Advice for switching modern parts onto a steel frame

So having mostly ridden a modern Trek recently, I want to get back to Steel. I'm looking to get a steel frame (ideally lugged rather than fillet brazed) and ideally be able to take as much of the 10spd 105 group set as I can from the Trek and put it onto that.

I'm looking for something that can do fast Light Touring/ Audax, Gravel and Rough Stuff. So cantilever brakes, rear rack mounts and front and back mudguard mounts and spacing for some decent width tires.

I spent last week riding my brothers 853 Dawes, before coming back to the Trek and although the Trek handles well with light rough stuff, it just doesn't feel as good.

I'm guessing that at a minimum I'll need 130mm spaced rear dropouts, will have to get a new external bottom bracket- what else should I look out for? Want to make sure when I put up a post in the wanted forum I'm clear about what I need.

Any 90s frame should be a pretty much bolt-on affair. If it’s not already 130mm spaced (pretty much anything mid 90s onward) then a 126mm frame will take a 130mm wheel with no issues. Get some cable stops for the downtube shifter bosses so you can use your 105 brifters. 80s frames will probably all be 126mm spaced and have all the frame fittings you need. 70s will mostly be 126mm spaced but there was a trend in the early 70s to have no brazed on fittings, so they often don’t have shifter bosses on the downtube or bottom bracket cable guides. You’ll need to get a downtube shifter band for your cable stops and maybe a cable guide for under the bottom bracket. 60s frames are stepping into 120mm spacing and you’ll have trouble pulling them open to 130mm. They also don’t generally have derailleur hangers on the rear dropout.

It might actually be the canti bosses that hold you up - but only because so few bikes were fitted with them compared to caliper brakes. They are out there though, plus plenty of cx bikes.

I wish there was a like button on here because that's a really useful reply.

When I was a teenager I had a Simoncini Special which was basically a cross frame with mudguard and rack mounts. Unfortunately at the time I didn't appreciate how good it was, I wanted something with caliper brakes. It was also a proper ASP special, with parts my Dad had lying around. It was then passed to my brother who later added a modern groupset (which then ended up on the Dawes). Now my Missus has it. Unfortunately its a 19 anyways and I need a 20.5- 21.

When I put the wanted ad up I'll try include some of what you've mentioned to make it clear what I'm after.

I’ve got a question along the same lines. I’ve got a 6 speed Bike with down tube shifters And a 126mm dropout gap. I want to put a 9 speed cassette with Campagnolo brifters on. I’ve been doing research on google and I’m happy I can spread the dropouts to 130mm to get a new hub in.

So I’ve got nice alloy Campagnolo bifters, Cable stops to replace to old shifters, chorus crank and derailleurs. Then I bought a new veloce 9 speed cassette.

But now I need a new hub to accommodate the cassette. I had no idea how expensive the hubs would be. Currently I have a 126 record, free wheel, 36 hole hub. Connected to some nice mavic rims. I want to keep the hub silver and buy Campagnolo if possible.

So the question Do I get a Campagnolo 1999-2006 36 hole Freehub hub? I can’t find them on eBay. The only ones I’ve seen are 32 holes and their scary expensive.

Or do I put some sort of adaptor on an earlier 130mm freewheel hub? If that’s a thing?

Do I just get a modern Campagnolo 9/10/11 speed hub and accept the nasty black coating?

Do I need to buy new 32 hole rims As well?

I didn’t realise the expensive chain reaction of parts needed just to convert to brifters.

Any info is appreciated!

Thanks.
Danny.

Well, there is the Shimagnolo option. And if you don't mind sticking to the 6 speeds in the back, the chain reaction is pretty short: get a used pair of pre-2001 Ergo shifters and a Shimano SIS rear mech, and bob's yer uncle.

The old 9-speed Ergo brifters pull just the right amount of cable for the Shimano mech in combination with the 5.5 mm spacing of the standard 5 and 6 speed blocks. And since the left lever isn't really indexed, but uses a ratcheting system, it's compatible with any cable-operated front changer.

Since I discovered that I have tried it on a few bikes, and it works like a charm.

My most recent conversion is this Roy Thame touring bike:



There are a few other interesting combinations. This chart will tell you everything you need: