Old steel frame - what would you do with it?
Discussion
I've had this frame for a while and I've finally started to do something with it (well I've taken it apart) but now I can't make my mind up. It's an Argo Racing Cycles road frame from 1987 that my father in law used in triathlons during the early 90s. It was a lot of money for him at the time and the frame has a lot of memories so he wanted me to do something with it.
The bike as a whole is somewhat past it's former glory so I want to bring it back to life and use it a bit. The frame is going to be renovated by Argos and I have a colour scheme in mind and it'll have new Reynolds and Argos period decals. But beyond that I'm lost. Broadly I've come up with four options:
1. Put the mix and match parts my father in law left on it back. Dura Ace 7400 crank and derailleurs, 8 speed cassette with some later Ultegra STI shifters and Tiagra brakes. This would be the cheapest option as it'll be little more than some new cables, a new Selle Italia Turbo saddle and assembly.
2. Go mega modern. Ask Argos to remove the cable guides and old downtube shifter bosses then fit a full SRAM eTap groupset. I'd also fit a modern saddle and some new, but period styled, Cinelli bars and stem (a longer stem would make me fit the bike a little better anyway). This is the most expensive option.
3. Return to original spec. The bike was original 6 speed Dura Ace 7400, but my father in law squeezed an 8 speed cassette in by widening the frame a touch. I'd need Argos to reverse this and I'd also need to find some period correct downtube shifters, brake hoods, brake callipers, wheels, freewheel and 6 speed cassette. These parts aren't that easy/cheap to find in worthwhile condition it seems.
4. Cheaper modernisation. Fit a current spec Shimano Ultegra (poss. 105) groupset along with some compatible Shimano wheels (the spacing should already be ok for 11 speed but easy enough to sort), a new period Saddle \ bars \ stem.
I could honestly talk myself into any of the options depending on the day of the week. Option 1 is ok until I realise I'm not very excited by it. Option 2 is great until I add up the cost of parts and think eTap would be better on my TT bike! Option 3 is frustrating to execute and I'm not honestly sure I'll enjoy 6 speeds and downtube shifters. So perhaps option 4 fits the bill...?! This is turning into a dreadful 'what car' type thread already.
The bike as a whole is somewhat past it's former glory so I want to bring it back to life and use it a bit. The frame is going to be renovated by Argos and I have a colour scheme in mind and it'll have new Reynolds and Argos period decals. But beyond that I'm lost. Broadly I've come up with four options:
1. Put the mix and match parts my father in law left on it back. Dura Ace 7400 crank and derailleurs, 8 speed cassette with some later Ultegra STI shifters and Tiagra brakes. This would be the cheapest option as it'll be little more than some new cables, a new Selle Italia Turbo saddle and assembly.
2. Go mega modern. Ask Argos to remove the cable guides and old downtube shifter bosses then fit a full SRAM eTap groupset. I'd also fit a modern saddle and some new, but period styled, Cinelli bars and stem (a longer stem would make me fit the bike a little better anyway). This is the most expensive option.
3. Return to original spec. The bike was original 6 speed Dura Ace 7400, but my father in law squeezed an 8 speed cassette in by widening the frame a touch. I'd need Argos to reverse this and I'd also need to find some period correct downtube shifters, brake hoods, brake callipers, wheels, freewheel and 6 speed cassette. These parts aren't that easy/cheap to find in worthwhile condition it seems.
4. Cheaper modernisation. Fit a current spec Shimano Ultegra (poss. 105) groupset along with some compatible Shimano wheels (the spacing should already be ok for 11 speed but easy enough to sort), a new period Saddle \ bars \ stem.
I could honestly talk myself into any of the options depending on the day of the week. Option 1 is ok until I realise I'm not very excited by it. Option 2 is great until I add up the cost of parts and think eTap would be better on my TT bike! Option 3 is frustrating to execute and I'm not honestly sure I'll enjoy 6 speeds and downtube shifters. So perhaps option 4 fits the bill...?! This is turning into a dreadful 'what car' type thread already.
Option 4 is the sensible choice, but I'd probably go with option 2, although using the later 7400 groupset, as that used 8 speed STI shifters. I'd get the shifters fitted, and then stuff like brake calipers can be sourced and fitted later.
Something I have done in the past is fit newer 10 speed freehub units into older 6/7 speed Shimano hubs. With some of the old hubs you can, but not with all. The wheel will need more dish putting in it, and you might need to swap spacers about between the cones and lock nuts.
I was still using 8 speed stuff from the late eighties/early nineties on my cyclocross bikes up until last year as it was so reliable.
