Originally Posted by desconhecido

Some thoughts going forward.

That's a very cool old bike I don't think you should change anything that doesn't need to be changed unless you have a good reason related to function.

If you need professional assistance, go to Daniel Boone bicycle south of downtown. They've been there since the 70s, or earlier, and have all the tools necessary to do anything. They are the only shop in Houston that I know of that knows how to install a threaded headset from scratch on a new frame, for example. I'm sure they will be able to remove the Stronglight crank in short order.

I'm in Houston and can offer some advice and assistance if you and your friend find something that doesn't make sense. I'm sure that you guys will probably figure it all out, but I'm retired and it's no imposition.

I have a truing stand and we can evaluate your rims/wheels -- probably want to keep them if possible as those are nice hubs. If you wanted to rebuild the wheels on those hubs, we could do that too -- it's fun.

I have several sets of Huret downtube shifters that came off Raleigh bikes from 74/75 that would work. They are probably not as nice as the ones people used with Jubilee derailleurs, but they work. You can have a set for free. They're a little nasty but will clean up probably as well or better than the stem shifters that are on the bike.

If you want to try the old Suntour bar end shifters that were popular back then, I have a set you can borrow as I haven't used them in 20 years, but might like to try some day.

The coolest shifter option would probably be a set of Simplex retro-friction, but that's not cheap.

As you note, we don't need a lot of big gears in Houston. If you can find a Sun Tour ultra-six freewheel (6 cogs in the space of 5), you can turn your bike into a 12 speed with no bending or anything. They came with a large cog of 24 or 28, maybe other options. Combine the narrow six freewheel with a modern chain, and shifting should be pretty good. Speaking of freewheels, I probably have the remover necessary for your bike, takes about a minute to do.

The hoods on the brake levers very well may survive. I have a pair exactly like those that were on a bike that looked like it had spent a lot of time outside and they are ok though a little stained. Get them warm before you try to remove them -- hot water in the sink should do. Clean with dish soap and a moderately stiff brush -- like what you might use when washing dishes.