A first world problem or a good dilemma
I very recently retired and my son has persuaded me to start riding again so I bought an e-bike to ease back into the saddle and I'm afraid I'm hooked once again. I like to pedal and I have two vintage bikes, a nearly pristine 80s Concorde Aquila, all Campy SR and a 70s Serotta Club Series (predates Club Special) no braze-ons except for the derailler cable. The Seroota was my daily driver and it has been refinished twice without decals and currently looks pretty rough. I loved riding this bike and I want to bring it back. The problem is my new Yamaha Urban Rush e-bike has spoiled me with great indexed shifting and hydraulic disc brakes. I would like to return it to original form but I already have a really nice bike with friction shifters, caliper brakes and tubulars. When I give the Serotta to a re finisher I could add braze-ons for everything including disc brakes, re space the dropouts for a cassette rear hub and tubeless tires. Part of me feels like this would be blasphemy and another part of me feels like this is my bike and I can do what I want. What would you do?
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It's your bike. Do what you will.
But I certainly wouldn't. :lol: |
I would
it’s been refinned twice- If it were pristine, or even original- that would make me hesitant- but I’ve certainly learned the bike that’s easiest to ride gets the most miles. EDIT: Except for disc brakes, as mentioned below- |
I would totally do it! It’s your bike to do with what you will. And you’ll get more enjoyment out of it if you set it up the way you want to. :thumb:
Edit: Except for disc brakes, as mentioned below. |
Not advisable to use disk brakes with a vintage fork. Disk brakes put a lot more stress at the very ends compared to rim brakes, and require a heavier duty fork.
The bikes been refinished twice, and I wouldn't have any qualms about modernizing it otherwise, but stick to rim brakes. Alternatively buy a modern steel bike or a vintage 'style' frame set up for disk brakes (SOMA, VO, etc. ) |
Originally Posted by Salamandrine
(Post 21648986)
Not advisable to use disk brakes with a vintage fork. Disk brakes put a lot more stress at the very ends compared to rim brakes, and require a heavier duty fork.
The bikes been refinished twice, and I wouldn't have any qualms about modernizing it otherwise, but stick to rim brakes. Alternatively buy a modern steel bike or a vintage 'style' frame set up for disk brakes (SOMA, VO, etc. ) Otto |
I've got to agree that it is your bike to do what you want. The Golden Boy makes an excellent point. What is the sense of having a beautify restored bike that don't get ridden much. Make it how you like it. I had a Club Special and I can say that it is a better riding bike than some of the more specialized race bikes. I therefore can see it as a bike that you can enjoy riding more often. I will add that a Gios for instance can be stiff and I can see where you may not ride that as much. Then again, how many hours a day will you be riding. Ether would be fine. I am just over thinking here.
The only thing that I would add is that, if it were mine, I would build it so that I could go back to the original if I or someone later ever wanted to. Serotta decals are not hard to come by. Back then Imron was the paint of choice. What does your Serotta look like. Put a picture of you bike, or bikes, in you gallery. Reply to some posts to get your post count over 10 and you can post pictures directly. Serotta's with wear still look good. |
Originally Posted by Salamandrine
(Post 21648986)
Not advisable to use disk brakes with a vintage fork. Disk brakes put a lot more stress at the very ends compared to rim brakes, and require a heavier duty fork.
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BTW- I totally missed the whole thing about the disc brakes... No I wouldn’t do that- without doing as mentioned above.
But spread the rear end, have bosses installed for bottles, cable guides, (cantilever) brakes or whatever... Modern 9-10-11 speed, heck yeah... |
What do think of dual pivot brakes vs campy side pulls? I could end up changing nearly everything.
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I'm sending my vintage bike in for disc brakes and a few other things this winter but I don't think disc brakes and thru-axles are the devil.
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Originally Posted by LiamCrickard
(Post 21649728)
What do think of dual pivot brakes vs campy side pulls? I could end up changing nearly everything.
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LiamCrickard If your are going to modify the frame set, pick your favorite components or try something new.
