Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

Newbie joining the C&V ranks!

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

Newbie joining the C&V ranks!

Old 06-18-09, 12:08 PM
  #1  
Part-time epistemologist
Thread Starter
 
invisiblehand's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 5,870

Bikes: Jamis Nova, Bike Friday triplet, Bike Friday NWT, STRIDA, Austro Daimler Vent Noir, Hollands Tourer

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 122 Post(s)
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Newbie joining the C&V ranks!

Just wanted to say "Hi" to everyone in Classic and Vintage. I just picked up a Austro-Daimler Vent Noir. It was originally paid for in 1981. I got it from a good bud who -- lucky for me -- was looking to thin the ranks. It has 1st generation Dura Ace components with a SunTour freewheel on the rear.

Quick question: I have the original short cage rear derailer and a dura-ace long cage (GS) rear derailer for the bike. Will the derailer work with a 14-34 SunTour touring freewheel? Arlington is pretty hilly.

Thanks.
__________________
A narrative on bicycle driving.
invisiblehand is offline  
Old 06-18-09, 12:26 PM
  #2  
Cat 6
 
Ex Pres's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Mountain Brook, AL
Posts: 7,519
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 500 Post(s)
Liked 183 Times in 118 Posts
You'll have to go with the long cage for sure, unless it's a single up front.
Even then, a DA may not really like a 34t, but I'd try it. What are you using up front (ring count)? We're going to calculate chain-wrap here.

And I lived in Annandale back when (WTW '76 here). Arlington is not hilly
Now the Kennedy house did sit up on a nice little rise overlooking their spread. (I was a worker bee putting in their Grasstex tennis court)
Ex Pres is offline  
Old 06-18-09, 12:52 PM
  #3  
Part-time epistemologist
Thread Starter
 
invisiblehand's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 5,870

Bikes: Jamis Nova, Bike Friday triplet, Bike Friday NWT, STRIDA, Austro Daimler Vent Noir, Hollands Tourer

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 122 Post(s)
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by Bob Barker
You'll have to go with the long cage for sure, unless it's a single up front.
Even then, a DA may not really like a 34t, but I'd try it. What are you using up front (ring count)? We're going to calculate chain-wrap here.

And I lived in Annandale back when (WTW '76 here). Arlington is not hilly
Now the Kennedy house did sit up on a nice little rise overlooking their spread. (I was a worker bee putting in their Grasstex tennis court)


It all depends on where you ride in Arlington. But it is definitely true that "hilly" is a relative term both with regards to geography and personal horsepower.

Just eye-balling it with a 24t big cog and the short cage rear derailer -- but the jockey pulley looks identical across the models -- it looks like it will be tight.

You know ... I don't know what the chainring sizes are for sure. But I would think either 52-42 or 52-39. Then again, I know little about these classic bikes. I only know that this bike rides great. I am shocked by how comfortable it rides ... even with relatively skinny 27 x 1" tires.

On that note, I believe that the best 27" tires out there are the Panaracer Pasellas and the Continental Ultra/Four Season/whatever. Both claim to be 32 mm wide -- wide is good by my taste -- but is it the case the the Continentals run narrow as with their 700c tires?

Another question: I need a classic-looking saddle for the bike. Does this mean I have to get a Brooks saddle?!? I'd like to keep the vintage look but I want it to be comfortable. For a guy who typically uses Terry Fly saddles, does anyone have a good recommendation for a model? Any alternatives to a Brooks?
__________________
A narrative on bicycle driving.
invisiblehand is offline  
Old 06-18-09, 01:12 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
lotek's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: n.w. superdrome
Posts: 17,688

Bikes: 1 trek, serotta, rih, de Reus, Pogliaghi and finally a Zieleman! and got a DeRosa

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 15 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times in 9 Posts
No you don't need to get a Brooks, look at the Selle San Marco Regal and the Rolls saddles. Both
classics still in production.
Lived in Annandale for a while, then 16 years in Falls Church and commuted by bike to Arlington Hospital.
Yes Arlington has some hills, I'm thinking Yorktown Road and Little falls Road.

Marty
__________________
Sono più lento di quel che sembra.
Odio la gente, tutti.


Want to upgrade your membership? Click Here.
lotek is offline  
Old 06-18-09, 02:27 PM
  #5  
Banned.
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 27,297
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 378 Post(s)
Liked 1,407 Times in 908 Posts
Arlington, not bad. Alexandria to Mount Vernon and back, great, relaxing ride.
RobbieTunes is offline  
Old 06-18-09, 04:00 PM
  #6  
Part-time epistemologist
Thread Starter
 
invisiblehand's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 5,870

Bikes: Jamis Nova, Bike Friday triplet, Bike Friday NWT, STRIDA, Austro Daimler Vent Noir, Hollands Tourer

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 122 Post(s)
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Thanks for the pointers on the alternative saddles.
__________________
A narrative on bicycle driving.
invisiblehand is offline  
Old 06-18-09, 07:35 PM
  #7  
Survival of the Fitest
 
TheDL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: PDX
Posts: 1,559

Bikes: 198? Univega Custom Maxima, 2009 Motobecane Fantom Cross Uno

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Wow, lots of Astro's popping up lately, very nice.

