citymouse

Okay, I made a post in the vintage forum, but those sentimental chaps all told me to just keep it classic.
While I do appreciate a gorgeous vintage bike, this is my everyday ride and I need something that doesn't feel like I'm clunking around on 25 year old technology.

I ride in car traffic & really don't want to take my hands off the bars to shift up/down.

Also, I've been thinking about an in gear hub, like an alfine 11 possibly?
I saw some road brake levers that work with it online, but they're $250ish... yikes.


Basically what I want to know is how can I turn this old beauty into something more functional, and still stay lightweight/fast.
I ride my bike year round so I'm hoping to make this a very functional commuter.
I live in texas, so I don't see enough rain to warrant fenders or all that nonsense.
Mainly I just need help/tips on updating the cockpit & drive train.... I think.


I was thinking of getting a custom frame, but until then, just buying the components I want for that future frame, and putting them on this frame now.
Then eventually swap them out down the road.



I'm going to get a quill to threadless stem adapter, so I can use modern 31.8 handlebars.

I'm probably going with some FSA compact drop bars, I like the flat portion on the hoods instead of the swooping hoods that hurt my wrists.
Along with that I was thinking some brifters?
Now, I've got an old campagnolo derailleur, so does that mean I can use modern campy brifters with it, or does the derailleur itself need to be indexed?

I've never really used anything other than friction shifters, so I'm not sure how to tell whats compatible.



I've got all the stock parts, but I replaced the front wheel and the saddle and pedals.
I just used parts I had lying around, none of those upgrades are permanent.



But first things first, where do I start with the brakes/shifters?



Here is the paper sticker, if that matters at all.



Plus some images of my derailleur, brakes, etc.

Just Riding

Your current stem is probably "French" diameter (22mm) and the nearest size quill adapters you're likely to find are "1" (22.2mm). See Sheldon Brown for more info.

https://sheldonbrown.com/velos.html#stem

You don't say how many gears your cluster has, but likely 5 or maybe 6? Bar end shifters in friction mode would certainly work with the setup you have, and would keep your hands closer to the handlebars.

I don't know what brifters, if any, might work with what you have.

BentLink

I faced with a similar problem on my C'dale with 126mm rear dropouts. An old Shimano 105 RD and 8-speed brifters (same spacing as 7 sp, just don't use one "click") work fine. Shimano 7sp Freewheels or cassettes work fine on both wheels I've used.

On my similar vintage Pug, the rear spreads easily to 130mm. That opens up lots more options.

For the mix 'n match of components, check out CTC's Rear Shifting page, lots of good reference data there.

OBTW, nice bike!

cyclist2000

I'm with the vintage guys and say not to upgrade this bike.

Now that said, why upgrade the brake levers, if the old ones work don't replace. with an Alfine 11, it comes with a rapid-fire shifter. I'm not sure if the alpine shifter will fit on the wing handlebars. But if you did find some brifters that work with the alfine for $250 that cost is in the ball park of brifters on the market.

You would also need to spread the frame to get the gear hub to fit.

After looking at your bike a little more, I would just suggest that you get a new bike with the equipment that you want on it. I just think that the cost is too much for upgrade.

I am not sure if you will have some of the same problems that I had trying to mix older equipment with new components. I was trying to use a older dura ace cranks with a 10 speed campy drive train and the 10 speed chain kept sticking to the cranks. And it appeared that the teeth were to wide for the chain.

So I am thinking that you will need to replace the brake levers, rear derailleur, hub cranks, stem and handle bars, chain, cassette. Well for few of hundred dollars more you can get a new bike, and you won't have to worry about compatibility issues, respacing the rear triangle and chain line.

Also now you will have a second bike to use. N+1 is good (to a limit).

wrk101

+1 Another vintage guy. I have upgraded many bikes, but, from a cost standpoint, it is always cheaper to just pick up a nice, used bike, with the components you are looking for. Looking at that seat height, the frame may be a tad small for you anyway. Good chance to try one slightly larger.

When I have upgraded bikes to STI shifting, the process started with finding a deal on a donor bike, a used bike that has the drive components I am looking for. I then basically transplant the drivetrain: wheels, derailleurs, crankset, shifters, etc.

+1 Mixing old drivetrain components with modern stuff can be problematic. I've done it, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. That's the advantage of the transplant.

jyl

The only aspect in which your bike gives up anything in function, to a modern bike that you might commute with, is the downtube shifters. To keep your hands on the bars while shifting, you could do bar-ends or this interesting thing that was just pointed out to me: "retroshift" (just google it).

Your shifting would then be from the hoods. It would still be friction. Changing to index would be more spendy, especially if you wanted components of a quality equivalent to what the bike has now. Your bike is a high-end racing machine with one of the lightest tube sets of the era and, if I recall, mostly Campagnolo components. Slapping low-end modern stuff on there would be in poor taste.

An internal gear hub is interesting in Portland where I live and where we're commuting through rain most of the year. Since you don't see much rain, I am not sure what advantages IGH has. Something like an Alfine 8 speed plus Versa brake levers/shifters for drop bars will cost around $500, and have largish steps between gears.

I actually have a similar issue going on. I have a 1982 Peugeot PSVN, also Super Vitus 980, much like your bike but a few years earlier and with a much inferior component set, which isn't entirely original any more. I'm using it as my summer commuter. So I'm debating whether to change out any components. Still undecided.

LarDasse74

SOme of the things you mention just make no sense as an upgrade... Why bother switching to 31.8mm stem clamp? I don't think there has been an 'improvement' to bikes in a long time that makes less of an improvement to how the bike rides or feels. If you balk at the cost of an Alfine integrated shifter then how comfortable are you with the $600 hub without shifters?