I had no history with the 1988 De Rosa acquired end of last year. It is all 10 speed Record or more. The only "period" like part now are the stem, post and handlebar. Brooks saddles have no period, they Transend period. It is my favorite ride, although I still ride the Pinarello more for more reasons that have nothing to do with riding. I know many of you have seen this pic but I just can't resist and this thread needs at least one! De Rosa with parts at least if not more than 10 years newer, Pinarello with period parts. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1f5f9ba2_c.jpgP1030585, on Flickr 1984 Trek 610 with brazed on rack bosses, replacement eyelettes, and cable stops. Components are from 1972. https://live.staticflickr.com/7304/1...b41057bd_c.jpg1983 Trek 610 60 cm (24"), on Flickr I just need to stop doing this. Right? |
Originally Posted by LiamCrickard
(Post 21649728)
What do think of dual pivot brakes vs campy side pulls? I could end up changing nearly everything.
Dual pivots would rule- they'd improve your braking and they'd look spiffy!!! |
Do what you like to ride that bike... and sell the E-crutch :thumb:
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LiamCricket,
I would do it. I would get frameset refinished, have frame guy spread rear spacing t to 130 mm and put on a Campagnolo 10, 11 or 12 speed groupset. Frame guy could also add on braze on's as desired, personally, I would to water bottle bosses. I recently did an 11 speed Campag Centaur on a Waterford and it works great. Dual pivot calipers will stop you fast, discs might be better, not sure, but seriously, these dual pivots work (I actually think pad compound has improved over the years). Best of luck with this effort, keep us posted. |
Originally Posted by LiamCrickard
(Post 21648927)
I very recently retired and my son has persuaded me to start riding again so I bought an e-bike to ease back into the saddle and I'm afraid I'm hooked once again. I like to pedal and I have two vintage bikes, a nearly pristine 80s Concorde Aquila, all Campy SR and a 70s Serotta Club Series (predates Club Special) no braze-ons except for the derailler cable. The Seroota was my daily driver and it has been refinished twice without decals and currently looks pretty rough. I loved riding this bike and I want to bring it back. The problem is my new Yamaha Urban Rush e-bike has spoiled me with great indexed shifting and hydraulic disc brakes. I would like to return it to original form but I already have a really nice bike with friction shifters, caliper brakes and tubulars. When I give the Serotta to a re finisher I could add braze-ons for everything including disc brakes, re space the dropouts for a cassette rear hub and tubeless tires. Part of me feels like this would be blasphemy and another part of me feels like this is my bike and I can do what I want. What would you do?
IMHO skip the disc breaks.....the forks were not designed to handle the stress and modern dual pivot brakes are great.performance wise I personally would really question going tubeless unless you plan on running larger than 32mm , I know some swear by them but it seems a lot swear at them, especially for on road fixes and most importantly take lots of pics and post before and afters :) running modern gear on a classic steel frame IMHO gets the best of both world. I have do it with a de rosa and with my current go to rid an 85 Team Miyata |
Originally Posted by Germany_chris
(Post 21649733)
I'm sending my vintage bike in for disc brakes and a few other things this winter but I don't think disc brakes and thru-axles are the devil.
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Skip the discs and get some brazed on Centerpulls, either Mafacs or Dia-comps.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...11201dc397.jpg |
I wouldn’t do the disc brakes.
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Congrats on your retirement.
105 SLR single pivot brakes are the best I've ever used. Sadly, I have them on only one bike. Add some Kool Stop salmon pads and it will stop on a dime. |
Have you looked at what Serotta frames sell for? If you want to do that much, I'd consider selling it, and buying a bike that's got features you want, or is more compatible with them. Let someone who doesn't want to turn a 70s bike into a 2010 bike have a turn with it. The build quality on just about any of Ben Serotta's frames is exceptional, state of finish be damned.
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Originally Posted by SJX426
(Post 21649757)
LiamCrickard If your are going to modify the frame set, pick your favorite components or try something new.
