I've just bought a somewhat pre-loved Raleigh Prima - not sure of vintage as I can't find the serial number, but it's a Nottingham Raleigh from the 70s or 80s, girl's/ small woman's bike. I've attached a picture. It's been refurbished a bit as I'm commuting 30 miles a day.
It's got pressure-shift gears, and deeply dodgy "suicide lever" handles onn the brakes as well as the normal brake handles. The suicide levers are death-traps; the normal brake handles are positioned a very long way away from where I'd put my hands on the drops, and are hard to reach.
I've cleaned up the gears, but am still finding pressure shifting a pain after growing up with step-shifting gears.
Not much I can do about improving the brakes....
If I wanted to put "new" (or slightly less old than currently) gears on - how much would it cost?
How about new brakes? Would I be able to have interrupter levers (like a cyclocross bike) as well as normal drop handlebar levers? Would I need new handlebars for more modern brakes?
What parts should I get, where should I get them etc?
I'd be asking my LBS to fit any new brakes or gears...
thanks for ideas
It's got pressure-shift gears, and deeply dodgy "suicide lever" handles onn the brakes as well as the normal brake handles. The suicide levers are death-traps; the normal brake handles are positioned a very long way away from where I'd put my hands on the drops, and are hard to reach.
I've cleaned up the gears, but am still finding pressure shifting a pain after growing up with step-shifting gears.
Not much I can do about improving the brakes....
If I wanted to put "new" (or slightly less old than currently) gears on - how much would it cost?
How about new brakes? Would I be able to have interrupter levers (like a cyclocross bike) as well as normal drop handlebar levers? Would I need new handlebars for more modern brakes?
What parts should I get, where should I get them etc?
I'd be asking my LBS to fit any new brakes or gears...
thanks for ideas
