Please help with the bike I just purchased.
- Thread starter Acoolusername
- Start date
Pic of whole bike would be helpful. Does seem likely to be a 1987 SR400 but the catalog says mint green and slate gray were the color options. Looks to be black in your pics. More pics, list the components. Where in IL?
Acoolusername
Member
Hey thanks for the reply. I live in central IL. Idk much about road bikes but it looks like it has nitto handlebars Suntour 3000 derailer. Dia Compe brakes. And a fi zi k seat I guess? So if I am reading the serial number right then it’s a 30 inch frame which means it is meant for like 6,4” and up lol. It seems to fit me fine though.
Site is not allowing me to post, so I had to reply here.
That could be a 1988 ST400. Could still have been made late in 1987 for 1988 model year. 27" was the biggest size.
Site is not allowing me to post, so I had to reply here.
That could be a 1988 ST400. Could still have been made late in 1987 for 1988 model year. 27" was the biggest size.
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See my reply in your last post.
Acoolusername
Member
Awesome thanks for the help! I really love the way these bikes look
I love the touring frames. You can fit narrow tires for pavement or wide knobbies for gravel. I have several. Favorite is probably a 1985 ST500 with Suntour 7 speed build, Mavic rims and 28 mm Tufo diamond tread tubulars. Upright stem was an experiment, not so sure about that.
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Acoolusername
Member
That looks sick! Is that the original color? Are the touring bikes slower than the speed ones? I originally got this for a duathlon I want to try so either way it will be faster than the mtn bike I was riding.
Acoolusername
Member
Paint is original but nothing else. I bought it as a frame and fork on eBay.
The touring bike won't be a lot slower than a comparable vintage road frame. There are some things you could do to make it faster, mostly lighter parts, pedals, wheels and tires. I wouldn't get carried away though. Changing to clipless pedals or at least adding toe clips and straps will help most. Adding an aero bar might make you faster if you are comfortable in that position. Your bike looks to be pretty original and in very nice shape. I'd keep it that way and find a time trial bike if you get more serious about duathlons. A clamp on aero bar will mess up the handlebar where the clamps go. Your bike came with a TTT bar. I wouldn't want to damage it. If you're in the 6' range, I have a NOS Javelin time trial framest here. I was going to build it up for a friend who does triathlons but he decided to keep using his regular road bike. Would be similar to this one. Can't recall if mine has the carbon seat stays or if it's all aluminum.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/javlin-nar...658538?hash=item3d468d1e6a:g:doQAAOSwnVVZprdP
The touring bike won't be a lot slower than a comparable vintage road frame. There are some things you could do to make it faster, mostly lighter parts, pedals, wheels and tires. I wouldn't get carried away though. Changing to clipless pedals or at least adding toe clips and straps will help most. Adding an aero bar might make you faster if you are comfortable in that position. Your bike looks to be pretty original and in very nice shape. I'd keep it that way and find a time trial bike if you get more serious about duathlons. A clamp on aero bar will mess up the handlebar where the clamps go. Your bike came with a TTT bar. I wouldn't want to damage it. If you're in the 6' range, I have a NOS Javelin time trial framest here. I was going to build it up for a friend who does triathlons but he decided to keep using his regular road bike. Would be similar to this one. Can't recall if mine has the carbon seat stays or if it's all aluminum.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/javlin-nar...658538?hash=item3d468d1e6a:g:doQAAOSwnVVZprdP
Acoolusername
Member
That’s cool. I never hit the 6 foot club lol. I’m 5’10 and even so I don’t have that kind of money for a bike like that. That’s why I went the used vintage route. Maybe when I get more into it I may spend some more. I rode mine today and I might have to change the seat. That thing kills unless I’m just not used to it.
You may just need more miles to get used to the saddle and position, or it could be totally wrong for you. But most everyone complains about the saddle interface when starting out.
petergt4
Well-Known Member
Especially racing saddles. Shorter rides done more frequently help to break-in the "nether" regions, if a rider has come off of riding bikes with plush saddles for most of their lives. Even guys can benefit from using women's saddles with cut-outs in the middle (and I even remember some models have that feature as unisex offerings).
I wish the manufacturers didn't market saddles as men's or women's. One of my favorite saddles is the Bontrager Affinity WSD. I've ridden men's and women's versions but prefer the WSD. They seem to have a bit softer padding in the sit bone area which is a big help to me. Wonder how many guys might prefer the WSD version but would never consider riding a "women's" saddle.
petergt4
Well-Known Member
True. One of my relatives stopped riding because a conventional racing saddle hurt his area too much. He switched over to one that is just two pads where only your bum cheeks sit on it (forgot the name of it) and that worked wonders for him (and got him back on his bike). Maybe if he tried a woman's style, that may have worked too.