Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Touring
Reload this Page >

1999 to 2000? Trek 520 with STI 9 speed?

Notices
Touring Have a dream to ride a bike across your state, across the country, or around the world? Self-contained or fully supported? Trade ideas, adventures, and more in our bicycle touring forum.

1999 to 2000? Trek 520 with STI 9 speed?

Old 09-04-20, 10:57 AM
  #1  
kidadam
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 115
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 51 Post(s)
Liked 17 Times in 13 Posts
1999 to 2000? Trek 520 with STI 9 speed?

Hi,

I picked up a trek 520 for a song ($225 USD) that's lightly used.

It has a Tiagra 9 speed shifters, LX Deore rear derailleur, LX hubs, 105 crank and 105 front derailleur. Apparently it was purchased new like this? Any idea what year it is? judging from the paint I thought early 2000s.
kidadam is offline  
Old 09-04-20, 10:58 AM
  #2  
kidadam
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 115
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 51 Post(s)
Liked 17 Times in 13 Posts


kidadam is offline  
Old 09-04-20, 11:36 AM
  #3  
Tourist in MSN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,112

Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.

Mentioned: 47 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3426 Post(s)
Liked 1,441 Times in 1,122 Posts
Paint looks like a 1999.
https://bikepedia.com/QuickBike/Bike...spx?item=86210

I do not know if Trek put bar end shifters on all the years of that era, but my recollection was that they did. The link above also specifies eight speed cassette.

Thus, if that is a 99, I think a previous owner made some upgrades. Rear hub and rear derailer would work with both eight and nine speed systems, thus that upgrade would not have been too costly.

Looks like you got a great deal. The bike looks like it was either well cared for or lightly used, or both. When I look at an extremely lightly used bike, one of the first things I look at to judge wear is if the tires are original and how much wear is on the tires. From your photos I can't tell if the tires are the same model as in the link above.

Older steel frame and aluminum seatpost, make sure they are not stuck together. And you want to keep the seatpost greased so that there is no dissimilar metal corrosion. Also, a greased seatpost makes it less likely that rain can get inside the frame.

If you plan to tour on that, consider putting on a smaller small chainring. A couple decades ago, road triples for touring bikes were common but since then most touring bikes come stock with lower gears for steep hill climbing with a load. It would be easy to reduce the size of that 30T chainring.
Tourist in MSN is offline  
Old 09-04-20, 12:20 PM
  #4  
kidadam
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 115
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 51 Post(s)
Liked 17 Times in 13 Posts
Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN
Paint looks like a 1999.
https://bikepedia.com/QuickBike/Bike...spx?item=86210

I do not know if Trek put bar end shifters on all the years of that era, but my recollection was that they did. The link above also specifies eight speed cassette.

Thus, if that is a 99, I think a previous owner made some upgrades. Rear hub and rear derailer would work with both eight and nine speed systems, thus that upgrade would not have been too costly.

Looks like you got a great deal. The bike looks like it was either well cared for or lightly used, or both. When I look at an extremely lightly used bike, one of the first things I look at to judge wear is if the tires are original and how much wear is on the tires. From your photos I can't tell if the tires are the same model as in the link above.

Older steel frame and aluminum seatpost, make sure they are not stuck together. And you want to keep the seatpost greased so that there is no dissimilar metal corrosion. Also, a greased seatpost makes it less likely that rain can get inside the frame.

If you plan to tour on that, consider putting on a smaller small chainring. A couple decades ago, road triples for touring bikes were common but since then most touring bikes come stock with lower gears for steep hill climbing with a load. It would be easy to reduce the size of that 30T chainring.
Wow these are the original tires. Hard to believe actually. I think most of the scuffs are just from storage. It rides like a new bike. I have 2019 26" LHT as well and it seems every bit as good.

The seat post seems to be greased but that is good to know.

I asked the owner if he upgraded it and he said no, that be bought it that way. Maybe the bike shop did it.
kidadam is offline  
Old 09-04-20, 02:51 PM
  #5  
Tourist in MSN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,112

Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.

Mentioned: 47 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3426 Post(s)
Liked 1,441 Times in 1,122 Posts
Originally Posted by kidadam
...
I asked the owner if he upgraded it and he said no, that be bought it that way. Maybe the bike shop did it.
Or, memory of what you did 20 years ago could also be a bit off. Maybe the owner asked the bike shop to make that change if the owner owned another road bike with brifters and did not want to try bar end shifters? I have known several people that bought bikes with bar end shifters that made that change.

