Fixing up bike

Brake shifters are one of the most expensive parts on a bike...

A few questions - what size are the existing tyres? To find out there will be some writing on the side of the tyre.

What is the frame material?
How many cogs on the back and the front?
Does your bike have a flat bar (like mountain bikes) or drops bars?
Do your current brakes have special extension leavers that let you brake while holding the flat portion of your bar?
Are the current shifters at stem, the centre of the handlebars?

As another poster has stated, the STI levers are the most expensive component on the bike. If you get 10spd levers, then you need a 10spd cassette, which means a new rear wheel. (You could bodge a 9spd cassette, but that would still mean a new rear wheel.) You would need a new chain and probably a new rear derailleur. Probably need a new front derailleur as well, as your existing one is probably for 6/7/8spd chain or even a 5spd chain.
Best option is to renew the tyres/tubes and ride as is. If you really get into it, then get a whole modern bike.
Before you buy new tyres, find out whether your rims are 700C or 27".
Search this forum for tyre advice - there is a lot of information.

hey thanks guys thats all I needed to know. I just figured since it was already a 10 speed I could swap for the STI's but it doesn't sound like that will work.....I guess I better start saving pennies so I can get a better bike eventually.

xxamr_corpxx said:

Brake shifters are one of the most expensive parts on a bike...

How many cogs on the back and the front?
Does your bike have a flat bar (like mountain bikes) or drops bars?
Do your current brakes have special extension leavers that let you brake while holding the flat portion of your bar?
Are the current shifters at stem, the centre of the handlebars?

as for this stuff.... I believe there is 7 cogs on the back and 2 on the front and it does have the drop bars. The brakes have two different grips, one following down the drop bar like the newer brake/shifters and then a separate one going along the flate part. The shifters are not on the horizontal tube but are closer up by the handlebars.

I don't really think this bike is that old, maybe mid 90's anyways, thanks again

oldschoolbike said:

as for this stuff.... I believe there is 7 cogs on the back and 2 on the front and it does have the drop bars. The brakes have two different grips, one following down the drop bar like the newer brake/shifters and then a separate one going along the flate part. The shifters are not on the horizontal tube but are closer up by the handlebars.

I don't really think this bike is that old, maybe mid 90's anyways, thanks again

If you have a 7spd bike you could fit 8 sprockets from a 9spd cluster onto your existing freehub (ie keep your current wheel) and use a 9spd chain and 9spd STI shifter to give you 8spd. Your current RD might need to have narrow jockey/idler wheels fitted, but would work, possibly without modification. Your FD would probably work with a 9spd chain (I'm doing this with one of my bikes at present - shifting not quite as bombproof as with a 9spd FD).Still exy, but perhaps feasible.
I'd still recommend riding as is, but you could pick up the necessary components cheaply on ebay, with some patience. You'd need a friend with tools or a local community bike workshop.

oldschoolbike said:

hey thanks guys thats all I needed to know. I just figured since it was already a 10 speed I could swap for the STI's but it doesn't sound like that will work.....I guess I better start saving pennies so I can get a better bike eventually.

They call them tenspeeds now when the cassette has ten sprockets on it. Brake/shifters would not pull the cable the right amount for your setup, five speed by the modern nomenclature.

I use the Bell Streetster 27". It's a pretty fat tire (they're not always actually as wide as they say). The "better" tires will have lower rolling resistance at the expense of flimsier sidewalls. Don't let a bike shop tell you there's no choice in this size. You have to go online. (or wal-mart if you get Bells)

If you want to ride the bike a while, get the wheels serviced or learn to do it yourself. I got a shop to tension the spokes on mine but did the ball bearings myself. The old style rear wheel especially requires proper bearing adjustment to prevent a bent axle. I personally feel the rear requires a slight amount of preload on the cones. slight, slight preload.

I think you could get brake/shifters. My 12 speed World Sport (6-speed by the modern nomenclature) took a modern 9-speed rear hub without frame mods. It would require the shifters, plus a new wheel and cassette and possibly derailleur.

I just use the old shifters/derailleurs. I wanted the new hub for its strength.

My original derailleurs work fine with 9-speed chain but I use the old friciton shifters. As I mentioned before, when you throw a brake/shifter on a derailleur it wasn't designed for, you cannot just assume it will pull the cable the correct amount.

oldschoolbike said:

hey thanks guys thats all I needed to know. I just figured since it was already a 10 speed I could swap for the STI's but it doesn't sound like that will work.....I guess I better start saving pennies so I can get a better bike eventually.

Nowadays, when the term "10 speed" is used, it refers to 10 cogs in the back. Modern bike drive trains are referred to as 10, 9, 8 or 7, and then whether it's a "double" or "triple" front crank.

In the old days "10 speed" was a generic term that referred to any derailleur/racing type bike because the original versions had 5 cogs in the back and two chain wheels, thus 10 speeds. For a long time "10 speed" was used in this generic way even though the bikes might actually have any combination of two or three front chain wheels and 5-7 rear cogs (therefore anywhere between 10 and 21 actual gear possibilities). Therefore the old term "10 speed" is really different than what it means today.

