I bought a used Schwinn Prelude - 1989? (Stock photo:
)
I'm going to build it into a touring bike for my wife. This is a long-term project; she's in no hurry to go on tour due to work. I plan to watch Ebay, Craigslist, Nashbar, and Performance for good deals on parts, and accumulate them a few at a time. (She didn't even ask for it; I just enjoy fixing up old bikes, and I'm between projects at the moment.)
It has a double chainring. I'm looking for advice on what crankset to buy, what derailleur, and maybe what cassette and derailleur for the rear.
I want a triple chainring. What combination of chainrings do you recommend? She likes to ride fast, but being able to climb hills with a load is more important. There's a 105 triple on Ebay with 170mm crank arms and 52-42-30 chainrings. Would this be a good choice?
What length cranks do you recommend? She's about 5' 8".
What derailleur?
We're looking for smoothness and durability.
The bike has downtube shifters. I'm going to convert it to barend.
All input welcome. Thanks in advance!