I have never owned any Shimano brifters, have not used them. But a few people on this board have suggested that older Shimanos can have some difficulty with thickening lubrication causing them to stop shifting properly, etc. And a friend of mine had some 12 year old Shimano brifters stop working on his touring bike. But one or two people on this board have had old ones keep working well with occasional cleaning and lubrication.

My only brifters are Campy, I can't really comment on how to do anything on a Shimano brifter. Maybe others will comment?
Tourist in MSN is offline  
Old 09-04-20, 04:10 PM
  #6  
kidadam
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 115
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 51 Post(s)
Liked 17 Times in 13 Posts
Yes one is having difficult time to time. I knew that before buying - I thought I could replace it with bar ends if worse comes to worst. Does anyone know if it's something that can be fixed?

Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN
Or, memory of what you did 20 years ago could also be a bit off. Maybe the owner asked the bike shop to make that change if the owner owned another road bike with brifters and did not want to try bar end shifters? I have known several people that bought bikes with bar end shifters that made that change.

I have never owned any Shimano brifters, have not used them. But a few people on this board have suggested that older Shimanos can have some difficulty with thickening lubrication causing them to stop shifting properly, etc. And a friend of mine had some 12 year old Shimano brifters stop working on his touring bike. But one or two people on this board have had old ones keep working well with occasional cleaning and lubrication.

My only brifters are Campy, I can't really comment on how to do anything on a Shimano brifter. Maybe others will comment?
kidadam is offline  
Old 09-04-20, 04:21 PM
  #7  
Tourist in MSN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,112

Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.

Mentioned: 47 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3426 Post(s)
Liked 1,441 Times in 1,122 Posts
Originally Posted by kidadam
Yes one is having difficult time to time. I knew that before buying - I thought I could replace it with bar ends if worse comes to worst. Does anyone know if it's something that can be fixed?
I think cleaning and lubricating the sticky brifter is what others have done, but I have no experience with that.

It would be easy to change to bar end shifters. I do not know the Shimano part numbers, my bar end shifters are eight, not nine speed. I think Microshift also makes some, but I have never used theirs. And a pair of Tectro or Cane Creek brake levers if you did not want to use the Shimano ones on the bike. Likely new cables with outer housing, bar tape. I have three bikes with bar end shifters, I prefer them for touring over brifters.
Tourist in MSN is offline  
Old 09-04-20, 05:11 PM
  #8  
Trevtassie
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Down Under
Posts: 1,936

Bikes: A steel framed 26" off road tourer from a manufacturer who thinks they are cool. Giant Anthem. Trek 720 Multiroad pub bike. 10 kids bikes all under 20". Assorted waifs and unfinished projects.

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1188 Post(s)
Liked 1,154 Times in 640 Posts
First thing to try with the sticky brifter is to flush it out with some brake cleaner. Give it a squirt, let it sit a bit , then another squirt to clean out the softened dried grease. Then relube with a lithium spray grease, since the cans generally come with a long snoot to get right inside.
You may need to rinse and repeat a few times. If it had had a hard life the springs could be shagged, but I doubt that in this case, it'll just be grease snot.
If I was you, I'd be replacing the front crank with a 22, 30, 40 MTB one and use a Side Shift front derailleur. You might need to tweak BB length to get a road chainline. You'll get closer to modern touring gearing that way.

Last edited by Trevtassie; 09-04-20 at 05:16 PM.
Trevtassie is offline  
Old 09-04-20, 05:41 PM
  #9  
headwind15
Bikeable
 
headwind15's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 326
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 173 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 104 Times in 73 Posts
You can't post that here, you are going to make tourists here jealous and you did better than me picking up a Windsor Tourist for $200.
headwind15 is offline  
Likes For headwind15:
Old 09-04-20, 05:42 PM
  #10  
fishboat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,890

Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 751 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 799 Times in 467 Posts
Brake fluid can be hard on some paints.

With a bike in that condition, I'm sure the shifter is fine. Spray it internally with WD40, work it through the range of gears(helps if you remove the chain so you can just click through the range), spray again, work it through the range, spray, work, spray, work..it'll loosen up and be fine. Finish it off with a light spray lube(machine-type oil) and you good to go. A minor tune up like this on the shifter that works is a good idea too.
fishboat is offline  
Old 09-04-20, 06:08 PM
  #11  
Eggman84
Full Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SoCal
Posts: 489

Bikes: 2014 Bruce Gordon Rock&Road, 1995 Santana Visa Tandem, 1990 Trek 520, 2012 Surly LHT

