Reddit mentions: The best sports & outdoors derailleurs & shifters

I'd make this comment even longer if I could, but I'm tired. I've got a 1975 Raleigh Grand Prix and have done everything and more to it, and can answer any question you have when you start working on it. I also race a 1974 Raleigh International in collegiate races and some of the parts are from a Grand Prix. Most of your stated questions were already answered so I'll address some other things.

Check the serial number on the bottom bracket (or left rear dropout). 1974-onward models are on the bottom bracket and have a logical serial number that works as follows: My serial number was WB5... which meant W = Worksop factory, B = 2nd fornight (2-week period) of 5 = 1975. The Worksop factory was the best and the N = Nottingham factory was the worst - not because of build quality, but because they used non-standard bb and headset threading (26tpi). My Grand Prix had a 24tpi standard bb and a Raleigh 26tpi fork/headset, so I'm not sure what happened there.

The drivetrain should be just fine with a replacement chain - my recommendation for any 5-8 speed application is a SRAM PC830/580/870. Sunlite sells a very affordable but effective rear derailleur if you want to replace yours, but the existing one should work fine. The front derailleur will also work great, and I still use that same model. Those downtube shifters, IMO, are actually better than same-era Campagnolo shifters because honestly, levers are quite simple, and these are very solid and have a nice, sharp edge that makes flicking them with your fingertips very easy. I recommend removing the washers and cleaning them, or cutting new ones out of a thin sheet of copper - made mine just like new. For what it's worth, the Huret groupset was a nice step up from the Simplex groupset, and the all-metal Huret components will work just great, particularly with that new chain. Regarding the cottered crank/bottom bracket, be sure to either re-use the original hardened steel cotters or new ones from bikesmithdesign.com. Do not remove or reinsert them with any tool other than a cotter press. If you follow the right directions, servicing them is actually quite simple. Repack and set the bearings carefully, and you shouldn't have problems - Raleigh cups and spindles are legendarily hard and wear-resistant. If you need a new freewheel, be sure to get one with a 14-17-20-24-28 combo (or a 6-speed Shimano 14-28 freewheel), NOT one with a 16t 4th gear in place of the 17, because it's mathematically incorrect. That one is matched to a 52/40 crankset - if you get something with a 14-16-19-21-24-(28), technically a 52/42 is the correct matching crankset. I wouldn't do a 7-speed, spreading the frame and figuring out how to space it properly will be a headache.

Regarding the paint - you may want to keep it as-is and just sand and touch up the rusty areas. This is a high-tensile steel bike (though a nicer one), so I am almost certain not enough metal got rusted away to damage the thicker steel tubing. The paint, however, was generally very good, and is a candy-coated finish that looks very good touched-up. You won't be able to replicate it. I would keep it.

For potential improvements, your best bet is the wheels. While I wish I had kept my Maillard hubs, the steel rims are unfortunate on these frames. Alloy rims are an excellent upgrade, as are moving to 700c rims and getting some nice tires (Clement Strada LGGs are decent). It'll shave a lot of weight while leaving the bike's character intact, and gives you a lot more tire options. You may notice the front brakes are Weinmann 610s and the rears are 750s. The rears are longer-reach than the fronts (this was common practice among bike manufacturers, though I have no idea why). In my experience, putting a 750 on the front will be enough to run 700c rims front and rear.

Keep in mind this is a high-tensile frame, albeit a nice one, so don't go too crazy. I ultimately moved up from mine to an International, but the Grand Prix is still in my stable and I ride it whenever I go home (college student). It's got Nervex lugs and imo the geometry is decent. Just take good care of it and you'll have it a long time.

So /r/bikewrench and /r/bicycling are much more active sub-reddits that you may see more attention on, but I can try to help you out here.

Switching the bars could require a few things:


Stem Size and by extension handlebar size: the Escape has a stem made for 31.8mm diameter handlebars with pretty large bars actually. Most drop bars you find will be 25.4mm at the stem and 23.8mm everywhere else. Any discrepancy can be an easy fix with some shims (either bought or made). It is also possible (according to Sheldon Brown) that your current bars may have very similar sizing to standard drop bars. The stem may also need to be shortened or lengthened to comfortably accommodate for the new handlebars and riding positions.


Braking: As you may or may not have noticed most drop bars come with brake levers that allow you to access the levers while riding on the drops. This is important because it allows you more leverage at the moments when you are going the fastest. Check out this image stolen from 'Lovley Bike' that shows the typical 'breaking on the drops' position.

While it is not necessary to have these brakes and the 'hoods' that accompany them it is an excellent idea and gives more hand positions! Alternatively it is possible to use levers only on the flats of the drop bars (but not the ones you currently have may need the aforementioned shims).

Shifting!
I see the Escape has Shimano M310 trigger shifters. Those also may have to go. They, like the brakes, can be mounted on the flats of the bar but it is only very low end bikes that do this to their riders. There are an ungodly number of ways to incorporate shifting on a bike with drop bars. You can integrate them into the brakes with STI's, stick them on the end of the bars with Bar End Shifters, Get them onto the stem like many vintage bikes Stem Shifters or get them on the down-tube for a classic look Down Tube Shifters...

That aside the only real options up there that you have for a conversion are Bar-end or "Brifters" Brake/Shifters...reusing your old ones could work but it would be inelegant.

Geometry MOST IMPORTANTLY! Your bike was designed to be ridden upright, the stem, top tube, every inch of the bike assumes the rider is using flat bars. There is no telling really what the ride will 'feel' like after you start riding on the hoods/drops. Its not as bad as most hybrids with front suspension but I could not tell you anything about how it might feel once the swap is made.


For moving forward I see a few options

Option 1 Quick and Dirty Get some drop bars and some old cans. Strip your current bars of components and install the drops(don't forget shims), If sheldon is correct about the size of over-sized road bikes all your old components should slide onto the flat part of the drops and just fit. It would be a unique way to ride but mostly functional...Personally I would have concerns about how safe it would be.

