"neoMaxima" - A Neo-Retro/Resto-Mod
$3,600 – Renovation
Summary
Photos coming soon!
The SR Maxima is a nearly forgotten bicycle from the 1970s and 1980s. Originally a 12-speed road racing bicycle, it is transformed into a "nothing fancy" 20-speed general road riding bicycle. A top-of-the-line 1984 SR Maxima frameset is the basis, modified to fit a modern-ish mix of parts. Suitable for fair-weather riding and sure-footed enthusiasm over hilly terrain and curving roads at any practical speed.
History
The SR Maxima was the top-of-the-line racing bicycle from SR available new during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The frame was built in Japan by the Araya Industrial Company, Limited, in Osaka, Japan. The Maxima was made with Tange Champion lugs, Tange Champion no. 2 tubing (.9/.6/.9mm butting on the main tubes), Tange model 135 factory fork, and fitted with SunTour Superbe Pro horizontal dropouts. The fork used a Tange C-22 (model #1179) fork crown and Tange forged fork ends. The fork, dropouts, and the seat and chain stays were chrome-plated. Two sets of water bottle bosses, a chain hanger, down tube shift lever bosses, and three top tube cable guide loops were standard. The brake bridge and fork crown were sized to accept recessed nuts on the brake mounts. The frame was available painted bright red or dark blue with contrasting silver head tube panel, lettering, graphics, and cutouts.
The brand labeling on the Maxima was understated: "SR Maxima" in silver lettering on both sides of the top tube near the top head lug; "SR" in silver lettering midway up the seat tube front with subtle silver swoops below; a "Tange Champion no.2" mylar decal on the seat tube front under the seat lug; "SR" in silver lettering on both sides of the down tube, starting just past halfway up the down tube toward the shift lever bosses.
A stamped aluminum, horizontally elongated hexagonal head badge was riveted to the front of the head tube, identifying the brand with "SR" centrally stamped and surrounded by a field of black, the upper right half of the sides outlined in blue, the other lower left half outlined in yellow.
The Frame
The frame for this particular renovation came to my attention in late 2024. The frame was manufactured in 1983 for the 1984 model year. It has a 52cm seat tube (c-c) and a 54.5cm top tube (c-c). I purchased the bare frame in 2025 specifically for this project. This little-known brand is of very good quality and excellent function: the condition was good and would lend itself well to a restoration or renovation.
After an alignment and integrity check, it was apparent the frame was in even better condition than expected: alignment was nearly perfect. The fork had clearly never been damaged as it was in perfect alignment (no deviation from specifications). The little bit of rust and pitting of the chrome was due to superficial rust, easily remediated. I respaced the rear triangle for 130mm axles to make the frame compatible with more modern parts.
I decided to build it up with a suitable mix of on-hand "spare" parts. Not at all like the original specifications, but better in many ways. A true "neo-retro" or "resto-mod" build.
Frame Alignment
Before the frame arrived, I was a bit worried: what if the frame was unsalvageable? The photos showed that it had sat for a long time without proper care. I didn't have long to worry, though, and I was able to assess its condition for myself: the frame arrived from California ten days after I ordered it, at the end of January, 2025. I was, to quote Jane Austen, "all anticipation".
The frame was very sturdily packed in a double-wall cardboard box, the tubes safely padded and the fork zip-tied to the frame, also with padding. Upon first inspection, the frame was dirty and rusty. The rust turned out to be nothing more than surface rust. There was minimal pitting in the chrome, which looked worse in the photos than in-person. Still, the chrome did not look to be salvageable, but I didn't want any bare chrome showing anyway. The completely dry headset bearing grease suggested that the frame had been unused for several decades.
I took the frame into the workshop and did a more thorough visual inspection.
Visual inspection did not reveal any dents, kinks, buckling, or other obvious deformation of the tubes, so it is unlikely the frame was seriously crashed. But, I would verify with an alignment check on the Bringheli surface plates (frame and fork, separately), just to be sure I hadn't missed anything that would compromise the frame structure.
The fork crown race seat was originally 27.0mm, which I chased with a cutting tool to make sure it was square and unmarred (it was). I did not want to cut it down to 26.4mm unless I was sure of the headset I was going to use: leave my options open. I also chased the steerer threads to make sure they were clean and undamaged (they were).
