Classic & Vintage - My First Post - What to do with a '90 RB-1?

Hello, I'm a long time lurker and this is my first post. I hope a few of you will drop me a few comments in regards to my question.

I used to work for Bridgestone back in 1989~92, and actually worked with Grant Petersen at Bridgestone Cycle in San Leandro, CA for a short time. He recommended that I pick up the RB-1 as my first real road bike, so I did. I didn't have anything to do with the bicycle operations at all (I was the IT guy), and the small group of cyclists working there were fun. In the end, I bought a '90 RB-1 and a '91 MB-2 Comp. Unfortunately, my nicely upgraded MB-2 was stolen back in '95, but I still have the RB-1.

My RB-1 has never been crashed, and I've stored it over the past 11 years while mostly mtb-ing. I really liked it back when I was a more avid road rider. Now, I would like to get myself back on a road bike and get the RB-1 back up to speed. Perhaps this is the wrong group to ask since it is a vintage/classics group, but I was wondering if I should upgrade the bike to a more modern configuration (i.e., STI brifters, etc.), or go custom crazy and make it an original creation of my own with repainting, etc., or maintain it as it is and get it back into good "semi-orignal" 1990 shape?

I primarily want to ride for fitness and for some fun mid-to-midhigh tempo riding with friends. No racing involved, but reasonable speeds and quick handling are required. I'd appreciate it if you could give me some comments with your opinions and perhaps any suggested upgrades if you feel it would be an improvement. Thanks for reading this long post.

mike

The RB-1 is semi-OEM stock. Here is the spec:

- OEM RB-1 Ishiwata 022E '90 frame
- OEM Ishiwata 019E '90 fork
- OEM Suntour GPX RD
- '92 DA crank
- '92 DA BB
- '92 DA FD
- OEM Suntour GPX shifters
- OEM Suntour 7-speed (13-22) cassette
- OEM Dia-Comp BRS 400 brakes
- OEM Dia-Comp BRS 500 levers
- '92 Mavic Open 4 CD wheels
- '92 Mavic 500 RD hubs
- OEM Ritchey Force stem
- OEM Hatta Vesta headset
- OEM SR seatpost
- '95 Specialized seat
- The bars are what used to be "high-tech" at the time. I can't remember the brand (it's under the tape.) These bars have an extension to the drop section of the bar that brings your hands closer to the middle of the bike - I think I was going for pseudo-aero positioning!:D

Re-pack the bearings, check the cables, tires, and chain and replace if necessary, and ride on!
Very nice rig.
Top

I agree with top506. To modernize the bike you'll be putting a lot of money into it with very little at the end to show for it in terms of making it "better" (I put that in quotes as some will likely argue that modernizing it would not make it better in any way, shape or form).

What you have now is a very well equipped 7speed RB-1 that there's nothing wrong with. Repack the bearings, probably worth your $ to replace the tubes and tires, if it's been stored somewhere out of the elements cables and chain should be alright but give them a close look anyways.

oh - and we want pics! :D

I third the motion. Replace only as needed. Especially since your Bridgestone has an interesting bit of history to it.

"No racing involved, but reasonable speeds and quick handling are required."

The bike as is can do these two things. I've a 1991 RB2 I ride a lot-- it's one of my beaters-- and the frame is a very quick, responsive one. I use it mostly in city-- I prefer my 72 PX10 for long rides in the country-- but I do let it out now and again. Ultimately, it's you're choice, but the modernization to brifters, etc, is a goodly outlay, and since the bike can already do what you want and need, I say leave it.

Nice bike.

Re-pack the bearings, check the cables, tires, and chain and replace if necessary, and ride on!
Very nice rig.
Top

Yup. In its original condition, the RB-1 was a very nice bike. And, today the RB-1 has become somewhat of a collector's bike that goes for rather high prices on E-Bay. Tune it up, keep it original, ride it, enjoy it, and LOCK IT so that you will have it in the future.

wooT! an RB-1!
in my opinion that frame is worthy of a completely new groupo if you are so inclined to spend that much money. the RB-1 frame handles and rides fantastically. but like the others replied, if you just maintain all the bearings and cables and such it will probably perform just fine.

my RB-1 (I think it's a '90) is on it's third groupo. here's pics of it before my Sunday ride this past weekend. i put new Maxxis tires on it. they ride really nice for cheap.

post pics of yours when you get it up and running.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/thomps_on/RB1post.jpg

Ditto to all the above posts. The RB-1 is a very nice bike in its original condition. Just take precautions to keep it from meeting the same fate as your MB-2.

