-
Don't Do It !
I think it would be a shame to take this attractive and apparently original machine and 'convert' it with later parts.
Original machines like this are fairly rare, old frames with ill matched non period parts are as common as they are undesirable. If you read this column you will see that most of the contributors are trying to do the opposite of what you propose.
I can't tell exactly what sprockets the machine has atm, but I can make a guess: the bottom gear looks like 32 x 24, which with 700's would give a gear of about 35". Go much lower than that and you'll be travelling so slowly there will be a risk of just toppling over.
So my advice: either buy this bike and enjoy it for what it is, or get an old frame and equip it with whatever kit you fancy.
You are reading a single comment by @clubman and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
clubman
Just firstly to say how much I enjoy this thread!
And then a question for you fellow 50s bike fans: have any of you had experience converting a French bike with a cyclo deraileur to a 'modern' (70s or 80s) rear derailleur? Jan Heine said somewhere that they collect a lot of dirt for some reason (don't really understand why it would be any different). Anyway, I have an idea that they are not ideal.
I'm considering a bike for sale, but want to really use it for longer trips, camping too. So, just wondering if its possible to convert. Here's a photo.