Can I get a new bike with old style gear levers and wheels?

BasilRathbon

Hi all,

First post so apologies if what I'm asking is already covered elsewhere.

I'm what you might call an "old-school" cyclist. I ride a 1980s vintage Raleigh Equipe and most saturdays go out on a 50-60 mile run in the country.

I'm starting to feel that the dear old Equipe is feeling a little bit heavy and looking a tad rusty and have been thinking of getting a new bike. The problem is, it seems virtually all new bikes come with two features I detest, namely quick-release wheels and handlebar-mounted gear-changing.

So what I want to know is, can I get a new bike that has traditional bolt-through wheels and proper gear-shifters mounted on the down tube and not the handlebars?

I'm sure some will suggest adapting a new bike and fitting the bolts/ gear levers myself, but I'm not a mechanic and just want a bike I can ride straight out of the shop rather than having to mess about refitting things myself.

Any advice welcome, especially that which isn't too technical!

ugo.santalucia

I think your best option is to refurbish yours... if you want to stick to old gears, the maintenance is very easy and I suggest you learn the DIY as most shops will refuse to do it or will charge you more than the cost of the bike to do very simple jobs.
Why do you want bolt on hubs? They are pain, you need to go around with a large spanner in case you puncture... Quick release levers were invented in the 1920s

navrig

Have you tried modern handlebar mounted gear changers?

I tried them for the first time about 4 years ago and wouldn't go back to down tubes.

They are:

Reliable,
Indexed so gear selection is just as easy/easier than downtubes,
Easy to use,
Within reach of your hands without taking them off the handlebars.

QR wheels offer greatr flexibility than fixed bolts with minimum adjustment and risk.

BasilRathbon

Thanks for the comments so far. Just to elaborate, my preferences are based on personal experience. I had a bike with QR wheels many years ago and had a nasty experience of the wheel releasing itself while I was riding it. Maybe the quality's improved but I don't like the thought of hurtling down a hill at 30mph when all that's stopping my wheels flying off is a spring and a plastic handle! I'll happily trade off the extra weight of carrying a spanner with me in return for the security of bolt through wheels.

Likewise gear changing; after 30 years of riding, it's second nature to reach down to the down tube to change gear, so readjusting to fiddle with a switch on the handlebars is something I can do without. As the old saying goes, if it ain't broke why fix it?

So you might ask why get a new bike at all?

Well I can't help feeling that by riding a 30 year old bike, I might be making my rides a lot harder than they need be. Modern bikes as far as I'm aware, are made of much lighter materials and so it's less effort puffing your way up hills. Indeed, whilst taking my bike on the train this weekend, I had to lift a fellow cyclist's bike (a Felt F75) and I was struck by just how much lighter than mine it was.

So, whilst all suggestions are very much welcome, can anyone answer the question as per the thread title?

cougie

A lot of bikes have the lawyer lugs on - so even if you forget to do up your QR's - they can't get out of the frame.

Sure you're used to working down shifters - but it's much much easier to use the integrated levers. You'll find you change gear to suit your cadence much more - and you can brake and downshift for junctions at the same time. Try doing that on the old levers.

There's no demand for a decent bike with old school shifting - it's simply not as good as the modern methods.

Go on - be a devil and try a new bike - you won't look back.

greasedscotsman

How much money are you looking to spend? Sounds to me like you want a custom built bike. Lots of frame builders who could sort one out for you. You can still get decent down tube levers, like these...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-dura-ac ... lever-set/

Not sure about the wheels your after though...

trek_dan

BasilRathbon wrote:

So, whilst all suggestions are very much welcome, can anyone answer the question as per the thread title?

The only option would be speaking to a steel frame builder like Bob Jackson or Feather Cycles (to name a couple) and asking them to source new old stock parts to assemble onto one of their framesets, but I would hate to think how much this would cost, particuarly a solid axle casette rear hub. Could probably not far off buy the bike Chris Froome won the tour on for less, and I know which one I'd rather have

mikenetic

Lots of steel frames still have bosses on the down tube, which is where you'd attach older style shifters. Condor's Classico frames do, the Surly Pacer and Cross Check do as well.

You could also take a new wheel that would have quick releases as standard and swap the QR for anti-theft bolts that are done up via allen key. The problem with nuts is that they normally expect to work with a solid axle, which you won't find on many modern road bike hubs.

Bordersroadie

I ride an old 1980s 531-framed bike with downtube shifters, as well as my modern bikes.

To answer your question, yes, but only by buying from a specialist frame builder such as those mentioned.

However, there is another option. Depending on your budget you can readily by an "as new" bike from traders and private sellers on the Retrobike forum. It's a place to buy old bikes and parts from reputable sellers, see retrobike.co.uk and look at the forum.

Good luck.

PS By the way modern quick release hubs are 100% reliable assuming that you buy from a known brand and that you tighten them to the specified amount.

mikenetic

There are lots of good custom builders who can offer what you want, but you can buy what you want off the shelf too, if you have a look. The key thing is having braze-on shift bosses.

In addition to Surly & Condor, there are:

Brother Cycles (http://www.brothercycles.com/shop/reynolds-road-frame/),

Soma Fabrications (their Smoothie model) http://mosquito-bikes.co.uk/our-bikes/s ... a-smoothie.

ugo.santalucia

mikenetic wrote:

There are lots of good custom builders who can offer what you want, but you can buy what you want off the shelf too, if you have a look. The key thing is having braze-on shift bosses.

In addition to Surly & Condor, there are:

Brother Cycles (http://www.brothercycles.com/shop/reynolds-road-frame/),

Soma Fabrications (their Smoothie model) http://mosquito-bikes.co.uk/our-bikes/s ... a-smoothie.

The problem is that the mentioned framesets are hardly lighter than the OP frame... he seems to put "lightweight" on top of the list and gas pipe tubing does not fit that bill.

mikenetic

I'm sorry, but Reynolds 631 and modern Dedacciai tubesets are far removed from "gas pipe" tubing.

Weight isn't much of an issue with modern steel, especially when you pair them with decent wheels, a carbon fork and a good finishing kit.

too slow to go

I would keep an eye on the for sale section of retro bike forum LINK ** apologies if linking to another forum is against the rules.

Or as mentioned a custom build from bob jackson, bricklane bikes...

darkhairedlord

Just buy a bike you like and pop some down tube shifters on. You can buy a set of 10 speed dura-ace shifters for about £50. You'll then need a band on adapter to suit your downtube, which could be an issue, so you might have to get one made. (visit your friendly machine shop!)
Or just use the brifters and get used to them.

ballspondroad

You can also buy a down tube shifter mount (eg. from ebay or brick lane cycles) - you could clamp one of these to the downtube of a modern bike and voila, downtube shifters !