I’ve got an Eisentraut A frame bike that I bought way back during my college days in 1977 at Champaign Cycle in Champaign-Urbana, IL. It’s mostly DuraAce (crankset, brakes, hubs on a pair each of clincher and sew-up rims, Crane derailleur) and Campy pedals. It has sat virtually unused since the early 1980’s and, although it is certainly okay to ride now, I’d like to tune it up a bit. I’m not a serious biker/racer, mostly just recreational riding.

One problem is that the front chainrings are more appropriate for flat Illinois than hilly Anchorage (51 and 42 teeth). Can you still get chainrings for a 1970’s era DuraAce crankset? Or does the entire crankset need to be replaced?

The rear freewheel also is original and may need replacing, but I don’t think it will accommodate more than 5 gear rings. Are these still available?

And the pedals probably need to be replaced. I think they were near the top of the Campy line at that time, but they are pretty beat up and I got rid of my old-fashioned cleated cycling shoes long ago.

The fellow at a local bike shop here wasn’t very optimistic about working on it (he actually suggested that I hang it up on the wall as a memento of past bikes I’ve owned), but the frame is really nice and the bike has a lot of nostalgic value for me. I’d be grateful to get feedback from other readers on the best way to tune up this bike.

oh boy. Get ready for an onslaught. You should consider a new suntour XCD or similar cassette hub with a wide range cassette. I am not sure what the BCD is on those older cranks but if they are 130 you can step down to a 39t chainring. If it's 144bcd 42 might also be the smallest.

You can get chainrings for pretty much any crank set if you know where to look. I don't have any dura ace myself, but I would guess it uses one of the common BCDs (bolt circle diameter) of the time and there should be lots of options available on eBay or any number of online bike shops. If it's a 144 BCD, as cyclotoine says, you may not be able to go smaller than what you already have. How to measure BCD.

If that's the case, you may just want to (1) upgrade the rear derailleur to something with a long cage, sometimes known as a touring or mountain bike derailleur and (2) change the freewheel to something with a large cog of 34T. Again, there are lots of options on the big auction website and a lot of Shimano choices that would work, if you want to kinda-sorta have things match the Dura Ace components you already have. Here's one example. Functionally, just about any long cage rear derailleur should work fine, and which one you choose might well be determined by how it looks with the rest of your components.

Switching to a compact double up front with say, 48 ad 36 tooth rings would probably cost about the same and has the advantage of letting you keep both your current derailleurs. You should post some closeup pics of what you currently have, then lots of people here would have more specific suggestions.

Your local bike shop guy is a schmuck. No, that's unkind of me, let's just say he' doesn't know/appreciate vintage bikes. Either way, an Eisentraut is far too nice to just toss aside.

The bike mechanic doesn't know what he's talking about. It's pretty easy to fix up the bike for any kind of terrain you want to ride. The DA crank won't go below 42 teeth (assuming it's a 144bcd crank). I'd get a compact crank if you want better gearing which comes basically in two flavors.

One would be a 110 bcd compact which is pretty much the standard compact today. Sugino makes one that would look fine on an old bike and you can buy the crank from Soma fab in a 48-34 configuration.

Sugino XD Swiss Cross(48-34t) Double Crankset


The other possibility is to get a crank with a bit smaller chain ring to help with climbing. This IRD "wide compact) crank would look good on your bike and give you 46-30 chainrings:

IRD Defiant Wide Compact Road Double Crank Set (46-30T)

IRD also sells freewheels.

No big deal to fix up an old bike to get the kind of gearing and riding that you want to do. I'd find a different mechanic and/or bike shop.

The chain rings are 130 BCD so there are many options available, but (as Cyclotoine said) the smallest you can get is 39t so that won't make a big difference. You can, however, get a wider range freewheel. That early Dura Ace stuff is really nice; I wouldn't let anyone talk me into "upgrading" anything other than, maybe, the rear derailleur (so you can fit one with a longer cage, to suit a wider range freewheel).

I have a mid 70's Fuji 'Ace' that has the same stuff, and I ride it over some pretty good hills.

Photos, please!

If you want to stick with vintage, you could switch to a TA crank.

Are you in Anchorage?

I think the mechanic is right - that bike is absolutely no good for you. Please let me take it off your hands as a favor

Fix it up a bit to suit you and RIDE it no matter what the local wrench says!

Lousy mechanic. Some guys take a look at any bike made before 2005 and assume its old, unrideable junk.

