Again

Not yet, but it may become clearer when I see the parts.

DiegoFrogs

You're just throwing more money at the problem. I've never had a set of brakes on a reasonable mass-produced bike that I couldn't make work well enough. Have the shop fix what they botched and make the choice of improvement later.

Again

I may want to get a new wheelset, which would not only be an improvement of the wheels but make it possible to change to a cassette with new derailer, and install the Ultegra brifters I inherited.
Do these fit into my Sportour frame? https://cgi.ebay.com/Wheelset-Road-Bi...item5ae1d31b5d
What is the radius of these 700c wheels?

squirtdad

The Sheldon procedure is really easy...... only the rear hole of the fork needs to be drilled out, and then is is really minimal metal removed. You do need to get a longer reach recceessed brake nut to attache the rear brake (short threaded post) to the fork and use a nut to attach the from brake (longer threaded post) to the rear brake. I have even done this on a Univega. see https://www.sheldonbrown.com/calipers.html

WNG

Yes they will fit. Your frame is 126mm wide at the rear, these are 130mm.
These will be 8mm smaller in radius than the 27".
If your current brake calipers have enough reach, then 700C wheels are an easy swap.

Again

That would be terrific! I have such a hard time with the wheel sizes! SO my 27" wheels are 675mm in radius, and 700c are 675-8=595mm? Surely this stuff could be standardized, so we know what fits what!
I also read somewhere that there are different sizes of 700c - is that correct?

old's'cool

Umm, I do believe that is 4mm smaller in radius...

iangoat

I have a univega five star and can't find much info at all. With the help of a vintage bike shop I have mostly rebuilt the bike with 27 inch wheels, sun tour components and so forth. What I can't figure out is the type of brakes, specifically the size in millimeters. If it is all original in size then there must be a size for the brake calipers but I can't find them in the parts boxes at the vintage bike shop nor can I find any reference online. I acquired a set of weinmann 610 brakes today. Will these work? It needs a long reach. I think it had fenders originally but I started out with just the frame. The frame was awesome and so lightweight I couldn't say no to the project. If anyone knows the answer to the brakes please help.

Again

You are hijacking my thread, so I am trying to help out by redirecting you to where we discussed the brake issue. Look at post #82 in this thread!

Again

Whichever it is, either 4 or 8mm smaller will fit, right?

WNG

I'm not sure where you got 675 from, and obviously subtracting 8 can't yield 595. Not sure why you have that number either.
700C is 622mm while British 27" is 630mm.
There are no other 700C diameters, you're probably thinking of tire widths.
I recommend a read of sheldonbrown.com on this subject. It'll link to all relevant topics of converting from 27 to 700C. You're filling in some unknowns with assumptions in your quest for Univegan (is that a word? LOL) makeover.


And yes, like I stated they will fit.

Again

27inches times 25mm is 675mm. But my calculator screwed up the deduction, which obviously should be 667mm. None of which jives with either 622mm or British 27" of 630mm. An inch has 25mm, so 27x25=675 - how do they figure their conversions to decimals?

I think you are right there. Just to muddy up the waters a bit more.

I did. Several times, in my frustration! Didn't get it cleared up for me.

Guilty as charged. But it is unintentional.

And that is all that matters! I really appreciate all the help and advice I am getting, and look forward to the day when I won't have to ask dumb questions any longer! Thanks for your patience!

Again

Remember, I ordered these new brakes: https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...d=252089412372
Long Reach: 47-57 mm
That should do, right?

WNG

Yes, the long reach version will have your set up covered.

Again

My new brakes came in last night. Looking great, and I had no trouble installing the front one. As a matter of fact the old Dia Compe did have a recessed bolt already!
However, the rear did not, and Sheldon Brown's site only says this: "It is most common to install a rear caliper brake behind the brake bridge, but locating it ahdad of the brake bridge has advantages. sometimes a brake behidn the brake bridge will interfere with a rear rack.
Recessed mounting, nuts and bolts. Drilling a frame." But it doesn't fit in the hole ahead of the bridge either, and would have to be drilled out. I thought he knew a way without drilling?

