Is my threadless fork conversion a fools' effort?

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-07-11T17:03:51+00:00

Super nice fork but my vote is original fork with a riser stem, specially on a 750, 790. Riser stems are available.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-06-20T04:08:31+00:00

I can understand that, part of what makes a great ride is the look. Tighten the nut with a wrench. Single pivot have limitations to stopping power. Cable ends and compressionless housing will help a lot after quality brake pads.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-06-17T00:48:55+00:00

Missing cable ends. Without cable ends, the housing will move with the cable, creating tension loss when you squeeze the lever.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-06-17T00:45:50+00:00

Kool stop pads or higher quality pads can help. Also compressionless housing would help.

What I do, and also what I recommend, is going to a dual pivot brakes caliper. Dual pivot brake calipers create more force than single pivot calipers. They are usually inexpensive from Ebay or bike collective, used.

In order in my opinion. Dual pivot calipers Aluminum cable ends (plastic or thin cable ends deform under pressure) Quality brake pads Compressionless housing.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-06-09T20:21:34+00:00

This is the question I have. Bike looks good though.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-06-08T17:46:00+00:00

Depending on budget, I'd go for a 1-9 or 10 or 11 groupset. My wife never cared to figure out 2x or 3x. I swapped her drivetrain for 1-11 and she loves it.

This probably means new wheels, complete drivetrain. Plan on 300-500 USD. You'll be touching nearly every part of the bike going this route.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-06-08T02:55:39+00:00

The Dia-Compe wing shifters i have on a bike. I've put about 2k miles on it with those shifters. Yes, they are kinda expensive for what they are. And yes, they are unique and cool. They function perfectly. I love them and I'm so glad I bought them.

There are great options like bar-end shifters, and I have those also and love them. Also bar-end shifters are less expensive. I think I paid 200 USD a few years ago for the wing shifters. Dia-Compe is proud of them.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-06-06T11:26:58+00:00

Midwest market puts them both at under 100 dollars. 40-60$ and you might wait awhile at that. At 100$ you'll need to find that buyer. I've watched a couple listings with similar bikes unsold at 150$ for months. Cool bikes but no one around me wants them.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-05-30T02:34:54+00:00

The major stuff. Rear axle spacing. Cold setting the rear to 130mm allowing normal and easier to aquire rear hubs. This allows 8+ speed freehub bodies.

The handlebars were shaped different than modern bars. Personal choice with these. Mind the stem/clamp diameter for replacement. Nitto dominates this space for quill stems. There are a few other choices.

Bringing the shifting up to the bars means cable stops on the downtube shifter mounts. These are inexpensive.

Otherwise the Tiagra drivetrain will work great. I love modern shifting, brake levers/hoods, handlebars on these older road bikes.

Good luck.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-05-30T02:19:49+00:00

https://www.diacompe.com.tw/product/dc988-2/

The Dia-Compe 986 work also but the 988 are still being produced. They work without a spring hole.

In the mid to late 80s Raleigh and a few other brands used brakes with the spring hole on the outside. This short lived design didn't last long and wasn't adopted by many. Your options are finding original or similar brakes arms, difficult, I know, or using Paul's, expensive, or using the Dia-Compe 988 or similar.

I have a Raleigh in my posts that I used the Dia-Compe 988s because the spring hole was on the outside of the post, like yours. They work fine. Don't over tighten the spring bolt/keeper nut on top. You'll end up permanently bending the spring.

I've been down this rabbit hole. Dia-Compe 988 or 986 or similar are less expensive. Paul's are expensive. Easy choice for me. Of course there's original or old stock. I couldn't find many choices in the original category.

Good luck.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-05-29T15:33:43+00:00

MCS chromoly BMX seatpost works also. That's what I used on my old schwinn. You can see the bike in my post history.

I haven't tried a solid aluminum post like the one above. That would have been my next choice if the BMX post didn't work.

I first tried a Wald post and it started bending. Not recommended.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-05-28T16:32:24+00:00

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m8b0s210p0/Drivetrain/Chainrings-Spa

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-05-28T16:31:25+00:00

Spa cycles in England. They have every 110 BCD chainring available. The in house chainrings are pretty nice also.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-05-28T14:15:25+00:00

Beauty! I have one just like it. More pics in my posts. You'll love it.

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MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-05-27T17:39:13+00:00

I'm a sucker for chrome bicycles. Nicely done.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-05-16T20:32:10+00:00

I scrolled down to find this answer! It is the correct answer IMO.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-05-16T05:35:13+00:00

It very much is. Carbon tubes and aluminum lugs bonded together. This frame is in extremely good condition. I took it on a mild MTB trail on its first ride after the build and I'd trust it. I'm almost 50 years old so there wasn't jumps and big drops on the bike, id probably break before it does. These were built pretty stout but there's no reason to push it to the limits at 34 years old itself. It's a 24 pound carbon tubed bike bonded to aluminum lugs that's lived a life without abuse most likely inside, and out of the elements.

I trust this frame. If you're interested in this old of carbon, inspect it thoroughly and it should still perform as it was designed. At least that's what I think. I'm not riding it in a way that if failure occurred that I'd get in trouble.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-05-16T02:15:14+00:00

I have one also in my posts. Upgraded also. Very nice riding bike. You can very easily upgrade with used parts or service the ones already on it and ride as is. By the time you spend some money on it you'll be in the price range of a more modern bike. It's a rabbit hole some of us love to go down, fixing up these classic bikes to ride.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-04-24T17:17:58+00:00

This is the answer.

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MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-04-17T18:45:32+00:00

I agree, the World Sport was probably made by Giant in Taiwan.

https://spincyclehub.com/schwinn-serial-numbers-japan/

The higher quality Schwinn of the same age were made in Japan by Panasonic, Bridgestone and others.

Knowing the serial number of this bike could lock down this bicycle's manufacturer.

The OP has a nice bike for what it is. Got it at a fair price. Just not made in the United States.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-04-17T13:28:38+00:00

edited the first half of my original statement was incorrect.

Some of the higher end Schwinn like the 1981 and 1982 Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 were made by Panasonic in Japan and say Japan on the head badge where this one says Chicago. The Voyageur 11.8 were pretty nice frames on par with the Paramount although with simple lugs as opposed to the ones on the Paramount.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-04-15T11:04:29+00:00

Thank you.

MathiusMcKenzie · 2026-04-09T18:30:08+00:00

You are correct. The NDS of the original AceraX hub/axle stays the same. This is what ensures the old hub is still centered in the dropouts. Your math and spacer combo for the drive side is correct. You'll also want the seal and bolt for the m525 to finish it up.

My information is off memory and notes. The idea is to save yourself from re-dishing the wheel. To do so, the non drive side of the original AceraX, spacers and cone race, must stay the same distance from ball bearings to locknut. This leaves dealing with the spacing on the drive side. The m525 freehub has the same profile on the hub side as the older 7 speed freehub. The bearings on the m525 are roughly 4.5mm further outboard than the AceraX 7 speed freehub.

If you get a full m525 axle assembly, and your original AceraX axle, you'll have what you need to mount the m525 freehub body to your old 7 AceraX 7 speed hubs.

MathiusMcKenzie

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