Is this a good idea? Big race on old bike.

[andrewh]

Hello all.

I'm a farily irregular poster on here, just stop by for a read every now and again. Anyway, I now need your thoughts on someting.
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I have entered the Transvesbienne race, 100km from the Alps to Nice, 13,500ft of downhill and a lot, but less than that, of climbing.
I have two new (2010 FS and 2011 HT) XC bikes, but both have integrated seatposts, which may not be ideal for Alpine decents. I will be racing at the World 24hr in Italy the weekend before the Transvesbienne so I expect neither XC bike will be in tip top condition either.
This leaves me with this bike (or a rigid SS which may be even less suitable!)

This currently weighs in at around 35LBs. I can get some lighter wheels (Kings on Stans Alpines) from one of the other bikes and some lighter tyres from somewhere. I am looking to change the Hope C2s to Formula The Ones and have ordered a dropper seatpost already.
Question is, is it sensible to attempt a race like this on a 13 year old bike with 9 year old forks? Am I wasting my time trying to make it suitable, should I get on fleabay and find a cheap 575 or something? (Would love one but budget really doesn't permit this, it would have to return to fleabay after the race) Is this bike going to survice the experience?
By the way, I am quite happy having modern parts on this bike, I'm not a purist as far as retro goes, the thing has to work! (Am I allowed to say that here?)
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Thanks guys and girls.

[EDIT] Those pictures are huge! How do I make them smaller?

 

[poweredbypies]

Why not are the forks in good shape? Whats the worst that could happen? It could break, well so could a brand new bike out the box. Show them some old school .

 

[FST4RD]

Why not? They are a great bike.
Depending on your pedalling style though I found that the chain growth through pedalling was the only thing that let me down. If I had one now I would perhaps get a rear shock with propedal or lockout for the climb and let it all go for the DH.
Sounds like a great race though!

 

[Groundoggy]

I wouldn't race an old bike. Maybe things have changed but the guideline I remember is a 3 year lifespan for a frame that is well ridden.

Not saying they turn to dust after 3 years but I wouldn't want to put the reckless abandon and abuse required during a race on an older fatigued frame. Frame failure during a downhill in the Alps sounds painful.

That's not to say I haven't shown up at a race on a retro ride. If you do it - don't do it expecting to win and dial it down a notch so you don't break your bike and your neck.

 

[stewlewis]

I'm no racer. I'd say:

1. Are you confident the bike will ride well. That'll affect your racing. Niggling doubt rattling around in your attic as your fly downhill....

2. Is the bike comfortable. You may have ridden it a lot and it's so comfortable to you you don't have to think about it. That'll improve your racing.

3. If you start changing parts, test them, a lot. You don;t want to be worrying about them or annoyed with them.

4. Racing over the Alps a week after a 24hr, are you superman or insane?

I might go for a hour in the woods later, but it's raining and cold, I might stay in with a curry instead......

Best of luck whatever you choose. Get a photo with a retrobike sticker and you'll be loved forever.

 

[andrewh]

Hello again,

No doubt you will all be pleased to know that I've decided to go for it. As I will doing the 24hr the weekend before I have decided that I won't be very fast regardless of which bike I'm on so I'm just going to go and have fun on this one. A few details of the race on my website here http://andrewhowett.blogspot.com/ there's a link to the correct post on the right hand side.
So far I have bought a dropper seatpost for it, and some Formula The Ones, which haven't arrived yet, both cheap off fleabay.
My plan is to use the Kings/Stans Alpines wheels and a carbon bar and longer stem off one of my other bikes, and maybe an XTR-M970 rear shifter as I'm more familiar with the action of it. I'll need to purchase some lighter tyres, looking to get below 30LBs, hopefully 28LBs.
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This bike has just survived a week in Scotland unscathed, other than some new cable rub from the seatpost. A few laps of innerleithen Black and a few runs down a couple of the DH courses, a little bit slow on the way up (car park to little hut thingy nearly 40mins) but should be faster with the other wheels and lighter tyres. Great fun on the way down though. Also had a day in the Lomonds in Fife and it was great fun there.

It will be at Afan a couple of days next week, hopefully getting used to the new brakes.

 

[cornholio's RC200]

Go for it! Just because something's new it doesn't mean it's guaranteed to be reliable. You probably know every wrinkle of your retro ride, handling etc so I'm pleased you've decided that way.

Just make sure the consumables such as brake pads, cables, chain etc are in tip top condition before you go.

 

[cchris2lou]

The transvesubienne is probably the hardest 1 day race in the world .

I know a few people doing it , and it is hard going but the scenery is incredible .

good luck with that .

the bike should be fine .

 

[Chute55uk]

smash it old school, it was good then and its gonna be awesome now

 

[MADJEZ]

My 1990s GTs are a hell of a lot more solidly built than a lot of modern kit.