Option 2 More hand positions!
If what you want is more hand positions don't overlook bar end attachments:
Bar end attachments
Orgin 8 might actually have the answer to your prayers: Bolt On Drops

Option 3 Dress her like a roadie
Trying to make your hybrid into a road bike is usually not the right way to go but...with $10-30 for bars, and $100 for Shifters and Brakes, plus $10-20 for complete re-cabling across the bike (MTB and Road bikes use different cable ends) and of course labor if you aren't that handy. Tack on $10 for bar-tape to make her pretty and comfortable and you aren't that far in the hole.
You don't get off any easier for Bar Ends once you get the appropriate brakes its about the same. All that and your former hybrid could pass any scrutinizing test of a lycra-clad cyclist, you'd have yourself a certified road-bike. No promises on comfort!


This is just a vague indication though! For a real in-depth price assessment and Q&A please visit your local bike store

For my $00.02...Don't bother trying to convert them. Ride the bike you have the way it was intended to be ridden. If after a while you still feel like its lacking, throw on some bar ends for more hand positions, Still feel like its lacking? Go test-ride some road bikes to see if riding on the drops is right for you. I'm not talking about a test ride around the parking lot either! No less then 3 miles on that sucker, get a real feel for it. Love it!? Sell the Escape and do a TON of research into inexpensive road bikes. They are out there waiting for ya.

The cheapest option to get the shifters up to the bars is to use old-school stem shifters. There are plenty of idiots that think they're amateur and will tell you silly things like they impale people in crashes or whatever but it's just more cycling-culture snobbery. Bar-end mounted shifters are nice but if you don't ride on the drops they can still be a reach... and it would cost anywhere from 30-100$ to get them. Brake-shifters are at least 100$ and you'd need to convert to 7 speed at least to use them. Personally I love DT shifters and would encourage you to try and use 'em, it'll become second-nature before long.

I've worked on heaps of bikes just like this at our local co-op and they do indeed last a long time with minimal work. Learn to measure your chain for wear (check the Sheldon Brown link or Park tools) you only need a ruler to do it. Plain old 5/6/7 speed chain is around 10$ for a new one, same with freewheels.

I would buy stainless cables and new housing for the brakes, as well as new pads. The brakes themselves look decent and can provide more than adequate stopping power, the only downside is that they sometimes tend to end up out of centre after a while.

I'll also agree with all the other postsers that Paselas are probably the nicest tire in 27", I have two bikes them and they are pretty good all-around. Continental Gatorskins used to be easy to find in 27" but I haven't looked in a while, they are more flat-resistant but offer a harsher ride because of it.

You definitely need something there in order to get the shifters going. You can either use the drop down shifters, which I have found for decent prices on ebay, but also some at exorbitant prices. Like I have bought some 105 7-speed and dura ace 6-speed each for less than $10 but some people slap 'classic' or 'rare' on it and charge $50-100. You can also get some of these without buying the shift lever bosses, but it has to be the right diameter for the down tube, and I'm thinking the r300 tube is too narrow for that bike. But, measure so that you know for sure.

Also, what type of rear derailleur is on there? This will determine the type of shifters you get. The ones linked are 8-speed shifters, but I use with a 7-speed rear derailleur by locking out the last cog. It looks like you have an RSX on there that is 7-speed, but if you can find the model number, you can confirm this for sure.

Also, you can get these that screw on to the shift lever bosses so that you can run brifters like these. I did this on an old bike that had shift bosses for drop-downs, and it worked out nicely and was relatively simple, and the linked brifters came with cables. Or, you could always change the bar to a flat one and get something more economical from the mountain line, and the flat bar may be an easier ride if your dad is older.

Hope it helps!

I've had the bike for a few weeks now and use it almost entirely for commuting. Here's what I've added since I got the bike:

• GoPro Hero3 Black
  
  
• NiteRider Lumina Micro 350 front and rear
  
  
• Nite Ize HandleBand
  
  
• Tektro CR720 Canti Brakes
  
  
• Ibera PakRak Bicycle Touring Carrier Plus+
  
  
• Avenir Excursion Rack-Top Bag
  
  
• SKS P45 Black Chromoplastic Longboard
  
  
• SRAM Supercork Bicycle Bar Tape (Black)
  
  
• Shimano Brake Cable and Housing Set
  
  
• Shimano Road Shift Cable and Housing Set
  
  The stock brakes weren't doing enough to stop me so I swapped them out for some Tektro CR720s. I dropped the yoke as far as I could to give myself as much leverage as possible. Braking is much better now and more reliable than the original set ever was.
  
  I added a rack and trunk bag that's big enough to hold my food and clothes for the day. The only modification I had to make here was filing away some metal from rack mounting leg. It was colliding with frame near the dropout and not allowing the leg to sit close enough to the braze on.
  
  Some of the original cable housings that came with the bike had some gouges in them so Nashbar sent me a new replacement cable set. I swapped out all the brake/shift cables and replaced the bar tape with some SRAM cork tape. The original cables from Nashbar were also a bit too long and were causing excessive friction.
  
  I added some SKS fenders per the recommendations of users on this sub. They were a little finicky to install but I got them on in the end. This particular frame doesn't have bolt holes in either of the two rear bridges so I had to resort to the classic zip tie approach.
  
  As far as the bike goes, it's been performing flawlessly so far. It weighs close to 30 lbs now so it's not the lightest thing in the world. However, the steel frame and the large tires really help smooth out the road quite a bit. The saddle is still the most uncomfortable part of the bike, but I'm hoping to swap it out sometime in the near future. Shifting is still very smooth and the 4 trim positions on the 105 front derailleur is a great feature.
  
