Swapping Bike Components

[GatleyJim]

Hi, I'm a fairly new cycling enthusiast. I have two bikes, one is a 60cm frame Ribble road bike with Shimano 105 components (brakes, gear changers andchain set) all in good condition. The other is a 26" Peaugot road bike whose components are in a fairly poor condition (and not as good as Shimano 105, I think).

The Ribble is too small for me so I would like to swap the components on the two bikes but I'm a little daunted by it. Is this something an enthusiastic newbie could manage? Would I need many specialist tools? I think I'll be able to swap the breaks over without much difficulty but I get the impression that gears are a fairly complicted mechanism.

Thanks,

James.

 

[fossyant]

Can you show pics of both - a 60cm is what about 24/25 inch..... you can alter the reach by bar stems etc...I'd say the Ribble will be a better frame...do you know the materials..eg. 531, 653, etc........

 

[gbb]

First thing to consider Jim is the width between your rear dropouts..ie the width where your rear wheel sits. How many speed is the Ribble and how many is the Peugeot. It may be you wont get the wheels in.

I'm rather assuming the Ribble is relatively new, with modern spaced wheels, and the Peugeot is older, with fewer gears and therefore a smaller dropout width.

 

[GatleyJim]

Hi, they are both fairly old, from the 1980's I think. The Ribble is made from 653 and the Peugeot is 501. I really prefer the Ribble frame but it is just too small (I'm 6'7").

I actually want to swap the wheels over as well and have already done that so there can't be a problem there (I've not ridden them with the wheels changed because I thought it could damage the gear system).

The Ribble is 14 speed and the Peugeot is 12. The only photos I have available are on the Ebay links I have:

Ribble:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=200340055208

Peugeot

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=130305930839

If the links don't work I will try and add the photos.

I bought the Ribble one yesterday but, having got it back home, realised it was only 60cm, not 63 as advertised. I hastilly went back to Ebay and picked up the Peugeot, which is a much better size for me.

Does this info help?

Cheers,

Jim.

 

[GatleyJim]

Fossy, just reread your message. Do you think I could get away with just changing the bar stems?

Cheers,

Jim.

 

[GatleyJim]

Just checked the Ribble and the frame is definitely too small for me.

Quick question, what do you make of this tool kit?

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/looney-max-tool-case-3960305/

Does it contain everything I would need?

Cheers,

Jim.

 

[PatrickPending]

do you reckon its worth selling the ribble and buying the correct size? maybe someone in the classified section might have a bigger bike they'd want to swap. That'd be my thought anyway

 

[mickle]

Pictures?

 

[GatleyJim]

Have tried to attach the photos.

My first instinct was to sell the Ribble but I quite like the idea of swapping the components as it would be a good opportunity to begin learning how to maintain and build a bike.

Cheers,

Jim.

 

[Big John]

Swapping stuff over is very do-able but you need the tools. Get the Haynes Bike Book from Halfords as it covers the basics and a bit more besides. None of it is rocket science. Once you've got the tools you've got them for life so worth investing a bit of cash. Take your time and do it bit by bit. It's great fun too. And if you want to sell the Ribble frame I might be interested! I'm 6ft 4ins so it might fit me.

 

[GatleyJim]

Swapping stuff over is very do-able but you need the tools. Get the Haynes Bike Book from Halfords as it covers the basics and a bit more besides. None of it is rocket science. Once you've got the tools you've got them for life so worth investing a bit of cash. Take your time and do it bit by bit. It's great fun too. And if you want to sell the Ribble frame I might be interested! I'm 6ft 4ins so it might fit me.

Cheers Jon, that's the kind of encouragement I needed. I'll take a trip to Halfords at lunchtime. I've seen quite a few clips on Youtube explaining how to undertake bike work so I'll hopefully be able to do it with a bit of patience (something I'm not known for). If you think the Ribble frame is big enough for you (it's 60cm, not 63cm as advertised) then I'll send you some more photos once I've taken the components off. I take your point about the tools. No point scrimping if they'll last me a lifetime.

Cheers,

Jim.

 

[GatleyJim]

Swapping stuff over is very do-able but you need the tools. Get the Haynes Bike Book from Halfords as it covers the basics and a bit more besides. None of it is rocket science. Once you've got the tools you've got them for life so worth investing a bit of cash. Take your time and do it bit by bit. It's great fun too. And if you want to sell the Ribble frame I might be interested! I'm 6ft 4ins so it might fit me.

John, just to let you know that I've put the bike on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110428019289&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

I didn't get round to swapping the components on it.

James.