"...The bars are what used to be "high-tech" at the time. I can't remember the brand (it's under the tape.) These bars have an extension to the drop section of the bar that brings your hands closer to the middle of the bike - I think I was going for pseudo-aero positioning!:D

--- Scott "Drop-in" bars perhaps? I think Greg Lemond liked those. If the handlebar seems dated or bothersome now you might just change the bar... but leave everything else. Or, if you change the bars you could just go with bar-cons.

~ In fact, even though D-A debuted 8-spd in 1989, and STI in 1991, I think B-stone actually just moved their RB-1 to all 7-spd Ultegra, with bar-end shifters, fully a couple years after your bike.

I'm inclined to think that to "upgrade" is often just adding more incremental gears, un-necessarily.
Personally, I really like what Jobst Brandt (who rides a billion miles annually, including trips over the Alps) had remarked in an interview I'd once read: "Five or six is plenty, 9 is gratuitous hardware and multiple redundancy"... [But, admittedly, I'm pretty lazy about shifting until I notice it starts to hurt me, too.]

Hmmmm, it just occurred to me, that those bars could offer options for placing accessories without taking up valuable space at the top - like possibly a pair of headlights. Maybe I'll look for one on eBay?

Thanks for all of your responses to a new poster. I suppose your suggestions to "keep-it -as-is" requires the least amount of money to get it back into rideable shape. To be honest, I'm sure it will be a blast to get back on the road with it. I'll probably change the bars though since I feel they look a bit goofy now (although I thought they were cool back when I bought them), and get some new tires/tubes. Photos will be coming once it gets back into road shape. Thanks again.

P.S. RB1-luvr - can't see the pics of your RB1?

You mean these?

http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_photos/small/YB-QED.gif

they're Modolo Q-Even drop in bars and
are still available. kind of weird but they work.
marty

Definitely keep it as is, with a caveat... Do this to whatever extent it makes sense.

I am not one to keep a bike completely stock for the sake of collectability I think that bikes are to be ridden. However, I am not a proponent of updating a perfectly acceptable (or exceptional) bike just because it has components that are not current state of the art.

When something breaks, then consider whether you want to update that component... I wouldn't personally consider a full update of the bike, but it is yours to do with as you wish, and it will still be a nice ride regardless of your direction. :-)

Thanks for figuring that out. Now that you mention it, I do remember the name. They are a bit weird, and TBH I can't remember if it was at all comfortable/stable when I was using the narrow gripping area.

RB1-luvr, now I can see your RB. Looks a lot nicer than mine (you still have the decals!) I'll take a couple of shots to show you the current state of my RB.

As far as updates, I need to get some new pedals. They are pretty old Time models, and I doubt that they still make the cleats for them. Also a new saddle seems to be a good idea.

Thanks for all of your suggestions. It's getting me psyched to get back to riding on the ol' RB.

Perfectly good to ride as-is!
That said, if you've got a bit of money floating around, an upgrade to integrated brake/shifter levers can be a very nice thing. In my mind this is a significant change in the riding experience. This will also require a compatible rear hub, which means a new rear wheel or wheel rebuild. I keep seeing complete 8-speed Shimano 600 groups on eBay. I started out with a 5-speed friction shift setup about 2 years ago, went to 6-speed indexed, and now am at 9-speed integrated. It's nice to shift without removing my hands from the bars (standing, fast descents, hard pulls, strong crosswinds on a bridge, etc.). It's nice to have more choices in gearing when trying to match my wife's pace. Still on the same great-riding frame.

well, the vote is in. Leave 'er alone, I guess. Grant did think through every single part on the bike (at least he claimed to have done so...) and I remember that they rode and worked very nicely. They are fairly rare and carry a higher than normal value when stocked out. Check with mswantak and see if he's made any replacement decals for this bike yet - he's done a lot of different ones.

That being said, it would certainly take to a modern parts group and wheels. Just save the originals for the collectors someday.

It's nice to have more choices in gearing...

I would say that this is another of my questions. Assuming that I keep the drivetrain the same for a while as I get back into shape, but in the future I might want to incorporate a few more gears with brifters. I assume an 8-speed cluster should be fairly easy to add, but what about a 9 or 10 speed cassette? Will I need to have a shop widen the hub measurement, or has the newer technology created super slim gear cassettes that require only small expansions?

Don't worry folks, it looks like it's just going to get a maintenance and a few miles before I do anything. :p

you guys are making me hurt inside b/c I sold my RB-1 for $160 on ebay when I moved.

you guys are making me hurt inside b/c I sold my RB-1 for $160 on ebay when I moved.

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! say it isn't so.

