Mods to make a vintage bike more comfortable
02-25-17, 10:36 AM
#26
Senior Member
I think the solution is simply a Nitto Technomic stem. They've been around forever and will preserve the look of the bike. You probably don't need the tall one. Simply decide where you would like to located your handlebar in relation to your saddle and buy the right size stem. Old school typical regular non racer rider would pick a position ~even with handlebars to about an inch down. By the mid 80s era of this bike, people were riding smaller frames with more drop, but you don't have too.
Also, rando handlebars raise up the effective hand position another cm or two with the same stem height. They might be worth considering.
Also, rando handlebars raise up the effective hand position another cm or two with the same stem height. They might be worth considering.
02-25-17, 02:50 PM
#27
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Well I lucked out on one piece anyways. I took a drive over to this bicycle graveyard today where I found this old Panasonic in the first place. 99% of everything that's over there is El Cheapo Huffy garbage ( with a couple of old Panasonic touring bikes and an occasional Mossberg or Coast King bike from the seventies). I found an old Raleigh most likely from the seventies. It was a Touring bike and it had a technomic Japanese quill stem on it. I remove the bars and the stem from the bike and it was about seven or eight centimeters longer on the quill then my Panasonic stem and it was 80 mm reach (same as the original). So I brought it home and polished it up with some steel wool and put it on my bike and now I can get the bars up higher than the seat if I so desire. It looks like a decent quality Japanese stem from the day and the only difference from the original is that the lock bolt for the bars is horizontal with a stainless nut on the backside whereas my original stem had the bolt going vertical and it threaded into the aluminum into a blind hole. It looks pretty good and it rides a lot more comfortable now as I'm not so hunched over in a racing position. Now down the road I will take a look at getting some modern bars that are a little wider and I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with my gearing yet.
02-25-17, 02:54 PM
#28
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I think the solution is simply a Nitto Technomic stem. They've been around forever and will preserve the look of the bike. You probably don't need the tall one. Simply decide where you would like to located your handlebar in relation to your saddle and buy the right size stem. Old school typical regular non racer rider would pick a position ~even with handlebars to about an inch down. By the mid 80s era of this bike, people were riding smaller frames with more drop, but you don't have too.
Also, rando handlebars raise up the effective hand position another cm or two with the same stem height. They might be worth considering.
Also, rando handlebars raise up the effective hand position another cm or two with the same stem height. They might be worth considering.
02-25-17, 03:49 PM
#29
Senior Member
Glad it worked out, and enjoy the bike. 
02-25-17, 03:56 PM
#30
Senior Member
Thread Starter
02-25-17, 04:15 PM
#31
Full Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Woodstown NJ
Posts: 274
Bikes: 1975 Schwinn Voyageur II (Made by Panasonic), 1988 Schwinn Voyaguer (touring)
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I had good results with a Sugino XD2 crank (46-36-24) from Rivendell on my 75 Schwinn (Panasonic) Voyaguer II with a Shimano XT triple FD.
John Hawrylak
Woodstown NJ
John Hawrylak
Woodstown NJ
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