rj987652003

I have a 12 speed bertoni lugged steel frame. Can I build this frame into a bike with an ultegra 27 speed or centaur build kit?

I know it hAD A Threaded headset originally, can it take a threadless headset?

sydney

Yes......Yes.

Retro Grouch 

The short answer is that it can be done, threadless headset and all. You'll have to tweak the rear triangle but that's easier to do than you might imagine. Make sure that you get the right bottom bracket and seatpost.

Good luck.

slide13

Yeah, it's pretty easy too. I just took an old 1987 Trek 560 frame and built it up with Campy 10spd. My rear dropouts measured out to 127.5 so I didn't even bother cold setting the frame for the 130 rear hub, just spread it a little as I put it in and it works great.

You can easily convert to threadless by getting a new threadless 1" fork and headset. No way to do it using the stock fork though.

Taking an old frame and building it with new parts can be great. I got this one for about $15. Not bad for a lugged bike of Reynolds 531. Built it up with a mix of Centaur and Veloce 10spd stuff and loving it so far.

zacster

I put an Ultegra 9sp wheel/cassette on my old steel Davidson. I didn't measure the dropout, but when I put the wheel in I didn't have to force it. I've been riding it this way all summer. I put a new Ultegra chain on, cleaned up the Zeus chainrings and der pulleys, adjusted the old Campy NR derailleurs and started riding. It shifts great and is silent with the friction down-tube shifters, which I am so accustomed to I would have a hard time changing. The only problem is that I can only really use 8 of the cogs. The biggest one puts my derailleur into the spokes. I think the der hanger is bent in slightly, and this seems to be a pretty common problem with older bikes. I had a lesser problem with the old 6 freewheel too.

I've been intrigued by the new fork/stem/bar idea myself, but I'm also intrigued with the new bike idea too.

John E

The 9-speed wheel is more heavily dished than the old 6-speed, making the drive side spokes nearly vertical and therefore closer to your derailleur cage. If you had a pie plate or other spoke protector on your 6-speed, then low gear on your 9-speed sits closer to your hub flange. Either factor, or both in combination, will exacerbate your derailleur-in-spokes problem.

zacster

John

That is all probably true as well. The wheel is heavily dished compared to my old ones. I can see the hanger is slightly bent too. I have hardly used the 23 on my 12-25 cassette so I don't miss the 25, yet. Some day I'm sure I'll want it though.

I've put the wheel on my other roadie, an equally old steel Zilioli with a new 9sp chain, an Italian bike that wasn't imported to the US, and it just brushes the spokes. This bike has hardly been ridden over the years and I doubt the hanger is bent, so the combination of dish, closer cogs and bent hanger can all contribute.

I keep telling my wife that I need a new bike and she always manages to point out that I can only ride one at a time, and I already have three.

Cro_Moly_Body

I think this is the reason why my Schwinn Prelude which has recently been converted to a 7speed has a bent derailleur. Of course, I won't know for sure until I install another derailler to rule out this possibliity.

The frame has been cold-set to 130mm from 126mm.

neutron7

it is a very simple operation to reallign deralieur hanger with a rather expensive park or campy tool. your LBS should be able to do it for whatever is the minimum labor charge.

rj987652003

I had my derailler hanger straightened today. It took him about 3 minutes.....Actually he didn't even charge me (but I paid him $5.00 anyway)