Anyone here know about vintage steel bikes?

[Popoki_Nui]

Here are some pics of the Miyata 710 I just bought. I took a lot more pics than this for anyone who wants to see more close-ups of certain parts.

I'm trying to decide on handle bar tape and bottle cage colors - any suggestions? The logo is silver, so I thought about matching that, but not sure.

Nice!! A good cleaning and tuneup and you should get many happy years out of her.
What about red bar tape, and silver bottle cages? You mentioned having a little difficulty reaching the brake hoods: since you have aero hoods, you may not be able to slide them up towards you very much. In that case, you may want to get a stem with a shorter reach.
Good luck and have fun working on her!

[Popoki_Nui]

Keep in mind, she is 12 years and 50,000 miles old. This is a custom bike. It is Reynolds steel & C-Chorus.

Wow is right! Who built it? I don't recognize the logo. Mmm...mmm.....sweet bike!

[DebW]

Here are some pics of the Miyata 710 I just bought. I took a lot more pics than this for anyone who wants to see more close-ups of certain parts.

I'm trying to decide on handle bar tape and bottle cage colors - any suggestions?

My experienced bike building friend said he thought the wheels felt solid and probably do not need new bearings at this point. After looking at it, he thinks the bike probably didn't get ridden a lot, but just sat around a lot. He also said that he doesn't think we'll need to replace the chain right off the bat if it's not skipping. ????

I'm new to this stuff, so if there are more great suggestions, please send them my way. I'd like other opinions besides the ones my friend is giving me. He has sort of an "old school" way of doing things, which is cool, but I'd like all kinds of perspectives. Thanks again!!!!

The foam handlebar stuff will be easiest to cut off (that stuff is a bear to put on). Some bandage scissors would do the trick without scratching the bars. Once the bars are bare, you can loosen the brake levers and move them around until you like them. They are twisted too much inside right now. Ultimately you might prefer a different bar - those have a long drop and a short reach.

I would replace the rusty chain. You don't know if there is rust inside the pins that might make the chain weak. An SRAM PC58 would be a good replacement. If the cables have any rust at all (or maybe even if they don't) you should replace them and the housing and lube it up good. If it were mine, I'd want to open the hubs before long to check them out. And make sure the freewheel can be removed. Remember to grease the freewheel threads before you put it back.

[kaian]

The freewheel has 6 chain rings in the back, so wouldn't I need a 6 speed chain? It looks like the SRAM PC58 is an 8spd chain. Or does it not matter?

[Dogmama]

Wow is right! Who built it? I don't recognize the logo. Mmm...mmm.....sweet bike!

Thanks. It was built by a custom frame builder in Tucson, Andy Gilmour. Deb - yes it was built for me. The first time I road it, it was like wearing a really comfortable pair of shoes. It just fits. The cut out is a Thunderbird.

[Popoki_Nui]

The freewheel has 6 chain rings in the back, so wouldn't I need a 6 speed chain? It looks like the SRAM PC58 is an 8spd chain. Or does it not matter?

The chain DebW recommended should be fine. I use similar ones on my 5 and 6 speed vintage bikes with no problems. You probably won't be able to find new chains for 6 speed cogsets these days; cassettes are 8, 9, or 10 speeds now.

[kaian]

Okay...sorry for all of the questions, but I am really clueless as to the type of parts to get. What kind of brake pads would I get for the Dia Compe side pull brakes? Also, should I get new cables and housing for brakes and shifters? Do I need to stick to sidepulls or would it be easy to upgrade the brakes somehow in the future (inexpensively)?

Thanks again for all of the help.

My old school fixer-upper friend hasn't really mentioned replacing the brake pads or cables, so I just wasn't sure if it's a must and also what would be compatible.

[DebW]

Okay...sorry for all of the questions, but I am really clueless as to the type of parts to get. What kind of brake pads would I get for the Dia Compe side pull brakes? Also, should I get new cables and housing for brakes and shifters? Do I need to stick to sidepulls or would it be easy to upgrade the brakes somehow in the future (inexpensively)?

For brake pads, most any road brake pad will work, just not cantilever or V-brake. You can find original DiaCompe brake shoes here
http://www.loosescrews.com/index.cgi...id=24151434173
or the Shimano 105 or Ultegra or KoolStop threaded on the same page will work. The old ones may be OK if they still feel like rubber, but if they feel hard, stiff, or dry, replace them. I'd suggest new cables and housing because (1) it cheap, (2) you have to pull the old stuff off anyway for rustproof treatment and it's easier to put back new than old, and (3) old ones could be rusty and more likely to break or have more friction.

It would be easier to stick with sidepull brakes. What else would you want? Centerpulls would require cable hangers on the headset and seatpost bolt. Cantilevers would require braze-on fork and seattube fittings.

[GLC1968]

OK, you steel women got me thinking...

