Hi! I'm after some info!

[Mujician]

Hi guys! I usedto be big into riding my bike, but ever since starting at college, I haven't ridden really. I currently have a mountain bike, and a road bike. I want to use my mountain bike for leisure, and I would like to get a little bit serious with the road bike.

Now I need info!:- it's quite an old road bike, and I'm also interested in knowing how bikes work. Can I 'upgrade' parts of my bike to make it performance better? If so, what should I change first? Breaks, gears or forks? What else could I change on it? Are parts specific to bike makes and models? Or are the measurements pretty much universal?

Finally, to find out the frame sizes of my bikes where do I measure? Same question for the wheels? Many thanks, Ben

 

[Tharg2007]

A well serviced bike even an old one should do you just as well as any new bike.
You can upgrade some parts but getting new to be compatible with old can be tricky.
Things you may want to upgrade are the shifters (if you have down shifters) to STIs an also a more comfy set of bars, some of the old are not that comfy in my opinion.
If you're happy with the gearing set up and the bars then leave it as is, get it serviced and keep it in good nick and it will serve you well.

When you want to upgrade to a fancy road bike you can then buy a whole new one and have 2 road bikes, and then 3 and 4 etc

 

[Tharg2007]

forgot to ask what bike it is, pics please too.

 

[Mujician]

I don't know what it is. I got it out the paper! No decals on it, just blue! I can get pics later! I'm going to replace the brake and gear cables later. What are shifters?

 

[vorsprung]

The cheapest and easiest way to upgrade a bike is to put better tyres on
If it is a standard "racing bike" then michellin pro race tyres will make it go faster
Get a track pump while you are at it, if the tyres are correctly inflated this makes a big difference too

 

[SimonRoberts0204]

The cheapest and easiest way to upgrade a bike is to put better tyres on
If it is a standard "racing bike" then michellin pro race tyres will make it go faster
Get a track pump while you are at it, if the tyres are correctly inflated this makes a big difference too

+1 here,

Michelin Pro 3 Race pumped up to 115 PSI,,, awesome, even on my heap of junk!

 

[accountantpete]

Has the bike got 130mm clearance between the rear forks?

 

[swee'pea99]

The cheapest and easiest way to upgrade a bike is to put better tyres on
If it is a standard "racing bike" then michellin pro race tyres will make it go faster
Get a track pump while you are at it, if the tyres are correctly inflated this makes a big difference too

+1. Good tyres at the right (high) pressure transform any road bike. After that, light wheels. Nothing else matters half as much, long as it works.

 

[Mujician]

Has the bike got 130mm clearance between the rear forks?

I'll find out later. What diffence does it make?


Awesome avatar Swee'pea!!!

 

[fossyant]

You'll have to measure carefully. 130mm is the now standard rear 'hub spacing' 126 is the old standard from I'd say 20 years ago. This may limit the wheels you can fit. Although, depending upon the fram and how it's been 'set' (made) the spacing may be a little more than 126mm - i.e. take the wheel out and measure, then you will get away with a new wheel.

If not, a proper bike shop/frame builder would be able to re-set the spacing correctly (i.e. bend it a little)

 

[accountantpete]

Just to expand on what fossyant correctly states and what I should have stated originally - the 130mm is measured on the inside of the rear forks and basically most new setups need this spacing due to the wider cassettes.