After buying, tuning, modifying, and riding my 1995 Giant Innova hybrid, I'm interested in getting a road bike for longer solo rides. Being a tinkerer and builder by nature, I've got the itch to start a winter build up of a Retro Roadie. I love the vintage look & modernization of these bikes. And, the thought of buying a new road bike instead of bringing an older one back to life makes me sick.

So, I'm scanning Craigslist and seeing what's out there. Based on my research, I will need a 54cm frame. It looks as though there are a lot of complete bikes available in my area for under the $200 price range. My idea is to start with a bike, tear it down to the frame, have it sandblasted, powdercoated, and start building from there. I am in no hurry and willing to take the time/$ to buy the proper components.

My questions are:

Knowing that I will be replacing/upgrading all the components, are there any bikes, frames, brands, or anything to lean towards or stay away from? I would rather buy a decent frame/bike rather than start with a crappy one.

Are some of the name brand (shwinn, bridgestone, etc.) acceptable bikes/frames?

I know it's a very broad question, but based on your experience as a Retro Roadie builder, what would some of you guys advise or recommend as I start a project?

First, find the thread here that shows pages and pages of upgraded older frames.
Second, set a budget, and decide what components are in your price range.
Third, decide if you are going to sell the take-off compents or hold them.
Fourth, go shopping.

I'm in no way objective, but I've upgraded a ton of older steel bikes.
Hands down, I recommend a Centurion Dave Scott Ironman.

1-Prices are generally pretty reasonable, and you can get the frames, often without components, reasonably.
2-They sandblast and re-coat very easily. No chrome or complications.
3-Decal kits are available.
4-They use standard sizes and can easily be expanded from their 126mm rear to 130mm for modern stuff.
5-Modern wheels tend to let their Tange 1 frames (or any other well-done older frame) really shine.
6-It's an icon in the cycling world. Almost everyone had one or knew someone who did. The really cool kids still have them.
7-Secret benefits I can't tell you about.
8-If you want to take your time upgrading, the excellent OEM components will hook you on day One.
9-Their tech support is outstanding.

There are plenty of others out there. Fit is first, and then just get the best deal.
On an Ironman.

Thanks for the quick reply and suggestions. I've been getting some great ideas and inspiration from the Retro Roadie thread on here. It's cool to see that I'm not the only one that likes older, steel bikes.

I agree that first off fit is most important. I would hate to dump money into something that I end up not liking.

RT is far from objective - and with great reason: he's picked a fantastic bike to be unobjective about. I see Ironmans pop up with a fair degree of regularity and at decent pricing too. I like the fact that they are very upgradable (as are others of that ilk, by the way.) Good advice about fit, though... if the bike doesn't fit you, don't worry about how great the deal or how wonderful the builder.

Then don't get married. This forum is for bikes.

I don't understand something. You want a vintage bike but then your going to strip and powdercoat/paint the frame and put new/modern components?

If you want a bike with 'brifters' why not just buy a new bike? IMHO the prupose of having a C&V bike is to enjoy the simplicity of the bike. SOme guys here are really into 3spd and eschew anything with a derailleur, some are or were strictly singlespeed guys and so on. Myself? I like what I cal Nuovo Classics, bikes from the late '80s that have index shifting and aero brake levers. The have the classic good looks of a 'racing' bike but the modern convience of indexing and the brake cables do not get in the way when your eating you Philly Pretzel on the way home.

Also depending on where you live a $200 bike off craigslist may not be worth putting all that money into when you start powdercoating and putting new wheels and brifters on it.

Find youself a good quality late '80s bike, something with a ChroMol frame and fork and Suntour Cyclone or shimano 105 or better components. Spend the winter cleaning and overhauling it. give the frame a good coat of turtle wax. Spend the summer riding it like that and then worry about upgrading to 50speeds and brifters.

Sometimes it's just too fun to find a nice frameset on eBay and go to town on it!

Yes...

