nlerner

For any of my rigs pre-1975, kinda depends. The Gugified '71 Raleigh International has an 8-speed Shimergo drivetrain, 650B wheels, modern optics (SP generator hub and B&M lamps). A couple of others have aero brake levers (I'm with @bikemig that better braking is a wonderful thing), but the others have friction shifting or old Sturmey-Archer hubs, modern platform pedals or SPDs. Overall, I build bikes to ride, not to hang on a wall and cherish, so components that maximize performance (or at least make it better than using crappy 1960s derailleurs) are key.

steelbikeguy

I really haven't followed the technology much. The most modern bits on my vintage-ish bikes would be the 8 speed indexed stuff on my Borthwick and the SPD pedals. The LED lights too, although that's just about universal nowadays.



Like most folks, I run kevlar beaded clinchers on most of my C&V bikes. These are well known to cause very tight fits on some vintage rims. As such, I like to carry an EZ Clincher tire jack to help get the tire mounted after fixing a flat. This tool hasn't been on the market for much more than a year, to my knowledge, so I'd say that it qualifies as "new tech". It works quite well and is small and light. Highly recommended!




Steve in Peoria

balindamood

Foam bar tape.

gugie 

Would never retrofit an old frame for disk brakes. Vintage frames weren't designed for the forces they apply to a frame. I know there are people who have done so, but if you're going for that much modification, might as well get a modern steel frame made for them.

I thought I'd never do brifters, but I bought a Ritchey Breakaway with brifters, and really like the convenience. They have proven more persnickity keeping them adjusted, and there's no way to turn off the indexing, but when they work, they work very well (Shimano Ultegra 9-speed).

iab

I'm happy to try anything but I'm much too lazy to do so.

jamesdak 

I can't say I have a limit. But I highly doubt I'll go electronic, disc brakes or tubeless.

But I've taken 80's bikes to 11 speed with modern wheels no issues and kept other pure stock and pretty much everything in between.


85 kicked up to 8 speed STI and carbon tubular rims. A mild upgrade.


87 with full Campagnolo 11 speed and Zonda rims


85 ummm.....downgraded with 81 tubular rims.

Chombi1 

Uhmmmm..... Tires...... Modern tubs like Vittoria Graphene G's

genejockey 

Modern tires in 25mm, Kool Stop brake pads, Jagwire cables, modern saddles, modern bar tape.

Plus I run a tail light and a Garmin Varia, so I also use a Garmin head unit.

But since you said "Post 1975", and none of my bikes is older than 1982, and the oldest groupset dates to 1978, I guess ALL of it is "new tech".

obrentharris 

I'm so modern I even use chamois cream out of a plastic squeeze tube instead of a tub!
Brent

John E

Thank you for posting. I won't ride anymore without a KoolStop tire jack, given how tightly some of today's tires, clincher and ATB, fit onto rims.

John E

Lights! LEDs day and night, front and rear, preferably USB-chargeable.

Brake pads! KoolStop salmons or bust.

Modern low-compression, low-friction cable housings.

I do have an 8-speed cassette on the mountain bike; original equipment would have been a 6-speed freewheel.

DMC707

I like it all ---

I would love to retrofit an old frame with discs and be Di2 ready (with hidden cables and batteries etc. --

davester

I'm with John E . LED lighting is my main concession to modern, followed by Teflon-lined cable housings combined with Teflon-coated cables Using these cables makes me realize that all the hype about dual pivot brakes is really about the cables, not the location of the pivots. My single-pivots are vastly improved by going with modern cables. In addition to those major improvements, I must say that using ramped freewheel cogs does lead to slightly smoother shifting than the old versions, though this is a pretty minor advantage.

sincos

I don't value C/V qua C/V. I do value lasting quality, though, and I appreciate well-made, nondisposable objects that continue to function beautifully for decades. I also appreciate things that are easy to work on and maintain. As for C/V bikes, there are also things less quantifiable, like the ride and the esthetic. Also, it helps if pieces aren't eye-gougingly ugly (modern 4-arm cranks, modern RDs, those STI things with the cables coming out the sides...) As for what I'd put on a C/V, I'm happy with good examples of the tech available at the time, the only thing I feel strongly about are pedals, having switched over to clipless with the 2nd generation Looks (the 1st were a bit hefty).

