Groupset mixing, thoughts please.

[SkipdiverJohn]

If I was doing a custom build from scratch on a tight budget, then after choosing the frame, the next thing I would think about would be the wheelset. The gear mechs would be right down at the bottom of the priority order, along with the seatpost. A lot of cyclists are really OCD about having matching small items, whereas the biggest potential weight savings are in the large components.

 

[woodbutcher]

If I was doing a custom build from scratch on a tight budget, then after choosing the frame, the next thing I would think about would be the wheelset. The gear mechs would be right down at the bottom of the priority order, along with the seatpost. A lot of cyclists are really OCD about having matching small items, whereas the biggest potential weight savings are in the large components.

Im with you there Skipdiver John ! l am in the middle of doing a Vitus 979 build . So naturally l bought the frame and forks first. The wheel set was next and that threw up the first challenge. Obviously it had to fit a wheel space of 126mm and it came with a 7speed uniglide freewheel so l am trying (very cautiously ) to cannibalise it and fit it into a hyper glide body so to give more flexibility as far as the cassette goes.
I guess" Rome wasn't built in a day" and neither will this bike be !

 

[Rusty Nails]

I've just bought an Emperor Sports built in 1998, it's built around a Veloce groupset.... its in need of a little tlc, I need to replace the front brake (bit of corrision) I was thinking of changing the brake calipers to Centuar Athena, or chorus, all of which look similar to the Veloce ones. But from what I see mixed group sets seem frowned upon. ....so, do I upgrade or just replace with new Veloce item?
I'd be interested in your thoughts.
Cheers

By whom? Do you give a toss about what people like that think?

The pleasure of owning old bikes with old groupsets is the general interchangeability, within limits, of the stuff.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

The pleasure of owning old bikes with old groupsets is the general interchangeability, within limits, of the stuff.

Agree with this, and it also means a manufacturer can't deliberately make your bike obsolete and force you to replace it prematurely with a new one, simply by stopping the spare parts supply. With old stuff, you can always get the bits from someone, or even cannibalise donors that might be of a different make & model. Most stuff will fit most bikes, even if it doesn't match!