  If you're considering getting a bike from Nashbar, I'd definitely recommend them. Their customer service was fantastic and everything they shipped usually got to me door in 2-3 days (even the bike!).

my bike is a rehabbed 99 GT XCR-4000. here's a brief summary of my current configuration, with costs & reason for replacement. I should note that I wanted to buy a cheap bike to get into the sport and learn how to do maintenance so if I got a nice bike I wouldn't be actively destroying it. I've had the bike for a few years now and replaced a bunch of things. anyways, this is roughly in the order that I replaced things.

Stock: Frame (duh), seat tube, head set / stem.

new:

Shifters: Shimano Alivio 3x9. the shifters were shot when I bought the bike, had a set of microshift ones that lasted a year but sucked and broke. $65 for the pair

Drivetrain: new chainrings $10-$30 each, cassette $35, chain $22, Front Derailleur $20, rear derailleur $68. The drive train was such a mess when I got the bike, I've destroyed some good components from being a noob. all straight now though. kept the 3x9 arrangement since the sifting wasn't holding back my riding at the time.

Fork: Rockshox recon silver solo air $200 the 15 year old rockshox judy was sticky, heavy (coils) and the only damping was the stiction of the tubes. Super happy with the replacement, it's steel so not super light but the adjustable rebound damping made a huge difference. when I bought it they had rim brake mounts as an option on the amazon page, not sure if that's still available. the rim brake version that I have does have disk mounts as well.

Wheels - $100 craigslist. the stock wheels were a mess and impossible to true well - I broke a spoke on my rear wheel which then got sucked into my RD, destroying that and breaking another couple spokes in the process. decided to say screw these old things and bought a new set of wheels, this time with disk brake hubs - thankfully my frame had mounts for the rear.

Disk brakes: avid bb-7 - $60 ebay(new). purchased at the same time as the new wheels, went with mechanical because I didn't want to deal with bleeding hydraulics, though this is the one thing I would change. I would get hydraulic brakes because I feel like I'm adjusting the pads on the mechanicals every ride or two (huge pain in the butt). Also bought avid FR-5 levers $16

handlebars - Ritchey comp alloy $30. crashed and bent my bars pretty good. I didn't want to change out the stem so I bought the closest approximation to the stock bars that I could find cheaply. also decent 25.4mm mount bars are freaking impossible to find.

I should note that this is certainly not the proper way to maximize the quality of the bike for the money. The total is around $700, though I've spent more than that over the 4 years I've had the bike since I've replaced a couple things multiple times (chains, etc.).

if you want a retro bike, these are the best things that I've found to replace the components as they break. If others have found better stuff in terms of bang for your buck, let me know. The only things I've replaced to "upgrade" the bike are the fork & disk brakes, though since it was time for a new wheelset the brakes made a lot of sense to purchase at that time.

Thread rejack! I noticed that the bike in those pictures has the same style lower mounted front derailleur with a brace (not a clamp) as the one I thought was broken on my bike. Cool.

Also, in my novice opinion, that bike looks great. If it's comfortable, I wouldn't hesitate to grab it at $400. A new entry level bike like a Trek 820 will run you about $360 + tax. I think for a few bucks more, this would be a superior bike.

Take for example the rear derailleur. The 2007 comes with a Shimano Deore (confirmed in the pics). Here it is on amazon for $50. A new 2012 Trek 820 comes with a Shimano TX35. This goes for $12 on amazon.

Again, take this with a grain of salt as I just bought my first bike. This is just from some of the knowledge that I've gained in the past few days. Good luck.

*grammar edits

Just ride it til it breaks, then if you like it and maybe have gotten in better shape a little you can buy a nicer bike. In the end you will need something like a trail or all-mountain bike.



If this is your bike



http://www.bikepedia.com/quickbike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=2001&Brand=Raleigh&Model=M40&Type=bike



or close, and its the right shifter thats busted you could probably try this



http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Acera-SL-M310-Shifter-7-Speed/dp/B003ZM9RX6



Your local bike shop could probably help you too. I am not talking about some big chain shop, I'm referring to a good mom and pop or small local chain.


Good Luck

I just got a new bike myself. Layered security seems best on top of your insurance. Good locks and layers make your bike a hassle to steal.

1. Use a cover whenever you can. Not being able to see what you bike is exactly is or what security is on it help a good bit. Cost : 30-80 USD
   
   
2. Quality Disk Break with alarm and good lock. Abus Granit Detecto X-Plus 8077 was my choice. Cost : 180 USD plus $10 for a bright colored lanyard to run from the lock to the handle bar.
   
   
3. Quality lock and chain. I went with Abus again. ABUS 37RK/80 KD Granit Extreme Lock and ABUS 14KS 6' Maximum Security Square Chain and Sleeve, 9/16" Diameter Chain Link. Cost : 130 USD and 110 USD.
   
   I have a covered car port and I lock the bike to the steel support beam. I take the disk lock alarm with me where ever I go under the seat and leave the chain locked to the pole when not in use.
   
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HUKQHEG
   
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GE9H8W
   
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005UMCCZO
   
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0022ZN6M0

First off love your bike dude

Second off i love this $8 shifter set from amazon. Not bar end though, but work great on all shifters https://www.amazon.com/Sunrace-SLM10-Friction-Shifter-Set/dp/B007QMJH86/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1501644368&sr=1-1&keywords=friction+shifters comes with cables n housings too

not really bar end but maybe you could mount them on the bar end?

Either way love the bike just htought i'd mention it because you said you are $ conerned

I'm interested in replacing the brake levers and gear shifters on my road bike with a brake/shifter combo. I've linked one I've been looking at on Amazon below. What I'm curious about, is how do I know if it will be compatible with my bike? It's a 21-speed, but I'm not sure what qualities I should be looking for to find a pair that will work. The bikesdirect link is to my bike.