A triple-check of the Tange factory fork revealed that it was perfectly in alignment: the steerer was straight and square to the Bringheli fork alignment table; the fork ends were parallel, spaced 101mm apart, each measuring 50.5mm on the inside face from the fork center-line; the fork blades were parallel to each other along their entire length, and square to the Bringheli fork alignment table. I have not previously come across a fork this symmetrical and perfectly aligned, unless it was one I built or cold-set myself! The Tange factory really has their production process dialed in! It's impressive, whether by luck or by design.
Before I could put the frame on the alignment table, I needed to wire-brush clean and chase the bottom bracket threads so that I could face the drive-side (at least) of the bottom bracket shell: the drive-side face was slightly marred and could affect measurements on the alignment table.
Luckily, the bottom bracket shell was over-wide (68.4mm) and there was leeway to remove a little material without going undersize (for which I could compensate on the non-drive side, if necessary). With the Campagnolo sleeves threaded into the bottom bracket shell (used for facing and to hold the frame square to the alignment table, later), the drive-side was faced to remove paint and wear marks, leaving a flat surface at 90-degrees to the spindle axis. This established the reference face for the alignment table. To make sure I hadn't taken off too much material, I determined the centerline of the down tube at the bottom bracket shell and measured from that to the reference face: 34.0mm exactly! Well, that was as designed, no doubt.
Once firmly fixed to the alignment table, a triple-check of the SR Maxima frame showed that the front end was twisted to the non-drive side at the top of the head tube by 0.5mm — an insignificant amount over 50cm of measurement through the steering axis. Still, I pursued "perfection": a light cold-setting took the twist out.
However, the rear end was measurably (but not visually) misaligned: the drive-side dropout was 1.5mm too far from centerline; the non-drive side dropout was 1.0mm too close to centerline; the dropout faces were skewed, but parallel to each other; the dérailleur hanger was slightly bent inward. This suggested that the bicycle may have been involved in a rear-end (left-)side collision that primarily affected the rear end (but may have put the twist in the head tube, too). Or, it was damaged sitting around in storage. In any case, it's unlikely the frame left the factory that way, but (this) one doesn't know.
As part of the renovation, and to make the frame compatible with 130mm rear spacing, I cold-set the rear end to center and align the dropouts (parallel to each other and the horizontal long axis of the frame) and to re-space the rear end to 131mm (leaving a bit extra space for paint so as to get the back wheel in easily). I left correcting the dérailleur hanger misalignment until after I had chased the remaining threads.
A final measurement after cold-setting the frame made sure the frame was aligned with less than 0.5mm deviation from expected dimensions (everything was at 0mm deviation, except for the dropout spacing). I left the dropout spacing at 0.5mm wider than my target of 131mm, to minimize the amount of cold-setting done to the frame — it was "good enough" for me. For all perceivable and meaningful purposes, the frame was now perfectly aligned.
Even now, before I could give my stamp of approval for the project, I had to make sure all the threads were serviceable. I stripped the headset, dropout adjusters (the left one was bent, lending some weight to my theory that the frame was involved in a left-side, rear end collision), and water bottle bolts from the frame. Then, all the remaining threads were wire-brush cleaned and chased with the appropriate taps. I then placed a known round and true wheel in the dropouts as a last check of rear-end alignment: perfectly centered in the stays at the rear-most position (Araya has their frame build processes perfect, too, apparently), without adjusters. A light cold-setting finally aligned the dropout hanger.
And, the prognosis is positive! This frame could have another forty years of life in it, with a bit more work to make it new again.
Restore, Renovate, Refurbish, or Re-Imagine? (What would a Rogue Rabbit do?)
For this project, and as a personal preference, new, old-stock parts are the first choice. Of course, I had specific parts in mind for this project, but I was considering other options. Availability of parts and my limited budget dictated the final direction of this build.
A true restoration would mean fitting the same make and model of parts with which the frame was originally equipped. For the most part, I was able to source a nearly complete, period-correct SunTour Superbe group from parts I had on-hand and available from other suppliers. And, the cost was not outrageous. For a while, I considered this the primary choice. Unfortunately, my source for these parts closed its business before I committed to buying the parts. What was I to do? Well, my vision for this bicycle was somewhat flexible, so I had several other options.