That said, I like modern as well, and like droppedandlost upthread (nice bikes, btw!), I have modern Italian and vintage French.


(Wheels are ugly but excellent -- will take the stickers off when I can be arsed. Tubeless has definitely won me over)


(Now has DT shifters, getting clipless pedals, and maybe if the parts supply ever improves, 700c tubeless)

The shifting on the modern is much quicker and more convenient, it has a wider and more closely spaced gearing range, and the braking is immeasurably better but the vintage stuff works just fine, thanks.

cyccommute 

People complain about “throwaway modern parts” without remembering how many old parts had (and have) to be thrown away because they are worn out or damaged at a much higher rate than modern parts.

Threadless headsets solved a very real problem in mountain biking that resulted in far less “disposal” of parts. Threaded headsets don’t stay tight when subjected to off-road pounding and had to be replaced frequently after even a single ride. Being more durable and more secure, threadless headsets resulted in far less disposal than threaded. The headset…and associated steer tube…resulted in a far stiffer front end which greatly improves handling as well. No more noodly goose necks that flexed when riding out of the saddle. The fact that they are also far easier to work on is just gravy.

Cartridge bearings have also resulted in far less “throwaway” parts. A cartridge bearing bottom bracket will out last 10 loose bearing sets. I see a lot of pitted loose bearing spindles at my local co-op but seldom do I see a cartridge bearing bottom bracket that is actually broken.

A cartridge bearing hub can go for 10s of thousands of miles without overhaul and without replacing pitted cones. Again, I see lots and lots and lots of pitted cones. I see very few seized cartridge bearing hubs.

randyjawa 

I do my best to street restore using period correct components only, however; I use SPD pedals on all of my bikes, regardless of vintage or model...



I use Brifters only on bikes that were supplied with Brifters as original component issue...

squirtdad

or get a custom steel set up this way and designed for disc......

ThermionicScott 

My first road bike was a 1991 model, so cassette hubs, aero brake levers, and indexed DT shifters are my "baseline."

Dyno lighting has improved so much since 1975, especially over the last 10 years or so, there are hardly any downsides to having it on your ride. And the hubs and lights are available with fairly "classic" looks, so they don't have to clash on a vintage bike. Only laziness keeps me from installing a full set of modern dyno lights on every bike...

The only other modern tech I install are the bike computers, but my needs there are so simple (speed and odometer) that I just get the most basic models in current production. I'm a nerd, so I've gotta have something to do that job.

I must say, though, that my new BikeSmith cotter press has made cottered cranks much less intimidating. Every so often, I think it would be cool to have a road bike with all the older tech on it, like tubulars, cottered cranks, lever front derailleur, etc. Something "heroic."

jforb427

I'm lucky, I missed out on decades of advances by not riding modern bikes....so when I recently found an old one that was a bit better than anything I had long ago, I'm content to keep it as original as I can.

And since I ride for exercise, it doesn't matter that it's not as efficient as it could be.

steine13

My Forever bike is a 1996 Cannondale T400, ordered from the LBS. That was state of the art for low-end bikes with a 7sp cassette and Shimano indexed DT shifters. So in my case it's more arrested development than originality or purity.. the T now wears 8 speed bar-end shifters, and being aluminum, there's not much 'mystique' to be had in any case. Aluminum frame + good quality 38 mm tires = wonderful ride. Aluminum is no harsher than steel in the way it passes on road shock -- both materials do so 1:1 -- but it vibrates differently and feels "buzzy." It's not really an issue with soft-enough tires.