There is a good looking 1985 Bianchi for sale near me. It's a 47 cm...which is my size (give or take...at least I'll be able to straddle it!)...and looks pretty nice. The listing is fairly sparse:

http://greensboro.craigslist.org/bik/224095476.html

From what is here, is it possible to tell if this is a good bike? Is it one I should get more info on and try to negotiate for, or is it one I should just pass up, for one reason or another?

Thanks for any insight!

[DebW]

OK, you steel women got me thinking...

There is a good looking 1985 Bianchi for sale near me. It's a 47 cm...which is my size (give or take...at least I'll be able to straddle it!)...and looks pretty nice. The listing is fairly sparse:

http://greensboro.craigslist.org/bik/224095476.html

From what is here, is it possible to tell if this is a good bike? Is it one I should get more info on and try to negotiate for, or is it one I should just pass up, for one reason or another?

Thanks for any insight!

Yeah, you'd need more info to evaluate this bike. But the weight makes me think that it's worth further investigation. You want to know the frame material. And you want more measurements to compare with your current bike to check the fit. Check the wheel size too.

[Kitsune06]

OK someone near me has a Cierra 12-speed tourer for sale for $40 and a vintage Schwinn Super Sport for $60. I'm asking about the sizes, but ballpark (as I've never *been* on a road bike) if I'm 5'4" and have a 31" inseam, what bike size should I look for?

[Popoki_Nui]

OK someone near me has a Cierra 12-speed tourer for sale for $40 and a vintage Schwinn Super Sport for $60. I'm asking about the sizes, but ballpark (as I've never *been* on a road bike) if I'm 5'4" and have a 31" inseam, what bike size should I look for?

Hmmm...it isn't quite as easy as that. There is a lot that must be considered when choosing a bike size. Assuming the bikes you're considering have parallel top tubes (as opposed to the newer sloping top tubes), the general rule of thumb is that when you stand straddling the bike, feet flat on the ground, you should have about 1" or so clearance between the top tube and your crotch. Mixte, women's, MTB's, and road frames with sloping top tubes require different measuring procedures (usually involving what is called "virtual top tube measurements"). But....there is also the matter of frame geometry. Just because you may have the requisite ~1" clearance doesn't necessarily mean the frame will be a good fit.
Probably the best thing you can do -if the seller is willing- is to take the bike(s) to your trusted LBS and have them assess the bike with you on it. They'll be able to tell you if the bike can be adjusted to fit you properly, of if it will be an exercise in frustration. If the seller is not willing to help you, try the toptube/crotch fit, check to see if you can adjust the saddle and post, stem and bars to an approximate fit, and decide from there. I'm sure others can add more info here as well.
FWIW, I'm 5'11" with a 35" inseam. I ride anywhere from 21" old skool MTB frames to 23.5" old skool road frames. Good luck.

~Sherry.

[DebW]

OK someone near me has a Cierra 12-speed tourer for sale for $40 and a vintage Schwinn Super Sport for $60. I'm asking about the sizes, but ballpark (as I've never *been* on a road bike) if I'm 5'4" and have a 31" inseam, what bike size should I look for?

If you google "bicycle fit" you'll find lots of info, including a few sites where you can type in your body measurements and come out with frame dimensions. Not that any of those are your "be all and end all" of frame dimensions, but they are a very good place to start. I even found one that, when I entered my dimensions, gave me the exact frame I'm riding (except it told me to use 172.5 cranks and I have 170s), the dimensions of which I've found by trial and error. And for reference, I have a 32 inch inseam and ride a 54 cm C-T seat tube, 54 cm C-C top tube and I'm 5' 7".

[GLC1968]

Thanks, Deb!

I did a little more research and found out that it is built of isihiwata 022 tubing and I believe that it is lugged. The Limiteds were all built in Japan and in 1985 switched to the Shimano 600 components. I don't know enough to know if any of this is good or not. I did ask for more information from the seller, so we'll see. I've seen mention of 700cc wheels on Limiteds for smaller women...so hopefully this bike has them as well.

I do wish it was Celeste though!

[mimitabby]

OK someone near me has a Cierra 12-speed tourer for sale for $40 and a vintage Schwinn Super Sport for $60. I'm asking about the sizes, but ballpark (as I've never *been* on a road bike) if I'm 5'4" and have a 31" inseam, what bike size should I look for?

Kitsune
here's my humble advice. Try the bikes out. I got myself sized and came out 49cm on one of those websites(I'm a half inch shorter than you and 30 years older)

I've been riding a 49cm road bike since May.. Just for fun i tried a 44cm Sunday and it was QUITE a bit nicer. and it's a cheaper bike. We have nice long legs so (we women) so we tend to end up on bikes too big for us. Now that I know that there is something that fits me better out there, I am fantasizing about MARINONI bikes...