IYO, What is the ultimate sub-$400 vintage steel road rig?

The cable actuation for five-seven speeds is the same; they use the same-width chain and the cogs are set the same distance apart. They made seven speed brifters back when it was new tech, which you can find on a lots older bikes (although integrated shifting didn’t take off until eight-speed, I’d say), and Shimano makes new ones (Sora), which you can retrofit onto an older frame. You will have trouble if you start trying to make eight, nine and ten speed stuff work with a five-speed freewheel, though I suspect it can be done.

You got any comments/reviews on the Sora?
It’s ultimately those or another pair of 7 speed older brifters for me, if I find myself in this same market.

If you’re trying to bring the whole thing in at a $400 budget, probably the best thing you could do is watch and wait on ebay/cl for someone who has already upgraded their 80s steel bike. Occasionally 9 speed STI upgraded bikes will pop up. That would be ideal. Otherwise I don’t think you could do much better than Sora if you were buying frame + shifters, derailleurs, cassette wheels for $400.

[quote=“room203”]mmm yes good call.

If I could buy something from this guy’s http://velospace.org/user/8175 stable I definitely would.[/quote]

He posts a lot on the C&V forum over at Brian forums and I think he does pass them on a bunch…

You should buy my Faggin.

how much are you selling that for?

Why are you selling it?

I dunno.
I have too many bikes and I almost never ride it.

Wait 'til it warms up before you sell it.

The cable actuation for five-seven speeds is the same; they use the same-width chain and the cogs are set the same distance apart. They made seven speed brifters back when it was new tech, which you can find on a lots older bikes (although integrated shifting didn’t take off until eight-speed, I’d say), and Shimano makes new ones (Sora), which you can retrofit onto an older frame. You will have trouble if you start trying to make eight, nine and ten speed stuff work with a five-speed freewheel, though I suspect it can be done.[/quote]
Are you sure about that? Sheldon says “regular*” 5/6 cassettes, had 3.5 mm spacers and 7 sp HG had 3.15 mm spacers. c to c of 5.3 and 5 respectively.

*By regular, he means typical since no standard was necessary w/ friction. So was Shimano atypical using 3.15 spacers?

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html

You’re right. As I was driving to work today, I remembered that seven speed was different. I still think that seven-speed shifters will work fine with a five or six speed cassette.

you come get it and you can have my paramount for 200 bucks