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Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: mtnbkr on February 07, 2007, 01:32:45 PM

Title: New (to me) bike!
Post by: mtnbkr on February 07, 2007, 01:32:45 PM
It's a mid 80s vintage Giant RS940.  According to what little info I can find online, it has a lugged, triple-butted 4130 chromoly frame.  The component spec is low end, but functional (biopace rings anyone?).  Even with the old, heavy parts, the bike only weighs 25lbs.  That's heavy for a road bike these days, but was average to slightly above average for the time.  A full bore, aluminum race bike was in the 19-21lb range during the same timeframe.  To get it rolling, I needed to replace a spoke, true the rear wheel, adjust the bottom bracket, and adjust the headset.  I'm eventually going to replace the wheels due to flat spots in the rim and a bearing issue.  No worries though, it rolls as is and upgrading the wheels will let me upgrade from a 6spd freewheel to a 7spd or greater cassette.

With new wheels and a new crankset, I could easily drop 2lbs off.  I'm eventually going to replace just about everything with used/NOS Shimano 105sc or better.  I thought about going with used/NOS Campagnolo stuff (very cheap on ebay), but that means more brand specific tools and I'd like to leverage the Shimano specific tools I already own.  Besides, Campy tools can be expensive. Shocked

I rode it to the grocery store this afternoon.  It has a nice ride. Smiley

Chris
Title: Re: New (to me) bike!
Post by: mtnbkr on February 07, 2007, 02:11:34 PM
Pics:




Title: Re: New (to me) bike!
Post by: Headless Thompson Gunner on February 07, 2007, 03:07:03 PM
Old steel bikes rule!  Nice find.

Title: Re: New (to me) bike!
Post by: 280plus on February 07, 2007, 03:13:08 PM
Dat bike is Da BOMB! Oh wait, wrong thread...  grin
Title: Re: New (to me) bike!
Post by: Matthew Carberry on February 07, 2007, 04:02:03 PM
Now you can reenact your favorite scenes from the hit film "Breaking Away".
Title: Re: New (to me) bike!
Post by: bedlamite on February 07, 2007, 04:28:02 PM
Check the width of the rear dropouts on that before you pick up a new wheel set. It may be as narrow as 120mm while most newer ones are much wider. I opened up an old Centurion frame a few years ago to 135mm, and it was a PITA to get it straight.
Title: Re: New (to me) bike!
Post by: mtnbkr on February 07, 2007, 06:15:22 PM
The dropouts are 126mm.  Modern road hubs, not including touring and tandem specific ones, are 130mm, so I only have a 4mm difference.

BTW, the tires are Continental Gaterskin Pro 700x23.  At Performance, a pair costs as much as I paid for the entire bike. I find that sorta amusing.

Chris
Title: Re: New (to me) bike!
Post by: lee n. field on February 08, 2007, 03:13:42 AM
Quote
I rode it to the grocery store this afternoon.  It has a nice ride.

<sigh>.  Minus 9 out there right now.
Title: Re: New (to me) bike!
Post by: mtnbkr on February 08, 2007, 04:19:33 AM
Quote from: lee n. field on February 08, 2007, 02:13:42 AM
Quote
I rode it to the grocery store this afternoon.  It has a nice ride.
<sigh>.  Minus 9 out there right now.
It was cold when I went to the store too, though not as cold as your temps.  My hands and face were frozen by the time I got to the store and when I got home.

Chris
Title: Re: New (to me) bike!
Post by: mtnbkr on February 09, 2007, 01:14:48 PM
Quote
With new wheels and a new crankset, I could easily drop 2lbs off.
Ha!  Today, I bought a Shimano Ultegra/Mavic Open Pro wheelset (double butted spokes too) at Performance.  It was on sale at $168.  That alone removed nearly 2lbs from my bike! 

I can't wait for the weather to warm up so I can take it for a real ride.

Chris
Title: Re: New (to me) bike!
Post by: Bogie on February 09, 2007, 01:54:53 PM
Do you know of any reasonably priced way to beef-up a rear wheel? Like, by adding more/thicker/heavier spokes? Back in The Day, my biggest peeve was that I'd break spokes either starting up going uphill or at random moments going uphill.
 
That was when I was running a Nishiki with a hefty set of toe clips, weighed about 210, and was riding a lot.
 
Title: Re: New (to me) bike!
Post by: mtnbkr on February 09, 2007, 02:34:24 PM
With an existing wheel?  Having a knowledgeable wheelbuilder retension your spokes should help.  Barring that, rebuilding it with heavier butted spokes and new nipples will help.  For one wheel, you're looking at about $40 for the labor, about $1.50 per butted spoke, and a few dollars for spoke nipples.  Keep in mind, if your hub isn't machined properly, no amount of rebuilding will help. 

If you're going to have a new wheel built from scratch, a "tandem" wheel will help.  Those are typically built for two riders' legs and weight.   Tandem wheels can have up to 40 spokes and a more durable hub. 

Chris

Chris
Title: Re: New (to me) bike!
Post by: bedlamite on February 09, 2007, 02:35:57 PM
Bogie, your old wheel can be relaced with either DT 2.0/1.8 or Wheelsmith 2.0/1.7 double butted spokes, 3 cross for 32 hole or 4 cross for 36 hole. The alternative is a new wheelset with more spokes. $40 is kind of high for one wheel build, I usually get them done in under 1/2 hour.

I outweigh you by a couple pounds and my wheels are Mavic Open rims, Wheelsmith 2.0/1.7 spokes, Phil Wood hubs, 32 hole with 3 cross on drive side, and 1 cross on the rear left side, radial in front. No problems and it's been a few years since I built them.
Title: Re: New (to me) bike!
Post by: Jamisjockey on February 09, 2007, 02:38:54 PM
Good times we'll get out on the road asap  grin