What to do, what to do.

[Cicli]

So, I have this bike that fits me well and rides great. I just dont like riding it. I am kind of a modern bike liker. (Not licker). I cant really get into the downtube shifters and old school brake levers.
One side of me says to strip it down and make it a single speed. I would ride it a bunch more then.
The other side says to keep it original. Its not high end but its original none the less and hasn't really been screwed with.

Its a late 70's early 80's Faggin with Suntour Superbe Pro.
Thoughts? It deserves better than to hang in the basement and rot.

[malcolm]

I think it would be a shame to strip a bike of original superbe. That may just be me though.

[bargainguy]

6-sp rear cluster so 126 OLD spacing, right?

Hmmm....maybe sell the Superbe Pro group, spread the rear to 130, use the Superbe proceeds to buy a modern gruppo, slap it in and off you go.

Won't be original but at least it won't sit in the basement.

[Cicli]

6-sp rear cluster so 126 OLD spacing, right?

Hmmm....maybe sell the Superbe Pro group, spread the rear to 130, use the Superbe proceeds to buy a modern gruppo, slap it in and off you go.

Won't be original but at least it won't sit in the basement.

Yeah, 6 speed rear. 126 spacing.
I agree with the statement about stripping it. But, is the bigger shame that its not being used?

[Hindmost]

Do you know Duffy?

[TMB]

A lot of those older bikes, regardless of the tubes, are just a pure joy to ride.

So you should do whatever will have you ride it more, if that means putting 10 speed on it, then so be it.

Maybe it is replacing the brake levers with something a little different shape (Cane Creeks are much comfier than the old school Campag, Suntour or Shimano) and putting decent brakes on it.

If the issue is that you want it to be a neo- retro baby, then spread the dropouts put a reasonably priced 10 speed group on it and ride the dickens out of it.

Main thing is get it on the road, being ridden.

[Cicli]

Do you know Duffy?

As in Mark?

[Hindmost]

As in Mark?

My question was a bit off the wall. Duffy Livingstone raced cars in California in the 1950's and his team name was the same as your screen name. At Pebble Beach one year the PA announcers kept citing his team name until someone pointed out to them it's significance.

Cheers!

[seanile]

6-sp rear cluster so 126 OLD spacing, right?

Hmmm....maybe sell the Superbe Pro group, spread the rear to 130, use the Superbe proceeds to buy a modern gruppo, slap it in and off you go.

Won't be original but at least it won't sit in the basement.

i sold the 7spd dura ace on my merckx and (it apparently was already spread to 130) tossed a 10spd group it, looks and handles more favorably to my preferences (i also didnt like DT shifters), and i love riding it now. if it will motivate you to ride it, and you like the frame, do what you can to make that possible.

[Cicli]

My question was a bit off the wall. Duffy Livingstone raced cars in California in the 1950's and his team name was the same as your screen name. At Pebble Beach one year the PA announcers kept citing his team name until someone pointed out to them it's significance.

Cheers!

I knew it was a guy that raced the hell out of a model T. I didnt know his name.

[Hindmost]

Duffy also coined the name "go kart," as in the little cart with a motor on it. Until recent years he used to come out to go kart events on the west coast.

[Dead Man]

strip it! Make it what you want it to be! Keeping stuff original is cool if you have a reason to keep it original... otherwise, if the frame fits well and rides well, but the components are no bueno for your needs, it's just a huge waste of a fine frame.

I say strip that baby down, build it back up into what you're gonna ride.

[Hindmost]

Oh yea, about your Faggin. I am a sucker for the old stuff. If the bike is in decent shape, I'd keep it intact...maybe freshen up the wheels but run the dt shifters with say an 8 speed cassette.

[Dead Man]

Or give it to me, and I'll do it

[fogrider]

I think it would be a shame to strip a bike of original superbe. That may just be me though.

I know superbe, it was good back in the day, but compared to what is available today...no contest. but if you want to just ride it as a fixie, go for it.

[foon]

I would put new parts on it and give the bike a second life. Unless it's a museum piece or the old parts have special sentimental value to you, why keep it?

You can easily find someone here who would appreciate those suntour parts. I for one think that they're really nice. Considering how much those parts go for on eBay, you may be even able to put on a modern group for very little money.

[Marburg]

Leave the sentimentalism for someone else. Turn it into a bike you'll ride ...

[Asudef]

If its the downtube part of the shifters thats bothering you then maybe Retroshift/Gevenalle (http://www.gevenalle.com) would be the solution?
http://tracywilkins.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/0021.jpg

[oldpotatoe]

So, I have this bike that fits me well and rides great. I just dont like riding it. I am kind of a modern bike liker. (Not licker). I cant really get into the downtube shifters and old school brake levers.
One side of me says to strip it down and make it a single speed. I would ride it a bunch more then.
The other side says to keep it original. Its not high end but its original none the less and hasn't really been screwed with.

Its a late 70's early 80's Faggin with Suntour Superbe Pro.
Thoughts? It deserves better than to hang in the basement and rot.

If ya don't like the DT shifters and brake levers...cold set the rear triangle to 130mm-
-Get new lever mounted shifters, derailleurs, new rear wheel, cogset/chain..maybe some chainrings(fit onto that crank just fine) and go ride..

[Steve in SLO]

How about Cane Creek levers and barend shifters? More comfort; still traditional.

[weehastogopee]

I think maybe even adding compact drops would help. Civia emersons or soma highway ones are compact bars in a 26.0 clamp.

I think adding some silver athena to an old steel frame is always nice.

I'm sure you can sell the suntour group for a good price... I personally am a huge sucker for suntour, and I know I'm not the only one.

-Wei

[Duende]

Strip it. Put the parts in storage. Enjoy it as a daily commuter single speed.

Works for me.

Otherwise. Restore it and hang it on your wall as art

[Coluber42]

Turn it into something you want to ride. If a singlespeeed/fixie is what you want and don't have, then do that. If a modern geared drivetrain is what you want, then do that.
If it's just the downtube shifters you don't like, bar ends are easy to switch to without needing to change anything else.
But if you don't like the shape of the brake hoods, or you don't like the gearing you have now, or you just like brifters better, bar ends aren't accomplishing that goal.

Keeping nice vintage stuff original is nice if it's particularly unusual, or if you like it, or if you're a collector and into that stuff or whatever, but if you just want a bike you want to ride, who cares?

I'm a fan of fixies personally, but if you go that route you should do it because you want a fixed/ss bike, not because that's what people do with old road frames.

[spacemen3]

A Faggin with Superbe Pro sounds like a high-end model to me? If it was a Colnago that you were corrupting, I'd say go for it. ;) Seriously, I'd keep it as is or sell it, and then find a nice old track bike to build as a singlespeed. Sounds like fun.

[tiretrax]

I say convert to 10 speed if you want to continue riding that frame. If you want to sell the group, let me know. Otherwise, why not use it for short rides and get a more contemporary bike for longer rides?

[Netdewt]

Buy 2nd bike for riding hard, keep the oldie for adoring/Sundays.