Stosheroo

I just bought a 1988 Trek 520 frame and am getting ready to turn it into an everyday bike for riding paved bike paths and mostly flat, paved back roads. I may also try my hand at short, lightly loaded credit card touring. I’m an old guy (71) in decent but not impressive shape, and don’t plan to ride up big hills. I just want a more relaxed, comfortable bike to ride with my buddies who are about the same age as I am, and in about the same shape. My initial thinking is to equip it as follows:

· Shimano 105 5700 RD, FD, triple crankset, 36 hole rear (11-28) and front hubs
· Dura Ace SL-BS78 2/3 x 10-Speed Bar End Shifters on Paul Shimano Thumbies
· 700c rims with 28mm road tires
· Velo Orange Crazy Bar

Note
I had these shifters left over from a previous project and want to put them to use instead of buying new shifters. Drop bars have become pretty uncomfortable for me so I’m looking for a more upright riding position with easy access to shifters and brakes.

Is there anything here that could get me into trouble, in terms of compatibility or otherwise?

Again, I’m not trying to recreate the 520 as a loaded touring bike but as a comfortable bike for riding mostly paved bike paths and back roads with modest hills here and there.

Thanks, in advance, for any perspective and/or advice you can throw my way as I begin this project.

OTS 

Stosheroo
Welcome to the Forums
Sounds like a worthy project.
Pics of your project help garner comments and participation.
Looking over your list, wider tires might add a little more comfort.

Have you ridden crazy bars before?
They are Not for everyone.
North Roads are well respected.

If you haven't seen it this thread might be helpful:
Show us your drop to upright bar conversions

Good luck with your project and we like to see pics before, during and after.

The Golden Boy 

You've got a good plan and it looks like those should all work together well.

Make sure you've got brake levers that are appropriate for your brakes- in other words- if you have regular cantis- you need regular travel, but V brakes require a different pull.

If'n it were me, I'd be shooting for 32-35mm tires. Nothing says "comfortable" like a set of 35mm Rene Herse/Compass tires at 45 pounds.

Stosheroo

No, I haven't ridden Crazy Bars...they just look like they'd give me the rise, hand positions, access to shifters and brakes, and width I'm looking for. At your suggestion, I'll take a look at the North Roads before I jump.

The stock tires were 27" x 1-1/4 so the frame will handle tires wider than 28s - yet another option to consider.

I neglected to mention that I'm going to have the frame cold set to 130mm, and then media blasted, primed, and powder coated.

I'll post some pics as things become pic worthy.

Stosheroo

The original tires were 27" x 1-1/4 so I'll have to test trame clearance for 32s and wider. I just don't want to increase rolling resistance too much.

52telecaster

If you go 700c 35s fit easy and roll well. Personally I prefer the VO portuer bars in 23.8mm. you can fit bar ends and VO makes levers that fit too.

Porteurs bars with barcons.

ehcoplex 

amen

Stosheroo

Dang...nice Paramount!! I had a 1987 Waterford Paramount rejuvenated about 12 years ago. It's almost all DA 7900 except for the Sugino triple crank. I'm running an 11-25 cassette so it works well as my road bike when I'm feeling spry...but that happens much less frequently these days. I'll post some pics soon. I have ALWAYS had a soft spot in my heart for Paramounts. Nothing says Classic quite like a Paramount.

Chombi1 

Lots of Treks from the first half of the 80's came with Helicomatic rear hubs.
Upgrading to a more reliable conventional style hub should always be a consideration, Unless, tou really use the Helicomatic's feature of quick change on the rear cogset.....which does not seem ti he the case for most people.

The Golden Boy 

27 x 1 1/4 comes out to around 32mm

27 x 1/8 comes out to around 28mm

Going from 27 to 700C gives you even more clearance as the outer diameter of the tire is smaller.

If you're changing from 27" to 700C- you may have reach issues depending on what brakes you use.

While I think there's a subset of people that are used to running 25s pumped up to 110 and like and crave that feeling- my guess is most people would prefer the comfortable tires. There's lots of research on rolling resistance of bicycle tires- and while I think some of that research is self-serving... my experience as someone who's never been a 25mm 110 pressure person- I can tell the difference in comfort between 28 and 32 Paselas- I definitely can tell the difference with 35 Rene Herse tires- I cannot tell any appreciable difference in rolling resistance.

52telecaster

It's a 74 with a later Waterford paint job. Actually it's my tow truck for my Monday night gigs.

Stosheroo

Update:

I found that the frame had already been cold set to 130mm so I’m going with 700c wheels. I found a set of brand new set of Velocity Dyad rims on FB Marketplace to go with my Shimano 105 hubs and had my LBS build the wheels for me.

