated levers because they don't work is a waste to me. Once serviced, they work as well as any modern groupset. Of course the modern stuff have made improvements particularly in braking performance, but I have not really felt that the older groupsets are lacking.

Kronos wrote:The bike in question I'm riding mostly at the moment is nothing particularly special but its the sum of all the parts. Putting a new SRAM groupset on it makes it a fun, modern bike. No more no less.

This all that matters. A way a person chooses to build their bike is their own personal choice. Some are into retro bikes to build bikes as they were when new, and others like yourself want to put a modern group on a retro frame. You posting about how everyone must throw away the old parts and replace them with modern parts is as if it is the only way to build a bike.

I got given this Lennie Rogers bike as a gift the other day. My mate built this up in the 80's but the frame 1950's or 60's I think. Curious about your thoughts?

https://imgur.com/gallery/fBRu3/comment/1196161619

Bike weighs 8.7kgs
Reynolds 531 ?
Shimano 600 cranks
shimano 500 RD
shimano 600 FD
Mavic monthly wheels
Weinman levers/calipers

Cheers

I went out this morning and there was a pile of junk on the side of the road.

Couple of clunker Mountain bikes. But this morning there was an old steel road frame.

I stopped on the way home. Gitane Frame with nice fork and frame lugs.
On closer inspection. Brooks saddle, Campagnolo derailers front and rear. Centre pull brakes.

Looks like a new fixie frame to me. With Bonus bits.

If I figure out how to post a pic I will.

Humphrey1957 wrote:I went out this morning and there was a pile of junk on the side of the road.

Couple of clunker Mountain bikes. But this morning there was an old steel road frame.

I stopped on the way home. Gitane Frame with nice fork and frame lugs.
On closer inspection. Brooks saddle, Campagnolo derailers front and rear. Centre pull brakes.

Looks like a new fixie frame to me. With Bonus bits.

If I figure out how to post a pic I will.

sounds like a great pick up! Can't wait for the pics.

Congrats!

This thread is meant to be for retro noobs to find out how to go about restoring and/or researching vintage bikes. There's a 'show us what you've got' thread and a 'hard rubbish finds' thread for your newly acquired steed.

Looking forward to seeing that Gitane.

Hi there. Look I restore these 80s roadies and have been having trouble with one of them. The thing is, when I adjust my brakes I make sure the lever pulls back the correct amount and everythings right. But if it go hard on the brakes, the levers (with enough force) just pull back all the way. When the levers are then released, the pads appear to be further away from the rim. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!


Warm Regards and Safe riding,


Chaso

Chaso wrote:Hi there. Look I restore these 80s roadies and have been having trouble with one of them. The thing is, when I adjust my brakes I make sure the lever pulls back the correct amount and everythings right. But if it go hard on the brakes, the levers (with enough force) just pull back all the way. When the levers are then released, the pads appear to be further away from the rim. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!


Warm Regards and Safe riding,


Chaso

Probably need more information and/or pics, but it sounds like a cable-related issue.
Is either catching somewhere in the cable housing, or the cable is pulling through the cable clamp, or one of the ferrules isn't seated properly.

Is the cable and cable housing new, or have you re-used existing?

Sounds like the cable has pulled out of the caliper arm. Make sure the pinch bolt is done up super tight with some lube on the thread.

P!N20 wrote:Sounds like the cable has pulled out of the caliper arm. Make sure the pinch bolt is done up super tight with some lube on the thread.

Yeah the cable might be catching somewhere, but I don't think so. I initially thought it it was the pinch bolt, but the segment of cable doesn't appear to pull through but the pads still come further away after going hard on the brakes. I have installed new Shimano cables and all the bolts are done up super tight. Come to think of it I might put some lube on the threads the see if that makes a difference.

Now I know it makes me sound like an idiot but, I don't have ferrules on the outer housing, as this is how it came when I bought the bike. I know it makes me look like a douche but, what is the purpose of the ferrules???

Thanks guys and safe riding!

Chaso

Chaso wrote:

P!N20 wrote:Sounds like the cable has pulled out of the caliper arm. Make sure the pinch bolt is done up super tight with some lube on the thread.

Yeah the cable might be catching somewhere, but I don't think so. I initially thought it it was the pinch bolt, but the segment of cable doesn't appear to pull through but the pads still come further away after going hard on the brakes. I have installed new Shimano cables and all the bolts are done up super tight. Come to think of it I might put some lube on the threads the see if that makes a difference.

Now I know it makes me sound like an idiot but, I don't have ferrules on the outer housing, as this is how it came when I bought the bike. I know it makes me look like a douche but, what is the purpose of the ferrules???

Thanks guys and safe riding!

Chaso

Cable ferrules help locate the housing snugly within whatever stop it's seated into, and avoid the housing shifting around within the stop which can cause it to close up or become ragged. Not all brake calipers need ferrules though, and if the housing fits snugly within the stop, then the stop is acting like a ferrule.
Guessing from your response that you've re-used the existing housing, which has it's own issues. When you ran the cables, did you open up the ends of the housing to avoid the cable being pinched or the housing dragging on the cable ?

Some cable cutters have a little spike on them to open up housing, or you can use a very fine punch or even the end of a circuit tester (have done this, worked well).

Basically, ferrules are the to preserve the end of the housing, and stop it from affecting the path of the cable.

10speedsemiracer wrote:

Chaso wrote:

P!N20 wrote:Sounds like the cable has pulled out of the caliper arm. Make sure the pinch bolt is done up super tight with some lube on the thread.