A renovation would be simply making the bicycle new again, using whatever parts I found suitable. The term currently in vogue is "neo-retro" or "resto-mod". This was actually my first (uninspired) choice because I have enough parts to make a very nice mid- or top-end road bicycle using the SR frame as its basis.
A refurbishment would mean fitting refurbished parts to the refurbished frame. This was a short-lived option because the condition of the frame did not lend itself to simply cleaning it up a bit; the frame still requires quite a bit of labor to make it serviceable for any useful amount of time. I'm not a fan of "patina" when it compromises longevity. And, the cost of used SunTour Superbe parts was nearly as much as new parts: not viable. A refurbishment implies (for me) that the bicycle is intended primarily for service, not necessarily as a rideable treasure or to make part of a valued collection — that did not fit in with my plans at all (a treasured keepsake for someone, but still meant to be ridden).
A re-imagining, to me, is like a restoration, but using new, old-stock parts on a "what if"-style of build. With my like of science fiction and fantasy, this was the obvious choice, even when practical considerations are ignored. Fortunately, my collection of new, vintage parts lets me indulge in the perfect (for me) "what if" build, but not for this project (not enough SunTour in my parts stash!).
Although a complete re-imagining appeals to me, the parts I originally had in mind (SunTour Superbe Pro parts) were already allocated to my Retro Racer project. Rather, I would use somewhat modern "extra" parts I had on-hand from various manufacturers: a neo-retro build.
This project serves to remind the world at large that good quality bicycle frames (and vintage parts) can serve a lifetime, and sometimes longer. Too many of these serviceable (and often beautiful) frames (and parts) end up neglected and forgotten, in land fills, or scrapped. Their value is in their service, ride quality, and longevity, which cannot be said (by this me) of aluminum or carbon fiber bicycle frames. And, many are treasures to be rediscovered, like this SR Maxima.
Not Last Day (Renew! Renew!)
While the frame was suitable for restoration, there were some aspects of the frame that could be updated without going too "modern" (no disc brakes).
I was never fond of top tube cable guides. They are just not that comfortable if you dismount onto the top tube unexpectedly, for whatever reason. Also, they tend to rust (as these did) from sweat getting on the top tube. A stainless internal rear brake guide would smooth things out and obviate the rust problem, so that was one update on the to-do list.
My aversion to frame clamps ruining a perfectly good paint job necessitated a brazed-on front dérailleur hanger, which also went on the to-do list.
Quite frankly, the chain hanger was serviceable, but ugly. It had to go or be replaced by something prettier, and it had to be stainless because when using it, because using the hanger would eventually remove the paint.
Then there were some brazing uglies and gouges on the frame that needed clean-up: gouges in the solid seat stay caps (easy enough to file smooth); an unappealing seat lug contour (also simple to reshape); spots of excess bronze filler (a little sandpaper here and there). There was also the missing bottom bracket shell drain hole, which is essential for longevity.
I removed the seat binder nut and bolt for refurbishment later, as well as drilling out the rivets that held on the "SR" head tube badge. The drill slipped a little and gouged the aluminum head badge, but not so badly it couldn't be fixed. I also drilled out and tapped the rivet holes in the head tube for remounting the restored head badge later using stainless steel M3 button head screws.
The Renovation - Metalwork
The first step was to remove the top tube cable guides completely. A hacksaw, a file, and some sandpaper removed them completely and left a blemish-free top tube.
Then, I had to position the entry/exit points of the internal rear brake cable guide. Although limiting the target market for this bicycle, I chose to route the internal rear brake cable guide for a left-hand-operated rear brake; for riders whose right hand is dominant. So, the non-dominant (left) hand operates the rear brake; the dominant (right) hand operates the front brake for more precise control. For a smooth cable run, the brake cable (aero routing) runs from the left brake lever to the right of the head tube, entering the top tube on the lower right side and crossing to the left side internally to exit on the left near the top side of the top tube, running to the rear brake caliper. With the entry/exit points marked, some drilling and filing of the top tube let me place a seamless 1/4" x 0.020" stainless steel tube that was silver-brazed in place with stainless steel stampings to reinforce the top tube cutouts. Some more filing and sandpaper cleaned up any excess silver and shaped the ends to my satisfaction.
