Just purchased a 1989 Fuji Roubaix and the rims are pretty shot. Several eyelets have broken and are just sliding along the spokes. The bike has a Suntour GPX groupset on it and had 126mm rear spacing. I’m pondering 3 options and wanted to see if anyone had any advice they’d be willing to share. Options (but willing to consider others)
1) keep hubs and scrap rims. Rebuild wheel on the existing hubs.
2) buy a 126 mm freewheel wheelset. There seem to be a few available.
3) shove a 130 mm wheelset in there with a 7/8 speed cassette and just use friction shifting
While originality of the components is a noble goal, I’m fine with non-original parts to solve a problem.
by Professor_Narwhal25
9 Comments
I was in a similar situation, considered your options 1 and 3, and ultimately settled on 3. Just more painless with hub selection and spare parts, and the cassette system is just the objectively better system (bearing spacing on axle).
Putting a 130 mm wheel in a 126 mm frame is a total non-issue. i did it with 2 bikes, on the heavier/more solid frame reinserting the wheel takes a minute longer, but is doable. On another, lightweight frame, the stays are so flexy that you don‘t need any real force. I run 7 speed with friction and it works flawlessly. I‘d go cassette any day.
BTW not sure about the Suntour Accushift indexing and the shift steps, but you may get lucky using one of the JTek Shiftmate pulleys to adjust the shift ratio. It seems from the picture that the bike is already 7 speed.
Should you decide to go with a 130mm-spaced rear wheel, cold-setting* a steel frame to widen the dropouts 4mm is almost trivial. Any decent mechanic should be able to do it.
*Okay, that’s just posh for ‘bending’
On 1 of my bikes, I jammed in a 130mm wheel with 10 speed cassette. The rear derailleur didn’t have quite enough travel to reach all 10 cogs, but I filed down the ‘L’ stop a tiny bit and now have 10 speed with down tube shifters (friction shifting)
I also jammed 130 mm wheels in other bikes, but also modernized them to Campy 10 speed shifters and derailleurs.
I like matching groupsets and would rebuild the wheels with new rims. Lacing in the spokes really isn’t that difficult and every bike kitchen has a truing stand.
If you need wheels go resto mod
130 is fine is steel. Get a used 9 or ten speed derailer and use your shifters in friction.
Ten speed chains fit fine on the chain rings no need to change them.
im not saying original parts are the only way to do it, but I am saying that indexing this bike would be an affront to the bike and someone should save the frame from you.
I came to preach from the rooftops: suntour barend frinction shifters (~1986 era stuff) with an old mech and a new 7 speed casette is an absolute joy. it feels like a continuous drive. it feels like you dont have separate gears because they’re so close together you just kind of adjust it. its incredible.
First of all, I would discourage you from bending the frame to fit a wider wheel, as some are suggesting. This is a top-of-the-line, classic bike with an EXCELLENT frameset. If you really wanted that done, it would be best to find an actual framebuilder who has the proper tools, alignment jigs, and experience. And keep the receipts from whoever does it – it becomes part of the documentation on that frame and proves that it was done properly. Amateur DIYers bending up a frame using 2x4s on the garage floor might be OK for a low-end bike that has no value anyway, but I would encourage you to leave your frame unmolested. It’s only original once.
I would (and usually do) opt for #2, buying a new wheelset. Chances are if the rims are that far gone, then the cups and cones are going to be pitted and rebuilding isn’t a great option. And jamming a 130 in there just for the sake of 7 speed doesn’t really buy you much. 6 speeds were enough when that bike was made, and it’s enough now that you can ride that bike anywhere you want to. Several of my favorite bikes are 126mm 6 speed.
I’m a bit of a cheapskate, but at the same time wheels are the second most important part of the bike. I have had excellent luck with Velomine but have also bought wheels from Modern Bike. Many of these vendors are resellers for Wheelmaster wheels, which are a tremendous value. I think Wheelmaster also has an eBay store.
GPX is pretty nice, the brakes are especially nifty.
Wolber rims on yours?
I just had Ben from Velomine build me a new sealed bearing hub 126mm rear wheel with DT spokes, brass nipples and a Mavic CXP Elite rim. It came out perfect and zero bending of the frame. The rim has a modern braking surface. It only cost me $145 plus shipping. This is the way to go. I agree with the other person who says 6 speed was enough then and it certainly won’t be a limiting factor for you now. You can even buy brand new freewheels with up to 32t cogs on them.