Vintage Batavus Road Bike to City Bike Conversion
09-18-14, 05:29 PM
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Vintage Batavus Road Bike to City Bike Conversion
I'm converting my 1985 12 speed Batavus Competition road bike to an upright city bike. I purchased it new, and have all the original components. It is 531 Reynolds frame, Mavic wheels, Sake bars, Dia-comp brakes and levers, Suntour 7000 derailleurs and indexed Suntour shifters. The bike is a deep metallic red with yellow lettering, and is in pristine condition.
I've installed a honey colored Velo Orange leather springer seat #5 , 18" tires (the biggest that would fit with good clearance), adjustable stem, Urban handlebars, and have relocated the down-tube shifters to the handlebars using a generic twist-grip friction shifters. I'm pleased with most of the modifications; but would like to change out the Urban handlebars for a set of Portuer bars and leather grips (again available from Velo), and ex-change the friction twist-grip shifters for a more "throw-back" looking bar-end or thumb shifters (hopefully utilizing my original Suntour shifters).
These twist-grip shifters were the only type that we could find that would work with the Suntour derailleurs; and to change gears from one to the next, it is necessary to turn the twist-grip shifters for several clicks, and they just don't have the look I'm going after.
Can anyone advise if the bar-end or thumb shifters (index or friction) could be used with this set-up? This is my first post and when I figure out how to attach images, I will send some photos.
Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. Name: Batavus Suntour.jpg Views: 1 Size: 102.3 KB ID: 407141
I've installed a honey colored Velo Orange leather springer seat #5 , 18" tires (the biggest that would fit with good clearance), adjustable stem, Urban handlebars, and have relocated the down-tube shifters to the handlebars using a generic twist-grip friction shifters. I'm pleased with most of the modifications; but would like to change out the Urban handlebars for a set of Portuer bars and leather grips (again available from Velo), and ex-change the friction twist-grip shifters for a more "throw-back" looking bar-end or thumb shifters (hopefully utilizing my original Suntour shifters).
These twist-grip shifters were the only type that we could find that would work with the Suntour derailleurs; and to change gears from one to the next, it is necessary to turn the twist-grip shifters for several clicks, and they just don't have the look I'm going after.
Can anyone advise if the bar-end or thumb shifters (index or friction) could be used with this set-up? This is my first post and when I figure out how to attach images, I will send some photos.
Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. Name: Batavus Suntour.jpg Views: 1 Size: 102.3 KB ID: 407141
09-19-14, 05:10 AM
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I have set up bar end shifters on a few bicycles, some with different bars than one might expect. This old Legnano Gran Premio was one of those bicycles...
...as was this Motobecane Grand Jubilee...
...as was this Motobecane Grand Jubilee...
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"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
09-19-14, 03:14 PM
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I really like the barcon shifters.
Do you miss having more than one set of hand positions on the bars?
Do you miss having more than one set of hand positions on the bars?
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"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
"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
09-19-14, 04:29 PM
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I'm planning a similar conversion for an '83 Schwinn Traveler with VO Milan bars. I'll post a pic once it's done
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