I like vintage road bikes. I have 2 (Raleigh made in Malaysia & Univega Nuovo Sport). I want to upgrade these bikes but how much upgrading is too much? If these bikes were a complete Eddy Merckx or DeRosa I would only upgrade the tires.
So at what point do you stop upgrading a vintage bike? How many parts before it no longer is "old school"?

I never stop; my bikes are always in flux.

IMO, if they are your forever, upgrade to the moon. If you see yourself selling at some point , do so in moderation.

Heck, you can always save the original parts and convert back before the sale !

Just depends on your plans for the bike...keeper...flipper...commuter...etc.

Keepers I'll upgrade for whatever my wallet allows.

Flipper I'll only spend what I see it needs to be sell able if it's not up to snuff.

Commuter just whatever I don't really care if it gets lifted, rained on or left outside.

You only live once so why not enjoy what your riding on regardless if it's a gas piper or something first born worthy. I've tossed XTR bits onto hi ten bikes as the ride was comfy.

Scooper's supersport comes immediately to mind...

Depends on where I get the parts and who does the work. I do the work myself, and I have found some very nice parts at attractive prices, so I tend to over-upgrade my keepers. If I had to pay FMV for parts, and pay someone else to install them, I would not have been able to afford it.

I won't stop upgrading until I can keep up with cars.



All my bikes are keepers, I have no qualms in upgrading them if I feel it will improve them in some way.

If it's a keeper..the sky's the limit. I've got a Schwinn Premis hanging over the computer I'm typing this into wearing an ultegra 6500 drivetrain, with mavic hubs on mavic tubular rims, wearing superbe pro pedals.. question not, if it makes your bike a better rider and you can actually afford it, JUST DO IT!

Frankly, if you enjoy your bike make it as personal and comfortable as you like. I bought a 1981 Fuji S12S frame and spent around 2,000 converting it into a nice 650b. I knew I was going to keep it and if I ever did want to find a different frame I could sell the Fuji and use the parts. I always tend to change components on most of my bikes or start with a frame, it is a lot of fun choosing whatever works for you.

This is bikeforums. We do not understand "excessive".

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...i-s-ergos.html

Have you seen the Retro Roadies thread? Too much is never enough

+1 - actually +~20

This is C&V. I don't understand upgrades. Old worn components work great. What would you want new stuff for?

I'll upgrade anything in a period-correct fashion. I'll update anything where I see a clear benefit of the new technology. Prime examples of the latter include brake pads, lighting, cable housing, and tires, not to mention helmets and mirrors. Since I like friction shifting, I am not willing to spend money on any form of indexing. I also like toeclips and straps, but I know most of you prefer modern snap-in binding shoe-and-pedal systems.

Saddles are a mixed proposition -- if I cannot get a traditional tensioned leather saddle, either new or old, at a reasonable price, I look to modern, rather than older, alternatives, because for me there were no other good options back in the 1970s, when one could choose only between tensioned leather (the good stuff) and padded vinyl (the evil stuff).

I'm with the majority, if it's a frame that you like to ride and you plan to keep it do whatever you want to keep it enjoyable. I have more in most of my bikes than they would ever be worth to anyone else but they are worth every penny of it to me because I enjoy it. Some people gamble, some drink, some of us upgrade old bicycles that aren't worth it........... we all have our vices.

Pfffft, beats me man.

I never put more money into them than I can get out.

To me, it is a question of what we are trying to accomplish. If the goal is the ultimate keeper, the bike that you ride a couple times and then say yup, all the others can go, then it makes sense to upgrade until you have perfection. But I have given up on that. I now try to achieve the authentic experience. I have no interest in riding a 1974 Raleigh Record again, original derailleur or not. Been there, done that. But my1974 Fuji "the ace" is wonderful and need not be upgraded in any way.

WWED?
Don't upgrade. Ride up grades.

Interesting question...and I, personally, waffle...between period correct and making it perfect for riding. Best example is my Miyata 1000...I LIKE the idea of it being period correct...but...I do ride it a LOT...and the current gearing is quite difficult for me at times...so...I plan to change out the cranks, freewheel and derailleurs to what I had put on a more modern bike. This will give me a much broader range of gears...but...it also makes it quite more modern. Now, I will DEFINITELY keep the original bits for this bike...but...I have upgraded it for me to ride even more than I do now...

I have other bikes that I have no hesitation to upgrade...another example...Masi Team 3V...I plan to upgrade it to a more modern, brifter oriented Campy group...it currently has the period correct Dura Ace (of course, something is basically WRONG with having Shimano on a Masi!)...in this case, I will probably NOT keep the period correct bits...I will reuse or sell.

So...as I said...I waffle quite a bit!

Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.

I upgrade my bikes to make them work well for what I want to do. I could ride my miele road bike the way it came with downtube shifters and a 52/39 and corncob out back but I don't ride like a roadie nor am I built like a racer so I have a triple and 11-32 out back so I can ride it on 200km rides and still walk afterwards. Personally I usually stop if I have to modify a perfectly finely painted frame by putting new braze-ons or something like. If it's bought as a frameset then I think any kind of wheels and groupset are fair game. If the paint is damaged or something then I'd go ahead and add canti posts or whatever else one might want, it's better than just sending it to the scrap yard like a lot of old bikes end up.

No rules. Do whatever pleases you. If you have something genuine original, I would retain the parts to keep it complete.

Examples of what I consider upgrades

I'm two projects away of building up an 80's steel lugged Italian frame with what most would consider mid level Suntour goodies. Its going to be bullet'eproof. I also like Campagnolo Velox, various steel hubs, obscure derailleurs, etc..

Yet I like seeing others using modern high zoot carbon bits, wicked lightweight cranks, ultralight levers, trick fasteners, whatever.

Upgrade
Replacement
Necessity

Pick your word.
Build your bike.

+ a zillion

I have a 1977 ($96.95) Schwinn Speedster single speed with $358.00 into the saddle and drive train alone.

Why? Because it's light(er), pretty, comfy, quiet and smooth. All totaled, the components are probably worth roughly ten times the frame. But it rides and looks the way I planned it to when it first hit the drawing board in my head.

Lame? For sure. But it makes me smile every time I walk past it or take it for a spin. And to me, that's what it's all about.