Greetings. I also live in Madison, ride a 610 from 1984. It's a 54 cm... I am 5'6". Nice bike, good geometry, vertical compliance is very nice. A bit of spring to it.
Some thoughts. Start with a trip to Budget Bikes on Regent, the used store location. I've always found used fenders: in winter they'll sell you used Planet Bikes for $20. Get the biggest you can fit. Then find a tire that works with the fenders. You might, I say: might, get to 32s on a 700c rim, I did. though it's a challenge. Don't put cantis on the bike. The fork blades are softer than you suspect. I had my blades restored at Yellow Jersey after I picked up a stick that jammed in the fork crown. Which is to say... when you get the fenders, get the ones that have release capability. I learned that the hard way. But know... the fork blades are designed to deform before the top and down tubes, they aren't suitable for posts. Don't paint the bike. The enamel it has is good, it might need some Testor model paint spot-work, but that's easily done and if the bike looks less spiffy, so much the better when it's parked at Trader Joe's or Willy co-op. It rides the same. Consider an upright bar and Riv's SOS thumbshifters, if you're ride the Isthmus/campus/downtown a lot. I have the old Suntour Command thumbies and they are wonderful. I'd also look into Velo-Orange's Dia-Comp centerpulls. My 610 came with Shimano 600s, which are OK, but I think the centerpulls would be better. I had them on an old Raleigh Comp. and liked them a lot. As for braise-ons, you can do anything you want with p-clamps, and they are more flexible, should you change racks. Finally, call CronoMetro and see when the swap event is scheduled this spring. You can get everything you want, really cheap, at the swap. Great advice as well. Good luck. Will -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rbw-owners-bunch/-/zR4UxxcuDsUJ. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