The next step was to install the stainless steel front dérailleur hanger, which was positioned to support the front dérailleur so that it could work with chainrings as large as 53 teeth and as small as 34 teeth. The selected crankset uses a double chainring with 39 and 53 teeth. The brazing was clean enough that no filing was necessary.
The last brazing step was to install the stainless steel chain hanger, which replaced the overly large stock hanger. The stock hanger was easily removed with a hacksaw and some sandpaper. The sandpaper was used to remove a portion of the chrome plating on the right seat stay for a secure bond. Mere minutes later and the new hanger was in place with a bit of silver filler.
The next metalworking step was removing the gouges in the drive-side seat stay cap, which was accomplished with a fine file. For symmetry, I reshaped the non-drive side to match. In total, it barely took five minutes. It took a little longer to reshape the seat lug until it was more to my liking.
I spent a little bit of time cleaning up the head tube lugs, but didn't want to do anything more than remove excess bronze or nicks in the lugs themselves. I wasn't trying to "improve" the work of the Araya factory 'bots and workers, but simply cleaning things up so the painting will be less problematic for me later.
The final step was putting in a drain hole in the bottom of the bottom bracket shell. While I was there, I cleaned up the rough edges of the brazed-on dérailleur cable guides.
I did not face the head tube at this point. The faces were unmarred and I would ream and face the head tube after the paintwork was done to leave a pristine, square and flat bare-metal surface, to be well-greased when installing the headset later.
The frame was now ready for paint preparation.
The Renovation - Paint
The 1984 SR Maxima was available in two colors: "Red with Silver head tube" and silver fork crown cutouts; "Blue with Silver head tube" and silver fork crown cutouts. I'm not enamored of most reds; blue is very appealing. Both original options were pretty though, but the silver was a bit boring. Still, other than the colors themselves, I would keep the color placement similar to the original.
I picked magenta (Fruit Punch) for the main color: a rich pink for the frame and fork that complemented the majority of silver- and black-anodized components, as well as the white factory rims and hubs. The contrast color is a bright solid white, not at all like the original.
The "SR" lettering and seat tube artwork are painted on in the same solid white, using stencils. The "neo" part of the lettering of the "neoMaxima" name was done using white dry transfers, placed between the white "SR" and "Maxima" lettering on the top tube.
In addition to the original lettering and artwork, a set of Tange Champion no.2 tubing decals was placed on the frame and fork, as well as my "happy bunny" dry transfer mark of quality and renovation year.
Before any painting could happen, of course, the original paint had to be removed. Some was removed during the metalworking phase (when I also stripped the paint from the head badge), but all of it had to go to make way for new paint. That meant a trip to Paul Wyganowski's workshop, where the frame and fork were stripped of paint, washed, and then dunked in a heated bath of zinc phosphate (acid). The bath would remove any remaining rust inside and out, and also coat the steel with zinc, which acts as a sacrificial rust inhibitor (the zinc bonds to the steel and oxidizes in place of the steel, protecting the steel itself from rusting). The zinc leaves the steel with a dull gray coating, except where chrome-plating remains or stainless steel is used (which aren't affected).
While I was at Paul Wyganowski's workshop, and before dipping the frame in the zinc phosphate, I noticed two issues that I had previously overlooked: the stress-relief in the seat lug slot was missing and the vent holes in the fork blades were placed mid-way in each fork blade (not a good place for them, which could lead to premature failure of the fork blade from internal rust or too-high stresses). To correct the first issue, I drilled a hole at the base of the seat lug slot to mitigate the chance of the seat tube cracking in this area. The second issue was corrected by bronze-brazing the fork blade holes closed and then drilling new holes on the backside of each fork blade through the fork crown tangs. Imagined fork failure averted!
The frame and fork were then dipped in the zinc phosphate bath, rinsed, and dried in the drying oven.
Back in my workshop, I could begin cleaning the frame. Cleanliness is the most important aspect of painting. Contamination at any stage can ruin an otherwise perfect paint job. I wasn't looking for "perfect" or flawless, but "good enough" for me was close to that. That meant degreasing the frame and fork before I did anything else (and just before each coating was applied).
