After my first post, I discovered that a 45/17 gear ratio was still just a bit too big (must be my age!), so the bike now has a 42-toothed chain ring on the crank.
In addition, I've added:
(Purchased from Rivendell Bicycle Works...)
1. Nitto "Periscopa" handlebar stem
2. Nitto "Dove" handlebars
3. "Miesha's" Cork Grips
4. Mountain Bike Brake Levers
(Purchased from the Bicycle Outfitter in Los Altos...)
5. Seatpost (26.4 mm diameter, 350 mm long)
6. Brooks B67 Saddle (Honey)
7. Bell for Handlebar
8. Kickstand
Some notes...
1. The diameter of the PX-10E forks is too small (by just a slight amount) to accept the standard 22.2 mm handlebar stem diameter. Sandpapering the stem to reduce its diameter fixed this problem.
2. The cork grips have been glued to the handlebars (per Rivendell's recommendation), but glue was only applied to the surface of the plugs at either end of the handlebars (and to the mating surface at the rear of each cork grip's cavity), rather than along the handlebar surface itself. Hopefully this will make grip removal (should it ever be necessary) a bit easier.
3. The cork grips have been shellaced with two coats of clear shellac (per Rivendell's recommendation).
4. I had hoped to install a Brooks B66 saddle (my Raleigh 5 speed has one, and it's very comfortable if you're riding upright), but when I tried to install the saddle from my Raleigh (as a test), I discovered that it didn't fit! It turns out that, although the original saddle on the PX-10E was also a Brooks saddle, its rails were slightly closer together (in spacing) than those on a modern B66 saddle. Also -- the French "Simplex" seatpost had its "rail cups" welded on, so I couldn't simply clamp the B66 to it like I'd clamped it to the Raleigh seatpost.
So...if I wanted a more comfortable saddle, I needed to also replace the original seatpost with a modern seatpost that could accommodate modern saddles.
No problem! A new 26.4mm diameter seatpost fit into the frame's seat tube perfectly, and a Brooks B67 (essentially a B66 look-alike, but with rails designed for today's modern seatposts) adds the comfort I desired.
5. OK -- a kickstand is really "old school," but if you're doing any around-town riding (shopping, etc.), they're great to have. And, of course, a bell is handy for getting the attention of inattentive pedestrians or drivers.
All in all, it's turned out to be a pretty nice looking bike. And much lighter than the Raleigh 5 speed, too!
There might be one more addition in the future, and that would be a basket on the front (e.g. like my Raleigh's basket). But that'll wait for another day...
...and that day has just arrived! Took a ride up to the Campus Bike Store at Stanford to pick up a basket. I'm happy: the bike handled nicely on the trip there and back, and now...I'm ready to buy groceries!
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