I have just treated myself, to this thing of beauty.

[biggs682]

It will get used, but possibly only on good weather days.

its NOT carbon it wont dissolve in the rain

 

[Shut Up Legs]

It will get used, but possibly only on good weather days.

So, a few days per year, right?

 

[betty swollocks]

I have just bought this, a 1979 handbuilt Mercian, The frame has been re-enamelled by Mercian of Derby. Reynolds 531 frame/ forks and all Campagnolo running gear and bearings. (Edited for a typo).

I am going to ride the L'Eroica Brittania next year, so I am going retro, or back to my teenage years when I had a Peugeot with downtube shifters etc. The things you should of kept instead of selling cheaply eh? would of been woth a few bob now.

One glance at that and I'm a little moist down below.
Only a little mind.

 

[Crankarm]

Down tube shifters were awful. Thank God for STIs, ERGO combined brake and gear levers and Rapid Fire flat bar shifters. I don't get nostalgic for all this old kit that didn't work very well. If it's a 531 frame why not get Mercian to copy the exact frame but with new metal? Nice though.

 

[Paulus]

Down tube shifters were awful. Thank God for STIs, ERGO combined brake and gear levers and Rapid Fire flat bar shifters. I don't get nostalgic for all this old kit that didn't work very well. If it's a 531 frame why not get Mercian to copy the exact frame but with new metal? Nice though.

I got this for nostalgia reasons, and because I liked it, but also to ride the l'Eroica Britannia, where you need a bike pre 1987, with down tube levers, no clipless pedals etc. I actually liked down tube levers and i missed them when i converted my Galaxy to STI levers. It will get plenty of use though on the runs around the lanes and various pub/cafe stops.

 

[raleighnut]

Beat me to it Paulus, its a piece of pi$$ to convert to STI levers (or Bar Ends for that matter). They give you nice fittings that go on to the lever bosses (instead of the levers) with adjusters on em that you run the cables to.

 

[Fab Foodie]

There's nowt wrong with DT shifters. I liked them so much in my Holdsworth that I specced my 853 Rourke Audax with them. Simple and reliable.

 

[Profpointy]

now finally seen it - the pron filter at work wouldn't let me view it earlier.

Very nice indeed

 

[glenn forger]

Pron filter? Blimey. It's lovely but not really arousing like the smell of rubber in a bike shop.

I've shared too much.

 

[stephec]

Pron filter? Blimey. It's lovely but not really arousing like the smell of rubber in a bike shop.

I've shared too much.

There's nothing wrong with getting a bit of a semi looking at the picture in the OP.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Very smart indeed! Enjoy those good weather rides!

 

[Dogtrousers]

There's nowt wrong with DT shifters. I liked them so much in my Holdsworth that I specced my 853 Rourke Audax with them. Simple and reliable.

I have two bikes, one with downtube shifters and one with modern wonder shifters. I soon forget after riding for five minutes. I think I prefer the DT ones on balance, but I don't care much either way.

 

[andyfraser]

I do like modern indexed shifters but I remember how much easier things were with down tube shifters. Chain rubbing on the front derailleur cage? Just a minor adjustment to the front derailleur lever. Rear derailleur chattering a bit? Adjust the rear lever a little. Once I'd got the hang of it gear changes were always smooth.

 

[ChrisEyles]

If I was building up a dream bike, it'd definitely use DT friction shifting. In fact, it would probably look suspiciously similar to the OP's pictured steed...

 

[raleighnut]

My bike with newish Shimano DT shifters will operate either indexed or friction (Switchable) they also index with an oldish 8 speed Dura-ace cassette even though they're only 7 speed (slack cable after the last detent gives access to 8)