Show Your Vintage MTB Drop Bar Conversions
09-30-18, 08:12 AM
#6201
Ellensburg, WA
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Interesting - I missed that when looking at their site today. Looks like the MTC-02 could work.
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1984 Gitane Tour de France; 1968 Peugeot PL8; 1982 Nishiki Marina 12; 1984 Peugeot PSV; 1993 Trek 950 mtb; 1983 Vitus 979; Colnago Super, mid-80's Bianchi Veloce, 1984 or 85 Vitus 979
1984 Gitane Tour de France; 1968 Peugeot PL8; 1982 Nishiki Marina 12; 1984 Peugeot PSV; 1993 Trek 950 mtb; 1983 Vitus 979; Colnago Super, mid-80's Bianchi Veloce, 1984 or 85 Vitus 979
09-30-18, 09:55 PM
#6202
Ellensburg, WA
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Thanks for the input today. Stopped by Recycled Cycles in Seattle after going to a large car show with Roger M and found a 25.4 quill adapter and Ritchey stem for $17 that should work for now. Would prefer to have the stem lower so you don't see the adapter but, for now, I need the height. Mocked it up with some rando bars (never tried them before) and black Tektro levers ($15). The height felt ok here.
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1984 Gitane Tour de France; 1968 Peugeot PL8; 1982 Nishiki Marina 12; 1984 Peugeot PSV; 1993 Trek 950 mtb; 1983 Vitus 979; Colnago Super, mid-80's Bianchi Veloce, 1984 or 85 Vitus 979
1984 Gitane Tour de France; 1968 Peugeot PL8; 1982 Nishiki Marina 12; 1984 Peugeot PSV; 1993 Trek 950 mtb; 1983 Vitus 979; Colnago Super, mid-80's Bianchi Veloce, 1984 or 85 Vitus 979
10-01-18, 04:22 AM
#6203
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I've used SR random bars on my 850 (post 6191) and I really like them in this application. Plenty of room on the tops and nice and wide in the drops. Go for it.
10-01-18, 04:59 AM
#6204
Senior Member
I'm bored while I try to heal and treat my neck so it's time to try another drop bar conversion. The last was on a Trek 800 Antelope that is stupid heavy. Now I figured I'll try it with the 93 Trek 950. May need a Technomic stem or use a quill adapter to get the bars a little taller but will set it up first with a quill stem to see how it works. Think I'll go with the bar end shifters like last time.
How narrow a 26" wheel is possible? Wouldn't mind trying a 1.25" or 1.5" street tire. I have some 1.75" Forte tires on a set of wider rims but their pretty heavy.
How narrow a 26" wheel is possible? Wouldn't mind trying a 1.25" or 1.5" street tire. I have some 1.75" Forte tires on a set of wider rims but their pretty heavy.
10-01-18, 06:50 AM
#6205
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i like it. it's a bit heavy but you have lots of room to play with.
Last edited by emro; 10-01-18 at 06:54 AM.
10-01-18, 06:56 AM
#6206
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there's the grand prix from continental for 26" . It's 1 1/8 which should be 28mm. I have not ridden it, but on my road bike i have the 28" eqivalent and i like it a lot.
10-01-18, 11:08 AM
#6207
Senior Member
Who all is using inline cross levers? I'm still running a flat bar because I like my thumbies, but I think this winter I'll finally put drops on there with cross levers so I can safely ride on the flats and retain my thumbies. Yea? Nay?
10-01-18, 01:19 PM
#6208
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Thanks for the input today. Stopped by Recycled Cycles in Seattle after going to a large car show with Roger M and found a 25.4 quill adapter and Ritchey stem for $17 that should work for now. Would prefer to have the stem lower so you don't see the adapter but, for now, I need the height. Mocked it up with some rando bars (never tried them before) and black Tektro levers ($15). The height felt ok here.
10-01-18, 01:23 PM
#6209
Ellensburg, WA
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What time were you there? I was there too around 3-4pm I think? I ran into @RiddleOfSteel there.
