mech update advice.

"martinroyce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm in the process of upgrading an older (2 year ish) bike & have a couple of questions. Since
funds are tight I'm doing component upgrades to get best value for money, then once I've got all
nice components next money goes on a better frame & so on & so forth (rebuild adfinum)..

Currently the bike has a shimano 6 speed screw on cassette :-( So I need: New rear wheel/hub New
8/9 speed cassette New Rear Mech New Chain New Shifters

Do I need to update anything on the front mech/crankset/chain wheel front yet, or will the above
work with the existing stuff(Shimano front mech/3 chain rings & faceless crankset) as they work
well enough and aren't to

worn

Quoted message said:

yet. If it makes any difference I'm gonna get Deore/LX compnents as they appear to give best price
V quality ratio

Before you start -- check to see if you can get a new 8/9 speed wheel & gubbins into the rear
forks. You may need to get the frame spread -- well nigh impossible with aluminium but no great
shakes for steel.

T

"martinroyce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm in the process of upgrading an older (2 year ish) bike & have a couple of questions. Since
funds are tight I'm doing component upgrades to get best value for money, then once I've got all
nice components next money goes on a better frame & so on & so forth (rebuild adfinum)..

Actually this may well be a more expensive way to do it. Generally groupsets attached to bikes are
the cheapest way to buy them.

Quoted message said:

Currently the bike has a shimano 6 speed screw on cassette :-(

If it's a 2 yo bike which came with a 6 speed screw on block, then I wouldn't waste any money at all
upgrading it - it just won't be worth it.

Quoted message said:

So I need: New rear wheel/hub

16sq hub, 16sq rim, 10 sq spokes, build it yourself

Quoted message said:

New 8/9 speed cassette

25sq for 9 speed

Quoted message said:

New Rear Mech

25sq

Quoted message said:

New Chain

10sq

Quoted message said:

New Shifters

32sq

Total = 135 quid or so for deore kit. How much was the bike originally?

If funds are tight, second hand is the way forwards.

cheers, clive

Quoted message said:

Actually this may well be a more expensive way to do it. Generally

groupsets

Quoted message said:

attached to bikes are the cheapest way to buy them.

Quoted message said:

Currently the bike has a shimano 6 speed screw on cassette :-(

If it's a 2 yo bike which came with a 6 speed screw on block, then I wouldn't waste any money at
all upgrading it - it just won't be worth it.

Thanks for the advice. It's a Claude Butler* hardtail frame which I rather like a lot(can't remember
name as I took the decals off ages ago). I understand that groupsets are cheaper attatched to the
bike as Manufacturers get bulk discount. But as I still really like the frame the idea is to invest
in components & at a later date invest in a better frame when I see the one or bargain I like. Also
I would prefer to go along a custom route, as every bike I ride belonging to mates or from a shop
has at least one component I don't like or the frame doesn't quite feel as respnonsive.

*I've got to say the these Claude Butler frames are very nicely built (Obviously not in the Santa
Cruz/Cannondale bracket) & were real value for money. When I bought this I bought it because of the
frame not the compenents at the time, although they served me well.

Thanks Mart

martinroyce said:

I'm in the process of upgrading an older (2 year ish) bike & have a couple of questions. Since
funds are tight I'm doing component upgrades to get best value for money, then once I've got all
nice components next money goes on a better frame & so on & so forth (rebuild adfinum)..

Currently the bike has a shimano 6 speed screw on cassette :-( So I need: New rear wheel/hub New
8/9 speed cassette New Rear Mech New Chain New Shifters

Do I need to update anything on the front mech/crankset/chain wheel front yet, or will the above
work with the existing stuff(Shimano front mech/3 chain rings & faceless crankset) as they work
well enough and aren't to worn yet. If it makes any difference I'm gonna get Deore/LX compnents as
they appear to give best price V quality ratio

Depends on the front shifters. If they're indexed, the existing chainrings *might* be too close
together and the front mech may be less than ideal. Chain may rub on side of other chainring in
certain normal combinations, anyway.

For a non-mountain bike, in my opinion, Campagnolo Veloce and Mirage (and Xenon mechs) beats
anything when it comes to price v quality ratio, and the shifters will work with any chainset and
front mech. Have a butcher's at the prices (from the best dealers like Parker International, Oldham
Cycles, etc). Shimano-hubbed wheels can be used with otherwise-Campag systems to use bigger
cassettes if needs be.