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 211 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 43 Times in 35 Posts
It did not go out of the factory with Tiagra STI shifters; all Trek 520s of that era used barend shifters. Also Shimano introduced Tiagra in 2011, starting with 4400 at 9 speed. Per Trek catalogs, 9 speed cassettes were not introduced on the 520 until 2001. So, if based on color it is a 1999 frame, then someone updated both the shifters and cassette before the original purchaser bought it Not unheard of for a bike shop to change components. Maybe it was languishing on the floor and they though putting on STI shifters and going to 9 speed would move it out the door.. You can actually contact Trek with the serial number and they should be able to tell you when it was built. Or use teh vintage Trek web site to identify it Vintage Trek Bicycle Frame Serial Numbers, bike


In any event it is a great bike. I think 9 speed RDs and cassettes are great for touring, For my taste, its geared a little high but you can change the crankset to a MTB style and use an older 1999 or earlier MTB front derailleur (before they made the inner plate so tall).
Eggman84 is offline  
Likes For Eggman84:
Old 09-04-20, 06:47 PM
  #12  
kidadam
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 115
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 51 Post(s)
Liked 17 Times in 13 Posts
Originally Posted by Eggman84
Not unheard of for a bike shop to change components. Maybe it was languishing on the floor and they though putting on STI shifters and going to 9 speed would move it
I think this is the case. The bike was a RV queen and was probably purchased as a luxury.

The issue with the shifter is that sometimes there is no click - it moves over without any resistance. If I shift lightly and from higher up on the lever it seems to work better. I’m also surprised have little action the shifters need. Compared to some I had on a 2012 they seem much more sensitive.
kidadam is offline  
Old 09-04-20, 08:07 PM
  #13  
Trevtassie
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Down Under
Posts: 1,936

Bikes: A steel framed 26" off road tourer from a manufacturer who thinks they are cool. Giant Anthem. Trek 720 Multiroad pub bike. 10 kids bikes all under 20". Assorted waifs and unfinished projects.

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1188 Post(s)
Liked 1,154 Times in 640 Posts
Originally Posted by fishboat
Brake fluid can be hard on some paints.

With a bike in that condition, I'm sure the shifter is fine. Spray it internally with WD40, work it through the range of gears(helps if you remove the chain so you can just click through the range), spray again, work it through the range, spray, work, spray, work..it'll loosen up and be fine. Finish it off with a light spray lube(machine-type oil) and you good to go. A minor tune up like this on the shifter that works is a good idea too.
Brake cleaner isn't brake fluid... it's a solvent in a spray can that evaporates rapidly and leaves no residue, and is safe on rubber... I've not come across one that damages paint yet, though it does take wax off..
WD40 is just another solvent, distillate that's less volatile and leaves a residue for a while. Personally I prefer to get the old grease right out, and start with new.
Trevtassie is offline  
Old 09-04-20, 08:49 PM
  #14  
djb
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Montreal Canada
Posts: 13,192
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2732 Post(s)
Liked 953 Times in 784 Posts
Originally Posted by Eggman84
It did not go out of the factory with Tiagra STI shifters; all Trek 520s of that era used barend shifters. Also Shimano introduced Tiagra in 2011, starting with 4400 at 9 speed. Per Trek catalogs, 9 speed cassettes were not introduced on the 520 until 2001. So, if based on color it is a 1999 frame, then someone updated both the shifters and cassette before the original purchaser bought it Not unheard of for a bike shop to change components. Maybe it was languishing on the floor and they though putting on STI shifters and going to 9 speed would move it out the door.. You can actually contact Trek with the serial number and they should be able to tell you when it was built. Or use teh vintage Trek web site to identify it Vintage Trek Bicycle Frame Serial Numbers, bike


In any event it is a great bike. I think 9 speed RDs and cassettes are great for touring, For my taste, its geared a little high but you can change the crankset to a MTB style and use an older 1999 or earlier MTB front derailleur (before they made the inner plate so tall).
probably a typo on your part. Tiagra 9 speed has been around a lot longer than 2011. My 2010 tiagra sti's are the generation after these ones. A friend of mine has a cannondale touring bike with these ones, and I think her bike is from the early 2000s.
I've ridden these tiagras and they shift very nicely.

as for cleaning them, just spray the heck out of them and click click click a lot. They well very likely loosen up and be fine.
I use a spray product called jig a loo, silicon based spray I believe. Spray innards twice a season more or less.
djb is offline  
Old 09-04-20, 09:01 PM
  #15  
Eggman84
Full Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SoCal
Posts: 489

Bikes: 2014 Bruce Gordon Rock&Road, 1995 Santana Visa Tandem, 1990 Trek 520, 2012 Surly LHT