I had no history with the 1988 De Rosa acquired end of last year. It is all 10 speed Record or more. The only "period" like part now are the stem, post and handlebar. Brooks saddles have no period, they Transend period. It is my favorite ride, although I still ride the Pinarello more for more reasons that have nothing to do with riding. I know many of you have seen this pic but I just can't resist and this thread needs at least one! De Rosa with parts at least if not more than 10 years newer, Pinarello with period parts. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1f5f9ba2_c.jpgP1030585, on Flickr 1984 Trek 610 with brazed on rack bosses, replacement eyelettes, and cable stops. Components are from 1972. https://live.staticflickr.com/7304/1...b41057bd_c.jpg1983 Trek 610 60 cm (24"), on Flickr I just need to stop doing this. Right? |
Originally Posted by Charles Wahl
(Post 21651231)
Have you looked at what Serotta frames sell for? If you want to do that much, I'd consider selling it, and buying a bike that's got features you want, or is more compatible with them. Let someone who doesn't want to turn a 70s bike into a 2010 bike have a turn with it. The build quality on just about any of Ben Serotta's frames is exceptional, state of finish be damned.
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The problem with dual pivot brakes is they will only allow up to 28mm tires. I would really like 32mm tubeless. The Shimano 105 R70XX looks pretty good for this kind of bike.
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Originally Posted by LiamCrickard
(Post 21651809)
The problem with dual pivot brakes is they will only allow up to 28mm tires. I would really like 32mm tubeless. The Shimano 105 R70XX looks pretty good for this kind of bike.
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Originally Posted by squirtdad
(Post 21651828)
need to check what frame will allow. I have 30mm tubular in my 5800 105 brakes but there are a number of Tecktro and Shimano dual pivot that will allow 32mm
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Originally Posted by LiamCrickard
(Post 21651729)
Do you want a turn?
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Originally Posted by Charles Wahl
(Post 21652135)
Well, sight unseen, I can't say, but I probably would want a turn if it were a frame size I could ride (say, 60 to 62 cm ctt), and undamaged (structurally) for the most part. I have quite a few projects waiting their turn, though. But it's a pretty good bet that quite a few people would want a turn, even if conditions are different. That being said, the place to offer items for sale within this forum is the "Classic and Vintage Sales" subforum.
Top of the TT to center of the BB = 59cm and the only damage is to the paint. I haven't seen this vintage Serotta frame for sale but the later ones that I have seen for sale to my mind don't go for that much and are likely more desirable. I expect that refinishing with ancillary services will cost as much or more than what I could buy another frame for. I'm not trying to and have no desire to make a museum piece. To my mind this is nothing more than a canvas to paint on. A really nice canvas made by a really cool and nice guy who happens to have become an icon of the frame building business. I don't want to change that, just add some personal touches that you might not approve of but I'm certain he would not care one whit about. There are 55,000 Serotta frames and the vast majority of them not made personally by Ben Serotta. BTW (BS XXX) stamped on the steerer tube is a model number not a serial number this one and numerous others are stamped BS 256. Which translates to the Club Series frame set. I doubt he made every frame and fork personally for every bike to come out of his factory at almost any time. I am the second owner of this frame which I bought from a guy I'm not going to name here who was part of Toga bike shop NYC from the beginning and then moved to NC to start another bike shop here (not in Apex). This had been his personal frame set and not for more than a few years. I bought it in 78 or 79 and have had it since. I rode it until 89 and it's been collecting dust in my garage ever since. I have a warm fondness for it and what it represents from my past and I would like to rekindle some of that before it's too late for me. So, no I'm not trying to sell it! However I am a pragmatist and if someone wants to make a museum piece out of a bike frame with a rich history, fine I will part with it. Otherwise, I will continue to love and care for it in my own way. |
In light of the narrow spacing between the chain stays, I think symmetrical dual pivot caliper brakes will probably be best. I can still use 28mm tubeless tires which for my purposes should perform as well as tubeulars and be much easier to repair on the road and at home.
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