After degreasing, all areas where paint wasn't supposed to go (inside the head tube, inside the bottom bracket shell, inside the seat tube) were masked, covered, or plugged. This meant a lot of masking. Threaded rods or bolts kept paint out of the threads (seat binder holes, water bottle mounts, rear dérailleur hanger, steerer); plastic covers went over the shift lever bosses; a 22.2mm PVC tube was inserted into the steerer and taped to the fork steerer, also covering the threads; a 25.4mm quill stem was inserted into the seat tube to hold the frame in the painting stand, able to rotate around the handlebar clamp. And, tape went everywhere else it needed to go. One more round of degreasing and the frame was ready for primer.
The primer did not need to etch the metal, since that was accomplished with the zinc phosphate dip over already rough-sanded bare metal; both provide a good surface for the primer without further scuffing. Two coats of white primer were laid down, with 10-15 minutes between coats.
Not to be over-looked, the head badge also needed to be restored. With the paint stripped previously, I went over the aluminum head badge with a tiny chisel, a file, and sandpaper to remove the scratch I put into it drilling out the rivets. The raised areas were polished on the buffing wheel. It was then degreased and two coats of white primer were applied to the entire surface, waiting 5-10 minutes between coats.
The primer on the head badge, frame, and fork was left to dry for an hour. Then, the frame and fork were lightly wet-sanded to 1500-grit to remove any dust and highlight any imperfections. The primer was also carefully scraped away from the raised areas of the head badge using my OEM fingernails so as not to scratch the polished aluminum.
The head badge, frame, and fork were again degreased to remove any contaminants.
Using a fine paint brush, enamel paints were used to fill in the colored areas of the head badge: blue, yellow, and black. Again, OEM fingernails were used to remove excess paint. The head badge was set aside until it was time to clear-coat.
On the frame and fork, because the contrast color is lighter than the main color, the contrast color was first applied to those areas receiving masks.
The frame was clamped into the painting fixture by the repurposed handlebar stem, positioned using the handholds previously placed for that purpose, without much risk of touching the wet finish; the fork was clamped in my OEM left hand, which works very well for handling the fork. The contrast color (solid white) was applied in three light coats, waiting 5-10 minutes between coats, on specific areas of the frame and fork. The paint was left to dry for two hours after the final coat.
The pre-cut artwork and masks, and lettering masks were applied where the solid white contrast paint had been applied: the head tube, seat stay caps, both sides of the top tube, upper front of the seat tube, and the midway on the down tube on both sides. Tape was used to mask the head tube.
Three coats of Fruit Punch main color coat were applied to the entire frame and fork, waiting 5-10 minutes between coats.
After the final coat of main color was applied, the paint was left to dry overnight before removing all of the masks. There was some minor seepage of the main color into the white areas, but nothing overt or unsatisfactory. A light, wet-sanding with sanding sponges to 1500-grit prepared the color coats for the remaining dry transfer and mylar decals. The dry transfers and decals were applied directly to the color-coat. Afterwards, the frame and fork were again degreased to remove any contaminants.
Three layers of two-part clear-coat were applied to the head badge face and the entire frame and fork, waiting 5-10 minutes between coats. Due to the cool temperatures in the workshop, the head badge, frame, and fork were left to cure for several days. All holes and threads were unplugged, except those used for handling the frame. Then, a light, wet-sanding with 1500-grit sanding sponges was done in preparation for mechanical polishing.
The head badge and entire frame and fork were then mechanically polished using a polishing compound and finish wax using a buffing wheel set at low speed.
Once satisfied with the finish, the seat tube and steerer tube were mechanically honed to remove any burrs that might mar the seatpost or stem later, and to make their adjustment smooth. The head tube was reamed and faced using the Campagnolo head tube cutting tool; the fork crown race was milled just enough to remove over-spray from the crown race seat. All remaining hand-holds, bolts, rods, plugs, covers, and whatnot were removed. All threads were chased again. New dropout adjusters and water bottle cage bolts were greased (calcium sulfonate grease) and installed. The penultimate touch was to attach the head badge using two stainless steel M3 button-head screws. Double-sided hold-down tape was added to the headbadge before mounting it with screws. Finally, the entire frame was degreased once again.
