Thread: NB to Biking
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Old 07-15-21, 06:39 AM
  #11  
Maelochs
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If the bike is mid-to-late '90s, it will probably have 130-mm rear dropout spacing---which means you can put just about any modern wheels and gears on it. From what I see online the bike has 700c wheels---which, again, means that it will be easy to find wheels for it.

If the rear dropout spacing is 130 mm, you could rebuild the bike as a 2x11 or anything else. Often 7-speed wheels have freewheels, not freehubs, which aren't as strong, but should work fine for non-competitive or non-abusive riding. Still, it is nice to know that if you like the frame you could swap in any modern drive train---pull a bike with a decent drive train and a broken frame out of the bike shop dumpster and swap out the gear and go, or pick up old used bikes or whatever .... if it has the old 126-mm spacing, you are stuck using old tech.
Originally Posted by thumpism
Welcome! You're getting some good advice. Most important is fit, but if the bike fits and rides well and you like it, buy it. If you don't know bikes it would be advisable to have a buddy with knowledge accompany you to confirm or correct your impressions. Good luck!
This. If you don't know bikes, bring a friend who does. If everything is as advertised and works as intended, it might be a decent ride.

It really depends on three things:
A.) Does it fit? if it doesn't, it could be solid gold with diamonds, it is still useless to you (if it is solid gold for $290, buy it and melt it down for resale.)

B.) Does everything really work perfectly and look brand new? Can you easily shift through all the gears and ride silently (no clicks or clunks) in every gear? Do the brakes stop you swiftly? If there is no wear, no paint chips, no rubbed areas under the cables, then this might be one of those garage queens .... ignored in the corner for years. Great luck for you, if so.

C.) Does it work for the way you want to ride? This is an old steel touring frame, so it probably isn't lightweight ... but that doesn't matter to everyone. I have an old steel Raleigh which isn't at all light but is a great ride.

Does the riding position suit you? You can adjust it, but only so much. Do you want to go really fast? Do you want to put a rack on the back and use it for errands? I'd say the bike could probably work for anything except competition, but likely the frame is designed for pretty narrow tires, so you probably couldn't convert it to a gravel bike, for instance. On another hand, it might fit 32s if it is a late-nineties touring frame.

Last edited by Maelochs; 07-15-21 at 06:45 AM.
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