MrAwesome

Hopefully, this can be a fun exercise...


I can't remember what year it is, but somewhere in the mid-'90's. I bought this bike almost 20 years ago now. Used Trek 990. I always wanted one and after about 10 years, it was finally in my price range! I don't know what the color is called but it's a dark grey pewter looking color. The frame is pretty beat up, but no dents that I can see and even if there are some minor dents, it shouldn't matter anyway because it's steel. I took it apart immediately after I got it, with plans to build it back up with current components and parts. So... that never happened...


I've gone back and forth between building a 69er, fat bike, cyclocross/gravel frankenbike, road-ish-beater-fun-bike, e-Bike or just building it up as a vintage-style hard-tail with newer components. I'm planning to get a full-suspension bike very soon (and I already have a slightly newer hard-tail MTB in working condition), so it won't get used off-road very much. I already have a steel FG/SS for road and I might eventually get a road/fitness bike, so it won't get used as a road bike very much. This bike doesn't fit anywhere except for something fun and maybe a little weird (also a fun project). I would hate to get rid of it because it's sought-after tubing and in decent condition if I get a paint job. I thought about putting 700c or 29" (or 27.5") wheels on it and adding a disc mount to the rear to make that work, but not sure if the geo would get thrown off too much if I did.


Since most of the original parts are really used up or gone, I can't just throw it back together to sell it as a full bike and I assume it isn't worth much as just a frame; I can't figure out what to do with it. Is it worth building up as a restored vintage, steel, hard-tail MTB or is it better to turn into a SS, fun, "grocery-getter"...? Will newer MTB components even fit? Should I make it into something cool and/or weird, or is this something that is better off in someone else's garage for the next 20 years? I can't decide...

Classtime 

Go through the drop bar and upright MTB threads and do that. What original parts do you still have?

The Golden Boy 

Rule of the Internet:

pix or it didn’t happen.

nlerner

Wind chimes?

AeroGut

+1 on the drop-bar conversion, especially if it's a larger size frame. Narrowish tires and you'll have a sturdy but lightweight do anything bike. Those are wonderful frames. Definitely needs to be put to use.

MrAwesome

I have most of the parts, but as I mentioned in the OP, they are very thoroughly used. The fork would work but if I'm doing a conversion like this, it would be best to get a new rigid fork. The wheels are on another bike, so I would need a new wheelset. I have bars and stems that I could use. The old cranks and BB would probably work OK, but I'm sure, at least the BB, would need to be replaced soon.

I like the ideas though. I was originally just thinking 700c, but not sure about geo which, aside from money, was why I haven't done it yet. I think I'll finally start gathering parts and see where this takes me.

Thanks for the responses!

wrk101

Seeming endless supply of worthy donor MTBs around here. Just aim for a good one.