sidevalve
Über Member
Fair point but it usually means changing the cassette as well - maybe just easier to go indexed or not in the first place
Advice on restoring/converting a vintage racer to road bike & occasional tourer
- Thread starter TomHenshore
- Start date
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raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
This may help, there is a lot of "mix 'n' match" possibilities plus with the majority of Shimano downtube shifters the indexing can be 'switched off' to leave friction shifting.
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...zdT-MFDTDTnXXctWS7lwfQw&bvm=bv.98476267,d.ZGU
robsa
Über Member
- Location
- chesterfield
I prefer friction shifters, its the K.I.S.S aspect of them I like. One less thing to go wrong.
OP
OP
TomHenshore
Regular
- Location
- Shropshire, UK
Well.... I did it!
Possibly got sucked into the sale and should have waited longer before making the purchase, but I bid for the Raleigh Royal and won it. Picked it up yesterday. On inspection since getting back home it seems to be in really good condition... The paint looks incredibly tidy and all the components are rust-free, though the brakes need a bit of love..
What do you guys think..? Here's a link to some photos if you'd like to have a look: http://shawcycles.tumblr.com/post/124834953447/raleighroyal-prerestoration
Interestingly, the front tyre is solid.. I'm not sure what the proper name for it is, but there's no inner tube, it's a solid tyre. The back is a standard 700c and the wheel is slightly larger than the front, I have my doubts whether it's original. I'd like to try and get it back to original if possible.
The other complaint I have about the bike is that the decals seem to want to come off rather easily, I tried to give it a very gentle rub down with an e-cloth and the slightest amount of extra pressure would start to rub the away (so I yelped and threw the e-cloth to the back of the room...) so i'm curious as to how to protect them...? A friend of mine has advised gently rubbing the whole frame gently with car polish/wax... Which will buff it up, but I can't see how that's going to protect it long term. Would coating the bike (once fully cleaned) in a light lacquer help at all..? Or is that a big no-no..?
Possibly got sucked into the sale and should have waited longer before making the purchase, but I bid for the Raleigh Royal and won it. Picked it up yesterday. On inspection since getting back home it seems to be in really good condition... The paint looks incredibly tidy and all the components are rust-free, though the brakes need a bit of love..
What do you guys think..? Here's a link to some photos if you'd like to have a look: http://shawcycles.tumblr.com/post/124834953447/raleighroyal-prerestoration
Interestingly, the front tyre is solid.. I'm not sure what the proper name for it is, but there's no inner tube, it's a solid tyre. The back is a standard 700c and the wheel is slightly larger than the front, I have my doubts whether it's original. I'd like to try and get it back to original if possible.
The other complaint I have about the bike is that the decals seem to want to come off rather easily, I tried to give it a very gentle rub down with an e-cloth and the slightest amount of extra pressure would start to rub the away (so I yelped and threw the e-cloth to the back of the room...) so i'm curious as to how to protect them...? A friend of mine has advised gently rubbing the whole frame gently with car polish/wax... Which will buff it up, but I can't see how that's going to protect it long term. Would coating the bike (once fully cleaned) in a light lacquer help at all..? Or is that a big no-no..?
OP
OP
TomHenshore
Regular
- Location
- Shropshire, UK
Oh, and I've fallen in love with the friction shifters.... They take a bit of thinking, but they're extremely fun!
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Very Nice
robsa
Über Member
- Location
- chesterfield
Nice bit if kit that
depechegore80
New Member
Just pick a high end old road bicycle with nice steel tubing, and the most important thing is to fit you. (sorry bad english) I found that steel is the best material to take care of gonads.
biggs682
Touch it up and ride it
- Location
- Northamptonshire
that looks wicked well done , they are suntour power shifters and work great i have a set on IMC044
sounds like you have a green tyre on the front , it needs a matching amber wall one but very nice and clean
Illaveago
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham,Wiltshire.
I aree with TomHenshore, I prefer friction shifters as they less trouble to adjust than indexed, you will always get a gear,you just have to push, pull and listen.
