robertmdwill

Hello I was hoping you could help me, I bought a beautiful used 82-84 nishiki rally and I am hoping to upgrade from friction gearing to a simpler method. I'm preferring not to buy a new bike as I have fallen in love with this one.

I'm hoping to go to a 3x7 using mostly used parts as I'm trying to upgrade on a budget. My plan for the bike is to slowly swap out different parts to perfectly customize the bike for what I would like as I am going to be taking it across large parts of alberta next year.

From what I know it is a 2x6 friction with all stock parts.
I can provide pictures if needed.

icepick_trotsky 

This is your least expensive option. If you want a triple crankset, grab one on eBay and get the 3x7 option instead.

Microshift Shifters Sb-r472 7 Speed Road Bike Bicycle Groupset for Shimano &Sram | Amazon.com: Outdoor Recreation

robertmdwill

Okay, I'm going to my local used bike shop to look for parts.

My plans at the moment is to swap out the gears and shifters then continue to ride it throughout the summer and fall.
After than I plan to do a complete strip, sand down any rust and repaint it.

I have knowledge in the restoration of metals and parts but have never worked rewiring brakes or gears, including what parts work with others.

I tried to look for a guide on how to properly switch from friction shifting to a modern method ie. micro shifting, but I wasn't able to find one.

denny1969

Hi Robert,
Awhile ago, I upgraded a Nishiki Olympic 12 from the stock 12 speed to a 14 speed. Mine was as simple as changing out the shifters, rear derailleur, and freewheel. Conceptually your upgrade is the same as mine, but you will have a triple chainring setup. I'm going to start from the back end going forward.

Freewheel - Simply switch out the stock freewheel with a new one. Hub spacing is the same at 126 millimeters. I did not have to change the dish on my rear wheel. Back then I used a Sachs freewheel that was Shimano compatible.

Chain - Just make sure that it is compatible with the freewheel and shifters.

Rear Derailleur - You have a lot of options. I'd get a Shimano Deore (regular, LX, XT - 8 and 9 speed generations) from the past few years since there are a lot of them floating around and can be gotten at reasonable prices. Choose either medium or long cage types depending on how tall your climbing cog will be.

Crankset/bottom bracket - There are lots of Sugino and Shimano options. Take your pick.

Front Derailleur - You have a lot of options here, too. I'd look at Shimano RX 100, 105 or 600/Ultegra that were rated for 7 or 8 speed triples. Again, there are plenty floating around at reasonable prices.

Shifters - There are plenty of RSX, RX 100, 105, or 600/Ultegra downtube shifters to be found. You can find used RSX brifters, too. Also Shimano has a current model 3x7 speed brifter although I cannot remember what it is called. Microshift makes a Shimano compatible 3x7 shifter, too.

My Nishiki had braze on shifter bosses. I do not think that the Rally has any. You can purchase or modify Huret clamp on down tube shifter mounts to work with Shimano downtube shifters and brifter cable stops. If you made the choice to go with brifters, you could get generic clamp type downtube cable stops. However I would recommend buying an inline cable adjuster for the front derailleur cable housing.

Since you are going from a 2x6 to a 3x7 drivetrain, I would collect all the parts that you need and do the upgrade, then I would make the conversion in one shot. Changes in rear derailleur cage length and gear selection will affect your chain length.

Here's a video for a brifter conversion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJJyl0xPrJ0. The video is over 30 minutes long. You could fast forward through the obvious parts.

Dennis

Edit: Before I did the drive train upgrade, I upgraded to a set of Mavic MA2 rims with Campy Athena hubs that were dished for a seven speed freewheel. If you are going to use your current rear wheel, check with your local bike shop if you have to have it redished.

squirtdad

with indexed shifting you need to make sure that everything matches and is compatible.

you will need a 7 speed freewheel, then you need 3x7 shifters that match the freewheel spacing (shimano most likely)
You also need to make sure the the deraillers have the pull (amount derailler moves per amount the shift wire is moved) that matches the amount of wire the shifter pulls for each index setting

if you go 3 upfront you will most likely need a longer spindle or replacement bottom bracket, and a longer chain, and maybe a bigger capacity derailler (front and rear)


some combinations work, some don't

so there is no black and white guide. best guarantee is matching parts
I would just ride the bike and enjoy, save money and then do it up right

robertmdwill

Quick question, I found a shimano acera "3x8" groupset for $20 on a local buy/sell though it was for a mountain bike will it work fine for my nishiki?

denny1969

What's in the groupset? You may be able to use some of the parts. And $20 isn't a bad if you use some of them. Keep in mind that you could sell what you don't use.

Here are a few things to think about.

1. Mountain bike gearing and road gearing are two different animals. Figure out our gear options - cog and chainring selection. You may want to check with the guys in the touring section on what best suits your needs.
2. Hub spacing for a 6/7 speed is 126 millimeters. Hub spacing for 8 speed is 130 millimeters. The rear dropouts will need to be respaced. You will need to replace your old wheels to accommodate an 8 speed cassette.
3. If you decide to ride a 3x7 rig, you can use the front and rear derailleur. They are both Shimano SIS/Hyperglide compatible. The rear derailleur has a long cage for triple use. The front derailleur has a range for a triple. My only concern about the front derailleur is if the clamp diameter will match your frame.

Dennis

PS. Could you post some pictures of the bike?

oddjob2

If you're using drop bars, the Acera grip or trigger shifters won't fit on road bars.