I was unhappy with the 5 speed IRD freewheel I purchased. The spacing between cogs was off- enough so that the chain would rub on adjacent cogs. Totally unacceptable, ESPECIALLY at that price point. It's also quiet- I don't do any stealth riding- and kind of like having a clicky freewheel to announce my presence.

Much like Suntour in the 70s- I'm having trouble accepting that the dirt cheap SunRace freewheel would be "better," but I've read that it is a good unit- despite the price.

I think he's right too.

But I wouldn't let him work on my 'Traut.

Do you do your own work?

If you pay a bike shop $100 an hour to poke around on a 40 year old bike, the bills can start racking up quickly. If you do your own work, then by all means, go ahead and fix it up.

If the bike hasn't been ridden for 20 years, I'd give it a good cleaning, pull the hubs and bottom bracket apart, and repack the bearings. Probably the headset too.

I believe all Shimano (old) chainrings were 130 BCD, so you can get a 38T chainring if you wish, but it may not be necessary. It depends on your riding style. Are you spinning up hills, or standing? As others have mentioned, you can easily change the cluster.

You can often fit a 6 or 7 speed freewheel on an older bike where a 5 one was standard. It may involve moving some spacers from the left side of the hub to the right, and re-dishing the rear wheel slightly. You don't need a lot of clearance near the chainstays. There is a lot of MTB stuff available with 7 speed freewheel clusters, so they are available, with big gears for hills.

DNP Epoch is the only one that is currently manufacturing a freewheel with 11T for the smallest cog (downhill, fast on level, etc), with a couple of fairly lax upper range options. The freewheel has a bit more backspacing than I like, but it is worth considering. Your bike may have something like a 13T-23T cluster, so you'd snag a few extra gears on both ends (but skipping at least one tooth between every gear).

I kind of gave up on sewups a while ago and moved over to Clinchers, and am not looking back. There are many flat resistant tires available now, and I'd strongly encourage you to consider them. The sewups are apparently also improving, so you could use them if you wish.

Also consider getting clipless pedals. I've settled on SPD pedals/shoes as they are the most comfortable for a little casual walking, but there would be arguments for different types too.

Alaska? Is that summer riding or winter riding?

You can get studded tires down to about 30mm which may fit on your bike. There was a recent discussion about Wolvehammer boots for cold climate cycling.

If you are not able to do the work yourself, find another mechanic. This guy is clueless.

Yes, photos please! As many have said, the mechanic is being bogus--whether he knows it or not. Through this forum and sheldonbrown.com I've learned everything I needed to know to work on the vintage bikes I've acquired. I certainly wouldn't trust that mechanic to do work on my bikes. Most common things vintage bikes need is fresh grease on the bearings (hubs and bottom bracket being most necessary), sometimes brake pads if they're crackly and hardened, and sometimes tires if they're crackly and hardened as well.

As for the pedals, I rode toe cage and strap pedals with sneakers for a while before I switched to clip-ins ("clipless", even though you clip in) and that worked just fine. Just the toe cage and straps without a cleated shoe keeps the foot more secure on the pedals than nothing.

...if you cannot do the work yourself (and some cannot), your first step ought to be asking around to find the person in your locale who understands what this is and can enthusiastically help you with it. If you post your location in the appropriate space on your log in avatar field, it's very possible someone here can point you in the right direction.

Eisentraut worked here in the SF Bay area, and his old frames are pretty trendy as desirable collector bikes. You just talked to the wrong guy.

Take it to a other shop or if it's the only shop around then talk to the owner as hopefully they have a few more eggs in their basket if you know what I mean.

If it's a 144 BCD crank, you could get a triplizer. It's a special middle chainring that will allow you to add a 3rd, small ring. You may need a long cage rear derailleur and longer spindle. The company is Red Clover Components and the owner is a member here if I'm not mistaken.

Edit: Ok, it's a 130mm BCD according to RHM and velobase. You can get a triplizer from France for a 130mm BCD also: XXcycle - Plateau Stronglight Intermediaire porteur triple 130/74 - en. Basically, there are lots of options to change the gearing. Some options will allow you to keep the bike more period correct and others will allow you to emphasize function using more modern parts.

Off the Chain | Anchorage's community bicycle collective

VeloBase.com - Component: Shimano GA-200, Dura-Ace First Gen


130 bcd. You can ignore all the "if it's 144 bcd" remarks. It's 130 bcd.

