Converting to Compact Double?

[ridebikeme]

Everyone here has definitely given you some good advice. As Deb mentioned, the chain line will undoubtedly be better with a new crank and bottom bracket.. and then of course you'll also need a new front derailleur. However the other problem is that a compact double is made for 9/10 speed rear wheels... which means it needs a much narrower chain than your current 6 speed rear wheel.

Another choice is to check on a touring crankset.. they usually run 50/42/30 but you can also get 48/38/28... so you definitely have plenty of options. This make work out better for you in the long run..

Good luck!

[Popoki_Nui]

I recently converted my Bianchi Limited to a MTB triple (48/38/28). I was able to simply change out the old BB for a new XT cartridge as the original was worn out anyway, and the XT crankset bolted right on. The spindle length was same as, and the chainline is perfect.
The stock Shimano 600 front derailleur works perfectly (just needed to adjust the limiting screws), but I did change the rear derailleur to a Shimano 700CX as the 600 cage didn't have quite the length needed. The conversion went much easier than I anticipated. Cost: $50 for the BB, $60 for the rear derailleur. I had the cranks already. About an hour's work start to finish including adjustments.
Then for fun, I added MTB flat bars, vintage XT brake levers, and fatter all-terrain tires. Now it's a lightweight go-almost-anywhere ride that I really enjoy.

[melissam]

Popoki_Nui,

Do you have any pics of your Bianchi Limited? That sounds like quite the bike!

ridebikeme,

The touring crankset could be an option too. I did "win" the 13-34T freewheel on eBay, so I would have a low gear of 39-34, which should be sufficient.

At this point, my plans are to take the Bianchi out for nice, flat, social rides. The Trek will get to go out on hillier rides or longer rides. I love my Trek, but there's something that tickles me about taking my old college bike out on the road.

Just call me a sentimental fool....

-- Melissa

[Popoki_Nui]

Popoki_Nui,

Do you have any pics of your Bianchi Limited? That sounds like quite the bike!


Just call me a sentimental fool....

Hey...nothing wrong with being sentimental! Lots of us here have/ride bikes from our younger years. Go ahead...be sentimental!
Here are a couple of pix, hastily taken just now, of my Bianchi Limited converstion. Hope it gives you some ideas! It was my winter project in Dec 05/Jan 06. I took couple of weeks to strip, paint, re-decal, and do the mechanical restoration, then the conversion later in 06.

[melissam]

Popoki_Nui,

That looks fantastic! Thanks for posting the pics!

What kind of handlebars are those?

How wide are the tires? 28s? Do they fit on the original rims?

What color is your bike? It looks black in the pictures, but that could be the lighting. My bike is burgundy, but it can look brown or black.

Thanks again for posting the pics. Man, maybe we should start a "vintage" bike pic thread.

-- Melissa

[Popoki_Nui]

Popoki_Nui,
What kind of handlebars are those?
How wide are the tires? 28s? Do they fit on the original rims?
What color is your bike? It looks black in the pictures, but that could be the lighting. My bike is burgundy, but it can look brown or black.

Not sure about the bars and stem, I had them in a box of parts in my workshop. They are basically 1" quill mountain bike stem and bars with bar ends. The tires are Continentals marked 700x28, but they actually measure 31mm wide. Yes, they fit right on the original rims. The bike's color now is gloss black, the original color was a kind of brownish~black (as far as I could tell: most of the paint was gone). The pic below shows what she looked like the day I brought her home. Tires rotted, cables seized, anything not alloy was rusted tight.