Is this possible?
 

I like my "vintage" steel frame bike too much to buy a new one, and I am looking to convert to STI brifters instead of my downtube shifters. I have a Centurion Lemans RS 6speed cassette. Is this a silly thing to do? expected price?

I've seen it done on here before, the cables are rerouted through some kind of bridge where the downtube shifters would be and then up to the shifters.

oh and a website/phone number to where i could get the parts. or just a list of the parts

ebay.com

If you go to brifters, I think you will need a compatible rear wheel with cassette. If you want older used 8 speed, you need an 8 speed brifter & 8 speed rear wheel. Or 9 speed brifter & 9 speed wheel .... I don't think a brifter will work with your existing wheel because the freewheel spacing does not match the spacing of the indexes in the brifter.

You need to narrow down what you want, then ask more specific questions.

Alright... Will a 8 or 9 speed cassette replace my 6 speed? im willing to change my rear derailleur and chain. I'm looking for Shimano it doesnt really matter if it is Sora or Tiagra or 105, any of those would be an upgrade to my current setup

See http://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html for hub info. If you have a 6sp Uniglide then you will need to do some machining or filing, or buy a new rear wheel.

Franky, the Centurion wasn't all that great a frame back in the day. If you like it for sentimental value, fine, but considering the number of parts you'll need to change to get close to modern, it may be cheaper to buy a new bike. Depends on your scavenging skills.

My 'old man' rides a 1983 steel frame Terranaut that he considered replacing last year. Instead of spending $4k on a new bike, he stuck with what he liked and knew fit him perfectly.

He upgraded every component on the bike to Ultegra. Downtube shifters to brifters, cassette, crank, brakes, hubs, wheels, pedals... everything. He says it's like a brand new bike, and regrets not doing it earlier.

He spent $1300 total, including install. Check out PBK for component group in your price range.

Sorry, that frame was fairly entry level in the Centurion lineup and is not worth the upgrade to brifters in my opinion.

Here's my conversion. A 1984 trek 760 that had downtube shifters to a campy brifter setup. (This ones for you acorn ;) )

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...racerig002.jpg

For a parts list, you'll need shifters, RD, chain, cassette, and wheelset. You might be able to make do with the FD and crank. I'd try it first that way before making any changes. You should know that you'll need to pull the dropouts apart a little to fit the wheel in, so a little force is fine for steel.

You should check if the chain would fall through the gap between the chainrings on your crank. It's a good possibility that it might, so budget for a crank and bottom bracket as well.

It might be cheaper to just buy a full 105 or rival groupset or a campy groupset if thats what you want.

Thanks for the input from all, I have been trying to steer clear from buying a new bike but i think i will just buy a new frame and components. I enjoy building my own things because i believe it adds personal value. thanks again!

keep your old bike as is.

Start hunting craigslist for a possible project. Find a donor bike with nice components, then find a frame to swap the parts over to.
Much cheaper than getting anything from the store

Assuming you have braze on bosses for your down tube shifters, this is the key little part ( or one like it ) that you need.

http://www.bikepartsexpress.com/mm5/...FchaMgod2HsATA

http://www.bikepartsexpress.com/mm5/...rge/FS1066.jpg

I converted a Schwinn Paramount OS from 7 speed D/T shifters, to 9 speed brifters. It wasn't a big deal, and it worked fine. But I did it with a used group I already had, and it was a pretty expensive frame, in pristine condition.

I wouldn't put a lot of money in doing the conversion, where I had to buy parts new, needed new wheels, and had to cold set the frame, unless I was really in love with the frame.

Buying a newer used bike with 9 speed brifters would be a more cost effective choice.

OP has probably made a decision in the 5 years since the thread was started.

Pics Please. I'd like to see that...

dammit, zombied again.

The trick is to delete your posts before anyone can quote them. :innocent: