LCF's Steel Stable: Aende, Surly, Voodoo and more

I bought this beautiful 631 Aende a few months ago.
It's a lovely frame and fitted with some really nice Dura Ace 7400 series bits.
I love the components, but the plan all along has been to 'retro-Mod' it, slapping some 11 speed parts on to bring it up to date.

I thought I'd start a thread so I can share the journey and hopefully get some much needed advice.

Here are some pics from the day I bought it, and a little shoot by the Humber.

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I just copped a set of 105 R7000 shifters and rear mech from the classifieds, and plan to collect the rest over summer.

My first question, which may sound stupid but, after months of googling is still unresolved:
Can i use the original 7400 cranks with an 11 speed group?
I know the chainrings wouldn't work, but could I mount 11 speed compatible chainrings on the original cranks?

If this is just nonsense let me know, but I'd be interested to know if there's any way it would be possible, and why or why not this is an awful idea.

For reference: original 7400 vs minty 105 crankset

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Aww! Mate! That’s absolutely gorgeous! Are you sure you don’t want to leave it as is?

I've been a bit torn whether or not to, but I'm pretty keen to swap it out for a couple reasons:

• Wider gear range - I'm usually in Sheffield so a looot of climbing
  -Better braking - again, Hills
  -STI shifters - downtube are loovely but just not for me
  

Fair enough. Modern 105 is a four arm crank though so you won’t be able to swap rings.
I put a modern 10 speed silver Campagnolo Groupset on my Merckx which looked nice. That gorgeous red deserves a silver groupset

My first question, which may sound stupid but, after months of googling is still unresolved:

Can i use the original 7400 cranks with an 11 speed group?

I’ll admit I’m pretty out of the loop on geared stuff these days but I don’t believe the shift ratio/spacing has ever changed.

Yess I would love some silver campy but don’t think my budget would stretch!

Update 1:
Got a decent bargain on some 105 shifters and a mech.
Still need all the other bits, but I’ve fitted the levers and got it rideable again

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Also this happened a while ago so I’m a bit out of sequence already, but I used a quill converter to fit an ahead stem and some Zipp bars.

I was happy with the original setup, but after riding a few times I realised the stem was waaaay too long for me, and the clamp was 26mm compared to 25mm on the bars.
While I was replacing the steam I thought I might as well just switch to ahead for easier cockpit swaps and choice.

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Want to ride it now, but I’ll wait for the rain to stop.

Can’t find many other issues, excepting the slight misalignment on the ‘self aligning’ front calliper - not a massive issue as these will be swapped eventually, but does anyone have any experience in adjusting these brakes? My guess would be retentioning the spring…

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Nearly bought this for my mate! Beautiful frame but I asked to see photos of it before it was repainted and I believe it’s actually 653?
I’ll try find the photos and send them over

Ahh yeah would love to see them cheers!
Not too sure on the difference between 631 and 653, but I did intially doubt if it was 631, as i think it’s a more modern tubeset than the era of Aende

Can’t remember off the top of my head either tbh. Attached are the photos I have which are pretty bad but you can just about make out the purple 6 and 3 on the seat tube

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Amazing thanks!

As far as I can remember from what the seller said, it was his Dad's or maybe Uncle's originally, and had sat around for a good few years before he took it on.
He was quite the fanatic and spent a fair bit on the 7400 group, having the wheels built and the frame resprayed at Bob Jackson.
Defo think it looks better in red...

Also I've read through your fluro Lo Pro thread before - lovely bike.
If you're still parts hunting, let me know what you still need as I might have some available from this eventually...

I know the chainrings wouldn't work, but could I mount 11 speed compatible chainrings on the original cranks?

Sure can. Just find the right BCD and go from there. TA seems to have just what you need.
I'm gonna go on a limb here and say its all 130BCD

631 tubing came out about 1997 I think , when did Pongo stop building and move abroad.?

Oooh exciting thanks for confirmation!

In 1997 as well, according to Retrobike https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/aende.406567/
"I have a 91 so one of his later builds, I think he packed up and went to the Philippines in 1997".

So a slim possibility it's 631, but looks like the original sticker was for 653

Ok another maybe stupid question...

Are the 7400 hubs compatible with 11spd cassettes?
It's the hyperglide 8 speed model, but I don't know much about freehub compatability beyond that..

This guy seems to think so!
"I can say with certainty that the 7403 freehub will handle a 10 speed cassette."
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/1187241-help-me-understand-my-dura-ace-7400-hub.html

Edit: Sheldon says no :( "11-speed cassettes will fit only 11-speed bodies, or Mavic's Shimano-compatible bodies."
Anyone know any otherwise? I didn't know 10 spd and 11 spd had different freehub bodies

P.s sorry for the spam, I'm very excited about this build

It will accept up to 10 speed cassettes. Or 11 speed Shimano MTB, but the derailleur won't.
Have you tried to bundle up the old groupset and see what price it fetches? It's a beauty that, maybe you can replace it with modern 105 without investing much if that's what you want

Thank you :-) it’s been a labour of love that one but I don’t do it much justice in riding it much anymore sadly. I’ve got a 653 lugless road Aende getting a repaint atm which is pretty similar to yours. Does yours have any drilling down the bb lug?

What have you got spare? Def lmk if you want to get rid

Left this a while as I've been away from the bike - left it at home and went back to uni with the steamroller instead.

Not many updates atm, but I'm approaching the build's climax of switching groupset over.

Added some campy skeleton calipers, which have made braking so much better. Completely forgot Campag don't do quick release on the calipers though, but they work alright with the 23c tyres so far.

Confirmed my theory that the hubs take 11spd - only certain cassette models with the 10spd spacing which come supplied with a washer to fit 11spd hubs.
Mocked it up here with the original mech, which hilariously reaches most of the way up the 11-34 range, but that's defo switching out for the 105 r7000 I have waiting

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Haven't ridden it much yet, but a few short rides confirm the frame fits perfectly, and the modern stem, drops and levers are farrr comfier.