LiamCrickard

I very recently retired and my son has persuaded me to start riding again so I bought an e-bike to ease back into the saddle and I'm afraid I'm hooked once again. I like to pedal and I have two vintage bikes, a nearly pristine 80s Concorde Aquila, all Campy SR and a 70s Serotta Club Series (predates Club Special) no braze-ons except for the derailler cable. The Seroota was my daily driver and it has been refinished twice without decals and currently looks pretty rough. I loved riding this bike and I want to bring it back. The problem is my new Yamaha Urban Rush e-bike has spoiled me with great indexed shifting and hydraulic disc brakes. I would like to return it to original form but I already have a really nice bike with friction shifters, caliper brakes and tubulars. When I give the Serotta to a re finisher I could add braze-ons for everything including disc brakes, re space the dropouts for a cassette rear hub and tubeless tires. Part of me feels like this would be blasphemy and another part of me feels like this is my bike and I can do what I want. What would you do?

Fahrenheit531 

It's your bike. Do what you will.

But I certainly wouldn't.

The Golden Boy 

I would

it’s been refinned twice-

If it were pristine, or even original- that would make me hesitant- but I’ve certainly learned the bike that’s easiest to ride gets the most miles.

EDIT: Except for disc brakes, as mentioned below-

ctmullins 

I would totally do it! It’s your bike to do with what you will. And you’ll get more enjoyment out of it if you set it up the way you want to.

Edit: Except for disc brakes, as mentioned below.

Salamandrine 

Not advisable to use disk brakes with a vintage fork. Disk brakes put a lot more stress at the very ends compared to rim brakes, and require a heavier duty fork.

The bikes been refinished twice, and I wouldn't have any qualms about modernizing it otherwise, but stick to rim brakes. Alternatively buy a modern steel bike or a vintage 'style' frame set up for disk brakes (SOMA, VO, etc. )

ofajen

I’ll second this. No disc brakes. The frame needs to be designed and built to withstand the torque disc brakes produce. Especially so for the fork. Otherwise, onward.

Otto

Velo Mule

I've got to agree that it is your bike to do what you want. The Golden Boy makes an excellent point. What is the sense of having a beautify restored bike that don't get ridden much. Make it how you like it. I had a Club Special and I can say that it is a better riding bike than some of the more specialized race bikes. I therefore can see it as a bike that you can enjoy riding more often. I will add that a Gios for instance can be stiff and I can see where you may not ride that as much. Then again, how many hours a day will you be riding. Ether would be fine. I am just over thinking here.

The only thing that I would add is that, if it were mine, I would build it so that I could go back to the original if I or someone later ever wanted to. Serotta decals are not hard to come by. Back then Imron was the paint of choice.

What does your Serotta look like. Put a picture of you bike, or bikes, in you gallery. Reply to some posts to get your post count over 10 and you can post pictures directly. Serotta's with wear still look good.

JohnDThompson 

+1 this. If you're dead-set on using disc brakes, replace the fork with one designed to handle disc brakes. The rear triangle can be gusseted to handle a disk, if you insist.

The Golden Boy 

BTW- I totally missed the whole thing about the disc brakes... No I wouldn’t do that- without doing as mentioned above.

But spread the rear end, have bosses installed for bottles, cable guides, (cantilever) brakes or whatever... Modern 9-10-11 speed, heck yeah...

LiamCrickard

What do think of dual pivot brakes vs campy side pulls? I could end up changing nearly everything.

Germany_chris

I'm sending my vintage bike in for disc brakes and a few other things this winter but I don't think disc brakes and thru-axles are the devil.

noobinsf 

My Univega Competizione originally came with Aero Gran Compe brakes, but I got a good deal on some recent issue Shimano 105 calipers. No regrets -- braking is orders of magnitude better with the 105's. Yes to dual pivot if you have the choice.

SJX426 

LiamCrickard If your are going to modify the frame set, pick your favorite components or try something new.
I had no history with the 1988 De Rosa acquired end of last year. It is all 10 speed Record or more. The only "period" like part now are the stem, post and handlebar. Brooks saddles have no period, they Transend period. It is my favorite ride, although I still ride the Pinarello more for more reasons that have nothing to do with riding.
I know many of you have seen this pic but I just can't resist and this thread needs at least one! De Rosa with parts at least if not more than 10 years newer, Pinarello with period parts.
P1030585, on Flickr

1984 Trek 610 with brazed on rack bosses, replacement eyelettes, and cable stops. Components are from 1972.
1983 Trek 610 60 cm (24&quot, on Flickr

I just need to stop doing this. Right?

The Golden Boy 

You can totally change most everything!

Dual pivots would rule- they'd improve your braking and they'd look spiffy!!!

Digger Goreman

Do what you like to ride that bike... and sell the E-crutch

Steelman54 

LiamCricket,

I would do it. I would get frameset refinished, have frame guy spread rear spacing t to 130 mm and put on a Campagnolo 10, 11 or 12 speed groupset. Frame guy could also add on braze on's as desired, personally, I would to water bottle bosses. I recently did an 11 speed Campag Centaur on a Waterford and it works great. Dual pivot calipers will stop you fast, discs might be better, not sure, but seriously, these dual pivots work (I actually think pad compound has improved over the years). Best of luck with this effort, keep us posted.

squirtdad

My vote is to do it you have the Aqula for eroica/heroica rides (another thing to get into)

IMHO skip the disc breaks.....the forks were not designed to handle the stress and modern dual pivot brakes are great.performance wise

I personally would really question going tubeless unless you plan on running larger than 32mm , I know some swear by them but it seems a lot swear at them, especially for on road fixes

and most importantly take lots of pics and post before and afters

running modern gear on a classic steel frame IMHO gets the best of both world. I have do it with a de rosa and with my current go to rid an 85 Team Miyata

squirtdad

i don't think the are the devil, not my cup of hefeweiszen maybe. but the forks are not built for disk..... .I have talked with Dave Kirk, former serotta builder and owner of kirk framworks custom bikes and he builds a lot of disk, but notes he build disk forks heavery than rim brakes

bwilli88 

Skip the discs and get some brazed on Centerpulls, either Mafacs or Dia-comps.

Gonzobuster

I wouldn’t do the disc brakes.

seedsbelize 

Congrats on your retirement.
105 SLR single pivot brakes are the best I've ever used. Sadly, I have them on only one bike. Add some Kool Stop salmon pads and it will stop on a dime.

Charles Wahl

Have you looked at what Serotta frames sell for? If you want to do that much, I'd consider selling it, and buying a bike that's got features you want, or is more compatible with them. Let someone who doesn't want to turn a 70s bike into a 2010 bike have a turn with it. The build quality on just about any of Ben Serotta's frames is exceptional, state of finish be damned.

squirtdad

no keep it up

LiamCrickard

Do you want a turn?

LiamCrickard

The problem with dual pivot brakes is they will only allow up to 28mm tires. I would really like 32mm tubeless. The Shimano 105 R70XX looks pretty good for this kind of bike.