frantik

yeah stem shifters are actually pretty close to thumb shifters, especially on drops... but that dork disc MUST GO

went out for another ride today on my new favorite off road spot.. i mostly rode in the lowest gear like it was a single speed.. but even 39x21 isn't super low by mtb standards. was good to learn how fast you needed to hit each peak and how to move your weight around. after an hour+ of bumpy decents and climbs, my wrists felt totally fine.. i know if i was using a flat bar my wrists would have been really sore.

I originally was interested in drops to get more aero for road riding, but being able to brake while stretched out in the drops with your wrists in a more natural position definitely make them extremely well suited for off road duty.. honestly seems strange to me that so few mtbs have been equipped with drops from the factory. Probably because people expect mtbs to have flat bars and no big company wants to go to the trouble of changing expectations

oddjob2

Looks great! I particulary appreciate your using suicide shifters and having the bravery to post a photo in the C & V forum! As you know, they're not a favorite of the cognescenti on this forum, but I think they're a fine application for this conversion. When the bike only costs $75 or so to begin with (picking up a Trek 950 manana), why put $60 barcon shifters on it?

And yes that Grizzly wheelbase is long. I have a 16" Grizzly in the work cue, and I keep tripping over it.

Enjoy!

koolerb

Here's my candidate, 22", 199*, Nishiki Arroyo just picked up from CL today. The bike came with a new external BB, Deore crank, and on the way home I found two pairs of drop bars; $10 each! One was a 3TTT Prima, too light for this application. The bar I'm putting on is a Nitto Grand Raundoneur. I think I'm going with bar end shifters, has anyone kept stock brake levers and just mounted on the top of the bar close to the stem? Any ideas welcome.

seely

Most won't slide past the drops, but there's probably some out there that can be made to work.

robatsu

I like this better than my Bianchi Grizzly conversion. I need a stem like that to get the bars up higher - which one is that? Also, what tires do you have?

I did the stem shifters as well - as oddjob2 notes, they aren't popular w/the C&V cognoscenti but they seem to work well for this application. The alternatives seem like brifters (expensive), bar ends (I personally don't like), or drop bar mounts for thumbies, which I could go for were I doing aggressive riding.

This looks to be the same year or one off as mine, I think they only did U-brake for 2 years. I like the color matching fenders, gives it almost a club look.

Excellent job!

koolerb

I think you're right. Wasn't thinking about that.

that_guy_zach

This one makes 2 Rock Combos now. Gonna get the original drops back on this one soon.

frantik

Stem shifters
barcons
brifters
thumb shifters with steel bands
paul thumbies
kelly take offs
downtube shifters (never seen it done myself)
none (single speed)

im sure there's others im forgetting

Bone Machine

Thanks, robatsu.

The stem is a Kalloy AL-222. The tires are Kenda Kwest 26x1.5.
For this conversion, I used parts I had lying around, so didn't cost me anything. Oh, except for the cotton bar tape.

velomateo

I did this old Gary Fisher HooKoo-E-Koo for a friend at work. He got it new when he was in high school and he is very attached to it. He had the frame, fork and the original stem powder coated antique white - we couldn't use the stem with the drop bars though. I like the way it turned out. This resto-mod was done several years ago, and I'm happy to say the bike gets regular usage.

bobotech

So I did a drop bar conversion with STI shifters and an Ultegra derailleur on my 2003 Specialized Hard Rock. Came out very nice and I enjoy it but I'm limited by it. It has a suspension fork which I dislike greatly and that limits me to v-brakes. I changed to mini-v brakes so that the STI brake levers would be compatible and they do work. I am running cheapo fenders but that is the problem. I have to run small tires otherwise the tires hit the mni-v brakes. I really want to use my Nokian studded snow tires but I can't with the current setup. If I could run canti brakes, I would no longer have any problem with fender clearance or tire sizing but cantis on a suspension fork are kind of icky with the adapters.

So my question is this, what is a good candidate for a cheap frame to move all my parts to. I am one of the lead techs at my bike co-op and we get tons of mountain bikes in but i'm just not sure which bikes would be best. I am somewhat of an ape, i am 5'11" but have very short legs and short inseam so I ride small bikes so the longer top tubes of a mountain bike appeal to me.

Suggestions for a good chromoly frame that I could move my parts to?

