A couple points:
Those late 80s Super Grizzlies are super nice mountain bikes. One of the very best from that period. If you wanted to spend money to outfit like a new Rivendell, it wouldn't be wasted on it. That said, of course you can save money by finding a donor bike, sifting through coop parts, pilfering peoples' junk bins, etc.
Building wheels is fun and you can get what you want. Rhynolites are plenty light, but with custom you can go lighter if you want. Keep in mind tires make more difference than the wheels overall.
'Converting' to disc brakes isn't really practical. You'd need a new fork, and/or to get the frame and fork modified by a frame builder. Canti brakes work very well. Unless you're riding in mud all the time, function is kind of a wash.
It would be a good idea to measure the space between the rear dropouts to find spacing. You'll need to decide whether to leave the frame spacing at 130 (if it is), or realign it to 135 to use modern MTB hubs.
Originally Posted by
merziac
No worries, we're always sooo happy to help.
I'm not too worried. It's hardly the first time I've stuck my foot in my mouth.
