CC Rider
Dirt Disciple
Having asked for advice from here I thought I ought to share what I’m up to!
It started with this post https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/titanium-audax-touring-options.488929/ of wanting to upgrade my winter/general bike to a titanium frame.
(It actually started earlier with a titanium Litespeed but that’s another story!)
I was lucky enough to bag a bargain Spa Audax and so began my ‘2 into 1’ project. The plan was to use as many components from my trusty 25 year old Webster as possible, itself a build of old shed bits.
First up were the shifters; replacing the SRAM double tap with Simplex downtube mounted ones. The easiest option included a handlebar swap at the same time and fortunately I already had an Ahead stem to match the steerer tube and my 3T bars. The ugly/weird (and downright dangerous!) spacer stack was temporary!
It hasn’t been as simple since but has been a great learning experience!
Next up was to fit the triple crank. Fortunately a standard square drive bottom bracket had already been fitted so that was a straightforward swap.
The first problem was the front derailleur, which wasn’t compatible with the 31.8mm Spa downtube.
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/front-derailleur-help-please.491174/
I found a bargain new Ultegra Triple which (in theory!) should have been ok. Trouble was, it was designed for a modern triple with smaller chain rings and had to be mounted way too high in order to clear the middle ring. Swapping the 42 tooth middle for a 39 tooth solved the problem.
The old front wheel slotted straight in but the rear axle was too short.
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/how-to-work-out-what-axle-i-need.494665/#post-3743229
Fitting the longer axle and fiddling to centralise the rim in the frame took a bit of time but I got there in the end. Remounting the freewheel was a breeze; remounting the wheel wasn’t as I’d centralised the rim but the freewheel fouled the frame – doh!
Being a forty year old wheel (or thereabouts) the nipples were reluctant to move so had to be replaced; fortunately I only had to cut one spoke and had a spare. I dished and trued the wheel up in the frame to ensure I didn’t repeat the mistake!
I toyed with fitting an old Simplex that was lurking in a box. https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/rear-derailleur-mounting.496485/
In the end I decided that was a bad idea and stuck with the Shimano Alivio I'd been running.
That got the basic build sorted so next up was to ride it for a bit before tackling the aesthetics to get it looking as I wanted it to.
To be continued ....!
It started with this post https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/titanium-audax-touring-options.488929/ of wanting to upgrade my winter/general bike to a titanium frame.
(It actually started earlier with a titanium Litespeed but that’s another story!)
I was lucky enough to bag a bargain Spa Audax and so began my ‘2 into 1’ project. The plan was to use as many components from my trusty 25 year old Webster as possible, itself a build of old shed bits.
First up were the shifters; replacing the SRAM double tap with Simplex downtube mounted ones. The easiest option included a handlebar swap at the same time and fortunately I already had an Ahead stem to match the steerer tube and my 3T bars. The ugly/weird (and downright dangerous!) spacer stack was temporary!
It hasn’t been as simple since but has been a great learning experience!
Next up was to fit the triple crank. Fortunately a standard square drive bottom bracket had already been fitted so that was a straightforward swap.
The first problem was the front derailleur, which wasn’t compatible with the 31.8mm Spa downtube.
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/front-derailleur-help-please.491174/
I found a bargain new Ultegra Triple which (in theory!) should have been ok. Trouble was, it was designed for a modern triple with smaller chain rings and had to be mounted way too high in order to clear the middle ring. Swapping the 42 tooth middle for a 39 tooth solved the problem.
The old front wheel slotted straight in but the rear axle was too short.
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/how-to-work-out-what-axle-i-need.494665/#post-3743229
Fitting the longer axle and fiddling to centralise the rim in the frame took a bit of time but I got there in the end. Remounting the freewheel was a breeze; remounting the wheel wasn’t as I’d centralised the rim but the freewheel fouled the frame – doh!
Being a forty year old wheel (or thereabouts) the nipples were reluctant to move so had to be replaced; fortunately I only had to cut one spoke and had a spare. I dished and trued the wheel up in the frame to ensure I didn’t repeat the mistake!
I toyed with fitting an old Simplex that was lurking in a box. https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/rear-derailleur-mounting.496485/
In the end I decided that was a bad idea and stuck with the Shimano Alivio I'd been running.
That got the basic build sorted so next up was to ride it for a bit before tackling the aesthetics to get it looking as I wanted it to.
To be continued ....!