I was happy with the result, but there was still a lot to do.
The Renovation - Components
This bicycle is equipped with mid- to high-end components from various manufacturers, with a Shimano and T.A. drivetrain, DT Swiss wheels.
The wheels are DT Swiss Mon Chasseral factory wheels with clincher rims, durable and light-weight. Black DT Swiss spokes are laced 2-cross on the rear and radially on the front DT Swiss model 240s lightweight hubs. High-quality Vittoria Zaffiro Pro 700C x 30mm (27mm actual width) tires and butyl inner tubes (presta valves) give a sure-footed, comfortable, and lively ride on paved and unpaved, compacted road surfaces.
The gear ratios provide a suitable gear range for rolling hills and some challenging climbs; for anyone moderately fit or wanting to become moderately fit.
The drive train is composed of a SRAM Apex (PG-1050) 11-28T, 10-cog cassette connected by a Wipperman (10S0) chain to the Spécialités T.A. 39/53-tooth chainrings fitted to the 175mm Spécialités T.A. Alizé crank arms, providing smooth, dependable shifting and power transmission. The Spécialités T.A. Axix bottom bracket bearing assembly has sealed cartridge bearings in aluminum cups and a hollow stainless steel crank spindle.
Shifting is accomplished from the indexed Dura-Ace down tube shift levers (SL-7900) which operate a debadged, braze-on-mounted Shimano Ultegra (FD-6600) front dérailleur and a debadged, short-cage Shimano Ultegra (RD-6600) rear dérailleur.
The refurbished Shimano Dura-Ace (BR-7700) dual-pivot brakes are fitted with KoolStop brake shoes and salmon pads. The brakes are operated by Shimano Ultegra (BL-R600) aero brake levers and Tektro Cross in-line brake levers, offering braking control from the several hand positions. The brake levers are very comfortable for most hand sizes. The brake levers give excellent brake feel and modulation; the stopping power of the brakes is also excellent.
The rider contact points are: extremely smooth-turning and reliable Shimano Ultegra (PD-6620G) road pedals (Look cleat bolt pattern) for the feet; a Selle Italia SLK saddle for the rear, supported by a traditional, Campagnolo Nuovo Record-style SR Royal seatpost. Bike Ribbon Cork Gel synthetic cork tape for the handlebars nicely cushion the hands. Handlebars are classic Nitto Model 177, featuring tops that sweep slightly back, attached to a 90mm Nitto Technomic Deluxe aluminum alloy quill stem. The headset is the reliable and durable Velo-Orange 1” sealed-bearing unit for threaded steerer tubes.
Velo-Orange low-friction brake and dérailleur cable housings, stainless steel brake and dérailleur cables, and two sets of Velo-Orange Moderniste stainless steel water bottle cages finish everything off.
Ordering
Available 1 June 2026.
Be sure to place your order soon!
To purchase this renovated (2026), 1984 SR Maxima “neoMaxima” road bicycle, you can order it from me directly (please include your shipping location so I can include a shipping estimate, too), or if you need more information about it or would like to set up an appointment for a test ride†, please send me an e-mail with the particulars. When placing your order, please also provide your inseam and height measurements so that I can determine whether or not the fit is appropriate for you or can be adjusted to fit.
If you prefer to use your own saddle, a $50 credit will be applied to your order; if you prefer to use your own pedals, a $40 credit will be applied to your order; if you prefer to use your own handlebars, a $30 credit will be applied to your order.
If you prefer to use your own components, the frame and fork only are also available for purchase: $1,750.
Availability, prices, and specifications are subject to change without notice.
Of course, I stand behind my work, too: the frame and fork are covered by my Rabbit-Proof Guaranty and after-sale policies and offers.
† Please bring your own pedals and shoes. I will provide the appropriate length stem, tires, and a saddle for the test ride, or bring your own saddle too, if you prefer.
Of course, I offer restoration, renovation, refurbishment, and "re-imagining" services to those who see the value in durable goods (more than just bicycles!), like quality steel bicycle frames. This project serves as one example of my work, among others.