Picked up this bike a month ago. Wanted something dated that I could learn and tinker with. I’m hooked.
What’s the first upgrade to make now that I comfortable with the machine?
by Present_Ad5680
Picked up this bike a month ago. Wanted something dated that I could learn and tinker with. I’m hooked.
What’s the first upgrade to make now that I comfortable with the machine?
by Present_Ad5680
12 Comments
RB-3*** my apologies.
Gorgeous. That’ll turn heads in the mid-range vintage steel bike crowd.
Depending the group set on there already, you might want to upgrade. I’m assuming it has non-index shifters. Other than that, I would really just keep it as is. Maybe a carbon fork.
First upgrade should be bar end plugs. Those open ends can cause some damage in a crash
I would fix the bar tape, remove the reflectors in the spokes, replace the tires and saddle if it’s not comfortable. Tune it up and ride it. Very nice bike, but not really worth upgrading more than that. This generation of Bridgestone were generally spec’ed very well for their price points.
Thank you all for the feedback. Much appreciated. Happy riding!
The Grant Peterson special
Before upgrades, check all the soft points on the bike? Are the tires good without too much wear or cracking from age? Are the brake pads still grippy or are they old chalky? Are the brake hoods good or have they turned sticky and gross? Things like this, and comfortable saddle and bar tape make all the difference.
For my money, the best upgrade is nice tires –the largest that will reasonably fit. This might be 700×28 or it might be 700×25
Beautiful old bike. I call those saddles “taint crushers” so if you’re having pressure on your taint probably trade it out for something wider and flatter and maybe with a cutout.
Nice vintage ride and home! Where is the house?
This is absolutely gorgeous
If you are taking off the bar tape, consider installing “cross brakes” on the flat part of the bars. (This means in addition to the existing brake levers.) It’s not that hard a job, and the lenders are not expensive. Here is RJ The Bike Guy’s install: https://youtu.be/K2ZgNrS7hSc.
They offer another whole hand position from which you can brake. They will extend the useful hours you can spend on the bike. Many people tire of the down position long before they run out of leg strength / energy.
The only downside is they take away a bit of space for other bar mounted items (phone, computer, massive full-throated train horn, etc).