Vintage or New
07-25-10, 04:17 AM
#1
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Vintage or New
Here's my question or dilemma. The wife wants a new road bike. Right now she's riding an approx 1990 Schwinn Traveler with an Exage 6 sp group. The frame fits her perfectly. It's steel so it's easy to spread the stays from 126 to 130mm. As far as I'm concerned an upgrade would work well. Is the frame worth a new group or is it cheaper to just buy a new or slightly used Tiagra or 105 equipped bike?
07-25-10, 07:59 AM
#3
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Does your wife want a 'new' bike or a 'better' bike. Sounds like the bike she has is already pretty good, I wonder if you'll get a performance increase that she will notice by fixing up her existing bike. If it were me, and it was in the budget, I think I'd go new bike shopping with my wife. Let her try bikes out and go with what makes the ride enjoyable for her.
...then you can go out and get another Waterford.
...then you can go out and get another Waterford.
07-25-10, 08:13 AM
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A lot of manufacturers are now making women's specific design bikes, which are designed from the ground up for female dimensions, from handlebars to brake levers to stems to frames. These weren't available in 1990 except from specialty companies like Terry. It is well worth while for her to try out some modern bikes.
07-25-10, 08:19 AM
#5
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"As far as I'm concerned an upgrade would work well." --cs1
And therein lies the dilemma. I was a single parent to two daughters for a long time...new meant new. Otherwise it was something along the lines of whether I could 'fix it better'.
Brad
And therein lies the dilemma. I was a single parent to two daughters for a long time...new meant new. Otherwise it was something along the lines of whether I could 'fix it better'.
Brad
07-25-10, 08:21 AM
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If a new bike would get my wife out riding with me more, I would jump at that opportunity.
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07-25-10, 08:36 AM
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+10 She wants a new bike. If you can afford it, get her one. Not everyone loves vintage bikes, like most of us do.
07-25-10, 08:41 AM
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give her what she wants so long as she gives you what you want
07-26-10, 04:27 PM
#10
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Does your wife want a 'new' bike or a 'better' bike. Sounds like the bike she has is already pretty good, I wonder if you'll get a performance increase that she will notice by fixing up her existing bike. If it were me, and it was in the budget, I think I'd go new bike shopping with my wife. Let her try bikes out and go with what makes the ride enjoyable for her.
...then you can go out and get another Waterford.
...then you can go out and get another Waterford.
07-26-10, 04:28 PM
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07-26-10, 04:44 PM
#12
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Keep in mind, that she is riding steel right now. She may not like aluminum if she rides distances. IMHO, you're not going to be able to get away with entry level, she's going to want a better ride than the Schwinn, a TruTemper, Chromoly, double butted steel bike frame. I think you're either going to have to buy a Specialized Allez or move up to a CF frame.
No matter what bike you buy, if you have the room DON't sell the old one.
Come to think of it, why don't you just ask here what to do. Point out that you can buy 7 speed brifters off ebay and install them using her current drive train for about $110 turnkey if you do it yourself. If you go to 8 speed, the price goes up considerably because you have to replace the rear wheel and buy a new cassette, nine speed is even more expensive and so on.
No matter what bike you buy, if you have the room DON't sell the old one.
Come to think of it, why don't you just ask here what to do. Point out that you can buy 7 speed brifters off ebay and install them using her current drive train for about $110 turnkey if you do it yourself. If you go to 8 speed, the price goes up considerably because you have to replace the rear wheel and buy a new cassette, nine speed is even more expensive and so on.
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07-26-10, 06:45 PM
#13
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Keep in mind, that she is riding steel right now. She may not like aluminum if she rides distances. IMHO, you're not going to be able to get away with entry level, she's going to want a better ride than the Schwinn, a TruTemper, Chromoly, double butted steel bike frame. I think you're either going to have to buy a Specialized Allez or move up to a CF frame.
No matter what bike you buy, if you have the room DON't sell the old one.
Come to think of it, why don't you just ask here what to do. Point out that you can buy 7 speed brifters off ebay and install them using her current drive train for about $110 turnkey if you do it yourself. If you go to 8 speed, the price goes up considerably because you have to replace the rear wheel and buy a new cassette, nine speed is even more expensive and so on.
No matter what bike you buy, if you have the room DON't sell the old one.
Come to think of it, why don't you just ask here what to do. Point out that you can buy 7 speed brifters off ebay and install them using her current drive train for about $110 turnkey if you do it yourself. If you go to 8 speed, the price goes up considerably because you have to replace the rear wheel and buy a new cassette, nine speed is even more expensive and so on.
07-26-10, 07:44 PM
#14
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07-26-10, 07:49 PM
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Not an issue. Be happy she likes to ride, and the new Specialized are pretty nice.
If you're handy, look on line, but I like LBS's for the warranty and service.
She'll like it after riding that Schwinn, especially the drivetrain upgrades.
She'll ride more, you'll ride more, I can't see a down side to getting your wife a new bike if she wants one.
And there's always the leverage.
If you're handy, look on line, but I like LBS's for the warranty and service.
She'll like it after riding that Schwinn, especially the drivetrain upgrades.
She'll ride more, you'll ride more, I can't see a down side to getting your wife a new bike if she wants one.
And there's always the leverage.
07-27-10, 03:45 AM
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07-27-10, 04:26 AM
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Here's my question or dilemma. The wife wants a new road bike. Right now she's riding an approx 1990 Schwinn Traveler with an Exage 6 sp group. The frame fits her perfectly. It's steel so it's easy to spread the stays from 126 to 130mm. As far as I'm concerned an upgrade would work well. Is the frame worth a new group or is it cheaper to just buy a new or slightly used Tiagra or 105 equipped bike?
As Brad said in post 5, new means new. It can be difficult to break out of the C&V mindset, but this would be a good time to attempt to do so. Your bike roster shows that you're not reluctant to spend money on good bikes for yourself, so spend some on a new bike for your wife.
And don't be prejudiced against what's out there. I started out on Reynolds 531 in the '60s, went to Columbus SL in the '70s and '80s, and went to aluminum thereafter. Dirty little secret: they all ride the same, or, rather, the frame material is irrelevant to the ride. Plus, modern drivetrains are a pleasure.
Last edited by Trakhak; 07-27-10 at 04:34 AM.
07-28-10, 03:33 AM
#18
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Actually, both Waterfords were put together on the cheap. It took over 3 years of ebay shopping to get the 1200 done. Slightly off topic but used Waterfords are a best buy. You can pick up a nice used Ultegra/Chorus equipped one for under a $1K in excellent condition. Considering that the frame/fork new is over $2K without a build kit.
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