advice on fixing up an old steel ride

[da_eddio]

ello all,

got hold of my dads old tourer//road bike and im trying to fix it up so i can actually use it.

anyway i ripped off all the old stuff that was on it (due to it being, old and rubbish), but the frame, wheels, forks etc seem fine. the frame is question is a dawes sterling steel frame, made from reynolds 500 tubing, and the wheels are altus hubs on some alexa 28inch rims.

im thinking of spending about £130 fixing it up, that being new flat handle bars, BB, mtb brake levers and 7 speed stx shifters, new front and rear
mechs, freehub and cassette to make it a 21 speed hybrid.

was just wondering if people think its worth spending this much on it or wether i shouldnt bother.

any advice is appreciated

cheers

 

[Retro Grouch]

Everything else aside, you are going to learn a whole lot of stuff just by going through the process. To me that education alone makes the project worth doing.

 

[xxamr_corpxx]

If your buying new derailers of decent quality, they alone will blow your budget. The rear wheel is quite expensive as well.

 

[da_eddio]

cheers for the replies, i never quite figured out the quote thing so ill jus reply to both posts in order hehe:

retro grouch-

id have to agree with you there, but this isnt the first time ive built/rebuilt a bike, only a few weeks ago i did a refurb for my bro

xxarm_corpxx-

derailuers didnt seem that expensive, but that could be my utter ignorance to road equipment. i found a Shimano Tiagra R-Mech for £18 and a Shimano Sora Triple F-Mech for £12. i dont really know how good these are, im used to mtb spec like deore, lx xt xtr etc so if you guys could give some pointers that would be appreciated. Also i think the wheels are ok, they are by no means amazing but they are straight and true and spin freely so, i might just keep them for now.

btw my main reason for doing this is to go road riding with my dad, as my mtb is a wee bit heavy tbh and i need somthing to keep up with him (the guys 60 and kicks my ass all over ) so i dont really need or want a pro spec bike, just somthing reasonable hehe.

also u guys n gals on here seem to know alot on road frame etc, i was just wondering if these reynolds 500 grade tubing ones were any good, or worth the money spent on them?

ok essay over hehe

thanks again

 

[DMF]

My advice: give up this thing you have about migrating to components that you're familiar with - the MTB stuff. Road bikes are different for a reason. To prepare to ride with your dad, replace the tires and tubes, then clean and lube all the moving parts, especially the wheel bearings. Old grease gets stiff and loses its ability to lube. Maybe re-wrap the bars, replace the saddle if it's rotten, and get pedals to match your shoes (if you use clipless). Add a cage and bottle, and a bag for your carry items (patch kit, cell phone, etc..). Maybe head and tail lights as it will too soon start getting dark early.

Then go out and ride on the road for a while. Get used to changing hand positions with the drop bars. Get used to the different riding positions and the different gearing requirements. After a while, if something needs replacing you'll know it.