Newbie saying hello...an myabe asking for advice :P

niall584
niall584 Posts: 5
edited June 2011 in Road beginners
Hi I'm new to the forum but it looks great. I have been given my Dad's old road bike a Dawes Stratos. I love it and have been racking up the miles over the past month or so. Could anyone shed any more light on the bike? information seems to be sparse on the web. It's a 531 frame if that helps. any mods or extras would be great. also where can I find the hoods for the Weinmann levers.

Thanks.

not the best pic but oh well. 250920_10150641597330118_513160117_18760415_1669663_n.jpg

Comments

  • night_porter
    night_porter Posts: 888
    Welcome to the forum.

    Nice looking bike!

    Thin tubed steel frames have such an elegance compared to the bikes of today....sighs!

    I am afraid I cannot help with your requests but try asking the same question in the Special Interest forum on here and you might get more help.

    Good luck
  • unixnerd
    unixnerd Posts: 2,864
    Thin tubed steel frames have such an elegance compared to the bikes of today....sighs!

    Agreed. There are ways to fit modern gears and shifters to these frames if you feel the need.
    http://www.strathspey.co.uk - Quality Binoculars at a Sensible Price.
    Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert 2012, Cannondale CAAD5,
    Marin Mount Vision (1997), Edinburgh Country tourer, 3 cats!
  • kettrinboy
    kettrinboy Posts: 613
    I,d consider changing the brakes before the gears and shifters, they are really weak compared to modern kit,with a bit of work you can fit Shimano R650 57mm drop dual pivot brakes, a massive improvement, i doubt you will be able to replace the Weinmann hoods with new parts, ive got them on my old Raleigh, you might pick some up secondhand though, stuff like chains, freewheels and chainrings are available, i got a new Shimano 6 sp freewheel off the shelf from Evans plus a chain , and Spa Cycles stock chainrings for most older bikes which use 144 BCD rings and other odd sizes.
  • niall584
    niall584 Posts: 5
    Thanks for the info so far. I have definitely pondered about changing the brakes, although they are ok they don't have much venom when you need to stop in a rush.

    Also, as you can see in the pic I am currently rocking rat traps, which are quite efficient but not the most by any means. I have been advised to grab a set of shimano MTB's is this correct? I just want clip in capabilities but still be able to walk around in the shoe.

    thanks
  • MountainMonster
    MountainMonster Posts: 7,423
    Some SPD pedals and shoes work perfectly fine for road biking, I actually prefer them in some cases! It's nice being able to get off the bike and still walk normally and have no pain from the shoes and cleats!
    My London Road

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