Oh, and I like aero brake levers, but I missed my Mirrycle so much I drilled and tapped the brake levers to take that mirror. It's a little fragile but I've had it for years and it still works.

I have two steel bikes, one an 87 Moser bought new with Campy Triomphe and sew-ups... those 23 mm were remarkably comfortable to ride, not a lot of "cushion" but you could use all of it, that's how they felt.. but way too much trouble and too expensive in the long run. I modernized that bike with 9sp Ultegra STI levers and 20/24 spoke wheels from the mid-2000s. It works well but I never warmed to the shifters; too noodly when braking, and too awkward when shifting, because they are made for large hands.

Functionally I've replaced that bike with a 97 Cannondale R200, and that wears Microshift 9sp bar-ends and the Bontrager wheels from the Moser. It's a decent look and other than the 28 mm tires it's a great ride and works a treat. I plan on moving on to something that can take my favorite road tires: 32 mm GP5000. I'll invest the extra 400 g of frame weight to go Cannondale ST series and run either 9 sp or "8 of 9" on a narrow hub. I reluctantly went back to SPD pedals for longer distances. They do work.

There is no advantage for my riding to go more than 9 speeds, and I like the simplicity. I have no interest in disc brakes, but if something comes along I may give it a shot. Hydraulic, probably not. Electronic shifting, definitely not, dto. carbon fiber or aluminum forks. Steel forks for me, thank you. The older I get the more I value my skin.

And YES to modern LED/dyno lighting, especially for commuting.
Well, I'm glad I got all that off my chest.

cheers -mathias

Roger M

Back in the day this worked well(still drink one on occasion. Ex: Cino 2013)



This modern version seems to work
better...

Dave Mayer

Most of my bikes are pre-1990, so predate things like brifters, clipless etc. But here is what I use on any C&V bike I actually ride:
-

• Brifters. Safer and more convenient. Campagnolo Ergopower is my favorite. The 8-speed Ultrashift levers are as crisp and precise as the 11-speed stuff,
• Clipless pedals. Easier in and out; you only have to break your leg once while trapped in toeclips to change your mindset on this,
• Dual pivot brakes. Much better stopping power and they stay centered,
• Modern cables and housing. Remember the old unlined steel shifter housing from back in the day? No thanks, and
• Cassette hubs. I do ride on some 7-speed freewheel hubs, but frankly, the cassette technology is better in terms of gearing choice and strength of the axle.

'Old' tech that is better:
-

• Rim brakes. Maybe need discs for MTB or for loaded touring in the rain, but on a road bike? Discs are heavy, fussy, expensive and unnecessary, and
• Tubulars. Tubular tires are no better than clinchers, but the tubular rim profile is superior than the clincher rim in every respect. Lighter, stronger, conducts heat better, and doesn't cause pinch flats. Oh, and a massive safety difference during a sudden blowout.

C9H13N 

Cartridge bottom brackets are a must. I can’t be bothered with cups and balls. My Davidson came with a Phil but the rest of my builds have inexpensive ones, UN55 and Tange/IRD.

tiger1964 

"Sealed bearing" headsets and bottom brackets do not ruin the C&V aesthetic, and I am having good luck with Velo Orange's units. SPD pedals do affect "the Look" but I am adapting to them. Modern cables & housing... who can tell, just by looking at a bike?

Modern "cockpits", including the bars, stems and "brifters", look too much like bike parts painted by Picasso for my tastes, so no-go. Organic-blob RD's and cranksets, for the same reason. YMMV, YMMV, YMMV.

Flatforkcrown

I have shifters and pedals that click on 2 of my 3 bikes… Sachs ergos shifting over a 7 speed freewheel and speedplay on the de Rosa, and 9speed sti (ultegra/xt/xtr) and xt sod on the volpe. They just make riding more enjoyable, and don’t feel out of place. My 72 Moto is all period correct, except alloy campy toe clips.