ColonelJLloyd 

My '87 Voyageur is taking shape thanks to the wheelset, handlebars and saddle that I robbed from my chrome Voyageur 11.8. So, I need to get a new saddle and wheelset built for it. This will be one of my winter projects.

I'm also seriously considering replacing the crankset. While the Grand Cru 50.4 BCD is one of the best looking cranksets available, I think I made a mistake getting the 175mm arms.

Here's what I think I want to do for my first wheel build:

Rear:
32h freewheel hub (DA, Superbe, just something nice)
7 sp IRD freewheel (13-32)
Double butted SS spokes
Brass nipples
Mavic Open Pro rims (black)
Challenge Parigi-Roubaix (skinwall)

Front:
Dynamo hub (not yet determined)
Double butted SS spokes
Brass nipples
Mavic Open Pro rims (black)
Challenge Parigi-Roubaix (skinwall)

I'm 5'11" and 180 lbs. I ride on some rougher paved areas, but I don't consider myself rough on my bikes. Am I ok with the double butted spokes?

I really like the look of the Challenge Parigi-Roubaix tires on black rims. I'm leaning towards a Brooks Swift but I don't want an all black and chrome bike. So, I'm thinking about a brown Swift (chrome rails) and brown leather wrap or a colored cloth and shellac on the bars. It will have brown leather toe straps. It's getting the VO Course handlebars and Shimano SLR aero levers with black hoods.

I'm also thinking about putting a more modern compact (50/34) crankset on this bike. I like the looks of the grey rings on the SRAM Rival or newer Dura Ace. I could buy a used one, remove the anodizing and logo and polish the arms.

So what do you think?

The bike in question before I robbed it of its wheelset, saddle and bars.



SRAM Rival compact crank



An example of Parigi-Roubaix tires on black rims


Brooks Swift in brown:

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

I think those Challenge Tires on Black rims will looks supremely hot. I've been thinking that the Parigi Roubaix (spelling?) might be the next high-end tire I try out as well.

You shouldn't have any issues with Double Butted spokes, I beat my wheels pretty hard and nearly all of em use DB spokes.

I've read too many reviews of the IRD freewheels failing....like a lot. I was freewheel shopping back over the summer and I was led to believe that the IRD ones were the only Freewheels with Hyperglide style ramped cogs...which was the main thing I wanted in a new freewheel. So I was getting ready to roll the dice on one until I found out that SunRace Freewheels also have HyperGlide-esque cogs and cost about half of what the IRD does and nobody's been reporting that their SunRace freewheel ratcheting mech's are dying.

I'd look for a cartridge bearing rear hub like Suntour XC, Mavic, Specialized or something like that. If you'd prefer loose balls I can say that I love my Dura-Ace hubs

Sugino Mighty Tour crankset might work well on there....

ColonelJLloyd 

Thanks, ZB.

I'm totally up for a sealed bearing hub. I suppose it just depends on what I find. The main thing I am looking for in a freewheel is HG style cogs and a reasonably large and evenly spread range. I just found a SunRace 13-30t 7speed. That should work.

FYI, you spelled it right. Gold star for you, mister!

MileHighMark

DB spokes should be fine. Your wheelbuilder will be more of a factor in the wheels' integrity than whether you run DB/straight-gauge spokes.

I've been very pleased with my Shimano DH-3N80 dynohub. Looks nice, and works great. Plus it's not terribly expensive.

uprightbent

What a beautiful chrome bike! Can you share with us how you removed the decals, I might be faced with a similar project on the very same model.

LeicaLad 

Well, I'm certainly going to follow your progress with interest.

Personally, when it comes to freewheel hubs, I'm a serious fan of Phil. That said, any good hub will do.

Double-butted are better than straight gauge. There are proponents of both sides to this argument, but I'm a good 45 lbs heavier (okay, fatter) than you. I go with double-butted. I also tend to favor 36h rear wheels. My current build-in-process is a 36h rear and 32h front. Phil hubs, VO Diagonale rims. But I'm going fat Schwalbe XRs for tires. Nothing like a bit of overkill.

The weight issue is the same reason I won't go to the Swift saddle. Years ago, maybe. Now it's the BB King anthem: I'm built for comfort...

Just curious: Was the sprung Brooks that came off it just too wide? Too something else?

Shame that the new VO Dyno hub isn't out. But it may not be until way into next Spring.

Anyway, keep us posted.

ColonelJLloyd 

Perhaps I should be scared. I'll probably build the wheels and it'll be my first time. Nothing fancy, though. Just 3 cross. I was using a 3N80/VO Diagonale on that bike, but moved it to my touring bike. I may use the Shimano again, but I'm really curious about this new VO dyno hub that should be available in a few weeks.



