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Concessions to the aging process

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Concessions to the aging process

Old 04-22-18, 03:59 PM
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Oldguyonoldbike
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Concessions to the aging process

This is my prettiest bike (subjective, I know), the bike that I've had the longest, ridden the most and, unfortunately, crashed the most. I have been riding it less and less as my spindly old guy legs get tired quickly pushing the old 53/39 chainrings around. I have often toyed with the idea of selling it, but could never quite let it go. Then my wonderful wife gave me a Record 10 speed triple groupset for my birthday and I am one happy biker -- happily married too!
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Old 04-22-18, 04:16 PM
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Looks really nice! I put a compact double with a 34x29 low on my Seven.
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Old 04-22-18, 04:18 PM
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I'm 73 and love the 53/39 on my 2001 Litespeed. I've been enjoying it for 17 years this month. I've tried 50/34 and 52/36 on other bikes I've owned.
On the new bike that I ordered that will be coming next week, I opted for a 53/39 again.
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Old 04-22-18, 05:47 PM
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People who sell bikes they have loved end up very sad. Don't ask me how I know.
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Old 04-22-18, 06:33 PM
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New groupset looks great. Enjoy the bike now.
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Old 04-22-18, 08:40 PM
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Originally Posted by bruce19
People who sell bikes they have loved end up very sad. Don't ask me how I know.
Although I agree with your sentiment, I have a problem with your pluralization. Hopefully you're limiting your fondness to a specific instance or maybe two. Personally I enjoy passing bicycles onto others who will also enjoy them.
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Old 04-22-18, 11:27 PM
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Originally Posted by bruce19
People who sell bikes they have loved end up very sad. Don't ask me how I know.
Thats why I am at a dozen or so bikes. I sold too many nice ones that I wish I had back.
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Old 04-23-18, 05:17 AM
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The slow death of the triple group is sad.
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Old 04-23-18, 06:15 AM
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Campy triple on a vintage frame = yuuuuummm
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Old 04-23-18, 06:18 AM
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Excellent! Do what you need to do to stay on the road.
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Old 04-23-18, 07:07 AM
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Just this month I put a wider gear set on the back of my 1984 Nishiki International. The top end is the same, but the lower gears are lower. My knees gave the new set-up a thumbs up! My bike is nowhere near as beautiful as yours, though.
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Old 04-23-18, 07:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Oldguyonoldbike
This is my prettiest bike (subjective, I know), the bike that I've had the longest, ridden the most and, unfortunately, crashed the most. I have been riding it less and less as my spindly old guy legs get tired quickly pushing the old 53/39 chainrings around. I have often toyed with the idea of selling it, but could never quite let it go. Then my wonderful wife gave me a Record 10 speed triple groupset for my birthday and I am one happy biker -- happily married too!
I may be in the same boat with Disco the Nago at some point. It has a small concession to "climbing gears" (38/26, I think). That means I can still do 6-8% grades with a lot of standing and yea, I can struggle up 13% grades of a mile or so with a lot of effort. But it is definitely not the right tool for mountain riding.

It has a Dura Ace drive train that existed for only a year, so replacing any components will be difficult and perhaps impossible. When that happens, I'm going the same route as you did.

Glad you didn't sell it. No way I could have let that bike go either!
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Old 04-23-18, 08:52 AM
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Originally Posted by BigAura
Although I agree with your sentiment, I have a problem with your pluralization. Hopefully you're limiting your fondness to a specific instance or maybe two. Personally I enjoy passing bicycles onto others who will also enjoy them.

I have saved a few frames from the dumpster, both the Zeus and Batavus had frame and fork issues and had to be straightened and aligned before they could be assembled. Personally, I don't know anyone to pass my bikes to that would enjoy them more than me. Last year, I put out an open invitation to brothers and nephews to take any bike I own - no takers. Most of my friends are cyclists who have their own (newer) bikes or a collection.


Aside from a few vintage bike fans, most folks view my bikes as obsolete = garage queens or worse.
The kid's bikes given away were appreciated, but no more kid's bikes left.
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Old 04-23-18, 12:15 PM
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Bike Friday/Brompton, is Functionally a Step thru frame, so I don't have to swing a leg over to get on.
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Old 04-23-18, 12:31 PM
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There comes a time, depending on what age we keep cycling to, when we all may have to make concessions to keep up the activity we love.

The important thing is that we keep cycling, if that's what we want.

At 71 I have fitted a triple to my road bike to be able to keep up the rides in the mountains that I love.

