Is this wrong?
 

I have a full set of components to put on a frame that came from my old frame that was totaled in a car accident. The components are still fine. I ride a System Six but I want to put my 10 speed Ultegra 6600 gruppo on a cool vintage bike for commuting. Who is doing this? Any pics or considerations? I really like a lot of different types of vintage bikes. Which ones will easily fit this type of setup?

You can make it work. The main things would be to find a frame that will fit or will spread (don't do this to an aluminum frame!) to accommodate the 10 speed rear wheel, and your FD and any other clamp on parts might be for 31.8mm tubes rather than the standard vintage 28.6 size.

Look to this thread for inspiration
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...&highlight=sti

That thread was very cool. Are there any frames that will fit a ten speed setup without modification to the frame? There are so many beautiful vintage bikes, but I want one that will fit these components.

Is your rear hub 130mm or 135? If you are adamant about getting a frame with spacing that is exactly right for your hub You'll have a wider selection of frames if you're dealing with 130mm than 135mm.

Either way though its a pretty small jump to put a 130mm hub on a 126mm frame, or a 135mm hub on a 130mm frame.

I have had 3 bikes now with 126 rear ends and 130 hubs. The frames don't technically need modification to fit 130 hubs, just the slightest bit of fineness. I have a mid 80s Cannondale with with full 8sp Dura Ace and even with the ridiculously stiff rear end the hub basically no effort to drop right in. The steel bikes were even easier.

I believe it's 130 mm. Good advice guys. So I guess just try to get something that's at least 126 mm is what people are saying and it should fit right in...

You should take a look at this article at Sheldon's site (and then take a look at the rest of the site :thumb: ).

The nutshell:I'm in the middle of sorting out a similar build and have a nice steel frame I'm planning on taking from 120 to 130.

NO!!! It wont 'fit right in'.

Your hub will only 'fit right in' a 130mm frame.

A 126mm frame will need to be opened up to 130mm. There are 2 ways of doing this, first is to set it to 130mm so the wheel drops in and out, this is called 'cold setting' and it will stay at 130mm. The second is to simply flex open the frame and stuff the wheel in. Every time you remove the wheel the frame will flex back to 126 and you'll to flex it back open and re-stuff the wheel back in each time.

Other issues to look out for:

Brake reach: Your current calipers may not have proper reach. It will depend on the frame you pick.
FD band size: Odds are your FD will be way to big. Fortunately FD's are cheap
Headset: You'll need a new one.
Seatpost: You'll more tahn likely need a new one
Stem: Yours wont fit a 1" threaded steerer. Use a threadless stem adapter.
BB: Whats the width of you C-Dale? It may not match the vintage frame you buy. Italian vs. BSA 70 vs 68

+1 on the link above. I don't have bf bookmarked..but i have that thread bookmarked and visit/drool daily.
yup.. 80s 126mm OLD with 9/10 speed ultegra sti setup.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2514/...6f19af437a.jpg

I didn't think it would fit right in, but that's what people were implying. Does anyone know a good resource for finding out these distances? I found a Italvega Gran Tourismo that looks nice but I am not sure about the spacing on the frame.

What are some cool vintage frames that are 126 or 130 mm?

The only thing Miami Jim didn't mention is the brake nuts. Old bikes had brakes with a long bolt and a nut on the other side of the bridge or crown. New bikes have a short bolt and a long nut that fits into a recess on the bridge and crown.

If it were me .... I'd find a classic in the late 80s-early 90s range. Your short reach brakes will probably fit, at the least the frame will have the recess for the nut so you can use modern brakes. The frame will probably be 130 already and if a lower end, 7s model it'll be 126 and easily spread or cold set.

If you want to keep your bottom bracket (and why not) go with whichever you already have, British or Italian.

Six and Seven speeds were originally 126. Eight and up is 130.

There are hundreds really. A lot of never built up frames pop up on ebay from time to time from the early 90s even and have the correct rear spacing for the modern groups (there really is no reason to spread the back though, there isnt much trouble just sticking the wheel in there.

I recently STI'd an old '85 Miele... yeah its more "practical" to ride now, but I'll admit the bike just aint fun to ride anymore, im thinking I'll bring it back to friction. Look at it like an old car with a manual transmission, then imagine riding the same car with an automatic configuration.