Show me your old frames with modern kit!

NeilM":2dzbany7 said:

There are some very tasty machines here that put my clanky pair to shame.

The Lemond is very much my cup of tea, as is Tel's Gazelle.

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Agreed, but none fit the OPs original and interesting question.

This could be an interesting thread...not yet though ;-)

Roadking.

Anyone riding a classic frame with modern shifting and parts? How do you view such bikes? Best kept period or is it all good? As always pics would be a boon!

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I see old frames with modern parts, opinions and pictures.

Perhaps you could add some valuable input? Or are you being pedantic about the semantics that none of the frames are "classic"?

IMHO it is an interesting thread !

I've got no qualms about putting new kit on old frames as long as it's done tastefully. ( That in it's self is subjective )

As long as the bike has no historical value of course.

roadking":bfx2mpg4 said:

kaiser":bfx2mpg4 said:

Anyone riding a classic frame with modern shifting and parts? How do you view such bikes? Best kept period or is it all good? As always pics would be a boon!

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Recently changed my mind about this, I've a Holdsworth Mistral (531 throughout in family from new, the Mistral is basically a Holdsworth Pro with mudguard clearance), but in need of a frame refurbishment. The plan is to modify the frame - keeping the original colour and decals - widen the rear end to take a modern freewheel/cassette (13-28 7 speed) and run it with a modern compact chainset (50/3, and modern shifting, brakes etc.
Even considering the SRAM WiFli (11/32) for the transmission - this might not be feasible though.
I'd previously been thinking of running it unmodified with a triple...it'll look great and give me an eminently useable bike with classic looks - ok I'll spend a decent amount of money (£250 + on the frame refurb alone).

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I believe I have a reasonable track record in that area...however, my interpretation of the OPs question is referring to framesets that are a little older than those in the images posted thus far - I could put images up of my 1984 Corsa (owned from new) with a Shimano 600EX group (fitted in 1986) - a more modern group than the Corsa's standard 105.

The OPs key word, for me is, classic, this means for me a bike/frameset originating pre 1983 (a generally accepted date for when the classic period ends): you can of course disagree.

Bear with me: I have a 1967 Holdsworth Mistral and been thinking about what to do with the bike for a while, Campagnolo throughout (Nuovo Gran Sport and Record) and all the components are in great shape. However cosmetically the frame is a liitle knocked about...so a resto with a 7 + speed rearend, build with as many European parts as possible, compact chainset, Hope hubs, I could go on...but a classic bike/frame retaining the classic look (decals etc) but with modern components - a 1967 frame with up to date componentry - 40 + years separating components and frame.

I know what this bike looks like in my mind's eye - and I've started the build; or rather ordering the components, am delivering the frameset next week for the refurb.

Perhaps the OP can enlighten us?

Roadking.

Early '80s Carlton Corsair with Veloce / Centaur 9 speed group and Khamsin wheels. Currently awaiting a new rebuild after the damage from a previous owner's attempt to set OLN to 130 which bent the back end (apparently via a "proper frame builder" who manage to bend every tube behind the seat tube!). That led to a Derailleur / wheel interface that bent the dropouts.


bike is scheduled for a rear end rebuild at Vernon Barker's during the summer, complete with respray and new decals, then a rebuild with the same grouppo, but replacing the hated compact chainset with the triple from my current commuter.

Here is an old Kerrys Classique, copper plated with all new kit. I Put a copper carrier on it to finish it off. Love it or hate it?