Something I have done in the past is fit newer 10 speed freehub units into older 6/7 speed Shimano hubs. With some of the old hubs you can, but not with all. The wheel will need more dish putting in it, and you might need to swap spacers about between the cones and lock nuts.
I was still using 8 speed stuff from the late eighties/early nineties on my cyclocross bikes up until last year as it was so reliable.
If it was a little more interesting as a frame that might have been an option.
The crappiest bit as it came to me was probably the shifters (they've been dug out of a box somewhere) and the bars, which looked like they had been attacked with a flapper wheel thing. The wheels were nearly new I think though. It may all clean up nicely and with a new saddle and bar tape you'd probably not notice the bars. Need to think whether it would inspire me enough to leave the Di2 carbon wonder in the shed from time to time.
The crappiest bit as it came to me was probably the shifters (they've been dug out of a box somewhere) and the bars, which looked like they had been attacked with a flapper wheel thing. The wheels were nearly new I think though. It may all clean up nicely and with a new saddle and bar tape you'd probably not notice the bars. Need to think whether it would inspire me enough to leave the Di2 carbon wonder in the shed from time to time.
gazza285 said:
Option 4 is the sensible choice, but I'd probably go with option 2, although using the later 7400 groupset, as that used 8 speed STI shifters. I'd get the shifters fitted, and then stuff like brake calipers can be sourced and fitted later.
Something I have done in the past is fit newer 10 speed freehub units into older 6/7 speed Shimano hubs. With some of the old hubs you can, but not with all. The wheel will need more dish putting in it, and you might need to swap spacers about between the cones and lock nuts.
I was still using 8 speed stuff from the late eighties/early nineties on my cyclocross bikes up until last year as it was so reliable.
Option 3 I think you meant? I guess 8 speed (lets call it Option 3a) and keeping it DA7400 but going with the easier to find STI shifters is a very sensible option. I have wheels that fit (although they are modern looking wheels) and the cassette for that as it was rideable when I was given it (bar no front derailleur). In fact that's the cheapest option for sure. My father in law probably has the 7400 brakes somewhere but reckons the 10 year old Tigra brakes were better anyway!Something I have done in the past is fit newer 10 speed freehub units into older 6/7 speed Shimano hubs. With some of the old hubs you can, but not with all. The wheel will need more dish putting in it, and you might need to swap spacers about between the cones and lock nuts.
I was still using 8 speed stuff from the late eighties/early nineties on my cyclocross bikes up until last year as it was so reliable.
That seems like the cheapest route to get something in nice condition without a huge outlay. I probably won't build it myself so I will get new bars sorted when it's all cabled up, but otherwise I can change the stem, saddle and brakes (maybe wheels) later on if I fancy it.
I'd ridden it in the 'bitsa' spec it arrived in. As there was no front derailleur I left it on the inner ring and used it on a recovery ride. It was a nice ride. Quite compact for me, but to the extent I wouldn't ride it nor something that a longer stem wouldn't sort. The feel of a steel frame probably made more difference than anything else. The 8 speed shifters (I think they are Ultegra) didn't feel that different to the 9 speed Sora shifters on my first road bike from a few years back.
Edit to add: The sentimentality is only for the frame, not the components on it. Many of them weren't on the bike in it's prime. The frame itself was totally different before. It was given a cheap powdercoat job a few years ago while it was sat around waiting form something to happen to it following a decade on the turbo trainer. It's partly why I like the fully modern (eTap option). It was pretty much state of the art for normal folk in 1987 (so I'm told anyway) so that would follow it on component wise at least.
Edit to add: The sentimentality is only for the frame, not the components on it. Many of them weren't on the bike in it's prime. The frame itself was totally different before. It was given a cheap powdercoat job a few years ago while it was sat around waiting form something to happen to it following a decade on the turbo trainer. It's partly why I like the fully modern (eTap option). It was pretty much state of the art for normal folk in 1987 (so I'm told anyway) so that would follow it on component wise at least.
Edited by m444ttb on Thursday 23 February 13:11
That's a good idea. For now I'll leave some pics here:
Bike as it was originally. I believe the picture was taken in 1995 at the Bath triathlon
This is how it looked when my father in law gave it to me back last summer:
And now 99% stripped down ready to go to Argos. Speaking of which their current lead time would mean I don't see the frame again for 6-8 weeks. So long as I don't want to change the frame (spacing and/or removing bits) then it gives me a while to think.
Bike as it was originally. I believe the picture was taken in 1995 at the Bath triathlon
This is how it looked when my father in law gave it to me back last summer:
And now 99% stripped down ready to go to Argos. Speaking of which their current lead time would mean I don't see the frame again for 6-8 weeks. So long as I don't want to change the frame (spacing and/or removing bits) then it gives me a while to think.
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