Any suggestions about a good shifter to get and what to look out for would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B011IL1EP4/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1519154351&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=microshift&dpPl=1&dpID=417kpRtm-wL&ref=plSrch


http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/wellington2-xv.htm

Sorry about the late reply, but here you go:
Shimano Acera 6/7 speed rear derailleur:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F5EGAA
It has plastic roller gears for the chain! I have not ridden it much, but something tells me when a stick lands in, it won't shred it up like my xtr. You might want to spend more for a better one.
I'm not sure what the cage length is but if you get another, you'd probably be best off with a medium cage, but you might need a long cage. Check this for more info: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=205890


Here is the cassette: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BY7ZP2
I got the 13-30, but I think i'd recommend the 13-34 for the lower gearing.

I recently just did exactly what you want to do. I'll link the parts I used and bought off of amazon. Bar end shifters, drop bars and drop bar brake levers for V brakes. I bought cable and housing for brakes and bar tape from LBS but you could just get that from amazon as well. The shifters come with cable and a few pieces of housing.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F5EFOC/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001IORJVU/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C4UHF6/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i01

Let me know if you have any questions. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

Edit: just noticed you said you needed 9 gears in the rear so the shifters I linked wont work but you should be able to find some that would on amazon. My Sirrus only has 8 gears in the rear.

I did this with my 1983 Cannondale a couple of years ago. It's pretty easy.

First, locate some bar end shifters. These Shimanos will probably be your only option because you'll have a 5 or 6 speed rear hub. The package says that they are for an 8 speed cassette, but you will need to flip them into Friction mode. I've tried, and they almost but not quite work in Index mode.

The package will come with new, longer cables, new cable housings, and most importantly, cable stops that will bolt onto the boss on your frame - the section left on your downtube when you remove the d/t shift levers.

There should be some directions in the package. You will need to unwrap your handlebars, remove the shifter from the shifter housing, then insert the shifter housing into the handlebar ends (I snuck the bar tape end along with it) and snug them up. Replace the shifters, feed the cable through , put the first set of cable housing on, and run the rest back to your derailleurs like you would for any other shifter.

They will friction shift, so the adjusting should be easy. Wrap the bar tape so a little housing rides up to the first bend (there might be some plastic stuff to make this easier), and finish wrapping.

Here's what my ST500 looked like when I got it, and here it is with the new shifters and brake levers being installed.

I scored this Rockhopper for $50! Now I’m looking to modernize pretty much the whole thing. Please critique my build list below. Would you get anything different, or better, or maybe anything else that would be better value? Did I miss anything? Do you think all of this will work together? It will be my adventure bike for bike packing, gravel, off road touring.

FOMTOR 25.4 stem 60mm 35 Degree Bike Handlebar Stem Riserhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G71CZG6

UPANBIKE Road Mountain Bike Bicycle Stem Riser Adapter 1 1/8" φ22.2mm https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071LLR8PR

Action 1-1/8" W/Adjuster Black Cable Hanger Fronthttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XCSKWCQ

KMC X9L 9 Speed Chain Gold Coatedhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0789HPV7M

Wheel Set 26 x 1.5, Mavic x M117, Deore M530 9Sp Hub, Blk SS Spokes, 32Hhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0033H53VI

Shimano Deore 9-Speed Mountain Bicycle Rear Derailleur - RD-M591https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003OWPRLI

Maxxis DTH 26 X 2.15 60A Kevlar Blackhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XIT4YS

XCSOURCE MTB Mountain Bike Crankset Aluminum Bicycle Crank Sprocket and Bottom Bracket Kit 170mm CS400https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWXUV7I

RaceFace 104mm Single Chain Ringhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D3FG6ZW

​

Edit: Adding Shifters and Cassette

SHIMANO Deore SL-M590 9-Speed Shift Lever
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IKVJF8Y/

JGbike Sunrace 8 9 10 Speed MTB Cassette 11-40T 1 Wide Ratio Including 22mm Extender - for SRAM Shimano-Type splined freehub Body
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRLWHEO

Will I be happier with the shimano acera?

Its made of steel like my old one and I like the idea of nice shifting on my refurbed bike. Then again I also like money and your recommendation for the matching tourney cheapo model. Let me know what you think.

Honestly, I wouldn't bother moving from 3x8. New derailleurs etc will over-capitalize the bike for no real benefit. Would however remove and bin the grip shifters and replace with Shimano ef51 shifter/brake combo units for a much nicer riding experience, and would maybe also think about some new V-Brake units like these Shimano br-t4000, do some new cables/housing and maybe a new BB.

For the fork, something like the Surly Pack Rat (I think yours is a 1 1/8) would be an option. In terms of riding position, I would swap in a shorter 50mm-60mm stem instead of what looks like a 110mm (as u/miasmic said). and mess around with the spacer arrangement.

These alterations, EF51 click shifters, newer/stiffer V-Brakes, new cables and cockpit re-arrangement, should rejuvenate the bike significantly.

For anyone interested, I was able to keep the cost super low for three main reasons:

1. Microshift brifters. 3x7 set was $55.00 on Amazon.
   https://www.amazon.com/microSHIFT-Shifters-SB-R473-Derailleur-Bicycle/dp/B011IL1EP4
   
   
2. Lucky enough to have a bike co-op in my town - sold me the handlebars and stem for $15.
   
   
3. Lucked out on my first craigslist bike (1992 Diamondback Override for $40), which I purchased with very little research or knowledge at the time. After I decided to go ahead with the conversion against the advice of most of the internet, I read everything Sheldon Brown has written about cable pull. Turned out I had no compatibility issues going from mountain brakes/shifters to road brifters since I have cantilever brakes. Had I wound up with a different bike it could have been a different story. Also was able to keep original derailleurs.

