Also - this bike was actually a *gift* from my uncle's garage - should I ask before I make it a singlespeed???
Becoming a roadie
I've got a 60 year old road bike with shifters that have stopped working - need new cables, new derailleurs (the return springs have gone after 60 years) and the shifters are crap too and don't want to dip into my mtb upgrade (or new tri bike) fund to buy new stuff for a road bike. So, when I get back I'll be converting to singlespeed and putting on some electric blue grip tape on the red Schwinn. Would I be frowned upon if I went on group rides with the local roadie/tri group on that rig? 
For those who saw my thread in XC, this will be the bike I'll be using to train for IM until I can afford a new bike (next summer I'm hoping). I'll post a pic when I get stateside.
For those who saw my thread in XC, this will be the bike I'll be using to train for IM until I can afford a new bike (next summer I'm hoping). I'll post a pic when I get stateside.
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Good idea - it's got one of those old school tire rub generators that still works. I'll be taking it off, but someday it might be worth something. I'll post pics when I get home.boomn said:
Can't wait to get my singletrack fix. What will the roadies do when they see this bike though? I'll be joining the local tri group to make my training a little more interesting than riding solo daily so it'll be interesting to see how this'll be taken...
On a typical group ride around here, I don't think a single-speed would work out very well. Between the climbing and high-speed descending, it's unlikely you'd keep up, and that's what would be frowned upon. Not the bike itself, but what it'll do to your ability to ride compotently with the group and pull your weight.lampy29 said:So, when I get back I'll be converting to singlespeed and putting on some electric blue grip tape on the red Schwinn. Would I be frowned upon if I went on group rides with the local roadie/tri group on that rig?
Of course, there are some roadies who would frown upon your vintage bike for its own sake, too
Alright then - will definitely be doing some road rides to train and from what I hear gears are necessary - compared with mtb(+/-2-18 mph) you're right the speeds do vary a lot more on the road (+/-6-30s mph) making more than one speed really important to keep up.mechBgon said:On a typical group ride around here, I don't think a single-speed would work out very well. Between the climbing and high-speed descending, it's unlikely you'd keep up, and that's what would be frowned upon. Not the bike itself, but what it'll do to your ability to ride compotently with the group and pull your weight.
Of course, there are some roadies who would frown upon your vintage bike for its own sake, too
So what's the lowest group from Shimano I could go with that offers solid shifting for a reasonable price. Will be able to dig up $350 this summer (there go the xt mtb shifters to upgrade my Deores... oh well, I'll turn that bike ss...
) for new shifters and derailleurs. I don't expect any carbon fiber .1 - 12 of 12 Posts