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 211 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 43 Times in 35 Posts
Originally Posted by djb
probably a typo on your part. Tiagra 9 speed has been around a lot longer than 2011. My 2010 tiagra sti's are the generation after these ones. A friend of mine has a cannondale touring bike with these ones, and I think her bike is from the early 2000s.
I've ridden these tiagras and they shift very nicely.

as for cleaning them, just spray the heck out of them and click click click a lot. They well very likely loosen up and be fine.
I use a spray product called jig a loo, silicon based spray I believe. Spray innards twice a season more or less.
As Homer would say "Doh". Thank you for the correction, Tiagra as a groupset came out in 2001. Should read my posts closer before submitting.

Karl (who hates being wrong but keeps doing it)
Eggman84 is offline  
Old 09-04-20, 09:09 PM
  #16  
djb
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Montreal Canada
Posts: 13,192
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2732 Post(s)
Liked 953 Times in 784 Posts
No worries.
interesting how these silver badged tiagra feel a bit different than my later generation. I overhauled my friends bike a while back and it waa interesting to feel how her shifters had a more positive mechanical click to each shift compared to mine. They must have slightly different innards, mine are softer to shift and more quiet, but I liked the feel of the older ones also.

bottom line, tiagra are great 9 spd shifters and will last a long long time.
djb is offline  
Old 09-05-20, 06:20 AM
  #17  
fishboat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,890

Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 751 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 799 Times in 467 Posts
Originally Posted by Trevtassie
Brake cleaner isn't brake fluid... it's a solvent in a spray can that evaporates rapidly and leaves no residue, and is safe on rubber... I've not come across one that damages paint yet, though it does take wax off..
WD40 is just another solvent, distillate that's less volatile and leaves a residue for a while. Personally I prefer to get the old grease right out, and start with new.
Apologies..had a long day yesterday and I read "fluid" rather than "cleaner". Either one will work. WD40 is a less aggressive solvent. I believe the residual is mineral oil.
fishboat is offline  
Old 09-05-20, 06:39 AM
  #18  
fishboat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,890

Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 751 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 799 Times in 467 Posts
Originally Posted by kidadam
The issue with the shifter is that sometimes there is no click - it moves over without any resistance. If I shift lightly and from higher up on the lever it seems to work better. I’m also surprised have little action the shifters need. Compared to some I had on a 2012 they seem much more sensitive.
If you work the shifter with a spray solvent the clicks will come back. I have an '06 bike with Tiagra 9 speed brifters..they work great. I know folks tend to like bar ends on touring bikes, but I'd use(and am using) the brifters and not worry about it. If you're headed for some far-flung rural world destination..then maybe bar ends as simplicity wins in those cases. I have 4 bikes pushing 20 years old with brifters from Tiagra to Ultegra & Dura-ace, all are original equipment and I've never had issues with any of them. I'd think if there was a high failure rate we'd see more posts to that end here on BF.
fishboat is offline  
Old 09-05-20, 01:07 PM
  #19  
Tourist in MSN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,112

Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.

Mentioned: 47 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3426 Post(s)
Liked 1,441 Times in 1,122 Posts
I have part of a gallon can of WD40 in the garage and a spray bottle for it. WD40 can leave a residue when it dries. Very minimal, but a hardened residue is there. I would look for some other spray lubricant or cleaner. I do not think Tri-Flow leaves a residue.
Tourist in MSN is offline  
Old 09-05-20, 09:17 PM
  #20  
timdow
Miles to Go
 
timdow's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: San Diego
Posts: 711

Bikes: 2022 Juiced Crosscurrent X, 2022 Fuji Touring, 1998 Schwinn Moab (drop bar conversion), 2010 LHT (Stolen)

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 151 Post(s)
Liked 145 Times in 95 Posts
I had exactly the same issue with a brifter in the past, and sprayed it with WD-40 several times - that that fixed it. The grease had hardened from disuse.

Originally Posted by kidadam
I think this is the case. The bike was a RV queen and was probably purchased as a luxury.

The issue with the shifter is that sometimes there is no click - it moves over without any resistance. If I shift lightly and from higher up on the lever it seems to work better. I’m also surprised have little action the shifters need. Compared to some I had on a 2012 they seem much more sensitive.
timdow is offline  
Old 09-06-20, 06:12 AM
  #21  
fishboat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,890

Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 751 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 799 Times in 467 Posts
Brake cleaner is discussed in this thread..there's all kinds of discussion on brake cleaner use here:

https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...vetrain-2.html
fishboat is offline  
Old 09-06-20, 07:29 PM
  #22  
Nyah
QR-disc must die!!!
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Shenandoah Valley, Northern Virginia.
Posts: 703

Bikes: '99 Trek 520, '20 Kona Sutra (FOR SALE 48cm), '21 Simon-Bikes mini-velo and a chromoly-framed folding bicycle with drop-bars and V-brakes, that rolls even while folded.