Never mind, I put in a morning of intense afro-engineering, and managed to drill out the hole. Without proper tools, skills, or experience I had to fall back onto one of my few strength - perseverance. It all came out in the wash, looking good, and working!

mainstreetexile 

Just curious, what's the running total on this build? This is probably the most expensive sportour in history

Again

I am afraid you may be right. Or else I am the only one who doesn't mind making his stupidity public?
This is my total:
451.25 parts
70.00 bike
47.00 labor
568.25 total Univega cost

Now I understand how so many members of this forum end up with so many bikes. I am waiting for delivery of a hybrid/tourer now too.
This one: https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...fe_latte_x.htm
Well, we live and learn!

WNG

Good to read you got through the new brake transplant. The way around drilling out the rear was to mount the front caliper at the rear. Since it has a longer brake bolt. The rear caliper now gets installed as the front unit. It's shorter brake bolt is fastened by two ways:
1. you reach into the fork crown opening and screw on the locknut (and washers if needed).
2. you drill the back of the fork crown to accept a recessed brake nut....then buy an extra long one like those used for carbon forks, to reach the brake bolt. (see squirtdad's post above)

The high cost of this venture was pretty much a given to some of us. We tried to warn you. BTDT, LOL!
It's the price of one's learning curve. Look at it this way, it's like tuition. But at least you can ride and enjoy this tuition.

[hybrid]
Nice Motobecane. For the money, the build quality is satisfactory.
I picked up a Motobecane Vent Noir frame this Summer for myself. If your Cafe Latte is as finished as nicely as mine, you'll enjoy your hybrid.
I'm still piecing together what I need for my Vent Noir. Just found black wheels for its 'black' theme.

Again

That sounded even more troublesome to me, and I wanted to do the job right then and there. The fact that I didn't have an 8mm metal drill bit was no deterrent for this card-carrying Afro-Engineer, and I butchered my way though with a quarter inch bit drilling sideways, plus a fine round file to widen the hole further. I should have gone to the nearest hardware store for the right bit, but going shopping for one item is so much against my grain that I didn't.

Well, the saddle I *did* need, and after that it kinda sneaked up on me.

True, and I have no regrets, because it looks and feels just great now. Tonight I'll take it on a 20 mile ride with a friend.
To be honest, if I had another chance I would have stopped after the saddle, and put the rest of the money into the new bike I later decided to buy. But, that is water under the bridge...
I am a stamp collector, and that is not the most economically sensible habit either.

At first I actually wanted to buy the Century Pro https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...ury_pro_xi.htm, but by teh time I decided to go ahead they were all sold out! So I looked down the line and realized that with the fatter tires I could go with an alu frame without penalty, and I wanted the flat bar for the trigger shifting possibilities.

That would be a nice bike for me as well...if it was White!

Again

old's'cool

Truly an epic build thread. To make you feel better on total build cost for a low range Univega makeover, look up High Fist Shin's Viva Touring makeover thread, I believe it was 2-3 years ago. He went nuts, I mean nuts! Very nice result though, I must say.

Again

I looked it up - great looking green tourer! I am not a fan of green for cars or bikes, but my first Puch I got as a kid was green, and it looked great to me after a while.
I almost put some more money into my Sportour by getting a new 700c wheel set and cassette so I can use my inherited Ultegra brifters. But at the last moment I realized that it would be foolish, since the problem of the narrow frame still limits me to six gears without bending the seat and chain stays. So I gave up on it and bought the Cafe Latte instead.
But maybe I will have the frame powder coated over the winter months so it matches the snow white brakes!

WNG

I must have missed the Ultegra brifter post....are they 7 or 8 speed? If 7, then you can use your existing wheels and 7 speed freewheel.

Again

I only have six-speed in it now, and the LBS mechanic had reservations about bending the stays to widen the frame for a seven. Otherwise I would have put a new 7-speed freewheel with new Altus derailer on it, and could have used that 7/8/9 Ultegra brifter.
Has anyone bent those Sportour stays and is still riding it?

Again

Good news!
I got some good advice from the guys in the mechanics forum, pointing me to this page: https://sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html.
Apparently it is no big deal to accommodate a modern 9-speed cassette in the old frame, if you know what to do.
I went out in the garage to measure my stays, and it looks like I don't even have to "cold set" them to widen the space from 126mm to 130mm (they seem to be 130mm already!), so I can just drop in a modern 9-speed hub as is.
Ok then, my restoration project isn't over yet!
I am planning on the following further changes:
new wheel set with 700x25 tires,
new 9-speed cassette,
new rear derailer,
inherited Ultegra brifters.
Naturally, this will now cross the $1,000 mark in total cost, but I feel the old battered frame is worth a second life.
Will keep you informed when ready!