Show Your Vintage MTB Drop Bar Conversions
#7451
Senior Member
#7452
tantum vehi
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Flathead Valley, MT
Posts: 4,450
Bikes: More than I care to admit
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1171 Post(s)
Liked 999 Times
in
494 Posts
Somehow the pictures didn’t upload. Let’s try again:
__________________
1970 Gitane TdF; 1973 Gitane TdF
1979 Trek 710; 1981 Trek 412; 1981 Trek 710
1984 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1985 Specialized Allez SE; 1988 Specialized Sirrus; 1989 Specialized Rock Combo
1984 Ross Mt. Hood
1988 Centurion Ironman Expert
1991 Bridgestone RB-1
1992 Serotta Colorado TG
2015 Elephant NFE
1979 Trek 710; 1981 Trek 412; 1981 Trek 710
1984 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1985 Specialized Allez SE; 1988 Specialized Sirrus; 1989 Specialized Rock Combo
1984 Ross Mt. Hood
1988 Centurion Ironman Expert
1991 Bridgestone RB-1
1992 Serotta Colorado TG
2015 Elephant NFE
Likes For mountaindave:
#7453
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Greenwood SC USA
Posts: 2,261
Bikes: 2002 Mercian Vincitore, 1982 Mercian Colorado, 1976 Puch Royal X, 1973 Raleigh Competition, 1971 Gitane Tour de France and others
Mentioned: 56 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 824 Post(s)
Liked 1,435 Times
in
699 Posts
Low-budget fun
The previous owner of this 1992 Trek 820 abandoned it at the (now defunct) LBS when he got a quote for a drivetrain and brakes. The LBS’s owner said to me, “It’s yours if you want it - otherwise I’ll scrap it.”
So it started like this -
The cranks were trashed, no brakes, bad bullhorns, rusted chain, etc.
I fished some bits out of the parts bins and puttered with it. Dissatisfied with the results I moved it to the back of the pile - until last weekend, when I started thinking about drop bars and a single speed. A quick trip to the magic gear calculator convinced me I could make it work.
I installed the bottom bracket that was part of the trove of Alivio parts generously bestowed upon me by @Madhonk. @hazetguy sold me a used stainless 36T chainring dirt cheap. I found BMX 16 and 18T cogs for $6.95 each, and used an online coupon for free shipping.
The rest of it, I had. SR cranks now kitted out with 34/36T rings, an old chain from my fixed-gear, Alivio cantilevers from a long ago parted out Bianchi Osprey, cheap pedals, ancient SR rando bars, RX-100 levers from a parts donor Bianchi Eros, recycled bar tape - even unused cables from the parts stash.
I figure the near 60-in gear will be great on vacation to our favorite beach towns. I could get some Michelin Country Rocks in 1.75 for gravel, and I can switch down to the 49-in gear for tougher country.
Foe a bike with less than $21 invested so far I am pretty pleased. It’s already delivered on the fun dept - building it made me grin the whole time.
So it started like this -
The cranks were trashed, no brakes, bad bullhorns, rusted chain, etc.
I fished some bits out of the parts bins and puttered with it. Dissatisfied with the results I moved it to the back of the pile - until last weekend, when I started thinking about drop bars and a single speed. A quick trip to the magic gear calculator convinced me I could make it work.
I installed the bottom bracket that was part of the trove of Alivio parts generously bestowed upon me by @Madhonk. @hazetguy sold me a used stainless 36T chainring dirt cheap. I found BMX 16 and 18T cogs for $6.95 each, and used an online coupon for free shipping.
The rest of it, I had. SR cranks now kitted out with 34/36T rings, an old chain from my fixed-gear, Alivio cantilevers from a long ago parted out Bianchi Osprey, cheap pedals, ancient SR rando bars, RX-100 levers from a parts donor Bianchi Eros, recycled bar tape - even unused cables from the parts stash.
I figure the near 60-in gear will be great on vacation to our favorite beach towns. I could get some Michelin Country Rocks in 1.75 for gravel, and I can switch down to the 49-in gear for tougher country.
Foe a bike with less than $21 invested so far I am pretty pleased. It’s already delivered on the fun dept - building it made me grin the whole time.
