I'm a bicycle commuter, I don't race or even go on group rides, but if I have somewhere to go, I'd generally rather ride a bike than drive. I have found that I really like 80s 10-speeds. They have been a good compromise for me between ride quality, toughness, price, and maintainability. My current bike is a Japanese made Raleigh Super Record, and I haven't been terribly kind to it. For example, at times I've stuck heavy baskets on it and filled them with 20lbs or more of groceries.

Bumbling around on here, I came across this page: FREE SITE 1. This fellow talks about how fragile quality old road bikes are a lot, and numerous examples of small damage ruining a bike. I guess that doesn't really scream "quality" to me.

So, here's my question, have I been wrong about how tough old 10 speeds are? I can think of 3 possibilities:

1. No, my bike is a low-end bike. He's talking about super light bikes with very thin tubing. My Raleigh, is indeed, a tough old steed.
2. Yeah, I'm probably just lucky I didn't cause damage with all my mucking about with baskets and what-not.
3. I have damaged it, and I just haven't noticed because I'm a Philistine that doesn't know what a good ride IS.


Jim

Well, if they are saying that really thin walled bikes with old, extra-light rims are more fragile than modern, then yes. Your Raleigh has neither and should be able to stand up to any reasonable level of abuse you'd care to heap on it. Racing-specific frames, rims and components of old are a different animal. There are steel tube sets and lots of old lightweight rims that are considered only suitable for riders below 150 lbs, etc.

The fellow who runs that site ( [MENTION=84826]randyjawa[/MENTION]) is an active member of this forum. Having read many of his posts, I suspect he would not agree with the sentiment regarding the fragility of vintage bikes. I bet he would say you have a fine bike and encourage you to continue to use it (assuming it now has a crank and bottom bracket).

jr-

A lot of old "ten speed" sport touring bikes are tough as nails. They were typically overbuild to aid in production efficiency and will tolerate a great deal of neglect and user abuse but you can break them. Randy Jawa has a wealth of experience salvaging and rehabilitating a wide range of old bikes and his site is an excellent introduction for getting into the hobby. The bikes that are prone to damage from heavy handed use are things like Colnagos or Peugeot PX 10s with tubular tires or skinny clinchers. The lighter and "racer" the bike, the more prone to damage as the designers have pared away, for improved performance, much of the overbuilding found in your current style of bike.

Yes, I put it back together. That picture was taken for this thread: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...p-what-do.html I had a very nice ride in this morning.

Jim

by '79/'80 most all road bikes went to 126mm spacing (12- or 14-speed).

'78 was about the first year this was done (per my experience anyway). never had nor run into an '80s bike with 120mm rear.

the again ... all 12-speed bikes provide, at most, 10-speeds, because you never ride in the outer limits of the chainline (big chainring/big cog combo and small/small combo).

I do not use it a lot, but small/small has always worked well for me, but I typically run either half-step, with a 3-tooth difference between the chainrings, or 1.5-step, with an 8-tooth drop. I generally avoid large-large, as you do, but, as I recently reported, I accidentally discovered that my half-step Peugeot runs surprisingly quietly and smoothly in large-large cross, making it a true 12-speed (with an unusually even ratiometric gear progression: 45-42/13-15-17-20-23-26).

I am the fellow and, unless my memory serves me incorrectly, I said that road bicycles are fragile when compared to all other styles of bicycles. And make no mistake about it - they are! This top of the line, lugged butted chrome moly steel with a carbon fiber core is wayyyyy more easy to damage, break or wear out...



...than this old antique...



...or this roadster...



...or any mountain bicycle...



You can't have light, and thin and expect durability. Even the most entry level vintage road bicycle is more fragile than a similar roadster, or antique, or mountain bicycle.

But that does not mean don't ride/trust them. Learn how to ride the old road bicycles. Learn how to maintain old road bicycles and you will enjoy thousands of miles, each year, riding here, there and everywhere.

my '78 fuji s10s will be around well after the next nuclear war. it's possible the thing could take a direct hit. it's a beast.

and i bet ya my lightest road bike will be around tens of decades after i'm pushin' up daisies. it'll stay in the family in (at the very least) a dry garage and be well cared for, or i'll come back and haunt the hell out of its new owner 'til he submits to the required c&v loving torture.

The lightweight racers and sport bikes are more fragile than other types of bikes, but millions of them have survived decades of use. These frames are very strong front-to-back, but much less so side-to-side. So there are certain things you just can't do: because the tubing walls are quite thin, you don't want to let one fall sideways against a metal pole or a sharp corner. On the other hand, if you can avoid that kind of thing your lightweight frame can last a lifetime and beyond. Many have been loaded with camping gear and ridden across the country or around the world.

+1 Fuji. Mid - 80's Fuji's with Valite tubing are definitely tough bikes. So are old Schwinns & Raleighs. The most fragile bikes were the 20 to 21 pound sew up tire Gitanes, Peugeots, & Bottecchias made in the late 60's early 70's. If you hit a pot hole on one of those the frame could break.