Upgrading components

[4F]

Ok I am currently riding an old steel 80's dawes road bike with weinmann brakes and sachs huret shifters down tube shifters and considering upgrading some of the components.

Thinking of changing the brakes and brake levers to 105's and was wondering if I can just change the rear mech to something of a similar nature. So my real question is are more modern derallier's (for example 105, tiagra) specific to index shift rather than friction or can I use any type ?

 

[mickle]

Modern and vintage brakes and levers are compatible in both directions.
You can use an indexing mech with friction shifters but there are no guarantees using index shifters with friction rear mechs.

The only potential issue I can envisage with your proposal is that a modern mech will have a pair of skinny jockey wheels suited to a 9 or 10 spd chain. Might be a simple case of sticking a washer in betwixt jocket wheel and side plate.

 

[4F]

Thanks Mickle. How feasible / easy would it be then to change to STI shifters from my current down tube shifters ?

 

[fossyant]

Easy - just need the DT adjusters to go to STI, and new cables etc.. Check out which mech's are 8 speed compatible.
Check brake drop as well (mounting bolt to rim) - you may need longer reach brake calipers !

 

[4F]

Ok then I currently have my eye on some second hand 105 sti shifters so apart them, a set of new cables and compatible rear mech is that it ?

 

[mickle]

I'm too drunk to answer this right now. I'll get back to you as soon as I've sobered up.

 

[Landslide]

What wheels/cassette are you running?

 

[domtyler]

I would have thought it would make more sense to change the wheels, drive train, mechs and shifters/levers at the same time rather than produce some kind of hodge-podge mixture of two totally different systems.

 

[4F]

What wheels/cassette are you running?

Well at the moment a 6 speed screw on cassette but probably look to change the wheels at the same time to something compatible.

 

[mickle]

Careful now, you might be better off buying a complete new bike the way you're going.

 

[4F]

Careful now, you might be better off buying a complete new bike the way you're going.

You could be right

 

[domtyler]

If you love the frame then do the rebuild. If you don't give a toss about it then buy a new bike, less cost and less hassle.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

i spent more buying an old reynolds 531 frame and doing it up, even though i had a spare groupset and wheel to add to it.

ended up costing more than a cheap alu bike with similar componentry, but i'm glad i didn't do that instead.

btw, and 8 speed shimano sora (the current sora is 9, so be sure which one you're getting) is probably the mech you need.

 

[mickle]

Or, buy the cheapest complete bike you can find with the gruppo you want, transfer it all over and sell the frame and left over parts on the bay. It'll probably work out cheaper. headset components aside, the only component which is likely not to fit is the front mech.

Bear in mind that whatever route you take you'll need to have your rear dropouts 'cold set' to accept the new wheel.