My frame is off getting powder coated El Paso Green (a Prismatic Powdercoat color). So I’m using the time to gather the remaining components for the build. My intent is to use some kind of alt bar and need shifters and brake levers that will work with my Shimano 105 10-speed RD and 105 triple FD. As noted in my original post, I have a pair of Dura Ace bar end shifters to pair with some Paul Thumbies but am wondering what other shifters you folks might suggest that might be a better choice. I've read that, if I use MTB shifters, I'd need to change my FD so would appreciate confirmation of that, as well as recommendations for a different FD.

[size=13px]Thanks, in advance...I'm all ears.[/size]

Smokinapankake

Shimano Claris 10 speed flat bar shifters should have the correct cable pull ratio for the newer road stuff, and would work with a non drop handlebar. I have a pair running a triple up front; they feel really nice under my thumbs.

icemilkcoffee 

If you're running 32mm or more and you use the bike regularly (ie. not laid up in the garage for months at a time), you should definitely consider running tubeless.

polymorphself 

Pre-powder coated is definitely still pic worth to us here

Stosheroo

On tires...my riding will be probably 75% on paved bike trails/roads and 25% on hard packed gravel. I'm looking for a 32 and wider clincher (Velocity Dyad rims are tube only) that will fit this bike with fenders. Does anyone know if 38s will fit? Any suggestions?

On handlebars...I went with a Jones H-Bar and ordered one of their H-Bar packs to fit inside the loop. Seems like a nice setup.

Stosheroo

Unfortunately, I sent it to the powder coaters before I saw your reply. I should get it back in about 10 days and will post some pics then.

ehcoplex 

Nicest feeling clinchers (IMO) are Rene Herse. Not cheap, but with aging joints and the rough roads I ride on they're worth the $. In my experience they seem to run a little narrower than stated width, though that's likely as much to do with the rims/rim width as the tires themselves. Only way to know what's going to fit IRL is to take careful measurements with some calipers..... or just try it and see...

polymorphself 

Highly unlikely to fit 38s with fenders here. You will definitely be able to fit 32s and fenders, maybe 35.

Stosheroo

The bike came new with 27" x 1.25 tires so 32mm BUT I'm converting it to 700c wheels. Since the new wheels are taller, wouldn't that decrease the max tire width? I just talked to my LBS who said 32s MIGHT work but he wasn't confident that fenders would fit with 32s. He also thought 28s would work best.

ehcoplex 

700c is slightly smaller than 27”, so that buys you a wee bit more clearance…. Are you sure the canti brakes have enough adjustment range to go from 27” to 700c? They should, but it’s not always the case.

polymorphself 

When I gave my response I was assuming 700c. I would be very surprised if 700x32 and fenders does not fit on this bike comfortably unless the geometry changed from 1987 to 1988 (and it may have, others will know better). I have seen an 87 520 wearing 700x32 and fenders in person.

Stosheroo

Thank you for the correction on the 700c vs 27" size issue. I've been thinking incorrectly on that. Re: brakes, my LBS guy set me up with a pair of Shimano BR-CT91 cantis he claims will be sufficiently adjustable to address the 27" to 700c rim issue. If they don't, Paul makes a set that will work but are substantially more cash.

polymorphself 

Dia-Compe 981 is tried and true for 700c conversions if you need another option.

bark_eater 

I've got time in with VO Crazy Bars and the Jones SG riser Loop. Neither are perfect, but after enough stem swaps, I settled. I have trigger shifters on both, and my natural hand position is on the "joint" with the top bends of a drop bar, and where the shifter and brake bands are, so for long rides getting the padding right is important.

If I was buying them again I would do things differently. With the Crazy Bars being built "flat" if you angle the grips down for ergonomics, the horns are wrong for a riding on the hoods position
I think Koga has a similar bar (Deja?) that is bent in the correct angle. Soma also has a Clarence bar, which I also ride, that they sell adjustable add on horns. I have a set of cheap bar ends on the Clarence, that sort of work.

With the Jones SG riser bar, the "riser" part helps get the bar up with less of a plumbers nightmare of a stem set up, but you loose hand position real-estate, and some of the useable hand grip, because trigger shifter pods get pushed back by the "riser" bend.

Over all I dont think this style of handle bar is a drop bar replacement on a road bike, but more of a one primary position swept back bar for semi up right riding, that lets' you stretch out forward a bit for relief, or aero, and have a super wide upright back position for relief, looking around and lots of leverage if things get squirrely with a large load or live cargo..

I also like butterfly bars. I had a set with added on bar ends that had lots of hand positions and a real aero position with the bar ends.