[ebreiner]

Hey everyone,

I'm brand new to the forum and still very new to biking. I've recently gotten really into riding, but havent had a road bike to use. After searching for awhile, my girlfriends dad gave me an old schwinn 10 speed which im fixing up. I am keeping alot of original components, but replacing all of the "drivetrain?"... crank, freewheel, derailleurs. The shifters and brakes are salvageable for now. I was looking for a bit of help on compatibility as I can only find so much out on the internet.

1.Would this crank be able to replace the original threaded crank?
Bikeman: FSA Omega MegaExo Compact Crankset 170mm 34-50t Black w/ BB

2.if so, can i use a 7 speed shifter on my 5 speed such as... Shimano Tourney/TY TX71 6/7-speed Direct mount rear deraille..

3. what compatible front dérailleur would you recommend to compliment the two.

I know this is a lot to ask, but i need the help. Thanks!

[photosbymark]

Well two things come to mind for you to think about. First is if you are thinking of this as a collectable, the keep it as original as possible. If this is a rider and a project you want to do for you, then a couple of thoughts.

Now if you really want to use that 7 speed shifter, and you are changing out the rest of the drivetrain, why not put a 7 speed freewheel on the rear??? You won't get proper shifting otherwise. You also could put a different rear wheel that would take a cassette and then if you want to change out things like a granny gear, you could do that.

Still the if it ain't broke theory may apply here. If you haven't already bought anything, you might find that after you take the bottom out, the original crank can be cleaned and regreased and put right back in for more use. Same with derailleurs. Sometimes just a really good cleaning and lube may do the trick. Now if you want the new crank,ect that's a different story. The only reason I mention it is sometimes people assume because that its really old, the service life is over and that's not always the case.

[hophead]

Old steel Schwinns make great singlespeed conversions....

[ebreiner]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I think i might actually just repaint it for now, do a little bit of cosmetic stuff. Get new brakes, retape the front bars, clean everything up, and some new tires since the ones on there now are hard and rotted. After i see how everything goes, then maybe look at upgrading on an as needed basis. I'll put up pictures as i make more progress.

Question- What do you recommend as far as replacing bearings or grease. any brands? or do new bearings make a large difference?

[hophead]

Originally Posted by ebreiner

Question- What do you recommend as far as replacing bearings or grease. any brands? or do new bearings make a large difference?

Your wheels probably use loose ball bearings. You will need a set of cone wrenches to service them. Most bike shops carry them. They are like regular open end wrenches, but much thinner.

If your wheels spin freely and sound ok, you can just tear down the hubs, clean, & re-grease them. Bike specific grease is available at your LBS. I have used automotive wheel bearing grease in the past and it has worked fine.

If the bearings are wasted, then so are the hubs. The cups are integral on bike hubs. The exception is if you have cartridge bearings, in which case the bearings are just replaced.

[hophead]

Here's a step by step...
Park Tool Website

[ebreiner]

wow... that's kind of overwhelming. Thanks!