Whisper it quietly but, if in the future I want to to still ride those hills but cannot do so under my own steam, I will have no hesitation in going down the e-assistance route.
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Old 04-23-18, 05:00 PM
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I don't think I will ever be able to ride my Torelli or Club Fugi ever again. Just rode 14 miles on my Park Pre Hammer hard tail with slicks. Had to stop every mile, rest, drink water. Took two full bottles and drank them both. Went about 10 mph. I can't take another fall, ever. Shorts and tennis shoes. Started walking two weeks ago to try to get into some kind of shape. Rode a few 1 mile loops last week after walking. Felt good. Will see how much or far I can go.
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Old 04-23-18, 05:20 PM
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I replaced the 53/42 Campagnolo Super Record crank on my bike with a 48/36 Zeus 2000 crank. Still my favorite bike for riding centuries:

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Old 04-23-18, 05:30 PM
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There are two Shimano 6703 triple drive-trains stashed away to be installed as required, perhaps next season or next week.
The local hills don't get any less steep or the wind to blow with less force just less endurance, power and speed on tap to get up and over than there was to get about on a 42/24 low back when. That can be compensated for w/o fretting over doing what needs to done technically to keep at it.

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Old 04-23-18, 06:12 PM
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I put a 48/38/28 triple on my trusty Fuji 25+ years ago and have never looked back. 99% of my riding is on the 38 ring, and using a 13-21 six speed rear freewheel. Even at my peak 40 years ago when I was riding 7-8k miles/year, and the Fuji wore its original 51/39 double, I rode on the 39 ring and either the 14 or 16t cog on the rear. Even now and soon to be hitting 60yo in a couple weeks, I seem to be 'happy' with gear ratios of between 75-85 gear-inches and a natural 75-85 cadence which yields 18-21mph cruising speed on level ground.

Not too many hills here in northern Ohio, but the ones we have (none are more than a 300' climb) can be accommodated. If I were to try loaded touring in a hilly or mountainous area, my gearing choices would be different.
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Old 04-24-18, 02:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Biker395
I may be in the same boat with Disco the Nago at some point. It has a small concession to "climbing gears" (38/26, I think). That means I can still do 6-8% grades with a lot of standing and yea, I can struggle up 13% grades of a mile or so with a lot of effort. But it is definitely not the right tool for mountain riding.

It has a Dura Ace drive train that existed for only a year, so replacing any components will be difficult and perhaps impossible. When that happens, I'm going the same route as you did.

Glad you didn't sell it. No way I could have let that bike go either!
When I first got this bike it had a low gear of 39/23 and I lived in the Chianti hill country in Italy. I only remember having to stop once because I just couldn't keep it turning. Fifteen years later I moved back to my native Oklahoma, which has fewer and smaller hills, but I found I needed more room at the bottom. A 13-26 cassette did the trick for a while. Then I got a modern cf bike with a low of 36/27 and it was a revelation!
I just got back from a shakedown ride with the triple and it felt great to be able to go anywhere without worrying about making a mental map of the hills. I might not be very fast, but I can get up anything with the 30/25 low end.
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Old 04-24-18, 02:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Wildwood
Campy triple on a vintage frame = yuuuuummm
I saw this in another thread. Looks like a great bike! I had never paid any attention to Batavus until I picked one up a couple of years ago to use as a foul weather bike. I love it. The ride is super smooth.
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Old 04-24-18, 03:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Oldguyonoldbike
I saw this in another thread. Looks like a great bike! I had never paid any attention to Batavus until I picked one up a couple of years ago to use as a foul weather bike. I love it. The ride is super smooth.

I had a Bianchi made with Ishi022 that started life with me as a rain bike, when it got away from me, there was never a doubt that it needed to be replaced. This Batavus with 022 has filled the bill, altho a long road to get it on the road. My group is not Record, .
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Old 04-25-18, 06:33 AM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by Cougrrcj
I put a 48/38/28 triple on my trusty Fuji 25+ years ago and have never looked back. 99% of my riding is on the 38 ring, and using a 13-21 six speed rear freewheel. Even at my peak 40 years ago when I was riding 7-8k miles/year, and the Fuji wore its original 51/39 double, I rode on the 39 ring and either the 14 or 16t cog on the rear. Even now and soon to be hitting 60yo in a couple weeks, I seem to be 'happy' with gear ratios of between 75-85 gear-inches and a natural 75-85 cadence which yields 18-21mph cruising speed on level ground.

Not too many hills here in northern Ohio, but the ones we have (none are more than a 300' climb) can be accommodated. If I were to try loaded touring in a hilly or mountainous area, my gearing choices would be different.
I discovered the same thing - the 39T ring on the triple set-ups that I have is where I spend most of my time. Therefore, on a recent project bike I installed a 39-26 SRAM mountain double. I took it for the first test drive yesterday and can see myself being very happy with the simplicity of a double crank with gear ratios that make for comfortable climbing and cruising.

I don't think I'll miss the 50T ring on my triples.

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Old 04-25-18, 07:16 AM
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These days I have a Masi Gran Criterium S, Guru Sidero (steel) and a Colnago World Cup CX. I may get another bike some day but none of these will ever leave me.
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Old 04-25-18, 10:17 AM
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Originally Posted by BobbyG
Just this month I put a wider gear set on the back of my 1984 Nishiki International. The top end is the same, but the lower gears are lower. My knees gave the new set-up a thumbs up! My bike is nowhere near as beautiful as yours, though.
I have the same bike and I love it. It was a graduation gift from my then fiancé, now wife. Beautiful lugged frame, unique sky blue color, but unfortunately a few mech. issues have left it off the road for the foreseeable future.
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