#7454
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: The Foothills of California
Posts: 99
Bikes: '73 Raleigh RRA,'81 Team/Pro Miyatas, '83 Mercian Vincitore, '85 E.M Corsa, '85 Cherubim, '85 Raleigh Prestige, '89/90 3Rensho, '85 Allez, '86 Bertoni, '90 GL Ventoux, '91 RB-2/RB-1, '92 Bianchi SBX,'92 Miyata 914/714, '98 Colnago Decor, '98 GT Force
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Liked 16 Times
in
6 Posts
Trek 720 7speed gravel grinder!
#7456
tantum vehi
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Flathead Valley, MT
Posts: 4,450
Bikes: More than I care to admit
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1171 Post(s)
Liked 999 Times
in
494 Posts
...So it started like this... I found BMX 16 and 18T cogs... SR cranks now kitted out with 34/36T rings...
I figure the near 60-in gear will be great on vacation to our favorite beach towns. I could get some Michelin Country Rocks in 1.75 for gravel, and I can switch down to the 49-in gear for tougher country.
For a bike with less than $21 invested so far I am pretty pleased. It’s already delivered on the fun dept - building it made me grin the whole time.
I figure the near 60-in gear will be great on vacation to our favorite beach towns. I could get some Michelin Country Rocks in 1.75 for gravel, and I can switch down to the 49-in gear for tougher country.
For a bike with less than $21 invested so far I am pretty pleased. It’s already delivered on the fun dept - building it made me grin the whole time.
__________________
1970 Gitane TdF; 1973 Gitane TdF
1979 Trek 710; 1981 Trek 412; 1981 Trek 710
1984 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1985 Specialized Allez SE; 1988 Specialized Sirrus; 1989 Specialized Rock Combo
1984 Ross Mt. Hood
1988 Centurion Ironman Expert
1991 Bridgestone RB-1
1992 Serotta Colorado TG
2015 Elephant NFE
1979 Trek 710; 1981 Trek 412; 1981 Trek 710
1984 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1985 Specialized Allez SE; 1988 Specialized Sirrus; 1989 Specialized Rock Combo
1984 Ross Mt. Hood
1988 Centurion Ironman Expert
1991 Bridgestone RB-1
1992 Serotta Colorado TG
2015 Elephant NFE
#7457
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Greenwood SC USA
Posts: 2,261
Bikes: 2002 Mercian Vincitore, 1982 Mercian Colorado, 1976 Puch Royal X, 1973 Raleigh Competition, 1971 Gitane Tour de France and others
Mentioned: 56 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 824 Post(s)
Liked 1,435 Times
in
699 Posts
Likes For rustystrings61:
#7458
Senior Member
I call it Frankensteins mullet. My goal was to do two things: get it under 20 lbs and make it look like the space shuttle (almost all grey/silver with bits of random color). It was 20.4 lbs before I wrapped the bars and I know I can save quite when I get a different rear wheel on there. It rides amazing and absolutely flies at speed.
__________________
When a true genius appears, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him. ~Jonathan Swift.
When a true genius appears, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him. ~Jonathan Swift.
#7459
Full Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: '16 StumpJ, Salsa Mukluk, Soulcycles SS, Dean Colonel HT, BMC FourstrokeTrail, Dean Torres CX, Santana Visa Tandem, Trek T2000 Tandem, Cupertino MTB Tandem, FreeAgent26"Xtracycle, Dirt Drop Dingle, Jamis Dragon Dingle, Airborne Skyhag SS, SSDean Cols
Posts: 220
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 70 Post(s)
Liked 116 Times
in
61 Posts
These bikes are great to see.
What does it feel like to put a 700c up front on a 26" framed MTB with drop bars? I suppose the only way to really know is build one and ride it.
Yellow finishing tape on blue tape is a good look.
What does it feel like to put a 700c up front on a 26" framed MTB with drop bars? I suppose the only way to really know is build one and ride it.
Yellow finishing tape on blue tape is a good look.
#7460
Senior Member
Personally I think it feels great. Responsive, but not twitchy. I can control it with no hands easily. The only thing I would worry about is figuring out the trail with a new fork. My bike was designed to have front suspension and thus room for a tall fork, so switching it from 26" suspension to 700c non suspension didn't actually change my top tube angle much. Also my fork doesn't have much offset. If someone were to just take a standard rigid frame MTB and put a early hybrid steel 700c fork with lots of trail, that thing is going to be floppy. Luckily I work at a co-op so I was able to test a bunch of different crazy setups.
