So it wasnt as bad as I thought but it still sucked on the cable. I ran the brake cables behind the bars (like you said haha and like every vintage TDF rider) and I am not really happy with it. I trimmed them to be equal from a height standpoint but the way the rear housing twists it naturally routes itself weird.

So I accidentally sent the hoods and bar tape to my house in Ohio and I am in Oklahoma working on the bike and packing. Please excuse the mess I'm in the middle of a long corporate relocation bullcrap over the holiday.

Ill pick up some bar tape tomorrow at the local shop and maybe they will have the hoods. I got the rear Dura Ace derailleur on as well. I forgot how annoying it is to put new chain on...

I think it would have been easier with the long cage GT300 I had on before (its broken) but the Dura Ace 7400 wouldnt have been too out of place for someone (like my Dad) upgrading the bike in the mid 80's. The 6speed chain seems fat in there and being short cage it was easy to run the chain into the derailleur when in low gear.

What do you guys think so far? Any idea how to touch up the Dura Ace etching?


Before





After - minus hoods and tape