Yeah, I've decided to go that route. It's significantly cheaper and way less effort to just get friction shifters and new brake levers (since the current shifters are a combo). I just wish I could find a set of friction shifters I like :-/ Amazon is lacking in their selection. I want something that's of decent quality no more than $20-30 and grey/black. I've got these in my cart, and they look like they may be kindof cheap (though they have good reviews) and I don't have red anywhere else on my bike so it kindof bugs me that they're that color. I'd like to find shifters that match my new brake levers.

I was a student too, but I forked out a bit of money for shifters like this: https://www.amazon.ca/Shimano-SL-BS64-Ultegra-Shifter-8-Speed/dp/B000F5EFOC/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540826780&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=bar+end+shifters+7%2F8+speed


I found some non-indexed shifters for less than $80 on sale and you might be able to as well. They are a LOT nicer than downtube shifters IMO, and they are compatible with any cassette or freewheel (up to a point).

I'm guessing the $40 saddle is a take off from another bike that someone swapped out.

$26 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MUCN0MG

The hanger is a good price.

Put the saved money into a better than stock saddle and do it yourself. You'll learn something new and you're bike will be better in the end.

Edit: I don't think the end price from the shop is unreasonable.

Buy tools as needed, no need to stock up with everything right away. Most park tools I buy on Amazon and get them within two days. Tools I would get right away though would be

• 1" Crescent Wrench
  
• Park Tool Cassette Remover
  
• Chain Whip, for removal of a cassette
  
• Park Tool 3-Way (in 4, 5 & 6mm)
  
• A chain tool of some sorts
  
  As for cabling
  
  Universal Brake Cables on Amazon, just make sure you cut of the correct end.
  
  Here is a shift cable set.
  
  As for cutting the cables and housing, do NOT use standard wire cutters. You need a parrot style nosed set of cutters, like this Pedros set. I bought a cheap set of cutters on eBay that work great. When I cut housing I use a little sand paper to flush up the ends.
  
  The 4th hand is not really needed, I get by fine without it.

Pretty sure that's Claris running gear.

The rear derailleur looks like 2300 series.


Here's a 2300 triple crankset in silver ... use your imagination to paint it black and get rid of the granny chainring. Clearly the same family.

This would be typical for a base-level bike built anywhere from ~2010 - ~2015 or so... (leeway one year or the other based upon when the groupset was released and the bike spec'd out by the manufacturer).

That length actually looks perfect. I think it's the rear derailleur just isn't strong enough to hold the chain.

Do you use the big ring, ever?

A possibility would be remove the big ring, and put on a bash guard. Then shorten it so the rear mech looks like that when in the middle ring.

You could also upgrade to a better rear derailleur. Something like this should work fine, and it's not overly expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Tourney-8-Speed-Mountain-Derailleur/dp/B00O7XMG1C

​

Like that one?

​

There are a couple of others that want me to chose between 'direct attachment' and 'with riveted adapter' like this one:

​

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https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-RD-A070-Road-Rear-Derailleur/dp/B007Q4PBNO/ref=asc_df_B007Q4PBNO

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Thanks.

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Watching youtube videos about how to replace and adjust a derailleur right now...

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(edit: also https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-RD-TY300-Derailleur-Compatible-Upgraded/dp/B01GO02W5K/ )

So, you're kinda going down a rabbit hole here.

First: Most 7-speed freehubs use Uniglide cassettes, with a threaded small cog instead of a threaded lockring. The only 126mm OLD hub I can think of off the top of my head that fit a modern Hyperglide cassette is the FH-1055 rear hub from the 105SC group. If you're OK with freewheels or vintage Uniglide cassettes, your options will open up considerably.

You're also going to need a new derailleur... The cable pull ratio of your SunTour Accushift does not match the cable pull of those Microshift brifters. Any 6-9 speed Shimano derailleur, pre-9-speed Dura Ace exluded will work with those, so you should be able to find a suitably vintage looking derailleur to match your bike.

Finally... if you're trying to build a bike to "crush the MAMILs... as a rebuke to their carbon/lycra obession", why aren't you going full L'Eroica with your bike? I'm really curious about the decision making process behind which parts you want to keep vintage and which ones you're willing to modernize. (and an aside: I'm plenty fuckin' fast without a carbon fork and shifting by feel instead of through clicks.)

Ooooooh yeah! You did well. That's not a bad frame; it's not a great frame but it's not bad at all. That bike has the same geometry as the touring bike "Trek 520," but it has a flat bar. The brazeons aren't as nice either, but oh well. That's one of the few bikes you can convert to a drop-bar bike where it makes since because the fit isn't compromised and you don't have to make a bunch of compromises with adapters and stuff. You can toss a drop bar and brifters on that bike if you want if you put a different stem on it. Or you can put on drop bars and bar end shifters for around $50 (used.)

If you stick with the flat-bar 7 speed stuff replacement components are cheap as hell. Upgrading to trigger shifters is like [$36 a pair](https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Acera-SL-M310-Shifter-7-Speed/dp/B003ZM9RX6] as an example. New chain is like $8. A new RD is $17 and it's one of the best you can buy

Adjusting the brake pads is an absolute nightmare though; no other brake system even comes close to the difficulty they present. The bike has low-profile threadless post cantilevers and they're the absolute single most difficult brake to adjust. I'm pretty close to spending the $50 myself for something easier.

Thanks, WildMan. I've found the same M310 Altus you've linked to, but it has DL at the end?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005CMUQU0/

Would this be my best option? I'll order those then.

don't a friggin get an X9 for that bike... its like putting a corvette engine a tercel. doesn't make sense and won't even work. your bike had a tourney rear derailleur which is the most entry level shimano has. upgrade a bit to this acera for $20 and call it a day. It'll shift better than what you're used to and won't break the bank. it will work with your existing stuff as well. simple as removing the busted one and installing this. watch some videos and you can get it done easily.

I got some downtube shifters from amazon pretty cheap, and they've been working great for me so far.

