Questions regarding vintage road bike and modern fixed gear.

[tomypayne64]

I currently ride a nice motobecane fixed gear(that I attached a freewheel cog onto). It rides smooth for flat ground but since I live in an area with steep hills(not necessarily mountains), it has become a problem. My father recently gave me his 1974 Schwinn Continental. It is far heavier than my fixed, but doesn't seem much different when riding, despite being 14-15 pounds heavier.

Is it worth saving up to buy an entry bike, or trying to make the Schwinn lighter? I am mainly using it for fitness and riding for 20-30 miles. Or is it possible to convert my motobecane? At least give it 3-10 gears. To lighten up the load on the up hills. My current gears are 46/15 on my fixed.

Would you say that a vintage road bike is more beneficial than a fixed gear for the long term?

I do not have a job, but I do get consistent pay for odd jobs. It would probably take me months to save up enough money.https://9apps.ooo/

 

[xwaveone]

Mostly, it's geometry. It's hard to break down all the differences, but if you put a newer carbon or aluminum frame next to a good ol' steel steed, you'll see sloping top tubes, straighter forks, and more seat post showing. The tubes themselves are bigger, but tend to be more aerodynamic. The bars on newer bikes are fatter, some have aero flats. The drop will depend on the rider, as some like shallower drops. Those seem like they are almost always shallower than any older bars. shareit vidmate app

 

[Corbeau]

I think the money question is up to you, and you will get many opinions on this. My personal experience over the years, at least with outdoor gear and bikes has been to shop around and invest in items that are of good quality and will last, which in turn helps me better enjoy the experience of the activities I like to do (which also motivation to get out and do it more!). That said I take good care of the equipment I buy and it lasts me a long time (my Mountain bike, though parts have been updated over the years was bought in the mid 1990’s; I have a fifteen year old tent that is still solid and dry). I also shop for sales, and have bought lots of gear used from Craigslist and Kijiji.

Investing in a good bicycle is not a bad thing, but will you use it consistently in the long run? Do you like the Schwinn? When I was younger my mom gave me her old late 70’s Nishiki International, and I put on wider tires, a flat bar, new levers, new adjustable stem, fenders and a better seat on it and used as my commuter and city ride for about 12 years. I sourced parts used from my local bike shop, and websites and it cost me little. Looked (sort of) like this. I recently built up an old Bianchi mountain frame as a gravel bike and it works for me. Maybe not the lightest, but the steel is certainly forgiving which I like.

Others may have more experience updating older vintage road frames with more recent parts, but there may be inexpensive ways to update your Schwinn if the frame quality from that era makes it worthwhile and you want to keep it. Take a look at local used sites, the sales forums here, and Pinkbike, and you may be able to source newer used wheel set, derailleur and shifters as a start, and see how far that takes you...

This thread as a start: https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/post-modern-rebuild.419118/

 

[sujatavid]

if the frame is bent, cracked, rusted through, has broken welds, a stuck seatpost or bottom bracket, it's time for it to be retired.
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[hamster]

Stuck seatposts and bottom brackets are not difficult to solve, plenty of stuff on this site about that. Rusted through or cracked tubing is not difficult to replace on a lugged frame - the question is only whether it's worth the cost.