Pics please.
TheDL is offline  
Old 06-19-09, 08:48 AM
  #8  
Part-time epistemologist
Thread Starter
 
invisiblehand's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 5,870

Bikes: Jamis Nova, Bike Friday triplet, Bike Friday NWT, STRIDA, Austro Daimler Vent Noir, Hollands Tourer

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 122 Post(s)
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Will add pictures soon. Weekdays tend to be very busy with work and the boy.
__________________
A narrative on bicycle driving.
invisiblehand is offline  
Old 06-19-09, 09:01 AM
  #9  
feros ferio
 
John E's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,765

Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;

Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1384 Post(s)
Liked 1,294 Times in 819 Posts
A Vent Noir is definitely a great way to break into C&V! (OK, some of us are biased in favor of Austrian frames. ) I don't know about the Shimano Dura-Ace line, but SunTour's long-cage derailleurs always had the jockey pulley centered on the cage pivot, which provided ample clearance for a 34T low gear cog. If you currently have 52-42 / 14-16-18-21-24, which was a very popular 1.5-step gearing system in the 1970s, you can either use the long cage rear derailleur and a larger set of freewheel cogs, as you are proposing, or you may want to consider keeping your short-cage derailleur and switching to a compact crankset. I was able to run 48-45-34 / 13-15-17-19-21-24 with a short cage SunTour Cyclone II rear derailleur, for a bottom gear of about 38 gear-inches, which is a very noticeable 20 percent lower than your current 47-incher.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
John E is offline  
Old 06-19-09, 11:30 AM
  #10  
Part-time epistemologist
Thread Starter
 
invisiblehand's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 5,870

Bikes: Jamis Nova, Bike Friday triplet, Bike Friday NWT, STRIDA, Austro Daimler Vent Noir, Hollands Tourer

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 122 Post(s)
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by John E
A Vent Noir is definitely a great way to break into C&V! (OK, some of us are biased in favor of Austrian frames. ) I don't know about the Shimano Dura-Ace line, but SunTour's long-cage derailleurs always had the jockey pulley centered on the cage pivot, which provided ample clearance for a 34T low gear cog. If you currently have 52-42 / 14-16-18-21-24, which was a very popular 1.5-step gearing system in the 1970s, you can either use the long cage rear derailleur and a larger set of freewheel cogs, as you are proposing, or you may want to consider keeping your short-cage derailleur and switching to a compact crankset. I was able to run 48-45-34 / 13-15-17-19-21-24 with a short cage SunTour Cyclone II rear derailleur, for a bottom gear of about 38 gear-inches, which is a very noticeable 20 percent lower than your current 47-incher.
I have a funny feeling that a lot of people here are also on Classic Rendevous. Consequently, people know Harvey and will get a quick intro from me in a bit. I have been interested in classic bikes for a while and Harvey made jumping into the water very easy. I really can't thank him enough. I've eye'd his Vent Noir for years. I think it is a great looking bike that rides remarkably smooth; although I should write that to my knowledge, this is the only 531 bike I have ever ridden.

At the time of purchase, I knew that IRD still makes freewheels with 32-tooth cogs. So I asked Harvey whether a 32 would fit the long cage derailer and he answered yes. But someone on the iBOB list was selling a NOS 14-34 SunTour touring freewheel that would give it a more authentic feel, IMO. I ended up buying it -- $50 with shipping -- and figured that it would be worth a shot. I'd like to keep the rest of the group together.
__________________
A narrative on bicycle driving.
invisiblehand is offline  
Old 06-19-09, 01:34 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
custermustache's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 790

Bikes: 1968 Falcon San Remo 1973 Raleigh International, 1974 Schwinn Suburban, 1987 Schwinn High Sierra, 1992 Univega Ultraleggera, 2007 Dahon Vitesse DH7G

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
It's not a classic saddle, but the Selle An Atomica Titanico is a really nice leather saddle that looks great on a classic and really rides nice, plus it has the longest saddle name anywhere.
custermustache is offline  
Old 06-23-09, 09:31 AM
  #12  
Part-time epistemologist
Thread Starter
 
invisiblehand's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 5,870

Bikes: Jamis Nova, Bike Friday triplet, Bike Friday NWT, STRIDA, Austro Daimler Vent Noir, Hollands Tourer

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 122 Post(s)
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Regarding whether the GS derailer will take a 34 tooth cog ...

https://velobase.com/ViewSingleCompon...=108&AbsPos=38

And thanks for the pointer to yet another saddle. I appreciate it. I think that I am mostly interested in saddles that can handle big saddle bags in case I want to show off the bike while commuting to work.
__________________
A narrative on bicycle driving.
invisiblehand is offline  
Old 06-23-09, 08:30 PM
  #13  
Part-time epistemologist
Thread Starter
 
invisiblehand's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 5,870

Bikes: Jamis Nova, Bike Friday triplet, Bike Friday NWT, STRIDA, Austro Daimler Vent Noir, Hollands Tourer

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 122 Post(s)
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
I did some work on the rest of the fleet tonight. So I unfortunately did not put on the long cage derailer, 14-34 freewheel, and I am obviously still looking for a saddle. But here are the raw photos ... looks like I need to give the bike a bit of a cleaning.

I also have an extra set of decals that the original owner bought with the bike. I assume that one would only use them if the bike were repainted.














Last edited by invisiblehand; 06-23-09 at 08:36 PM.
invisiblehand is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.