Do take the bike elsewhere or pick up some tools and knowledge. Knowledge is free around here and worth every penny. Which is to say what you can learn here is invaluable.

If your crank won't take any ring smaller than 42 (or 39), consider a 32T FW with a RD which can handle it. Like this:

That may or may not work without modification.
My Campy Cranks have a shelf the inner chainring rests on. You'd have to grind down the shelf on the spider to get it to fit.

I've seen references to drilling and tapping the old "flat" Campy spiders to allow mounting triple chainrings. It may work on the DA, but the webbing on the spider looks thinner than the Campy Spider Webs

A person would still need to add a triple front derailleur.

All possible to do, but it would be best to just start with the right parts.

When you hear hoof beats - think horses not zebras....

In other words, look for the simplest solution first before reinventing the wheel!

Your bike will either have 120mm rear spacing or 126mm spacing. If it's 120mm then your choice of freewheels will be limited to a 5 speeds or a 6 speed narrow.

126mm wide dropouts can take standard 5 speed or 6 speed FWs plus narrow 6 speed and 7 speed FWs.

I would not mess with spreading the rear triangle on an uber classic Eisentraut frame. It's like messing with a piece of Chippendale furniture from the the 1700s!

Some simple solutions that I'd recommend are:

1. Get a 38T or 39T chainring. I've been happy with FSA chainrings. I run 48T, 49T or 50T with a 38T or 39T inner chainring.

2. Get a larger freewheel. I use 28T FWs with 38T or 39T chainrings and standard Shimano Crane derailleurs so your DuraAce RD may work fine with this combo.

Shimano Crane with a13-28T narrow 6 speed FW and 50-38T chainrings



If you want/need lower gears, you can get a FW with up to 34T. In that case I'd look for a long arm Shimano Crane. They still shift as well as most derailleurs made.

Long arm Shimano Crane with a 13-32T 6 speed FW and 50-38T chainrings



You could also find a later Shimano Deore XT or LX long arm rear derailleur. They were designed for MTBs with index shifting but work great with friction levers like on your bike. They work just as well on road bikes!



If you go the route that I'm suggesting then you'll have components that will somewhat match your DuraAce stuff. Keep your bike a Campy Free Zone!!!

3. Get a new chain, one made for 6-8 speed freewheels or cassettes. They're narrower and more flexible so they make shifting a lot smoother.

IRD had some problem with their earlier FWs. They've released a new model, the Classica that looks very good. These have the sculpted teeth and ramps found on cassettes that make shifting a dream.

Classica 5/6/7-Speed Freewheels

I tried a Sunrace FW about 5-6 years ago. It was the worst FW I'd ever used. If felt like there were rocks in the mechanism and kept locking up. I've heard that they are much better today.

4. Replace the cables and cable housings. The newer Teflon lined housings make shifting and braking super smooth.

5. When you walk into a shop and some fool makes disparaging comments about your classic jewel, slowly start backing out the door without turning around then get out of there as fast as you can!

If you can't find a good shop and don't know how to work on your bike then learn... There are some great resources on the web - the late Sheldon Brown plus Park Tool have very good info.

Otherwise, send me your address and I'll have UPS or FedX come by and pick up that useless old wallhanger.

verktyg

Chas.

yup, 130 BCD starts at 38T, and more.. lots of aftermarket chainrings sold.

a new rear wheel with an IGH is a whole different way to use the 120 wide rear dropout frame ,

I still can get 3/32nd thick Cogs for my 3 speed so 8 speed derailleur chains work. double chainring Hybridizations .

Those Eisentrauts with DuraAce are no good. If you send it to me, I'll properly dispose of it for you.

In addition to a tune-up and basic maintenance, as mentioned by others, it should be fairly simple to adjust gearing to meet your change of terrain from Chicago to Alaska.

And very well worth the effort and expense to get such a fine bicycle back on the road.

Good advice above: new freewheel and chain, switch the rear derailleur if necessary, and possibly swap chainrings if desired (or if necessary due to wear)...

I have a stack of older Dura Ace chainrings from this era, 'New Old Stock' (i.e. unused, never installed), that would match the originals on the older DA crank.

I'm not sure what tooth counts I have left (I may or may not have appropriate counts to meet your needs), but feel free to shoot me an email at some point if you were potentially interested in replacing your current rings with a proper match for the crank rather than newer replacement rings (though there are advantages to doing the latter, alternatively): mikemowbz AT hotmail DOT com