Classic & Vintage - Vintage wheel set info/advice wanted

I managed to score a couple of decent vintage alloy wheel sets, and would like to solicit some information on them. Both sets are 27", and one set seems to be a direct replacement for my 1988 Miyata. I wish to keep one set and sell/trade the other, so I'm looking for opinions on which set to keep and what might be a fair value to set on them.

Set 1 rear wheel
Shimano 7 ring Hyperglide freewheel
Mavic MA 2 rim
32 spoke Shimano RX100 hub w/Shimano QR skewer

Set 1 front wheel
Unknown rim
36 spoke hub - hard to read, maybe "Atom"? It's a short word, in script
Malliard QR skewer


Set 2 rear wheel
Date code 10 78
Suntour 5 ring Pro Compe freewheel
36 spoke Sunshine Pro Am Hub, with Sunshine QR skewer
Rim has the remnants of a blue rectangle decal with white letters, ending in "DA" - RIGIDA, perhaps?

Set 2 front wheel
Date code 10 78
36 spoke Sunshine Pro Am Hub, with Sunshine QR skewer
Rim has a clean spot where the rectangle decal used to be, so I assume it is the same make as the rear

I'm thinking thet set 2 is the better set, and am planning to swap the freewheels as I'd need the 7 cog to remain compatable as a spare for my road bike. Also, it appears to be a matched set, and th e spoke count is somewhat higher, at least on the rear wheel. That seems a good thing, cuz I'm heavy.. :D

So, is my reasoning sound for choosing to keep set 2 over set 1? What do I have? Anything special or worth anything?

Regards,

John D.

Set # 2 sounds like a decent pair from the late '70s. Those Sunshine hubs were pretty nice. Chances are that the rear is spaced at 120mm, and won't interchange with your 7 speed freewheel or casette though. I'd guess the rear of set #1 is 126mm.

Set # 2 sounds like a decent pair from the late '70s. Those Sunshine hubs were pretty nice. Chances are that the rear is spaced at 120mm, and won't interchange with your 7 speed freewheel or casette though. I'd guess the rear of set #1 is 126mm.

I'll measure them tonight. So, would it simply be a matter of swapping the freewheel AND the axle, or will it just not work at all because the freewheels are too different?

John D.

I'd say the whole lot is worth about $3.50. Since you're my pal, I'll be over tonight and give you a fiver for them.

I'll measure them tonight. So, would it simply be a matter of swapping the freewheel AND the axle, or will it just not work at all because the freewheels are too different?

John D.The freewheel will swap. Issue will then be over lock nut dimension and wheel dish.

The freewheel will swap. Issue will then be over lock nut dimension and wheel dish.

Ahhhhh....I get it. So, not worth the effort to swap. Use as-is or forget it, I guess......

Regards,

John D.

You can swap the freewheel regardless. If the hubs are the same width, you can swap the whole thing without re-dishing, but that would involve rebuilding the wheel. Rigida is a French company and their rims range anywhere from ok to nice.

Aside from them having mismatched hubs and spoke counts, the first set of wheels sounds quite functional. Mavic rims are nothing to sneeze at, though you might not have a matched set of rims there either.

Rigida is a French company and their rims range anywhere from ok to nice.

I want to replace my Rigida 1320 700c rims on my 1986 Trek 520. Where can I find some decent replacements from that same time period? Any suggestions?

MAVIC MA-2 or G-40. I think you won't go wrong with either, and they were common then. I think both are somewhat sought-after now though.

MAVIC MA-2 or G-40. I think you won't go wrong with either, and they were common then. I think both are somewhat sought-after now though.

Thanks. I'll start looking around as I have about a month before I start riding again.

The Sunshine Pro Om hubs are of exceptional quality; I've raced, trained and toured on them for over 25 years now (yes, the same pair of hubs, date stamp 1977!). Laced in new rims of course, but still running fine. The rear hub is now spaced at 130 mm. I did this by using a campy axle and cones. Note: The threads of the original axle are slightly different from the Campy axle, and the cones are slightly different too. Also, 130 mm is a little bit too much for the axle, so it might get bent a little. No problem.
So, if you have the parts lying around somewhere, you can make the swap to 130 mm and a 7 speed freewheel. Otherwise, use as is and enjoy all the same!

I've been riding a 5 speed freewheel lately and am suprised how well five speeds covers most riding (24-14...), as long as the road doesn't point straight up. I have to use the front derailleur a lot more but get most of the gears that I normally use. Funny, five speeds was once the cats pajamas. maybe I'll crank in the stops and see what three are like...