[jyl]

Here is another bicycle question.

My daughter (10 y/o) has outgrown her bicycle. For her next one, she wants a Stingray. You know, the banana seat and ape hangers bike we all rode when we were kids, or wished we rode, if we are of a certain age.

(My dad denied me a Stingray, made me ride a Peugeot 10-speed, which has scarred me to this day - all the cool kids were jumping and sliding around the vacant lots with their Stingrays, while I was stuck on the road with my skinny tires. Don't even get me started on the briefcase . . . )

Anyhow, I see vintage Stingrays for sale occasionally, and the "daily driver" ones are not crazy priced, compared to a new quality junior's bicycle. However, I'd want to install an internally geared hub (like a Shimano Nexus) so she can climb hills, and a good front caliper brake.

Does that sound feasible? Or are old Stingrays weirdly non-standard in some way, so that today's normal bike components won't fit?

In general, anyone think this is a good/bad idea?