__________________
When a true genius appears, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him. ~Jonathan Swift.
When a true genius appears, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him. ~Jonathan Swift.
#7461
Newbie
Join Date: Aug 2023
Location: Bottom of Alps
Posts: 28
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 71 Times
in
16 Posts
This is my commuter bike. 1995'sDecathlon rockrider 500, 3 tubes cromoly.
3x7 stx, shimano bar end shifters, alivio brakes, exage levers, maxxis detonator, Velo Orange stem, Idéale saddle. Most of the parts are from my stock.
3x7 stx, shimano bar end shifters, alivio brakes, exage levers, maxxis detonator, Velo Orange stem, Idéale saddle. Most of the parts are from my stock.
Likes For George Abitbol:
#7462
Junior Member
#7463
Full Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: '16 StumpJ, Salsa Mukluk, Soulcycles SS, Dean Colonel HT, BMC FourstrokeTrail, Dean Torres CX, Santana Visa Tandem, Trek T2000 Tandem, Cupertino MTB Tandem, FreeAgent26"Xtracycle, Dirt Drop Dingle, Jamis Dragon Dingle, Airborne Skyhag SS, SSDean Cols
Posts: 220
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 70 Post(s)
Liked 116 Times
in
61 Posts
Personally I think it feels great. Responsive, but not twitchy. I can control it with no hands easily. The only thing I would worry about is figuring out the trail with a new fork. My bike was designed to have front suspension and thus room for a tall fork, so switching it from 26" suspension to 700c non suspension didn't actually change my top tube angle much. Also my fork doesn't have much offset. If someone were to just take a standard rigid frame MTB and put a early hybrid steel 700c fork with lots of trail, that thing is going to be floppy. Luckily I work at a co-op so I was able to test a bunch of different crazy setups.
Like you said, it's going to depend on a few things to make it, 700c in the front , work right. That is the ticket for a gravel set-up I'd say.
#7464
Newbie
Amazing bike, love it !
Steel frame, nice geometry . . . I have a few questions though :
- you're running slick tyres, you must lack some grip, don't you ?
- how do the mks flat pedals feel ?
- how did you mount the mirror ?
Last edited by AeroFred; 12-27-23 at 08:57 AM.
Likes For AeroFred:
#7466
tantum vehi
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Flathead Valley, MT
Posts: 4,450
Bikes: More than I care to admit
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1171 Post(s)
Liked 999 Times
in
494 Posts
Slicks: those are René Herse Rat Trap Passes (26x2.2). (Look for Panaracer Gravel Kings if you can’t find RTP’s.) I wouldn’t rail corners on single track with them, but for grinding gravel, they have plenty of traction, especially at lower pressures. And they feel like you’re floating in a cloud! Loose gravel acts like ball bearings whether you have knobs or slicks anyway, so I am just mindful of conditions.
The mirror is an original style Mirrycle that specifically mounts to non-aero levers (Dia Compes work the best - Campy/Superbe style don’t work). Apparently you can still get them from Mirrycle!
MKS Lambdas: I love these for commuting on pavement or county roads. But when it comes to serious double track, they lack the grip I am used to in MTN pedals. My feet will dance around on the pedal while I’m bouncing down the road. But I love their long length for mid-foot pedaling which is far more comfortable for me than traditional ball-over-spindle pedaling.
Last edited by mountaindave; 12-26-23 at 11:16 AM.
#7467
Senior Member
I was going to wait until it was done but since it just survived a house fire, I thought I'd go ahead and post it. A fireman saved my Klein!
__________________
When a true genius appears, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him. ~Jonathan Swift.
When a true genius appears, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him. ~Jonathan Swift.
Likes For 2cam16:
#7469
I am potato.
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 3,175
Bikes: Only precision built, custom high performance elitist machines of the highest caliber. 🍆
Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1826 Post(s)
Liked 1,705 Times
in
974 Posts
It's not much. Just some Specialized riser bars in 46cm width and Gevenalle Retroshifters for cable brakes mated to TRP HY/RD calipers with a Deore 3x9 drivetrain.