As for your shifters- the modern brake shifters, as others have said, are very expensive. As an alternative for your older bike, check into replacing your "down tube" shifters with "bar end" shifters. Bar end shifters will probably shift your current derailleurs just fine and are not expensive at all. It might require some re-cabling, but that is a DIY if you're at all mechanically inclined and get a basic bike repair book. A lot of people actually prefer bar end shifters, especially with the cost of upgrading to the brake/shifters.

I agree in general with the comments of others who have advised you not to do expensive upgrades to the bike, but to ride it, "tune it up" and save your pennies for a new bike with the upgrades that you have mentioned.

Most of the responders are assuming that you have a 7 speed freehub with a cassette( spline is integral to the hub, sprockets are removable). You may in fact have a 7 speed freewheel(screws on to the hub as a unit and is replaced as a unit). 7 speeds are about the most available in a freewheel. This may not be upgradeable with you present wheel.

You have the opportunity before you to learn how to wrench on your bike, a skill which will save you money and assure your safety for as long as you ride. Is there a club, or public bike program near you where you can use bicycle specific tools and get advice? sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗ will give you lots of advice and guidance in maintenance.

When you get a new bike keep your old "Beater". After all you don't really expect your new Dura Ace equipped Litespeed to still be chained up outside the movie theater at the mall when you come out 3 hours later do you? Thieves know the good stuff!

[quote="p38lightning"]
...You have the opportunity before you to learn how to wrench on your bike, a skill which will save you money and assure your safety for as long as you ride. Is there a club, or public bike program near you where you can use bicycle specific tools and get advice? sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗ will give you lots of advice and guidance in maintenance.

QUOTE]

In 1972 or 3 I bought a used White Gitane 10 Speed. I can't remember details, but IIRC, it was a Gran Sport. I do remember the Huret derailleurs.

I bought a large book called "Glenn's Complete Bicycle Manual", a huge book and covered every sort of bike out there with detailed instructions how to service everything from the levers to the bearings.

I also had (and still have) a much smaller book called Richard's Bicycle Book which was more in line with this sort of bike, but not as complete or detailed as Glenn's. I think Glenn's is the type of reference service manual a bike shop would have.

After riding the bike for a couple of years, I removed every part, sandblasted' the frame totally clean (some other material other than sand - a friend was the night janitor at a place that did this sort of work and had it done for me), primed, painted (with automotive touch up spray cans), hand-painted the lug outlines, and then refurbished and put back on every part, set every bearing, etc. etc. No new decals though.

A great learning experience and actually kind of fun. At the time I had no garage, and very few tools. This was a middle of the living room with newspapers scattered on the floor type of deal.

Before and after the work that Gitane did not fit me nor did it shift or roll well! Never did like that bike. It was a crummy bike before and afterwards!

Although bikes have changed a lot since then, it served me well.

Although you could get shifter/brake levers, I concur with the others that it's not worth it. Those things cost over $100 by themselves. Plus, there may be a race-winning difference in performance, but there won't be a big difference.

If you need brake pads or other odds and ends try Niagaracycle. They have a lot of old school stuff. 9.5/126mm axles, cones, spacers, cotters for your crank, old style brake pads, etc. My World Sport already had a square taper crank and an '82 world tour I had came with what looked kinda like octalink, but I don't know when that came in.

garage sale GT said:

My original derailleurs work fine with 9-speed chain but I use the old friciton shifters. As I mentioned before, when you throw a brake/shifter on a derailleur it wasn't designed for, you cannot just assume it will pull the cable the correct amount.

7spd Shimano RD will work with 9spd Shimano shifter.

My World Sport was a 6-speed (or 12-speed tenspeed) from 1984. Those old derailleurs had a lot of movement. I could probably go triple in front.

I almost regret the decision to go with a cassette hub wheel since I realized why my earlier freewheel equipped bikes went south so fast. Cone adjustment is critical to prevent the rear axle from bending. When the cones are snug, then you can't bend the axle without also deforming the hub. Also, when you get new cones, they break in and the clearance opens up.

Well, maybe. But JFTR I went to a 9-speed cassette hub because I felt it would be stronger, threw on an old MTB freewheel and chain (which thankfully works with the front rings) and left the derailleurs and friction shifters as they were save for adjusting the stops. It works great but I don't need the extra ratios. The old bikes worked great too but I bent a few axles and ruined a few cones and it turned me off to them.

p38lightning said:

Most of the responders are assuming that you have a 7 speed freehub with a cassette( spline is integral to the hub, sprockets are removable). You may in fact have a 7 speed freewheel(screws on to the hub as a unit and is replaced as a unit). 7 speeds are about the most available in a freewheel. This may not be upgradeable with you present wheel.

Good point, but my '91 model 7spd MTB came with a freehub, so I assumed that a mid 90s bike would have one too. My recommendation doesn't apply if you have a freewheel hub.

Many bikes of the 70s and 80s featured a high degree of standardization and interchangeability. You can still get a service replacement for any part which will fit and function correctly, though it won't be 100% identical.