Thanks! The fella I bought the bike from removed the clear coat with a paint remover of some sort then used metal polish on the frame. He actually put replacement (not original and not quite right) decals on it. I removed them because they didn't adhere well and I like the looks of it without decals better.

shorthanded

no way.. use chrome rims with tan sidewalls. the blacks are way too 80's if you want classics.. something like sun cr18's, or use a silver open pro or something. chrome and black is a little too much of an abomination against classicism unless you're doing a mid 80's racing bike.. in which case gp4's are totally acceptable..

i ride DB spokes on my 319 3 cross 32 holers on some pretty rough roads, and haven't really run into any problems with 32s on the wheels.

i'm fully for the brown and chrome.. the brown humanizes the chrome machiney... oh yeah-- and KEEP the VO cranks if you can.. just WAY too gorgeous.. if you have to sell 'em and put another pair on that fit better!

ColonelJLloyd 

A rear Phil hub is certainly not out of the running.


Good to know. I have access to a truing stand at my LBS, so I don't mind giving the wheels a check ever so often.

Hell no. I love that saddle; it's on the touring Voyageur now. I just don't want a sprung saddle on this bike. It won't be faster because I'm still riding it, but I'm not opposed to it having a more aggressive aesthetic (hence the black rims). I'll go either with a Swift or B17 Special probably.

MileHighMark

Below is a pic of my commuter. Wheels are laced with Wheelsmith DB spokes. Bike weighs 32 pounds as pictured, which doesn't include the 10-15 pounds that I usually carry in my panniers (not shown). I weigh 192 pounds, and occasionally ride it on dirt trails. No problems due to spoke choice (rims are 32h Velocity Dyads).

I, personally, wouldn't build a wheel around a new-to-market dynohub until someone else has done some real-world testing.

Veloria

God, I want your bike!

ColonelJLloyd 

Any opinions on the crankset?

ColonelJLloyd 

That Soma looks really nice. I'm the guy that's crazy enough to do the real-world testing. "Local cyclist dies as new-fangled dynohub explodes in rush-hour traffic". What a way to go!

I do believe that VO has been testing that hub for a year or more, though.

Like I said, my bike has a crush on your bike. Big time.

Veloria

Wait, does the VO Grand Cru crankset come *only* with 175mm arms? That seems kind of crazy.
If not, I'd just get shorter arms.
Have never tried this crankset, so cannot comment as to functionality. But it looks just right on your bike.

BTW, I don't want to spam BF with links to my blog, but maybe of relevance to you:
Colour Theory for Bikes (just written today)
Mesmerising Metallics (from last week)

MileHighMark

I test computer hardware/software for a living (and have done so for 20+ years). I try not to buy v1.0 of anything.

While not cheap, and not everyone's cup of (aesthetic) tea, the T.A. Carmina crankset is kinda spiffy looking.

ColonelJLloyd 

No, they will be available again in 3 or 4 different lengths. Right now, though, they're out of stock on all lengths.

Thanks for the links.

I'm not crazy about the Carmina, but I like the Alize and Zephyr.

Veloria

oh and re dynohubs:

I have the Schmidt SON on one of my bikes, and the Shimano Alfine on another, with identical headlight & tail light set-ups. Both set-ups have been performing wonderfully (though I have gone 1,800 miles on the Shimano but only 300 or so on the Schmidt so far). I'll be damned if I can tell the difference.

cloudhead

Might be a little late, but I had purchased the Grand Cru 50.4 BCD crank and wasn't too happy with it. FIrst off, the razor-like bolt holes in cheap dust caps ground away my shoes at the heel. The Q-factor was too low for me, and I had to use pedal spacers, BUT, I'm a big guy (also, had I done that originally, my shoes would have been spared).

I also had to replace the big chainring with an original TA chainring, due to several difficulties I was having - the crank arms and the thick VO chainring leave minimal space for a derailleur cage. At the VO blog, Chris claims that any front derailleur is fine, but I disagree after going through 3 different derailleurs. Older simplex, huret and suntour derailleurs work the best. But.... It is a beautiful crank, and it spoiled me in that sense. And if you mount an original TA chainring on, the whole crank looks like a giant mirror-finish watch component. After all the issues I had, which in fairness may have been due to my own riding style, I decided to take another route.

I ended up Purchasing a Campagnolo racing triple on ebay, and had a buddy with a metal shop polish the crank arms to a mirror finish (It wasn't cheap and took him 4 hours, but if you like shiny, finding someone with a metal shop to owe a lot of favors to is very important). I then ordered a set of TA chainrings which are gorgeous, to match. They just arrived and I will be mounting the new crankset this weekend.

-Court

cudak888 

It's supposed to be a copy of the TA Pro 5 Vis, which had the same exact issues. Folks wanted a Pro 5 Vis replacement, and they got it.

-Kurt

noglider 

That's so gay.

Velognome 

I always thought it be nice to get a colored Brooks and follow through with that color in Bar tape, maybe lug lines or perhaps box lining. Green on Chrome would be nice and subtle or Blue/Chrome for an icy look.



+10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000!

cudak888 

The last thing that had a crush on my bike was a Mercedes Benz. It crushed the downtube, all right.

-Kurt

auchencrow

+1 to sealed bearing hubs
+1 to the spiffy TA Carmina crank
+1 to the colored brooks
+1 to chromed rims with tan sidewalls

mkeller234

Sorry, you can't have it!!

Velognome 

A Huffy?