They look cheap, because they are cheap, but I liked them more than my stem shifters. I didn't want to disassemble my stem shifters to put on this bracket, but you probably could if you wanted.

http://www.amazon.com/Sunrace-SLR03-Friction-Stem-Shifter/dp/B0084UHAJM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1449807462&sr=8-2&keywords=Downtube+shifters

EDIT: they even came with cables

No, you should not.

There is a special tool for this that my bike shop used on my der hanger.

I understand your desire to make the repairs yourself, but the hanger needs to be aligned with a millimeter or so, which you can't achieve with a hammer.

It's a task that will only need to be performed once, so it doesn't make sense to purchase the tool for it, when any bike shop would gladly do it for nearly free.

However, this is the tool they'll use: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0028YWHPW

Hmmm, not a lot to say and nothing fancy. I bought the bike in Summer of 2011 after my earlier bike was stolen from the family garage. It originally had the Fuji factory bar with a slight rise and separate Shimano brakes, rapid fire shifters and the 'meh' hand grips.

Summer 2012, everything on the original handlebar including the bar itself was stolen overnight while the bike was rack locked and I was upstairs in a beach condo. F**king theives!

I replaced handlebar with a Ritchey https://ritcheylogic.com/comp-sc-rizer-mountain-bar
and outfitted it with Shimano combo brake/shifters https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-ST-EF51-Brake-Shifter-Levers/dp/B00MUCN0MG
I got the standard Ergon GP1 grips and separate climbing bars wrapped in bar tape. It's not the best of setups, I should have gotten the GP5 model https://www.rei.com/product/884447/ergon-gp5-handlebar-grips . The bar is too wide even for a big guy like me (6'1" and 250 lbs.) So, I cut off about 3/4 of an inch from the bar ends to narrow my arm position. The Topeak bag on top is great for often used items (wallet, phone, gel packs, keys, etc.) https://www.amazon.com/Topeak-Compact-Handle-Bar-Bag/dp/B001T2U1FM/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1495644165&sr=1-2&keywords=topeak+handlebar+bag

That's probably WAY more then you wanted to know. But it is a REALLY comfortable ride and has served me well. For a second trip, I replaced the seat tube with an Uno compressor seat post and the saddle with a Selle SMP TRK. So Butt fatigue is completely gone. ;)

Derailleur hangers are meant to bend before your derailleur because they are much cheaper than a new derailleur. So yes, if it's been bent in a crash you can try and bend it back to straight.

If your derailleur hanger is made of steel it can generally be bent back to straight with a DAG tool fairly easily. If it's aluminum, you can bend it back a few degrees, but generally they snap. Aluminum is much more brittle and will strain harden much quicker than steel, so once it's bent, it's usually done.

If you break a hanger, just buy a new one from your LBS. They range from $5 to $50+ depending on your bike. Most are pretty cheap and are very simple to install.

If it's using bar-end shifters and doesn't have bosses for downtube shifters, your best bet is going to be to use some friction thumb shifters. Unless it already has indexed shifting, the chances of an indexed shifter working on the existing derailleurs is pretty low.

Okay, so with $200, assuming I was doing the work:

Wrap handlebars - $11.53 (sweet dark red, cause the red on there looks awesome already)
Cheap 700c wheels from co-op - $20? (Talk with them about the gearing to see if the range is the same, or if you want tighter range or whatever, they probably have a few sets there with somewhat different gear ranges on the rear)
Saddle from co-op - $5-10
Tubes/tires - $45 (tires, tubes)
Derailleur cables - $7 (Shimano, here)
Brake cables - $10.39 (Shimano, here)
Brake levers - $22.53 (Tektro RL340)
Brakes - $62 - (Tektro 539 rear, front)
5-speed chain - 7.98 (here)

Then I'd try to get pedals and a cheap but aluminum quill stem, handlebars, and seatpost from the co-op. Depending on where you are, you may be able to get all for $20 or less. Functional new parts suggestions: (not guaranteed to fit. These have all sorts of different diameters over the years/models, so you need to know what you have/need. Handlebars, Seatpost, stem.)

Upgrading it will be quite expensive. However, it'll provide you with a wealth of knowledge, frustration and, at the same time, fun.

Depending on your existing hub, you may or may not need a new hub to put your new cassette on.

With a wide enough range of gears on your rear cassette you can get away with a single chainring, so there will be no need for a new crankset/front derailleur/front shift lever.

As /u/fclbr said, you can choose downtube shifters in order to keep your existing brake levers. There are also bar-end shifters, and if you go for a single chainring, it won't be that expensive.

All-in-all, consider if this bike's right for you, size and geometry-wise, as your decision may be a bit rash. If it is, then I'd say go for it.

Rear derailleur - $20

Cassette - $20 - I recommend going for the 34t max sprocket. It'll allow you to stick with a single chainring

Bar-end shifters - $55 - they are 9-sp indexed, but they also work in friction mode, which allows you to freely adjust your gear

Downtube shifters - $14

Cables/outer cables are negligible costs.

ok last thing http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Q4PBNO/ or http://www.amazon.com//dp/B007Q4PGPM/

whats the dif with Smart Direct Mount or Smart Mount with Bracket

Thank you for your thoughtful response.