First ride today. It rides better than my last attempt with a 1996 Trek 6500ZX. The 100mm travel on a bike designed around 60 was super floppy and with the 42cm bars hard to manage. This bike is easily the more manageable of the two. I may swap an internal spacer around to make it 80mm of suspension travel. Time will tell if that idea makes sense or not. Getting the bars and hands where they need to be was challenging enough. It has a fairly long front center and effective top tube as it is.
NOS RockShox Recon forks just hangin' out in my garage to replace the aged springer fork and a PNW dropper post from the "Just in case" pile and miscellaneous other parts from the spare parts bin like 32/28 hole PowerTap/Hope Pro4 disc hubs laced to Velocity Cliffhangers kept the total cost of acquisition to service as you see here at under $230. Not a bad deal.
Tubeless setup, hot waxing the chain, and bar tape is next on the list. I was thinking white bar tape; Thoughts?
Last edited by base2; 12-27-23 at 02:04 PM.
#7470
Newbie
I call it Frankensteins mullet. My goal was to do two things: get it under 20 lbs and make it look like the space shuttle (almost all grey/silver with bits of random color). It was 20.4 lbs before I wrapped the bars and I know I can save quite when I get a different rear wheel on there. It rides amazing and absolutely flies at speed.
Likes For AeroFred:
#7473
tantum vehi
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Flathead Valley, MT
Posts: 4,450
Bikes: More than I care to admit
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1171 Post(s)
Liked 999 Times
in
494 Posts
That is a sick setup with SON dynamo hub, Command shifters, TA Cyclotouriste cranks, and soda-bottle air horn! Well done!
__________________
1970 Gitane TdF; 1973 Gitane TdF
1979 Trek 710; 1981 Trek 412; 1981 Trek 710
1984 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1985 Specialized Allez SE; 1988 Specialized Sirrus; 1989 Specialized Rock Combo
1984 Ross Mt. Hood
1988 Centurion Ironman Expert
1991 Bridgestone RB-1
1992 Serotta Colorado TG
2015 Elephant NFE
1979 Trek 710; 1981 Trek 412; 1981 Trek 710
1984 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1985 Specialized Allez SE; 1988 Specialized Sirrus; 1989 Specialized Rock Combo
1984 Ross Mt. Hood
1988 Centurion Ironman Expert
1991 Bridgestone RB-1
1992 Serotta Colorado TG
2015 Elephant NFE
Likes For mountaindave:
#7474
Newbie
Actually, that's the DiaCompe Wing shifters, they're amazing !
They're friction only but they can go 11s !
In fact, that's what they call microratcheting. Combined with a Shimano cassette, it shifts really smooth . . .
As for the horn, it's a real life saver when you're on the road with traffic . . . If you don't have something real loud, they don't hear you . . .
The MBK was originally an MTB with a 28-40-48 triple, that I changed into 26-36-48 for touring since I need lower gears when loaded . . . I ran it with a 8s 11-32 cassette and it worked well. Still, I could go lower . . .
Likes For AeroFred:
#7475
Must be symmetrical
Thanks !
Actually, that's the DiaCompe Wing shifters, they're amazing !
They're friction only but they can go 11s !
In fact, that's what they call microratcheting. Combined with a Shimano cassette, it shifts really smooth . . .
As for the horn, it's a real life saver when you're on the road with traffic . . . If you don't have something real loud, they don't hear you . . .
The MBK was originally an MTB with a 28-40-48 triple, that I changed into 26-36-48 for touring since I need lower gears when loaded . . . I ran it with a 8s 11-32 cassette and it worked well. Still, I could go lower . . .
Actually, that's the DiaCompe Wing shifters, they're amazing !
They're friction only but they can go 11s !
In fact, that's what they call microratcheting. Combined with a Shimano cassette, it shifts really smooth . . .
As for the horn, it's a real life saver when you're on the road with traffic . . . If you don't have something real loud, they don't hear you . . .
The MBK was originally an MTB with a 28-40-48 triple, that I changed into 26-36-48 for touring since I need lower gears when loaded . . . I ran it with a 8s 11-32 cassette and it worked well. Still, I could go lower . . .
I have been toying with the idea of just sticking a thumb shifter right under the brake lever. I actually think the geometry of the throw would work ok. It would be a low effort experiment since I already have a set modified for mounting on drops. maybe next time I rerwap my bars I'll give it a try...
Likes For Frkl: