Old road bike vs New road bike (best, ride, speed)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I just re-aligned my rear derailleur (after a crash), adjusted the brakes, and trued the wheels in less time than it would take to drive to the shop and back twice, so I think it pays in money and time to do simple repairs yourself if you can. Unless your favorite bike shop is very close.
I just re-aligned my rear derailleur (after a crash), adjusted the brakes, and trued the wheels in less time than it would take to drive to the shop and back twice, so I think it pays in money and time to do simple repairs yourself if you can. Unless your favorite bike shop is very close.
Yeah, those things should be a breeze for newbs. I'm sure the OP has a truing stand for example, that's a standard item that comes free with the purchase of any bike.
I know people who have been riding for years and don't even know how to spell derailleur so just because you have such magnificence may not mean that others are in your better than wonderful league.
I don't know if that one's convenient relative to your location, but I'd definitely check it out if you could. It looks and sounds like it's ready to ride as-is, it has a high quality frame, and nice components.
I don't know if that one's convenient relative to your location, but I'd definitely check it out if you could. It looks and sounds like it's ready to ride as-is, it has a high quality frame, and nice components.
I put many, many thousands of hard, urban miles on a Shimano 600 gearset... would definitely recommend it. I upgraded to a more modern Ultegra rear derailleur after it wore out, but wouldn't hesitate to use one again, and am still using the 600 crank and front derailleur.
I don't know if that one's convenient relative to your location, but I'd definitely check it out if you could. It looks and sounds like it's ready to ride as-is, it has a high quality frame, and nice components.
Unfortunately, I am short of that right now. I have $180, I may be able to find an extra $10, so about $190 max right now until next Monday. I am going to call the seller, and see how flexible they are on the price. I also found an ad for a Raleigh Technium Tri-Lite, anyone heard of those? I think it is from the '80s. It is red, black, and white. It looks as if it needs work. Back to the Centurion, it isn't that far away from me. Also, my dad went to go see that Specialized for me and he advised against it because he got the feeling that the guy had stole it. If that Centurion either goes down in price or the guy still has it in a week or so, I will probably buy that.
Oh I almost forgot, if I get the Centurion and decide I want to put brifters on it how easy or hard will it be to do that? One of my neighbors got hit by a car on his bike and gave me brifters. Fortunately he was fine except for a few scrapes, but unfortunately his bike frame did not fair too well. The stuff is shimano 2300 stuff, which I have read isn't that great, but will it work with the 600 stuff that is on the bike or would I have to replace everything? How is 2300 when compared to 600?
I'm not terribly familiar with Shimano's newer road components, but I think the 2300 parts are some of their cheaper, entry level components. I'm sure they're not bad, but probably nothing special. I'm fairly certain you'd have to replace everything, including the wheels (or at least the hubs, if you wanted to relace them to the old rims). Did he only give you the brifters? Were all the other parts damaged? The Centurion probably has a 6-speed ultra freewheel, and the 2300 brifters are, I think, 8 speed. And I'm pretty sure the spacing between cogs on Shimano's 8 speed cassettes is narrower than that of the 6 speed ultra. I could be wrong on that, though, so hopefully someone else can chime in, or your local bike shop might (should) know.
The Centurion has Shimano 600 components, which I believe were their second to highest at the time. In other words, similar to Ultegra on a modern bike. 600 components are excellent, which is one of the reasons I've suggested this bike twice now. You might be able to sell those brifters and make up some of the difference between the cost of the Centurion and the cash you currently have. On the other hand, you may buy an old bike and discover you hate down tube shifters, and then you'd no longer have those brifters. Another option is bar end shifters, which mount at the ends of the handlebars. I've never personally been a fan but many people like them. If you do get the Centurion and decide to upgrade everything, let me know if you want to sell the 600 parts.
Edit: Just doing a little research I found an old forum post (not here) where someone mentions that the spacing of Shimano's 6 speed ultra, 7 speed, and 8 speed freewheels and cassettes are the same. But looking at Sheldon Brown's site I'm getting the impression that the spacing between cogs for the 6 (ultra) and 7 speed were two tenths of a millimeter wider than the 8 speed. That doesn't sound like much, but it might be just enough to cause problems, I'm not sure. I have some indexed Shimano 8 speed shifters but no 6 speed freewheel to test it with. And if the bike has a 5 speed freewheel, or a non-ultra 6 speed, I'm like 99% positive it won't work.
I should also add that, thanks to this thread, now I'm looking for an old road bike, too. Despite the fact that I already own three bikes and one of them is vintage, AND I'm not likely to find one that suits me any better than that one. But once I start thinking about old bikes I can't help but want another one. So thanks, Dorian, I'm having tons of fun searching but I'm pretty sure my wallet is going to hate you very soon.
On a related note, I ride a 55-56cm frame and the pickings are very slim in that size in my area. So what we should do is, if you find a 56cm frame and I find a 58cm, we can buy them and then ship them to each other.
I'm not terribly familiar with Shimano's newer road components, but I think the 2300 parts are some of their cheaper, entry level components. I'm sure they're not bad, but probably nothing special. I'm fairly certain you'd have to replace everything, including the wheels (or at least the hubs, if you wanted to relace them to the old rims). Did he only give you the brifters? Were all the other parts damaged? The Centurion probably has a 6-speed ultra freewheel, and the 2300 brifters are, I think, 8 speed. And I'm pretty sure the spacing between cogs on Shimano's 8 speed cassettes is narrower than that of the 6 speed ultra. I could be wrong on that, though, so hopefully someone else can chime in, or your local bike shop might (should) know.
The Centurion has Shimano 600 components, which I believe were their second to highest at the time. In other words, similar to Ultegra on a modern bike. 600 components are excellent, which is one of the reasons I've suggested this bike twice now. You might be able to sell those brifters and make up some of the difference between the cost of the Centurion and the cash you currently have. On the other hand, you may buy an old bike and discover you hate down tube shifters, and then you'd no longer have those brifters. Another option is bar end shifters, which mount at the ends of the handlebars. I've never personally been a fan but many people like them. If you do get the Centurion and decide to upgrade everything, let me know if you want to sell the 600 parts.
Edit: Just doing a little research I found an old forum post (not here) where someone mentions that the spacing of Shimano's 6 speed ultra, 7 speed, and 8 speed freewheels and cassettes are the same. But looking at Sheldon Brown's site I'm getting the impression that the spacing between cogs for the 6 (ultra) and 7 speed were two tenths of a millimeter wider than the 8 speed. That doesn't sound like much, but it might be just enough to cause problems, I'm not sure. I have some indexed Shimano 8 speed shifters but no 6 speed freewheel to test it with. And if the bike has a 5 speed freewheel, or a non-ultra 6 speed, I'm like 99% positive it won't work.
Thanks Lamplight. I think his cassette was damaged as well as the back wheel. I know he said he has some other parts that he could give me, and some he could sell me. He has several bikes from my understanding, but he is thinking of giving the sport up due to the crash. I have to admit that the fact that a seasoned rider was involved in a accident scares me a little. I knew it would be intense road biking in my area. I think he said he has a carbon fiber fork that is left from the bike that he could sell me for cheap. I will ask him if he has another cassette that could possibly work with the 2300 brifters. I would really want to keep the stuff that the bike has on it already, but I just imagine that I would not be a fan of DT shifters, but maybe I will be surprised and like it.
I should also add that, thanks to this thread, now I'm looking for an old road bike, too. Despite the fact that I already own three bikes and one of them is vintage, AND I'm not likely to find one that suits me any better than that one. But once I start thinking about old bikes I can't help but want another one. So thanks, Dorian, I'm having tons of fun searching but I'm pretty sure my wallet is going to hate you very soon.
On a related note, I ride a 55-56cm frame and the pickings are very slim in that size in my area. So what we should do is, if you find a 56cm frame and I find a 58cm, we can buy them and then ship them to each other.
LOL, I apologize to your wallet ahead of time.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You might be able to sell those brifters and make up some of the difference between the cost of the Centurion and the cash you currently have. On the other hand, you may buy an old bike and discover you hate down tube shifters, and then you'd no longer have those brifters. Another option is bar end shifters, which mount at the ends of the handlebars. I've never personally been a fan but many people like them. If you do get the Centurion and decide to upgrade everything, let me know if you want to sell the 600 parts. 