Someone suggested this, which can take 34T cogs:
https://www.amazon.co.jp/SHIMANO-%E3%82%B7%E3%83%9E%E3%83%8E-%E3%83%AA%E3%82%A2%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3%E3%83%AC%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A9%E3%83%BC-RD-R3000-GS-ERDR3000GS/dp/B01D8CP9B6/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1506107852&sr=1-1&keywords=RD-R3000-GS

Will the cage itself still crash, though？

Your shop doesn't ship to Japan, does it? xD

if you search for the product number on google you'll find http://bike.shimano.com/content/sac-bike/en/home/components11/road/sora11/rd-r3000-ss.html which says that it is only good for 32 teeth.

this one is good for 34T - see http://bike.shimano.com/content/sac-bike/en/home/components11/road/sora11/rd-r3000-gs.html

edit: do you have friction shifters? if not then you need to also check that the new derailleur is compatible - it needs to move the same amount per "click" as the old one.

this should be what you need, good luck! http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-RD-2300-R-derailleur-Smart-cage/dp/B002UZORHU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1375227246&sr=8-4&keywords=8+speed+sora+rear+derailleur

Lets see, I take it you didn't even look at the 2 bikes.

Trek 7.2 FX.

• Shimano 8-speed shifting
  
  It is all of $25 on amazon. Toss in another $27 for the rear derailleur.
  
  Compared to the 549 EUR http://www.bikemarket24.de/diamant-achat-herren-saphirschwarz-bern-silber.html
  
  
• Nexus 7 speed coaster brake. $329 on Amazon
  
  The price difference in gearing alone is where the difference is.
  
  Also includes a bike rack. A lighting system. Seatpost suspension.
  
  Oh, and a 3N20 Dynamo $90 on amazon.
  
  If you bought the Trek and tried to turn the Trek into a commuter bike like the Diamond you'd end up spending more.
  
  Compare apples to apples and then you can do a price comparison.
  
  Here's a 399 EUR one. 7 speed, with dyno. http://www.bikemarket24.de/hercules-13-city-7-nexus-rt-14518.html
  
  Here's another for 299. http://www.bikemarket24.de/kreidler-raise-rt-limited-spectro-7-gang-13811.html?price=3%2C100
  
  Please link to a commuter bike in the US that even close to that feature set for $392.80 AFTER taxes.

Check out the Microsoft brifters, they've gotten some pretty good reviews and can be had new for 55 usd. They are compatible with any 3x7 as far as I know. I've been eyeing them to replace the stem shifters on my hunk of junk.

https://www.amazon.com/microSHIFT-Shifters-SB-R473-Derailleur-Bicycle/dp/B011IL1EP4

Edit: again with the autocorrect

Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!

Here are your smile-ified links:

inexpensive brifters

---

Never forget to smile again | ^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot

Look to see of the der pully holder is parallel with the plane of the wheel. If it looks good, it might still have shifting issues, but is safe to ride (barring problems with limit screws, etc).

To really be sure (like when chasing down small shifting anoynances that only happen at one end of the range), its best to use the same alignment tool used to fix the problem. It screws into the der hanger and has a movable probe that you set touching the rim; then you simply rotate the guide and check to see if the probe just touches the rim in all spots. If not, you use the arm of the tool to lever the der hanger around until it does. Mind you, if you wheel is (badly) out of true, there's no point to this.

https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Derailleur-Hanger-Alignment/dp/B0028YWHPW

It's a great bike for the price. For what it's worth, I've done plenty of loaded touring in mountains with similar gear ratios (compact crank with 11-28t cassette). Others will say your lowest gear ratio (1.2) isn't low enough for mountainous touring. Depends on your strength and how much you're carrying.

To get it lower, you can buy an 11-34t cassette which will bring you down to a 1.0 ratio.

However, I'm not sure the derailleur it comes with will fit an 11-34t cassette. If it doesn't, you'll need a mountain bike rear derailleur like this.

In short, you're looking at $30 or $70 to upgrade to a traditional low touring gear ratio, not including labor.

So, bit of an update, this is what I ordered earlier and wanting to make sure they're compatible/good choices:

Cassette:
SRAM PG850 8 Speed

Rear Derailleur
Shimano Alvio 8 Speed

Chain
SRAM 850

and I was unable to find any 'cheap' single bar end shifters, most were the 'extreme' kind that have bars extended out in front of the rider(unsure what that is called); however, was able to find a 'good' deal for a right Shimano Sora ST3000 8 Speed shifters.

From my understanding, I could mix/match many of the parts except the RD and the sifter should be the same brand. They all should be 8 speed?
The one part that I have reservations about is the rear deraileur as I would prefer something more 'roady' than the Alivio but unable to find any that are '8 speed'; would it be possible to get a 9 speed Shimano RD and have it still function well?

Get this Altus rear derailleur (assuming I correctly counted you have an 8 speed cassette). $21 shipped. Big pulley and jockey wheels are great, it’s a small upgrade from your current model.

Here’s a rear derailleur removal and install video:
https://youtu.be/IN4-jFRD8-Q

Parktool has great videos on adjusting or overhauling a rear derailleur but not one specific to removal and installation.

You can get a friction shifter, which is non-indexed. That way you can use whatever number of gears you want without having to worry about it again.

Shifting is more clunky with a friction shifter, but once you get used to it it's fine. As a bonus it's easier to sweep gears faster.. so if you are in a high gear and need to come to a quick stop, you can shift all the way to the lowest/tallest gear really quick.

I use this style:

https://www.amazon.com/Sunrace-SLM10-Friction-Shifter-Set/dp/B007QMJH86/

They use a cheap and ugly clamp, but you can take it on and off without removing your other stuff. Also works with whatever style of handle bars you have.

THE WRENCHER: buy some cheap friction shifters. Use the brakes levers in the kit. Be happy.

> Disk locks are pretty effective the downside is youll inevitably forget its on and try and go with it on probably dropping your bike.

https://www.amazon.com/Kryptonite-Bicycle-Security-Reminder-Cable/dp/B0022ZN6M0/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=reminder+cable&qid=1562610368&s=gateway&sr=8-3

every time

You can buy just the cable pretty cheap

That's a long cage, which you probably won't need looking at your bike.

See this link for more information on cage length.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Q4PBNO/ might be better. Read the above link though and work out what cage length you need.