Velognome 

You'll want the hoods if your planning on putting in some longer rides

striknein

Why can't you use a suspension-corrected rigid fork?

seely

I'd look for something like a mid-late 90's Diamondback Ascent/Apex/etc, Specialized Rockhopper/Stumpjumper, etc. Around '94 they still were using rigid forks (suspension was an option on some) but most had more modern threadless 1 1/8th headtubes. They also use more modern geometry with sloping, longer top tubes which should help with your fit issue.

thirdgenbird

Im picky, but this is brown bar tape for having my giant stamp of approval. Great job!

frantik

I recommend avoiding Ascent and going for Ascent EX.. the EX models always were full DB chromoly but many of the nonEX models had only main tubes with double butted chromo. At least this was true in the 80s and early 90s. In the catalogs, the Ascent model's frame usually sounds very similar to the (slightly lower end) Topanga while the Ascent EX sounds more like the (slightly better) Axis frame

Axis/Apex/Ascent EX are the higher end non-supension diamondback models (ranked in that order). Arrival is their aluminum offering that was later expanded into an entire range.

bobotech: Instead of recommending a specific model, I'd just say to look out for a frame that has a Tange MTB sticker and is equipped with Deore or better level stuff. There's probably at least one or two in your co-op right now.

bobotech

Good ideas.

Our co-op has mostly frames right now with a bunch of low end old road bikes and a few cheap dept store mountain bikes. Its early in the season and haven't gotten many good donations yet. But we do have a bunch of mountain frames. I gotta stay away from u-brakes though, I don't care for them all that much.

neo_pop_71

Hey bobotech,

I think I might have come up on a serious score in your backyard, check this out...

https://spokane.craigslist.org/bik/3545404437.html
[h=2]Mountain bike - $40 (South Hill)[/h]Nice mountain bike with good shimano components and speedometer/computer
Call or email if interested
Jake 509-710-6690



Whatta 'ya think?

It looks like the perfect bike for your next project! You gotta admit that it's pretty hard to beat an unmolested Specialized Stumpjumper... especially for $40.00!!!

You better give Jake a call before someone else find this underpriced gem!

Good luck!

-D-

striknein

I found an image of my first conversion (1998 Fuji Outland):



In the end, the frame was just a touch too small. The Salsa Woodchippers were very nice in the drops, but as others have mentioned riding on the hoods was quite uncomfortable. I ended up converting it back to stock and selling it.

The Stumpjumper is coming along nicely. I need to figure out what I want to do for shifters (bar-ends or stem), and I'm waiting on cables and a chain to arrive before reassembly. After tearing it down, I discovered that the chain slap was a lot more extensive than I had originally thought. I decided to prime and paint it as a temporary fix, but it will end up getting powdercoated at the end of this summer.



The big question is, should I get it coated in the same gloss black, or should I have it shot in clear powder to show off the brazing work?

frantik

$40 for a stumpy is definitely a deal that should be snapped up immediately. then go check out this Gary Fisher for $200, it might also be a worthy investment https://spokane.craigslist.org/bik/3600522594.html (or the same bike listed for $150? huh? https://spokane.craigslist.org/bik/3509641676.html)

realestvin7

I rarely recommend clear. If you ever get moisture underneath the coating (which you will), it starts to rust from underneath in vein-like patterns.

Chris Chicago

it's hard to tell but there's a chance that's not a stumpy. could be sport rock,

frantik

^ u may be right.. the 2nd word looks like it's too short to be "jumper"

neo_pop_71

I think Chris Chicago nailed it! That does appear to be an early '90's Specialized M2000 Series Sport Rock.

I found the same on Craigslist in St. Louis for $125.00, makes the $40.00 seem like a decent deal for a complete bike.

https://stlouis.craigslist.org/bik/3535998401.html

If you needed a cheap bike to start a conversion, the Sport Rock might be the ticket. However, the Fisher Montare that frantik linked above with the original first generation "Deerhead" XT components and the painted Bullmoose bar is a much better starting point. It all starts with a quality frame!

neo_pop_71

Hey all-

I've yet to have the time to take a bottle of Zymol to the '85 Cimarron but I did finalize the stem and bars for the build. I'm going with a Nitto Technomic stem and Nitto Albatross bars. The Technomic stem will solve any stem height issue you could ever have, mine is 120mm at 72 degrees with a 225mm quill length. I'm running the Albatross bars upside down, I'm not a "Townie" type of guy, and this is of coarse a dirt drop thread. I'm running Oury "Downhill" waffle grips paired with Dia-Compe "Batwing" levers and the stock "Deerhead" thumb shifters. In the stand over mock up, the set up is super comfortable! I'll be running fenders and probably racks on this build. This Cimarron will be my city/road/touring bike and my other Cimarron with the SOMA Sparrow bars and Shimano STI triple "Brifters" with be my trail/dirt/touring bike. It's fun to build two of the same bike and take both in very different directions. I'll keep posting updates on both bike with pictures, I appreciate the kind words of encouragement that I've received... this has become my favorite thread... thanks guys!!!