component upgrades.

[motochick]

Zen, it cost about $430 to do the necessary stuff. Cranks, derailleurs, shifters, cassette, chain. I still had my old 105 brakes and levers which are in primo good shape but I got a set of short reach tektro levers cuz I liked the ergos better. I never liked the pointy Shimano ones and now I can reach the brakes from the drops! My wheels are ancient but the 600 hubs are sooooo smooth and fast, I can't see getting rid of them.

Mad, the reason I chose SRAM is because my hubby had just built a bike from the frame up with the same basic setup and, well.....monkey see, monkey do. I have ridden all three and I like the SRAM and Campy better than the Shimano, for no particular reason. As for being worried about switching to a compact, we just switched our tandem over from a triple and so far so good. We live in a valley so everything is up and with 10 in the rear, we have just as many gear options without all the extra shifts. I considered a triple during the upgrade but looked at the numbers and went compact. No complaints, wouldn't change a thing. (unless I in the lottery)

Good luck on your upgrades!

Brenda

[Blueberry]

What a cool bike! I have a newer 520 (2006) and LOVE it. I love my bar end shifters. I have them on 3 bikes, and will probably put them on my road bike when the sti shifters give out. STI (for me) seems to require very regular adjustment, and I just don't have the patience for it. I'm much happier with something that just works. Others love STI. If you plan to tour, though, I'd stick with bar ends. STI's either work, or they don't. But if they break, there's not much in between (except putting a down tube back on as an emergency fix...)

Mountain components let you keep a very wide range, so you have low gears if you ever want to do loaded touring. I love them and wouldn't give them up - but that's me. I do wonder if you'll have to change out the rear wheel to go to 9 speed or 10 speed. You would probably notice a wheel upgrade I agree with what others have said - repainting is always an option. But, I wouldn't give up that frame (sell it to me, if you do).

Good luck

CA

[OakLeaf]

Is there any issue with dropout spacing, going to a freewheel with more cogs?

I mean, I know the cogs are narrower, but the freewheel's still wider, isn't it? Is the rest of it just in the dish of the wheel?

My old steel bike has a 6 speed freewheel and a standard double up front - is it possible to put on a 10 speed freewheel and a compact double? Or does that depend on the frame?

[Blueberry]

Don't know much about the spacing issues - except that you can spread the dropouts on a steel frame if you decide to upgrade and don't have the room. I want to say that 7 speed will be OK, but 6 won't without extra work (but that's a thought in the very back of my mind with no good justification).

Hopefully one of the mechanics can chime in with more specific advice

CA

[madscot13]

I've heard of other's upgrading from 7-9 without much problems. My front wheel is new and so the rear is just waiting for it. with an upgrade I am hoping I can keep my deore lx dérailleurs and still be able to go to a 9-10x cassette. Any crank I have should have a triple. I've never ridden a compact and with a 30 pound bike, it wouldn't save much weight.

I might switch out my brakes too. I would like to know what the difference is.
Motochick, for all of those upgrades that is not too bad in my book. Can I shop around for parts and bring them to my LBS, or are they strictly buy from us sort of places (like the rip off plumber)

I rethought about a Surly LHT, a steel frame that I could build up from scratch. It looks like the stand over is still a bit too high, and that is the first thing I look at when looking at new frames. It would probably just put me in the same place that I am now with my 520. I would of course need to ride one someday.

[motochick]

I will be honest here and say that I do not use my LBS because I would not trust them to sell me the right tube! I live in a very small rural town so 99% of the things I buy are from the internet. I don't know if they would build yours if you supplied the parts. I am lucky to have a husband that is very mechanical so he builds all of our bikes.

I can comment on the rear wheel spacing a little. Hubby is building up his mid-80's steel frame that used to be a 6 speed. He just had some 10 speed wheels built and they worked. My frame was also 6 speed at one time and my old wheels and frame worked w/the 10. The spacing was smaller back then but with steel you can bend it to work.

Keep us updated on whatchagonna do.

Brenda

[Zen]

Zen, it cost about $430 to do the necessary stuff.

Well that's not bad. a new, low-end Trek would cost about the same but this way you could keep your lugged steel and get everything you want just the way you want.

Now I have bike envy over a bike that doesn't even exist yet .