Yeah the cable might be catching somewhere, but I don't think so. I initially thought it it was the pinch bolt, but the segment of cable doesn't appear to pull through but the pads still come further away after going hard on the brakes. I have installed new Shimano cables and all the bolts are done up super tight. Come to think of it I might put some lube on the threads the see if that makes a difference.

Now I know it makes me sound like an idiot but, I don't have ferrules on the outer housing, as this is how it came when I bought the bike. I know it makes me look like a douche but, what is the purpose of the ferrules???

Thanks guys and safe riding!

Chaso

Cable ferrules help locate the housing snugly within whatever stop it's seated into, and avoid the housing shifting around within the stop which can cause it to close up or become ragged. Not all brake calipers need ferrules though, and if the housing fits snugly within the stop, then the stop is acting like a ferrule.
Guessing from your response that you've re-used the existing housing, which has it's own issues. When you ran the cables, did you open up the ends of the housing to avoid the cable being pinched or the housing dragging on the cable ?

Some cable cutters have a little spike on them to open up housing, or you can use a very fine punch or even the end of a circuit tester (have done this, worked well).

Basically, ferrules are the to preserve the end of the housing, and stop it from affecting the path of the cable.

Ahhhh right I see....Maybe the cable is getting pinched in the housing, I will check in the morning. I have some ferrules I will try too.
I will let you guys know how I go. Thanks so much for all your help.

Safe riding!

Chaso

10speedsemiracer wrote:Some cable cutters have a little spike on them to open up housing, or you can use a very fine punch or even the end of a circuit tester (have done this, worked well).

I use an old spoke with the tip ground to a point.

Hi Guys,

I went to Cash Convertors yesterday and found a beautiful old roadie. It is an Avanti Edge Comp Series in Blue (51cm). Its is in very, very good condition, but I am not sure when its from. Its really light to an old roadie, maybe 9 kilos. Shimano Exage Brake Callipers and Crankset. It originally had downtube shifters on it but the previous owner has put cable stops on and switched to STI levers. Shimano Sora Rear Mech and STI Levers. Really good quality wheels (forgot the brand but will check when I get home. Wondering if anyone knew anything about it?

Thanks in advance and safe riding!

Chaso

Chaso wrote:Wondering if anyone knew anything about it?

Given the retailer, probably stolen.

P!N20 wrote:

Chaso wrote:Wondering if anyone knew anything about it?

Given the retailer, probably stolen.

+1

Chaso wrote:Hi Guys,

I went to Cash Convertors yesterday and found a beautiful old roadie. It is an Avanti Edge Comp Series in Blue (51cm). Its is in very, very good condition, but I am not sure when its from. Its really light to an old roadie, maybe 9 kilos. Shimano Exage Brake Callipers and Crankset. It originally had downtube shifters on it but the previous owner has put cable stops on and switched to STI levers. Shimano Sora Rear Mech and STI Levers. Really good quality wheels (forgot the brand but will check when I get home. Wondering if anyone knew anything about it?

Thanks in advance and safe riding!

Chaso

Is this it ?



If so, is more 90s than 80s.

A nice bike to ride though.

Love this thread! It inspired me to check my local tip shop but not surprisingly, it was full of Kmart bikes. Currently hunting the Zinn art of mountain bike and road bike maintenance then hopefully dive into a project! I'll be sure to re-read the first pages a few more times.

10speedsemiracer wrote:

Chaso wrote:Hi Guys,

I went to Cash Convertors yesterday and found a beautiful old roadie. It is an Avanti Edge Comp Series in Blue (51cm). Its is in very, very good condition, but I am not sure when its from. Its really light to an old roadie, maybe 9 kilos. Shimano Exage Brake Callipers and Crankset. It originally had downtube shifters on it but the previous owner has put cable stops on and switched to STI levers. Shimano Sora Rear Mech and STI Levers. Really good quality wheels (forgot the brand but will check when I get home. Wondering if anyone knew anything about it?

Thanks in advance and safe riding!

Chaso

Is this it ?



If so, is more 90s than 80s.

A nice bike to ride though.

OMGGGGG! Thats the exact one I am telling you know. My bar tape was ripped and cycle computer ripped off but cable remaining. Everything looks exactly the same. Where did you find this?!?!?!?!?!


Safe riding!

Chaso

Chaso wrote:

10speedsemiracer wrote:

Chaso wrote:Hi Guys,

I went to Cash Convertors yesterday and found a beautiful old roadie. It is an Avanti Edge Comp Series in Blue (51cm). Its is in very, very good condition, but I am not sure when its from. Its really light to an old roadie, maybe 9 kilos. Shimano Exage Brake Callipers and Crankset. It originally had downtube shifters on it but the previous owner has put cable stops on and switched to STI levers. Shimano Sora Rear Mech and STI Levers. Really good quality wheels (forgot the brand but will check when I get home. Wondering if anyone knew anything about it?

Thanks in advance and safe riding!

Chaso

Is this it ?



If so, is more 90s than 80s.

A nice bike to ride though.

OMGGGGG! Thats the exact one I am telling you know. My bar tape was ripped and cycle computer ripped off but cable remaining. Everything looks exactly the same. Where did you find this?!?!?!?!?!


Safe riding!

Chaso

Internet

Hey Chaso here, just realised its from cash convertors website.


Sorry.

Safe riding!

Chaso

From a retro perspective there’s probably nothing here that isn’t on Bulgier.net, but a decent catalogue database nonetheless with some modern stuff to boot: https://www.birota.ru/catalogues/index.php