I never saw the need of aero on a full touring rig, especially if you have panniers. I'd look for a good
deep drop bar, ergo bends is you like em. Radonneur bars are not all that uncommon on ebay.
as for pedals, you probably can find the cleats at LBS.
personally like speedplays but like saddles (I recommend Brooks B17 for this bike) are apersonal
thing.

Marty

RB1-Luvr

"it isn't so"

now what?

Well, I took a few minutes to get a photo of my bike. It actually doesn't look all that bad. :)

http://www.michaelmuramoto.com/storage/rb1.jpg

I am reminded of Lance's '68 GTO that Cheryl had turned into something else on Overhaulin. I'd have killed her. I think that's why they split up.
That is a beautiful bike. Keep it as it is. Brifters are overrated. There is something special about finishing a century on your old steel 7 speed and watching the bucks cruise up on their 15 lb carbon bikes.

I would say that this is another of my questions. Assuming that I keep the drivetrain the same for a while as I get back into shape, but in the future I might want to incorporate a few more gears with brifters. I assume an 8-speed cluster should be fairly easy to add, but what about a 9 or 10 speed cassette? Will I need to have a shop widen the hub measurement, or has the newer technology created super slim gear cassettes that require only small expansions?

Don't worry folks, it looks like it's just going to get a maintenance and a few miles before I do anything. :p
Actually, the 8-speed cluster will not be so easy to add. That 7-speed rear end is set at 126mm, 8-, 9- and 10-speed rear ends at 130mm. The differences between them is the width of the cogs and spaces between them and, natch, the chain. If you change out to any of them, you are going to be spreadin' the rear triangel and buyin' a fair amount of new stuff.

But wait, there is another option - getting a new 7-speed cassette or freewheel, as the case may be. If your LBS can't do ya, Harris Cyclery can on-line. Lordy, those folks have a ridiculously broad range of available cogsets - and I say that with a nicece, big smile on my face. I bet you can get one with a 26 or 28 tooth cog for better climbing up to Skyline and Grizzly Peak. :) Oh, and don't worry, your Ultegra/600 rear derailleur can handle a 28 tooth rear cog, even if Shimano claimed that 26 teeth was the biggest rear cog you could run. (Lots of folks, me included, have done it.) Just be sure to be careful about compatibility between your hub and the cogset you are getting. Ask questions here in BF and ask questions of the folks at Harris (including the ever-lovin' immortal Sheldon Brown himself) because I believe that 1990 was still in the day when freehub cogsets were held on by screwing on the smallest cog, as opposed to all cogs being held on by a separate small plate that screws on. I'm not certain there are compatability issues, mind you, but someone on BF probably knows for sure and Sheldon certainly does, so ask away and I bet you can reoutfit that 7-speed rear end with pretty much any gear set up a 53-39 set of chainrings and a short cage rear derailleur will allow.

I am lusting after your RB-1. I had a 1992 model (red all the way down to the dropouts, white decals - very sweet looking and riding). The BB and down and seat tubes ultimately cracked, likely the eventual aftermath of a pretty bad crash, although it wasn't apparent until a couple years later. If the RB-1 wasn't the all-time "bang for the buck" road machine, it certainly ranks in the top 5. It certainly ranks as one my all-time best-ever purchases of any kind.

Actually, the 8-speed cluster will not be so easy to add. That 7-speed rear end is set at 126mm, 8-, 9- and 10-speed rear ends at 130mm. The differences between them is the width of the cogs and spaces between them and, natch, the chain. If you change out to any of them, you are going to be spreadin' the rear triangel and buyin' a fair amount of new stuff.

Thanks for this comment, as I wasn't sure how difficult it would be to do the gear expansion trick. Now that you mention it, going for a larger rear cog may be the better way to go. The way it is setup now, it is a bit tough to climb where I live. I suppose I just need to get back into shape.

Since I have a fairly short cage Suntour GPX RD, do you think it can support a 28 gear cog? I'm not sure if it will or not. That would be nice to have though. I think the hubset is a small cog screw-on type. I'll take it to my LBS and see what they say. Thanks for the tips! Much appreciated.

Skyline and Grizzly Peak... oh my! :eek:

dude that's a beauty! nice.

Since I have a fairly short cage Suntour GPX RD, do you think it can support a 28 gear cog?
My guess is that it will. Every rear derailleur made in the last 30 years that I have seen can handle 28 tooth cogs even if the manufacturer claims they won't, but I don't know the Suntour GPX. I bet if you ask in the mechanics-and-fix-it wing of BF, though, dollars to dounts that somebody - probablky several somebodies - can give you an answer PDQ.

As for getting into shape, I follow the Andy Rooney school of thought: "I'm in shape. 'Round' is a shape.":D