road bike construction question

In article said:

I have an old road bike. Not sure how many miles are on it. I have had it two years, and I think
it was made in the 80's. The bike has normal welding at all of the tube joints except for the top
seat stay.

What do you consider "normal welding"?

Quoted message said:

How durable is this type of construction? I don't know if will take a lot of abuse (I only paid
$20.00 for it at the goodwill store). I am looking at putting a three piece crank on it so I can
use newer pedals and learn how to use clipless shoes.

So, this is a department store bike with a one-piece crank?

Quoted message said:

Can anyone tell me what experience they have had with similar seat stay construction, and is it
worth it for me to convert this bike?

No.

Quoted message said:

I am considering other things as well, but parts are hard to find and I am not sure if converting
much will be worthwhile. This bike has 26" tires on it which is also been hard to find parts.

If they are 26 x 1-3/8" (EA3) tires like you find on older Huffys, they should be available at any
decent bike shop that does general repair work, and you can usually find them at K-Mart and some
sporting goods stores. It is a very common size. There are some other 26" sizes found on road bikes
(eg, Schwinn S-6) but a bike shop should be able to obtain those by special order if they don't
carry them (many will have them in stock).

Quoted message said:

It is a "10 spd" bike of old. Any
help or suggestions would be appreciated

Save money for a better used bike. Ride this one as-is until then. Repair as needed for safety and
do not upgrade it. If you do anything to it, have the brakes serviced and new pads installed.

You can find a great used road bike from the 1980s-90s for $150-250. Garage sales often yield even
better deals if you are patient. Road bikes with steel stems, steel handlebars, steel rims or steel
cranks should generally be avoided as low quality. There are some exceptions to that rule of thumb
but most of the exceptions will be pretty obvious.

--Paul

Normal meaning it has a visible weld line and the seat stays look as if they may be pinned or spot
welded from the inside. The seat stays look like they are just sitting on the seat tube. Yes it is a
department store bike. K-Mart bike sticker has a 80 on it. I think Murray made this bike. "Paul
Southworth" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article said:

I have an old road bike. Not sure how many miles are on it. I have had

it

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

two years, and I think it was made in the 80's. The bike has normal

welding

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

at all of the tube joints except for the top seat stay.

What do you consider "normal welding"?

Quoted message said:

How durable is this type of construction? I don't know if will take a lot of abuse (I only

paid

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

$20.00 for it at the goodwill store). I am looking at putting a three

piece

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

crank on it so I can use newer pedals and learn how to use clipless

shoes.

Quoted message said:

So, this is a department store bike with a one-piece crank?

Quoted message said:

Can anyone tell me what experience they have had with similar seat stay construction, and is it
worth it for me to convert this bike?

No.

Quoted message said:

I am considering other things as well, but parts are hard to find and I am not sure if
converting much will be worthwhile. This bike has 26" tires on

it

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

which is also been hard to find parts.

If they are 26 x 1-3/8" (EA3) tires like you find on older Huffys, they should be available at any
decent bike shop that does general repair work, and you can usually find them at K-Mart and some
sporting goods stores. It is a very common size. There are some other 26" sizes found on road
bikes (eg, Schwinn S-6) but a bike shop should be able to obtain those by special order if they
don't carry them (many will have them in stock).

Quoted message said:

It is a "10 spd" bike of old. Any
help or suggestions would be appreciated

Save money for a better used bike. Ride this one as-is until then. Repair as needed for safety and
do not upgrade it. If you do anything to it, have the brakes serviced and new pads installed.

You can find a great used road bike from the 1980s-90s for $150-250. Garage sales often yield even
better deals if you are patient. Road bikes with steel stems, steel handlebars, steel rims or
steel cranks should generally be avoided as low quality. There are some exceptions to that rule of
thumb but most of the exceptions will be pretty obvious.

--Paul

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

Quoted message said:

Normal meaning it has a visible weld line and the seat stays look as if

they

Quoted message said:

may be pinned or spot welded from the inside. The seat stays look like they are just sitting on
the seat tube. Yes it is a department store bike. K-Mart bike sticker has a 80 on it. I think
Murray made this bike.

have you ever heard the saying, "you can't make a diamond out of goats ass"? Just do the brakes,
until you can get something better.

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

Quoted message said:

I have an old road bike. Not sure how many miles are on

it. I have had it

Quoted message said:

two years, and I think it was made in the 80's. The bike

has normal welding

Quoted message said:

at all of the tube joints except for the top seat stay.

How durable is this

Quoted message said:

type of construction? I don't know if will take a lot of

abuse (I only paid

Quoted message said:

$20.00 for it at the goodwill store). I am looking at

putting a three piece

Quoted message said:

crank on it so I can use newer pedals and learn how to use

clipless shoes.

Quoted message said:

Can anyone tell me what experience they have had with

similar seat stay

Quoted message said:

construction, and is it worth it for me to convert this

bike? I am

Quoted message said:

considering other things as well, but parts are hard to

find and I am not

Quoted message said:

sure if converting much will be worthwhile. This bike has

26" tires on it

Quoted message said:

which is also been hard to find parts. It is a "10 spd"

bike of old. Any

Quoted message said:

help or suggestions would be appreciated Dennis

The welds should be fine, unless there's a lot of rust. You shouldn't be 'abusing' a road
bike anyway?

It's not worth spending a lot of money to upgrade an old ten speed cast iron clunker. That said, I
rebuilt an old Sears Free Spirit ten speed for my son using mostly parts I had laying around, and a
very cheap three piece steel double crank from eBay.