couldn't find a decent 26.8mm seat post except this one. anyone else sinners?

When I'm riding vintage bikes, the chain and freewheel often need to be updated, as well as the pedals, lever hoods and seatpost/saddle.

Then maybe the bars/stem also, before I can ride the bike the way that I feel it was designed/intended to be ridden.

I often update the less-obvious things like tires, brake pads, cables and housings, too, not to mention bar tape.

I try to keep the non-original stuff subtle though.

repent!

or ... at least get ya a new seat post bolt. the nice chromoly ones at my lbs are like $4.

Ok...so I bought my Torpado that was built with all original beautiful panto'd parts because I thought it was sexy.

But once I got it here and rode it a little while I realized it was a bad fit for me. Mostly due to the long stem...so I changed it.
and due to the short seatpost...so I changed it.
and due to the short cranks...so I changed them.
and due to the narrow handlebars...so I changed them.
and due to the uncomfortable levers...so I changed them.
and due to a mechanic's screw up (me) I lost a part to the calipers...so I changed them.
then I found a nice set of wheels...so I changed them to preserve the originals.

In the end, the only thing original left ON the bike is the frame, fork, HS, and BB. Damned expensive way to go from sexy to sexy and comfortable!!! But I am happy with it.

+1, my eyes keep getting drawn to that dreadful (and backward?) binder bolt. Seat post might be okay depending on the rest of the build. Hint of saddle suggests it's not a period piece anyway.

At least now I feel less guilty about using green label Mavic wheels and clipless pedals on a 70's bike.

I commit C&V sin all the time, and am fairly blatant about it.

For all the people passed by rccardr and myself on Thunder Ridge, on older Merckx with modern components, we're, uh, not sorry.

The pursuit of purists for perfectly preserved C&V pedal-powered purveyances is, well, proper, for each to his own.

I assuage my lack of guilt by either keeping one old OEM bike around, or intending to.

So, my son, if you've committed C&V sin, you are forgiven.
Say 2 Hail Cinellis and send me that seatpost.
Go and sin no more.

I justify my sins by keeping the original parts. Afterall, IT'S MY BIKE!

I just can't stop sinning because I always ride with SPD pedals.

Mountain-bike derailleurs on a Road bike;

Probably looks really sharp and non offensive (at 3 ft away anyway) even if your friends are purists, my eye was drawn to the binder bolt as well and the too long brake housing/cable.

I stay original whenever possible -- it's just my way. That said I have no problem with modifications. But I'll never understand why some people take a nice vintage racer and turn it into a grocery getter. I mean, people can do what they please, but why not just get a bike that's better suited to your needs in the first place?

I once passed on a nice bike because it was 100% original and I didn't want to swap out the stem.

I used to be resistant towards putting non-period components on my bikes. Nowadays, I feel as though as long as my upgrades are done with class--I'm not doing the bike a disservice. I'm planning on building up a gorgeous old Lotus with the original SRecord takeoffs from my Trek, which is what that Lotus would have been specced with. I personally feel like the Lotus would be more beautiful with period correct Campy parts. To me it represents art.

My Trek on the other hand is art and function, having gotten a mix and match of DA7400, 7410, and 7800. I'm soon going to build up a 10s wheelset and upgrade to 7800 STI brifters just for kicks. I'm aware that the brifters are a bit bulbous and may not look as good as the non-aero 7400 brake levers, but I LOVE my Trek, and can't stop tinkering with it. I don't think it's a crime to change things on a C&V bike if you have a blast riding it.

That said, I draw the line at drewing frames/sawing off derailleur hangers, or cheap powdercoats/spray jobs. I can imagine myself putting a new engine into an old Mustang. However, I would never put a spoiler on the car, or repaint/modify it to look like a Ferrari. Some time ago somebody put a Schwinn on the Chicago Craigslist that had been resprayed and decaled to look like a celeste Bianchi. That infuriated me. That would be like someone taking a Kirk or Ron Cooper and repainting it to be a "Schwinn Paramount" or "De Rosa." Just wrong, and not respectful of the original builder.

boo hiss

Not only that, your R crank arm is not in line with the seat tube, and the QR skewer ring is not perfectly horizontal.
Not to mention the chain should be on big front, little rear, so as to imply you are a manly man with massive manly legs.
What's WRONG with you, Mike? The horrors, the horrors.... Take 2 Naked Ale, and get thee back to L'Eroica!

I bet three people who have seen this thread have a nice one in their parts bin. I'm fairly certain I do.

I Know, I know! But my feet feel so much safer.

I know that the triple will get me hanged for heresy, but I enjoy vintage Italian wine with my Italian food more than I enjoy vintage Italian gearing. I started my road bike addiction with a Campagnolo 53 & 49 double with a 13-24 freewheel. I don't think I could ride a century with that gearing today;

If only I had the original bits. Alas.

Some bicycles I try to restore, keeping to original as closely as I can...



Some bicycles I build to ride a lot, assuming that I get the chance to do so. These bicycles can and do depart from original issue...



That said, one of my goals with my vintage bicycle interest was to compare ride quality of one to the other and the other,,. When doing that, I start with period and model correct components for test riding purposes...



...then begin to change things, one or two at a time, to continually improve ride quality and comfort(you should see the MotoB as it is today)...



And test riding is always conducted with modern pedals (I love to clip in and go)! But when presenting period and model correct, I do try to have proper pedals installed...

Quoting myself; "... pedals, lever hoods and seatpost/saddle... ... bars/stem also... ...tires, tubes, brake pads, cables and housings, too, not to mention bar tape."


I've been very Schwinn-centric of late, as if ya'll hadn't noticed(!), and while I did present a "mod's" list (above) in my earlier post, I realize that I've also expended considerable effort aimed at keeping the original Allvit derailer (modified to handle 6-sp), wheels (axle spacing, dishing and rim tape work to keep tires from blowing off above 70psi), cabling (plastic liners inside of original brake housings) and crankset (sourcing rare 1/2" clipless pedals).

So with all that, an keeping the kickstand and stem shifters, I feel that the bike honors it's creators with a still-traditional look, while offering very good comfort and performance:

Randy,

Your Motobecane looks great in all versions.

So practical.

So classy.

ya ya ya, bought one one ebay last night. :-)

to the other punters;
and no the brake housing isn't too long when it connects to 6500 ultegras that don't work with short housing.
and yes modern saddle (charge spoon) on a '82 710 miyata as the 5 lb brooks never broke in.

kalloy posts seem decent . come in all sorts of diameters

50-40-24 Campag race triple on my RB1 with older drivetrain , works .

I use what I want on my builds- for the most part it's "vintage." It's whatever strikes my fancy and in my own particular... idiom.

I have no problem using Suntour XC Pro and XC Comp from 1992-ish on my 1984-85 touring bikes.

I also put TriColor stuff on my 1986 Trek 400 Elance. It's a few years to early for it- but definitely "classic" in my opinion.