I never said anything about brifters. I am thinking more along the lines of bar end shifters and updated brake levers with the cables wrapped in the handlebars. I do/will appreciate the simplicity of the C&V bike but with cleaner lines.

Interesting...sounds like we think alike.

When you said Retro Roadie Project, you made us all think you meant similar to the Retro Roadie thread, where the bikes are brifter/ergo conversions.

Bridgestone RB's are good, Schwinn anything with Tenax or above, I personally think the Dave Scott Ironman thing is entirely too played out, it's a great bike but it's pretty close to being this forums Kilo TT.

I have some questions for you though! Are you looking for a lower mid ranged bike? Anything high enough end to really captivate the people around here, the components more then likely wouldn't actually need upgrading. Have you also considered that we're all just nuts with too many bikes and parts and thus these obsessive projects get easier the more your bike addiction gets out of control? If I were you I'd opt for something like BG recommended and her plan too!

Have you ridden road bikes before? Is another thing I'd like to know.

I'll give you my take on the Vintage bikes. I like the slim look of the steel tubes with down tube shifters. Originally i was looking at a 2012 Bianchi Campione or 2012 masi Strada, both about $800~$900 bikes new and about 24~25 lbs.

As Bianchigirll mentioned, Nuovo Classics are my thing too. DT index Shifters with aero brakes. Came here to the forum to ask basically the same questions you did and many suggested to me to get a vintage bike and replace components to make it better than the two i was orignally looking at. Well, No doubt in my mind the best candidate for me was a Centurion bike, with either Tange 1 or Tange 2 frame.

The Ironman model that Robbietunes suggested is one of the best from Centurion. If you can't find one in your size then you can always look for an Elite, Elite RS, Lemans, Lemans RS, but make sure they have the Tange 2 frame, as some did not, depending on which year they were produced. Tange 1 and Tange 2 only vary in weight by less than 3 oz. in a 58cm frame.

The one i got weighed only 2225 grams, my Centurion is still a work in progress but after I am done with it, it will have the quality and weight of a Masi Gran Criterium, which is about $2175 bike but i only spend about as much as a Masi Strada which is a $895 bike.

Here is a picture when i got the bike

stripped down to the frame only

frame back from powdercoat and decals applied

with some components on, awaiting for wheels.

Around here, a $200 vintage bike, complete, with a 54cm frame size (relatively desirable size) is going to be really basic, and not really lending itself to a serious upgrade. Better off finding a cosmetically challenged but mid grade or higher frameset. Check out what RaleighSport did with the 1987 Tempo frameset I sold him.

You may well be able to find one locally, if not, several forum members most likely have some framesets.

Your location is where?

54cm frames can be shipped at a pretty low cost. Its the big ones that drive the price up.

Since you plan to upgrade replace all the components, AND paint the frame as well, picking up a higher end but cosmetically challenged frameset can be a good option.

I love excuses to post this bike.
This came to me as a very rough frameset and fork (Courtesy of wrk101).
With the help of a ton of forumites:
BrockD: Supplied the Dura Ace FD
3SpeedSlow: Supplied me with an actual 87 Schwinn seatpost binder bolt.
IthaDan: Sold me the RSX Brifters enabling me to not jury rig 8 speed into 7.
Cudak888: Sold me the original 1055 105 groupset that I have been slowly phasing out (the brake calipers and RD are still 1055).
Box of crap: The Ultegra crankset,black bottle cage, Christophe toe clips, and straps all came from there.

I designed and made the decals for it myself, as well as the cruddy paint job. The seatpost came from my parts pile and is quite generic (read as needing upgrade).
The bottom bracket, stem, and STI bosses came from Amazon.
And lastly, the wheelset was purchased from Craigslist locally. (with a TON of input from the forumites here before I even bothered hunting)
Adding it all up, this bike cost just under 500 dollars to build, that is not taking into account my own man hours and freebies. I will say this though, I have exactly the bike I want at a lot less then it would have cost me to buy it outright.

The white seatpost. Perfect touch.

Spray paint special. I think I'll be hunting for a good white 26.6 till the day I die.