Is this a silly idea or what? Cycling London to Paris on a battered 1985 Raleigh Record Sprint.

[vernon]

And granny gears just allow to pedal up a steep hill. You can still get up on a higher gear by honking.

Now I've got a 30 gear triple - the bees knees. Its easier, you have those intermediate gears to keep a constant cadence on slight changes of gradient - but its also more trouble working out the right gear and changing. On a long ride where time doesn't matter too much then simplicity and relaxation is good.

Granny gears also come in handy when you are just plain knackered and the slightest gradient is a challenge.

Riding with a triple chain set doesn't demand a lot of intelligence to get things right.

 

[bigjim]

Crankarm. You need to calm down. You are starting to sound like a Halfords salesperson. Nobody said your were talking crap. I actually pointed to your advice being good enough if the bike was a rustbucket. I am talking from direct experience of using this model of bike as a touring machine within the last few years. You are not! The Sprint has side pull brakes, not centre pull, which, if set up correctly with good pads are actually pretty good and I never felt the need to upgrade them. By the way how much is a good quality new steel frame nowadays?

 

[tbtb]

In choosing between whether to advise the pragmatic, sensible option (new town mtb from Halfords £200) or to embrace the romantic (advice re how to patch up the Sprint to maybe manage the journey) it's worth noting the OP's language - " (not) an easy steed, I'm sure she can make it, I'm determined, total faith. The OP asks "silly idea or what?" - the "or what" makes it borderline rhetorical, all the romantic language about the undertaking tells us they value the quirky adventure - we ought to consider this in weighing up what to advise - actually getting to Paris is not necessarily the only measure of success.

The OP has the nouse to buy spd shoes, they no doubt do realise the odds of arriving in Paris are lower on the Sprint than on some modern alternative. If they were being entirely sensible they might even take the train. Bearing all this in mind, and that they've only actually entered two posts in the thread and may be half way to Paris by now, it's probably best just to wish them well and say the odds of an enjoyable quirky trip might be maximised by following the advice re the megarange block, doing some day long test runs and having someone knowledgeable have a look at the bike to check its underlying condition.

 

[Zoiders]

I would trust the sprint to get me there as much as a modern bike.

I know the bike in question and it's a reliable bit of kit, very simple, little to go wrong, very easy to fettle in the field if you have to.

People seem to be suggesting it needs rebuilding to the same spec as a new off the shelf bike to be worthy of use and this is simply a load of cods.

 

[Crankarm]

I would trust the sprint to get me there as much as a modern bike.

I know the bike in question and it's a reliable bit of kit, very simple, little to go wrong, very easy to fettle in the field if you have to.

People seem to be suggesting it needs rebuilding to the same spec as a new off the shelf bike to be worthy of use and this is simply a load of cods.

No we are not saying it has to be the same spec as a new off the shelf bike, but if components are knackered they WILL need replacing. Well don't say I didn't warn the OP. How about new tyres as I guess the ones on it must be perished - thats £35-40 and new rim tape whilst you are at it and poss a new tube or two another £10-15. It soon adds up even doing all the work yourself.

 

[tbtb]

Right enough, Zoiders, I agree with your general point, quite right.

 

[bigjim]

Where are these prices coming from? I recently bought 2 michelin new 25c tyres for £6 each and have done 2 continental tours on them. New road bikes come fitted with these tyres. Also tubes can be had for £2 each. You don't really need new tubes as they will not have been exposed to sunlight. The guy has said that he is on minimum wage. You don't need a new bike for this. The whole route is only about 300miles. Jeez I would jump on my old mountain bike and have a go at that if I needed to.

 

[tbtb]

I do hope we get a trip report afterwards, now we've discussed it so much.

 

[superbadger]

Back to the OP... To hell with it! Clean the bike as best you can,check the wheels and tyres and just go for it!. You and the bike will make it; You will have push up a few hills but what the hell.....

 

[Zoiders]

No we are not saying it has to be the same spec as a new off the shelf bike, but if components are knackered they WILL need replacing. Well don't say I didn't warn the OP. How about new tyres as I guess the ones on it must be perished - thats £35-40 and new rim tape whilst you are at it and poss a new tube or two another £10-15. It soon adds up even doing all the work yourself.

People are saying "fit STI's" "fit a triple" "fit new brakes" etc etc.

Just because it's from 85 and has DT shifters.

God knows how I get by riding fixed.

 

[Crankarm]

Where are these prices coming from? I recently bought 2 michelin new 25c tyres for £6 each and have done 2 continental tours on them. New road bikes come fitted with these tyres. Also tubes can be had for £2 each. You don't really need new tubes as they will not have been exposed to sunlight. The guy has said that he is on minimum wage. You don't need a new bike for this. The whole route is only about 300miles. Jeez I would jump on my old mountain bike and have a go at that if I needed to.

Are these 1985 prices to match a 1985 bike?

 

[vernon]

People are saying "fit STI's" "fit a triple" "fit new brakes" etc etc.

Just because it's from 85 and has DT shifters.

God knows how I get by riding fixed.

Don't recall seeing STI and brake upgrades being mentioned.

God knows how you get by with only one gear. I'd die of boredom.

 

[vernon]

People seem to be suggesting it needs rebuilding to the same spec as a new off the shelf bike to be worthy of use and this is simply a load of cods.

No one has suggested that.

However show me where you can by old spec replacement

brake cables
gear cables
chainset - if needed
deraiileur to cope with a 32 tooth old spec freewheel - if used

Modern spec replacement components are impossible to avoid.

Looking at the header - 'a battered 1985 Raleigh Record Sprint' hardly suggests a a bike in good working order does it?

 

[bigjim]

brake cables
gear cables
chainset - if needed
deraiileur to cope with a 32 tooth old spec freewheel - if used Modern spec replacement components are impossible to avoid.

You don't know much about bikes do you? The links to this derailleur kit have already been supplied. Modern cables are just the same as an 1985 model. £1.20 each at Wilkies though nobody said the bike needed them.

Are these 1985 prices to match a 1985 bike?

Try doing a bit of research instead of suggesting somebody on minimum wage should walk into a bike shop and pay whatever they ask. Forget it I've done it for you.
tyres

tubes

 

[vernon]

You don't know much about bikes do you? The links to this derailleur kit have already been supplied. Modern cables are just the same as an 1985 model. £1.20 each at Wilkies though nobody said the bike needed them.

Yes and I supplied them.

Although nobody said that the bike needed new cables, I would not trust a set of 25 year old cables to do their job. Call me a wimp or whatever but I would like to be able to rely on the brake cables doing their job.

I've tried being a zero/low cost cyclist in the past and have had more than a few older bikes through my hands. I have had brake cables give up the ghost before the tidied up 'classics' ever got to be ridden. Being able to stop is far more important than being able to go.

£1.20 for a brake cable woot woot! A true bargain and a cheap guardian of the rider's health. I'd make them the first purchase in any refurbishment program.