~PB

Clive George said:

If it's a 2 yo bike which came with a 6 speed screw on block, then I wouldn't waste any money at
all upgrading it - it just won't be worth
it.

It IS worth it if you like the frame and it fits well, and you can get components cheap or already
have some to use. I've recently done this project with an old touring bike and I'm very pleased with
the results (although it still yet needs some tweaking to get the ride as "nice" as I would like).

~PB

On Thu, 19 Jun 2003 14:52:26 +0100, "Clive George"

Quoted message said:

If it's a 2 yo bike which came with a 6 speed screw on block, then I wouldn't waste any money at
all upgrading it - it just won't be worth it.

I wouldn't necessarily say that - my wife's bike came with a 7-speed screw-on and now has Alesa
Xplorer rims on Deore LX hubs with a cassette system: the bike fits well and she likes the dynamics,
but she kept bending the rear axle when towing a trailer bike.

Guy
===
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notice: ADSL service in process of transfer to a new ISP. Obviously there will be a week of downtime
between the engineer removing the BT service and the same engineer connecting the same equipment on
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"Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

For a non-mountain bike, in my opinion

a 2 year old bike with a 6 speed block is going to be flat bars.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If it's a 2 yo bike which came with a 6 speed screw on block, then I wouldn't waste any money at
all upgrading it - it just won't be worth
it.

It IS worth it if you like the frame and it fits well, and you can get components cheap or
already have some to use. I've recently done this project with an old touring bike and I'm very
pleased with the results (although it still yet needs some tweaking to get the ride as "nice" as
I would like).

I'd agree that it would be worth it on a nice frame. The sort of bike that came with a 6 speed block
two years ago almost certainly doesn't fall into this category IMO, though the OP seems to like his.
And remember he did say he was considering changing the frame at some point in the future. I also
agree that if you've got the bits cheap or lying around, it becomes a lot more worthwhile - but
getting shiny new kit is what the OP and I were talking about.

cheers, clive

"martinroyce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Currently the bike has a shimano 6 speed screw on cassette :-( So I need: New rear wheel/hub New
8/9 speed cassette New Rear Mech New Chain New Shifters

Do I need to update anything on the front mech/crankset/chain wheel front yet, or will the above
work with the existing stuff(Shimano front mech/3 chain rings & faceless crankset) as they work
well enough and aren't to

worn

Quoted message said:

yet.

IMO the frame wouldn't normally be worth upgrading but seeing as you like it why not? Bear in mind
Tony W's comment re width between rear dropouts, you need 135mm and as stated aluminium frames can't
be spread. I can follow the logic of building a bike with components you like even if it's not as
cost effective as buying a ready built bike. (See you post a query about kit on here and you end up
with us expressing opinions on your decision as well as advice on kit 🙂

Anyway....The front chainrings may or may not work with 9 speed, try it and see. Going to 8 speed
makes the upgrade less valid IMO as you're not getting the latest spec. The current front mech may
not work, 27 speed fronts have to be set with close tolerances at the best of times, Shimano quote 0
to 0.5mm clearance 'twixt cage and chain when the chain is on smallest ring/biggest sprocket and
biggest ring/smallest sprocket!

www.chainreactioncycles.com offer good prices and free postage.

Pete

Quoted message said:

I'm in the process of upgrading an older (2 year ish) bike & have a couple of questions. Since
funds are tight I'm doing component upgrades to get best value for money, then once I've got all
nice components next money goes on a better frame & so on & so forth (rebuild adfinum)..

Currently the bike has a shimano 6 speed screw on cassette :-( So I need: New rear wheel/hub New
8/9 speed cassette New Rear Mech New Chain New Shifters

Do I need to update anything on the front mech/crankset/chain wheel front yet, or will the above
work with the existing stuff(Shimano front mech/3 chain rings & faceless crankset) as they work
well enough and aren't to

worn

Quoted message said:

yet. If it makes any difference I'm gonna get Deore/LX compnents as they appear to give best price
V quality ratio Thanks

Sorry, I can't really help on this, but I'm intrigued by what you're doing because I'm very tempted
to look at doing the same thing. (general question) Do you really need new shifters? Is it not
possible to simply recalibrate (in some way) the current (in my case 7 speed) shifters that I
already have?

Quoted message said:

Sorry, I can't really help on this, but I'm intrigued by what you're doing because I'm very
tempted to look at doing the same thing. (general

question)

Quoted message said:

Do you really need new shifters? Is it not possible to simply recalibrate (in some way) the
current (in my case 7 speed) shifters that I already

have?