Is the shifting indexed (single click for each gear) or friction? If it is friction, get whichever suntour or shimano derailleur is cheapest online. It should be one without the hook also called a derailleur claw. A used one would be less than $20 online, or you could get something new like http://www.amazon.com/gp/product//B000F5EGAA/ref=twister_dp_update?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This (brakes) plus this (shifts) comes out under $20.

I find it hard to imagine them any cheaper. A complete set of the black-coated inners costs pretty close to that at most LBSs.

Looks like Microshift knockoffs? Which is weird, since Microshift is already kind of the knockoff brand. Might be worth it to just get the name brand knockoffs.

This is the one I picked up, not sure if it has the clutch on it though. It does seem to shift better than the stock derailleur.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YBCNAA/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This looks like it might work

https://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Short-Cage-7spd-Derailleur/dp/B001HD8Q4Q/ref=sr_1_6?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1497773398&sr=1-6&keywords=bike+derailleur

These shifters(www.amazon.com/Sunrace-SLM10-Friction-Shifter-Set/dp/B007QMJH86/) will work fine assuming that there's nothing wrong with the derailleurs. As the previous reply stated, it could also just be friction between the cables and housing.

This is tempting then. If all I need to do is drop this in and tension it, I'm probably going to do that vs anything else. Seems like it'll be quite a worthwhile upgrade especially if I can use my existing shifter, chain and cassette !

Misunderstood, I thought you wanted to replace the DT shifters with brifters.

Your bike here is a 5-speed -- which refers exclusively to the number of cogs on your cassette. It doesn't matter how many chain rings you have in the front. 5x2 means you have a 10-gear range, but we still refer to these bikes as "5-speeds".

The problem is this: 5-speed bikes have a spacing for the rear wheel of 120mm -- which is very narrow compared to modern road bikes. You have two options: track down an old 5-speed rear wheel that works, or you could buy a (comparatively easy-to-find) 6-speed rear wheel and bend the frame to suit its 126mm width. While that sounds like a recipe for disaster, steel is supple and wouldn't really mind the 6mm bend. If you go down the 6-speed route, you will need to replace the shifters and rear derailleur to match a 6-speed drivetrain. Do not attempt to buy a wheel that works with 8, 9, 10, or 11-speed drivetrains, as they simply will not fit the bike.

The cassette you linked would work fine for a 5-speed setup. This is an example of a derailleur that would conceivably fit that bike.

For brakes, almost anything will work. Tektro make some very nice dual-pivot brakes that you can make work with that frame.

Bottom bracket is the set of bearings and spindle that hold the crank arms to the frame.

>https://www.amazon.com/microSHIFT-Shifters-SB-R473-Derailleur-Bicycle/dp/B011IL1EP4

These say 3x7 though...

http://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Derailleur-Hanger-Alignment/dp/B0028YWHPW/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&srs=2529177011&ie=UTF8&qid=1377571554&sr=8-1-catcorr&keywords=park+derailleur+hanger+tool

You just need a new derailleur. Basically anything will work, but you can get this guy for $20, you after you swap it over (sort of complicated, but doable with little knowledge), you'll be rolling.

Shimano SL-BS64 Ultegra Bar End Shifter Set (8-Speed)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F5EFOC/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8

LHT Frame - $520 after tax

Chukker Wheels - $85 x 2

Tires Schwalbe Marathon Plus RLX 700 x 45 C Bicycle Tire - $54 x 2

Alloy Headset Spacers - $7.89 x 2

Shift Levers - $60

Chain - $10

Brake Cables - $10

Brakes - $15 x 2

Extra Long Shift Cables - $6

Derailleur - $24

Cassette - $17

Crankset - $40

Spindle - $24

Headset - $45

Seatpost - $20

Brooks Saddle - $145

Rack - $35

Brooks Panniers - $150 x 2

Brooks Bar Tape - $65

Tools

Saw Guide - $41.36

Starnut Setter - $22

inexpensive brifters

(And that's brand-new; OP could probably find some used 3x7 brifters on Craigslist for $20 or so if he was patient enough.)

It's a cable to remind you not to ride off with the !@#$ disc lock still on.

http://www.amazon.com/Kryptonite-340102-Disc-Lock-Reminder/dp/B0022ZN6M0

For example, any reason why this wouldn’t work?
microSHIFT Shifters 3X7 Speed SB-R473 Trip Shift Lever Brake Derailleur Road Bike Bicycle Derailleur https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011IL1EP4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_QXUVAbP1JQVHF

If you don't already have one, you might consider a disc lock with an alarm. (And if you have a disc lock, don't forget the Disc Lock Reminder. Last thing you want to do is forget you have a disc lock on.)


If you already know all this, please disregard but otherwise:

Parking in Chicago has some advantages for being on a motorcycle. One is, all those Permit parking zones with the "you must have permit ### to park here"... Yea, we can ignore those and park there.

We're supposed to park 90 degrees to the curb.

Sometimes there is enough space between no parking zones, and metered parking zones that a motorcycle can fit an avoid paying for parking and not getting a ticket. Sometimes they get the ticket anyways and have to submit a picture to prove they weren't violating those areas. I've never done this, but seen plenty of examples here in Reddit.

I did not expect that your lever literally broke off. In my experience, most people who complain of broken shifters have either a bent derailleur hanger or really weirdly routed cables.

Those are simple thumb shifters that you have, and any community bicycle cooperative will have used ones for a dollar or two in a bin.

https://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/index.php?title=Community_Bicycle_Organizations

But they'll probably break the same way.

If you're out to spend minimal money and get something new and serviceable, here are a set of SunRace aluminum shifters. They're friction shifters, so they don't click into gear. Judging by the dials on your shifters not numbering the gears, I'd assume your current shifters do a micro-clicky motion when you change gears; the SunRace ones would be a more fluid motion.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunrace-SLM10-Friction-Shifter-Set/dp/B007QMJH86