MGOOF : Modern groupset on old frame

You forget the Soma HY1 that come in silver to match a silver stem.

Soma HY1 that come in silver

I think @epilepticfridgeboy was specifically asking for black bars!

That Merckx

That's good info, thanks all. Vintage would be ideal but I'll plump for the Deda if can't be arsed.

I have some nitto noodles to sell I bought for a project that didn't get started.

Another option on the stem/ bars dilemma is get some 1" thread less forks made at Bob Jackson or similar place to match your frame then shim to 1 1/8.

What are people doing for fitting 130mm wheels into 126mm spacing, just bodging the wheel in there ?

What are people doing for fitting 130mm wheels into 126mm spacing, just bodging the wheel in there ?

Cold setting (Sheldon Brown):

Older frames, assuming they're made of some sort of steel, can be modified to fit. The process is commonly referred to as "cold setting" which is a fancy way of saying bending the rear frame apart so that it is wider.

My take on the bar thing was to replace the head tube with one that takes a modern full carbon fork. :)
Entire front end: lighter, stiffer, better etc.

What are people doing for fitting 130mm wheels into 126mm spacing, just bodging the wheel in there ?

Steel will happily spring apart 2mm on either side, personally I would not bother to cold-set a frame from 126 to 130mm.

That said my Serotta is 130mm, if it was 126 and I had the rear wheel in and out constantly I might hold a different opinion.

just bodging the wheel in there.

Yup.

Only 2mm each side, isn't much, especially for a steel frame.

My "old" bike (1998 so not that old) with modern groupset. Rides so nice that I decided to build another one with a Sram Force 10 speed.

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The Merckx has 126 mm rear spacing too but it already easily accepts 130 mm wheels.

This frame tickled my fancy last night - a bit of research has taken me to plenty of German websites though.

I think a build with some older 105, silver Open Pros and some gumwalls could look pretty great.

Any thoughts on whether the frame is a noodly PoS or not?

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It look decent, having said that some large frame may feel a bit noodly.

Oria ML25 is plain gauge cro-mo tubing apparently. Probably a bit lower down the scale than Colombus SL or Reynolds 531 I'd imagine.

I think half the reason vintage steel bikes feel 'noodly' is because they're mostly ridden around with 30+ year old BBs/Headsets/Hubs, with new modern components I'd imagine they'll feel fine.
I did a few months of track league on a 1959 Carlton Road/Path that at times felt unsafe when racing. New Campag headset, cartridge BB and new Nitto Stem/Bars and it was transformed.

I think half the reason vintage steel bikes feel 'noodly' is because they're mostly ridden around with 30+ year old BBs/Headsets/Hubs.

Not sure I understand you correctly, I don't think old BB/Headsets/Hubs make any difference in stiffness.

Handlebar and stem however does make a massive difference.

I'm 6'2 and 65kg, have rode bikes of some kind all my life so I'm capable of a bit of power through the pedals for my size, but not an absolute ton of it. Here's my experience of frames I have owned:

84' Raleigh Team Pro, 57cm - Reynolds 531c - Stiff enough. However, knew nothing about road bikes and too small for me.
84' Raleigh Competion 12, 60cm - Reynolds 531c - Complete noodle, horrible to ride.
89' Olmo Sintex, 60cm - Columbus SPX - Too stiff, like riding a brick.
84'(ish) Olmo Sintex 60cm - Columbus SP - Stiff enough, nice ride.
late 80's Olmo Giro 60cm - Columbus Aelle - Stiff enough, nice ride.

There's definitely a balance to be struck in old steel frames of this size in terms of material/weight/flexibility. I have found that what many people consider to be a 'better' tubeset in terms of either weight, manufacturing process, or a combination of the two doesn't always translate into a better ride.

All built at some point with UN71/72 BB, stiff (albeit cheap) cranks and newest model Campag Record threaded headset.

I think the point I was trying to make above is that the 'lower quality' tubeset will most likely improve the ride, if you can bring yourself to live with the 300-400g weight penalty over butted tubing.

How have I managed to avoid knowing about Campagnolo Potenza until just now?

I don't remember they mention it gonna be silver.

I saw it pop up on Steel Vintage Bikes' Instagram, from looking online silver seems to be available.

I'm a little on the fench about the chainset, it just look odd in a late 90's sort of way.

Black knuckles on the rear derailleur are pretty gross too.

Why didn't they just call it Campagnolo 105?
https://static.evanscycles.com/production/components/groupsets/product-image/969-638/shimano-105-5800-groupset-silver-EV222557-7500-3.jpg