Bicycle Mechanics - Question about newer parts on older bikes

Hi, this is my first post, although I've been reading for a while. I got into road biking this summer and am hooked. When I started I bought a Trek 1200 that I thought would be sufficient, and while I love the bike, many of the parts such as the wheels, & crank etc have left some performance to be desired. So Im in the process of upgrading all the components while performance had the 20% coupon and deals on ultegra. So this is my question, I am gonna have all these spare parts that I want to put on my old Raleigh Equipe. Are any of the parts (esp wheels, deraileurs, crank, shifters) going to be able to be applied to this bike. I've already tried to put the wheels on, but the fork seems to be just barely too narrow, is there anyway around this?

Hi, this is my first post, although I've been reading for a while. I got into road biking this summer and am hooked. When I started I bought a Trek 1200 that I thought would be sufficient, and while I love the bike, many of the parts such as the wheels, & crank etc have left some performance to be desired. So Im in the process of upgrading all the components while performance had the 20% coupon and deals on ultegra. So this is my question, I am gonna have all these spare parts that I want to put on my old Raleigh Equipe. Are any of the parts (esp wheels, deraileurs, crank, shifters) going to be able to be applied to this bike. I've already tried to put the wheels on, but the fork seems to be just barely too narrow, is there anyway around this? Front dropout spacing has been 100mm for a long time. There is no problem with spreadng the front forks a bit if needed. Rear dropout spacing is another issue, and your old Raliegh could have 120 or 126mm where current rear hubs like yours are 130.If the rear triangle is steel the stays can be spread to take the wider hub.There was even a transitional compromise 128 spacing used on many 7 speeds that will take a 130 hub even if the stays are not steel. What else fits, depends on alot of things. But, the RD will work, assuming you have a threaded hanger.. The BB threading should be english in both cases,so the crank/BB works. FD depends on clamp diameter or other mount like braze on. Shifters should work,but if you don't have bosses on the frame for downtube shifters,you will need a clamp on cable stops. There could also be other cable routing issues on some older bikes,depending on how they were setup.

The only other problem might be if the raleigh has non 700c wheels as the brake mounts will be set up for a particular wheel size. No doubt this can be worked around but it's worth checking. You should be able to adjust a 130mm hub with spacers on the non drive side down to 126mm and the QR will be fine with the extra 4mm of axle, just redish the wheel afterwards - with a 9 speed cassette this will give you near vertical spokes on the rear wheel though.

For the front fork you can pick up a decent cr-mo road fork for very little and transfer the headset parts. Might be easier than spreading?

Putting the tiagra on an old steel frame will make a very nice bike - enjoy!

You should be able to adjust a 130mm hub with spacers on the non drive side down to 126mm and the QR will be fine with the extra 4mm of axle, just redish the wheel afterwards - with a 9 speed cassette this will give you near vertical spokes on the rear wheel though.


He doesn't really want to do that with the 9 speed wheel. If the Raleigh was setup for 27" wheels, The 700c may work if the pads can be adjusted down far enough to contact the smaller diameter braking surface. Otherwise it's longer reach calipers,and then brake type and mounting type can be issues.

Thanks guys, what should I expect to pay to get the drops widened? Is this a job an LBS will be equipped for>? Is this a job I can do at home? The frame is steel, so even if these are bent a little the structural integrity should still be fine right?

See Sheldon Brown's site for the gory details..

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

Steel, especially older not quite so stiff alloys, can be cold set with no real loss of strength. It's the sort of thing you could do yourself but perhaps with another pair of hands to help - I hate to think what a shop would charge but you could always ask. It may be that a motorbike mechanic would be better as most of them have dedicated frame bending stuff.

See Sheldon Brown's site for the gory details..

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

Steel, especially older not quite so stiff alloys, can be cold set with no real loss of strength. It's the sort of thing you could do yourself but perhaps with another pair of hands to help - I hate to think what a shop would charge but you could always ask. It may be that a motorbike mechanic would be better as most of them have dedicated frame bending stuff.If it's just the difference between 126 and 130, the stays can be forced by hand,and the wider hub just dropped in and ridden. Any bike shop could be able to do it for chump change.

sydney is correct that 126 to 130 can be arranged by brute force. To play devil's advocate for a moment... The problem in my mind to this is that when you take the hub out the frame will spring back as the steel has not been set - picture the joys of having pried the hub out and fixed a flat and then having to force it back in less than ideal circumstances. Not something I'd want to do.

On my old bike the 130 wheel I bought slips right in once I get past the opening. And I only have to spread it slightly, maybe the width of an ordinary washer. It doesn't feel as if I've forced it.

The frame was custom built, at about the time the wide6/narrow 7 was coming out so it may have been built extra wide. I never used anything other than a narrow 6 in it though until now. The new 9s and 10s are narrower still, and use all available space.