julius rensch

Love the photo, the nostalgia of what this bicycle was, what it is, and what it will be in the future...as our love of petro-carbon vehicles wanes.

Julius in Ohio

davester

Why "especially 5 speed", since 5-speed freewheel hubs are much less likely to break axles than 6- or 7-speeds?

I do agree that freehubs are a much better solution (despite the fact that I have nothing but freewheels on my road bikes).

gugie 

I've got a 14-32 5 speed on the bike I rode on Eroica the last couple of years. I was constantly searching for a combo that aligned with my power output.

davester

Well there's that...but at least the axle didn't break.

gugie 

Yes, strong like ox!

bikemig 

It's hard to find an in between gear with a widely spaced 5 speed freewheel. Were you running half step gearing? That will help. But yeah gearing a 120 OLD bike for riding hills and gravel is a challenge. That's why I broke down and bought an ultra 6 freewheel recently,

martl

Yep. Like I wrote it is an MTB. Front and rear suspension too.

Slightspeed

I've been very happy with a 34/14 Shimano Megarange 6 speed on my 120 spaced Raleighs. The green one with the triple has got me over some hellacious hills (and two Eroicas) with a 32/40/52 Sugino triple. I also have the same freewheel with a 52/42 Sakae double that works great excrpt for the most extreme hills. I treat the Megarange as a 5 speed + 34t granny.

50t big ring shown. I have since gone to a 52t to get a little more top end with the 34/14 rear.

34/14 Megarange with 52/42 double, also a great combination.

noglider 

Bianchi is now the longest-running currently-in-business bike company. Their lineup is big, and they really know what they're doing. I have owned one Bianchi, a ~1996 Volpe, a well designed and built low-to-mid-level model, and it had the best paint job of any bike I owned. I eventually gave the bike away to a needy friend, as I prefer lighter frames.

bikemig 

Yeah I may need to try one of these out. I am concerned about that jump from 24 to 34 though. Still you could run this on a compact and get good hill climbing gears.

I have a ride coming up in June that will have over 6,000 ft of climbing in 125 miles spread out over 2 days. I'd like to take a Mercier 300 I am rebuilding. I'll likely run an ultra 6 14-30 in the rear and a 50-34 up front.

gugie 

I wasn't, but half-step would be a good solution, thanks for the tip!

I chose this freewheel because it was gold colored and gave me a low granny gear.

bikemig 

I'm with you. All that really matters is that the bike looks good,

52telecaster

I dont like the addiction.

JaccoW

Canti post spacing

SurferRosa

In the last ten years, I've broken only one axle -- on my only 5-speed freewheel bike. (The others are 6- or 7-speeed freewheels.)

Full disclosure would help. The 5-speed is on my one and only grocery getter.

-holiday76

....the old ones.

davester

I usually find that I've broken an axle after an ill-advised rough gravel ride.

frizzen

British Standard Threads
Cottered Cranks
Stuck spoke nipples

julius rensch

Agreeing I am, thanks frizzen .

Julius in Ohio

since6

You run out of gears, up a hill you shift up 5-4-3-2-1 (bleep), on the flats, in 4 I over spin/in 3 I over push.

But they do bring back the love when I ride my triple 10 speed .

N2motorsports

Might sound vain, but the thing I dont like is what do you wear for a long ride. Easy for the carbon fiber folks, they get to deck themselves out in spacesuit spandex, which looks so over done on our bikes. Vintage race jersey maybe? I dunno, costco windbreaker seems to work for now.

jackbombay

I ride my carbon bike in "baggy" shorts and a jersey to have pockets for food, I ride my C&V bikes in the same kit.

SurferRosa

Basic black bike shorts and vintage wool. There are tons of options. Check out all the retro stuff at OCG:

https://onlinecyclinggear.com/collec...o-cycling-gear

unworthy1

"...except for Harleys"

Salamandrine 

Mostly just hiking shorts, long underwear and a T shirt lately. For longer rides, cycling clothes are more comfortable, and noticeably faster and easier in any sort of wind and/or higher speeds. Wearing them doesn't make me feel foolish, cuz I just don't care.

FWIW, I started with wool shorts, but frankly the spandex ones are just better. I don't care for the pads of modern shorts but that's a different issue. Wool jerseys are still my preference, but I'll switch to modern synthetic during the summer heat. No team jerseys or anything covered in graphics for me, no way. BITD the only team jersey people typically wore was the one for their own bike club. Most people wore plain wool jerseys with no signage most of the time. Reminds me I should buy another Kucharik while I still can.

Most people don't seem to know this, but skin shorts came on the scene long before lycra jerseys.

So to sum it up, I'd recommend a wool jersey and modern shorts but in plain black for riding your vintage bike. Of course you can wear whatever you want. Shoes are actually most important.