Build an old bike with new components ?

Gavin

Yo,

So thanks to Dav319 on here, I'll be getting a Raleigh 'Tour of Ireland' bike soon enough. It has horizontal dropouts, so was contemplating a singlespeed/fixie conversion.



However, it would be nice to have a road bike and go on spins with the boards.ie hill climbing loons. Would it be stupid or even possible to get modern components such as a 10 speed 105 groupset and put it on the bike ? At some point when I get more money (this is a very tight budget exercise) I could get a more modern, lighter frame and move the components onto it.

The bike has 27" wheels at the moment. I understand I could fit 700c wheels, but would need longer reach caliper brakes ?

Lunacy? Genius?

blorg

Personally I wouldn't think it's nuts at all but note I have no personal experience here and don't know what compatibility issues you might come across with the frame.

A new groupset is likely to work a lot better (even if you went for something like Tiagra) than vintage bits you cobble together. Probably wouldn't cost much more either and would be a lot less hassle.

I think you can get around the brake issue with long reach calipers although you will likely need to cold set the frame (e.g. stretch it) to take the wider modern rear wheel axles.

penexpers

Alot depends too on the spacing in the droups. I suspect it might be 126mm on that frame?

Gavin

Don't have the frame to hand, but that's what Blorg describes with the cold stretching yeah ?

Thomas_S_Hunterson

The 126 mm dropouts shouldn't be a problem. You can either get a narrower hub and use spacers, or else, the Harris Cyclery sell own branded (made by formula) flip flop hubs which are ready for a 126mm dropouts.

/edit: there is a minimum order value ($100 if memory serves me correctly) for overseas deliveries, but when I ordered, I had no problem making that up...and then some. The stuff is quite reasonable. The rear hub was 50 dollars and the front was 30 dollars I think.

/edit2: It's not much of a stretch either, so that's always an option.

Brian?

I'm trying to do something similar myself actually.

I am cobbling together the old and the new into something not quite as good as either, but managing. Let me know how you get on.