I 'm not an expert but I don't think you can do this with indexed shifters, older friction
shifters maybe????

Now then, thanks to everyone for all the comments on rear width & cost effectivness of doing this.
Since you're intrigued by what or why I'm doing, here are my reasons.

It's an off road bike used for my fun rides, originaly Claude Butler, so the frame is made by
Falcon & as it happens if you look closely at frame model No.s & stuff a lot of Falcon frames
are the same throughout the range, but with better components as the price goes up. So at the
time I bought a lower end model that I was going to use as the basis of a rebuild (my 1st
attempt). So I like the frame it's sturdy, light & fits me well (The 3 most important things if
you ask me!).

I've looked at buying a new bike after bottling out on the rebuild once & found nothing I liked
as much in my price range. If I spend 200 quid on a bike I get possibly a half decent frame
again & run of the mill components. But for 200 quid I can do a major upgrade on my current
bike's drive train/wheels (Which has already had a new Marzocci front sus fork so far what a
difference that made!) & I most importantly get what I like & want on a bike not what a
manufacurer got the best deal on. I mean who doesn't want a bike to they're own specs. Then
once the frame goes (or I find something I like better) I've got 2003 compnents to put on a
shiny new frame.

Theres my reasons, I'm happy with them. Thanks M<art

You could always use a "road" hub (tiagra/105/ultegra) which have a 130 OLN. Prob. OK even for most
off road use.

Sam

Tony W said:

"martinroyce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm in the process of upgrading an older (2 year ish) bike & have a couple of questions. Since
funds are tight I'm doing component upgrades to get best value for money, then once I've got all
nice components next money goes on a better frame & so on & so forth (rebuild adfinum)..

Currently the bike has a shimano 6 speed screw on cassette :-( So I need: New rear wheel/hub New
8/9 speed cassette New Rear Mech New Chain New Shifters

Do I need to update anything on the front mech/crankset/chain wheel front yet, or will the above
work with the existing stuff(Shimano front mech/3 chain rings & faceless crankset) as they work
well enough and aren't to

worn

Quoted message said:

yet. If it makes any difference I'm gonna get Deore/LX compnents as they appear to give best
price V quality ratio

Before you start -- check to see if you can get a new 8/9 speed wheel & gubbins into the rear
forks. You may need to get the frame spread -- well nigh impossible with aluminium but no great
shakes for steel.

T

Generally for indexed gearing you need 8spd shifters for 8spd cassettes etc. You can of course use
(say) an 8spd shifter with a 7spd block and just adjust the mech limit screw to eliminate the final
click at one end or the other.

More likely if funds are an issue you can fit (say) an 8spd block with aa 7spd shifter and simply
not use either the largest or the smallest cog. This means you can upgrade the shifter - one of the
most expensive bits - when you have the readies.

Sam

David Gillbe said:

Quoted message said:

I'm in the process of upgrading an older (2 year ish) bike & have a couple of questions. Since
funds are tight I'm doing component upgrades to get best value for money, then once I've got all
nice components next money goes on a better frame & so on & so forth (rebuild adfinum)..

Currently the bike has a shimano 6 speed screw on cassette :-( So I need: New rear wheel/hub New
8/9 speed cassette New Rear Mech New Chain New Shifters

Do I need to update anything on the front mech/crankset/chain wheel front yet, or will the above
work with the existing stuff(Shimano front mech/3 chain rings & faceless crankset) as they work
well enough and aren't to

worn

Quoted message said:

yet. If it makes any difference I'm gonna get Deore/LX compnents as they appear to give best
price V quality ratio Thanks

Sorry, I can't really help on this, but I'm intrigued by what you're doing because I'm very tempted
to look at doing the same thing. (general question) Do you really need new shifters? Is it not
possible to simply recalibrate (in some way) the current (in my case 7 speed) shifters that I
already have?

address...

cheers, clive

Sam Huby <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

You could always use a "road" hub (tiagra/105/ultegra) which have a 130 OLN. Prob. OK even for
most off road use.

I've used 130mm 'road' hubs for cyclo-cross racing and training over the last 2-and-a-bit years with
no problems. Only reason for occasional replacement was the acquisition of nicer goodies (currently
Hope front hub, Campag 8sp. Record Ti rear) as funds allowed :-)

David E. Belcher

Dept. of Chemistry, University of York