There is no reason why your 25 year old bike cannot ride as fast or as smoothly as a brand new bike, simply with a little TLC.

Trying to install brifters will mean changing almost every part of the drivetrain - hub, cogs, derailleur, shifters, chain, likely cranks and bottom bracket...nothing new will work with your old stuff. Plus you will need to re-space the frame to make it fit. But that doesn't mean your stuff is bad - just old. Get some friction bar-end shifters (like Suntour bar-cons) and ride that bike 'till the wheels fall off... then re-attach the wheels and ride some more.

If you are determined to go through with an 'upgrade,' consider buying a cheap 'doner bike' and swapping all compatible parts. Although with an old French bike you might find many parts will not simply swap over.
Full disclosure: I ride a 1976 steel 10-speed frame (CCM Torino 76) with an ALfine 8 speed hub... but my bike was not complete when I got it, otherwise I would have left it alone.

HillRider

I'm not at all into "vintage" or have any sentimental attachment to older bikes in general but I certainly agree with the "leave it alone" advice in this case. Upgrading to modern shifting and other components will basically require replacing every component on the frame and, due to it being French, the parts will be harder to find and even more expensive when you do. This thing will turn into a money pit and the cost will outstrip a decent used bike by a ton.

kooshbal

Form and function, although your ride is a little older than my merkx with campy record components, this bike spends most of the time on the rack and I ride a more modern hybrid and mountain bike. Why, down tube shifters and touchy breaks. So keep vintage and buy a more functional bike, at the end of the day it will be more cost effective.

spathfinder3408

I worked on a lot of Peugeots and never upgraded them. If I was going to upgrade an older bike it would be a Japanese bike with standard threads like a Univega. I would keep it simple and just go with bar end shifters. If it has 27's , change them to 700's and buy good wheels. Anything else won't make much of a difference, but may make you feel better. Like a new derailer, better bar tape. If thats a Carbolite frame it should be pretty light and fast. good luck

jyl

It is a Super Vitus 980 frame and fork, pretty durned light stuff.

Delmarva

Hi. I'm in the keep it as is camp because all the parts for an upgrade will cost you a lot more than just buying a newer bike that is outfitted for how you want to ride.

spathfinder3408

sounds like a good frame. If you think its worth it then its worth it. Its probably one of those bikes that weighs in at around 23 to 25 lbs, which is good. Steel bikes are best as far as I'm concerned. Good smooth ride and sturdy.

dedhed

I up graded my 25 YO Trek to modern drive train. I basically put all new (& lightly used) stuff on an old frame. As others have said, to update requires replacing pretty much everything. I had $800 into drivetrain, brakes & wheels, and it didn't have any French threading issues to worry about.

citymouse

Actually, she's about 20 pounds right now.
I've got a handful of old bikes I ride, but this is the lightest so I figure if I'm going to upgrade one it might as well be the best of my fleet.

I'm looking into custom frames, but for the cost/wait time I'd probably end up with something just like my peugeot, except for some internal cable routing and rack braze-ons.

Phil_gretz

If your major complaint is having to reach down to shift, I'd suggest adding bar-end shifters. They're really easy to reach and become quite intuitive. The rest of your proposed changes don't make sense to me - they're just unnecessary costs.

Unless you have some more specific complaint about the current handlebars... See if you have the adjustment right. Perhaps rotating the bars and re-positioning the brake levers might help you.

PG

garage sale GT

How about Modolo Morphos levers?

Keep your bottom bracket in good shape. It will be expensive to change.

FastJake

I really don't understand the 31.8 stem/bars. The threadless adapter will surely add more weight than you could ever save with nicer bars/stem. Just get some bars you like in the clamp diameter you already have.

Brifters? Uhh... You're in for some sticker shock there. Besides the brifters themselves you're looking at a new rear wheel, cassette, chain, rear derailer, and probably a front derailer and maybe even a new crankset if you go to 10-speed. Your old Campy RD is unlikely to work with any modern indexing system.

Get some friction bar-end shifters and call it a day. How about some clipless pedals? If you don't have those, they are the most major improvement you could do right now.

Camilo

a big +1 to the simple swap to bar end shifters. I rode my commuter with them for two seasons, and they were totally satisfactory, in fact I kind of liked them quite a bit. I "believe" that any bar end shifter you can find will have a friction mode in the right/rear one so that shouldn't be a problem, even if it's a modern, indexed type. The left/front shifter is friction only, at least it was with my dura-ace "9 speed" shifters. By the way, you can get great quality for pretty cheap with bar end shifters.

If you're unhappy with the brake levers for any reason (comfort, set up, etc.) the companies that sell after market brake levers have more modern styles that feel more comfortable (to me) on the hoods than the old type. You might check into that.

You can do both of the above in pretty nice quality for ~$150, probably closer to $100.

Like others have said, updating the whole drive train would be very expensive; it might be worth while if you have the parts laying around, but to buy all that stuff new would be a lot of dough.

onespeedbiker

I have a similar bike from a similar year, so let me give you the rundown. Your PSN10 was third best in the Peugeot line-up in 1985. The primary Gruppo (shifters, crankset, derailleurs) is Campy Triomphe, the brakes are Modolo (obviously). The headset is French, which is somewhat compatible with standard ISO (an ISO headset will fit, but you will need a fork to go with it and probably a quill; the quill is slightly smaller than ISO standard which may bulge the stem over time). The good news is the bottom bracket should be English. Beyond that I will have to agree with the the others. Most the parts are old technology and designed to work with each other. To do anything different than switch the brakes and/or levers and switch to friction downtube shifters is going to be very costly and still may not be transferable to a newer custom frame.

JohnDThompson 

Do you really need 11 speeds? A 3 or 5 speed internal hub would be more affordable, particularly if you got it used.