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 397 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 199 Times in 147 Posts
Hey, it's the same 1999 Trek 520 that I have, except mine has bar-end shift levers, 8spd, upgraded tires and no fenders (no space for them after going to 35mm Marathons). I bought mine new and honestly, can't remember if it came w/bar-end shifters or, if it had brifters and I asked them to switch to bar-end. I'm positive that it didn't come as a 9spd.

People here are right-on about switching the crankset. I live in an area where some of the hills are several miles long. Since I didn't know anything about how to change the crankset, and this was my first high quality road bicycle (rode a '70s relic before this), I decided to keep the crank as-is. It didn't do me any favors when I tried touring with it though.

If you do change out the crankset, I'd love to know what you decided to replace it with.
Nyah is offline  
Old 09-07-20, 12:41 PM
  #23  
kidadam
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 115
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 51 Post(s)
Liked 17 Times in 13 Posts
I used a drivetrain Mugoff fluid. It seems to have worked.

I need to replace the bar tape and the saddle. The saddle is very comfy but it has a terrible squeak that I can't handle nor fix.

The crank will have to wait but I like the look of the Velo Orange Grand Chu

I plan to ride a section of the Cabot trail in September with it. Aiming for North Mountain.Via Bike climb: The North Mountain, East Side, Cabot Trail is situated in Nova Scotia. The climb is ranked number 32 in Canada and number 5579 in the world. Starting from Ingonish, the North Mountain, East Side, Cabot Trail ascent is 5.48 km long. Over this distance, you climb 397 heightmeters. The average percentage thus is 7.2 %.
kidadam is offline  
Old 09-07-20, 02:27 PM
  #24  
Tourist in MSN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,112

Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.

Mentioned: 47 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3426 Post(s)
Liked 1,441 Times in 1,122 Posts
Originally Posted by kidadam
...
I plan to ride a section of the Cabot trail in September with it. Aiming for North Mountain.Via Bike climb: The North Mountain, East Side, Cabot Trail is situated in Nova Scotia. The climb is ranked number 32 in Canada and number 5579 in the world. Starting from Ingonish, the North Mountain, East Side, Cabot Trail ascent is 5.48 km long. Over this distance, you climb 397 heightmeters. The average percentage thus is 7.2 %.
I rode that west to east (clockwise) last summer in June. I pushed my bike up this hill. The sign was accurate, 4km at 13 percent grade. There was no way I could pedal up a 13 percent grade for that distance. Maybe I could have forty or fifty years ago, but not now when I am in my mid 60s. But it sounds like you plan to go from east to west so you would be going downhill where I went up. Make sure your brake pads are good. Koolstop Salmon pads would be a good choice.



The fog came in when I was near the top, I hope it is more scenic for you.



The north end of the Cabot Trail is somewhat of a food desert. But there was a Coop grocery store in Neils Harbour. Not on the main road, it is in town. I had it on my GPS, otherwise I would not have known it was there. Google it for accurate location.



North end of Cabot Trail, I stayed at:
Cheticamp Campground (national park)
HI Cabot Trail Hostel (limited hours, you might arrive and have to wait).
Hideaway Campground (private).
Ingonish Beach Campgroung (national park).

I ate a lot of fish and chips meals on that trip. Have a great time.

Tourist in MSN is offline  
Likes For Tourist in MSN:
Old 09-07-20, 05:04 PM
  #25  
djb
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Montreal Canada
Posts: 13,192
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2732 Post(s)
Liked 953 Times in 784 Posts
a hill of 4 klicks at 13% would demand some very attentive braking, as you would get to iffy speeds in not that many seconds.
I once took a similar downhill, although not so long, on one of my first bike tours, and got to a speed that was in the "shaking legs right afterwards" category, and very much because I got to a speed that I knew I couldnt slow down much and was kind of going along for the ride. Didnt have a speedo back then, but going from my motorcycling racing days and more recent fast bicycle descents, I reckon I must have been going in the 90kph range. Ive been 80k lots of times but that time was scary, unlike any other fast descent Ive done on a bicycle (scary mostly because I knew I was over the limit of being able to control things).

the folly of youth
djb is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.