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1984 Gitane Tour de France; 1968 Peugeot PL8; 1982 Nishiki Marina 12; 1984 Peugeot PSV; 1993 Trek 950 mtb; 1983 Vitus 979; Colnago Super, mid-80's Bianchi Veloce, 1984 or 85 Vitus 979
1984 Gitane Tour de France; 1968 Peugeot PL8; 1982 Nishiki Marina 12; 1984 Peugeot PSV; 1993 Trek 950 mtb; 1983 Vitus 979; Colnago Super, mid-80's Bianchi Veloce, 1984 or 85 Vitus 979
10-01-18, 10:16 PM
#6210
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@scozim that Trek is lookin' good. Dig the tires and the stance. Exposed quill adapter actually looks pretty natural, IMO. At 6'5" I need to stick to big tall tourers and road bikes. Super tall mountain bikes/bike frames look super dorky. Since you're not 6'5", your mountain bike frame, in combination with the wheels etc, has great proportion.
10-02-18, 09:32 AM
#6211
Senior Member
Doesn’t trying to go as skinny as possible with the tires sort of defeat the purpose? Ymmv I suppose, but I can’t see myself going narrower than 1.75 Paselas. A big part of what I like about my DBC is the plush ride who cares if I stay on the path nature of it.
10-02-18, 04:42 PM
#6213
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10-06-18, 07:43 PM
#6214
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Well, got it done tonight after my shifter arrived. I added a couple of spacers just so the quill adapter looked one thickness. Needed to fashion straddle cables to get the road levers to work properly. Still need to adjust the rear a little but the front definitely has plenty of stopping power. Think I'll have to find a front 26" rim and then I can mount my street tires and just swap wheelsets when I decide to ride it to town.
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1984 Gitane Tour de France; 1968 Peugeot PL8; 1982 Nishiki Marina 12; 1984 Peugeot PSV; 1993 Trek 950 mtb; 1983 Vitus 979; Colnago Super, mid-80's Bianchi Veloce, 1984 or 85 Vitus 979
1984 Gitane Tour de France; 1968 Peugeot PL8; 1982 Nishiki Marina 12; 1984 Peugeot PSV; 1993 Trek 950 mtb; 1983 Vitus 979; Colnago Super, mid-80's Bianchi Veloce, 1984 or 85 Vitus 979
Last edited by scozim; 10-06-18 at 10:18 PM.
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10-09-18, 08:20 PM
#6216
Senior Member
Yeah baby, a worthy find to be sure. I am thinking moustache bars and bar ends. Last year for Japanese made US Bridgestone MB-4? Never seen the all black Deore LX on a Bridgestone before. It will have 1.5 or 1.75 slicks, and a set of Deore/rhyno lite wheels I have laying around.
10-11-18, 06:35 PM
#6219
Cyclist
Looks way better!Am I the only one that doesn't like the look of skin-wall fat tires? I like them on the 27s though.
Last edited by SeanBikes; 10-11-18 at 10:02 PM.
10-12-18, 06:31 AM
#6220
Thrifty Bill
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"How narrow a 26" wheel is possible? Wouldn't mind trying a 1.25" or 1.5" street tire. I have some 1.75" Forte tires on a set of wider rims but their pretty heavy."
I've routinely used 26 - 1.25 tires on stock MTB wheels, including a couple of Trek 950s. Actually its my standard choice unless I happen to have a used set of 1.5 tires laying around. 1.25" ~ 32mm.
I've routinely used 26 - 1.25 tires on stock MTB wheels, including a couple of Trek 950s. Actually its my standard choice unless I happen to have a used set of 1.5 tires laying around. 1.25" ~ 32mm.
10-12-18, 07:23 AM
#6221
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Thought I'd add my build to the mix. 96 Rock Hopper conversion. I went with STI's and haven't had any issues. They work well for me. The whole set up works well and this bike sees a lot of road time.
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10-12-18, 07:43 AM
#6222
Senior Member
If it's an early mountain bike, when they had wide balloon tire kind of rims, I would go no smaller than 1.5 to 1.75. If it's even a few years newer going smaller should not be an issue. It all depends on rim width.
10-12-18, 02:22 PM
#6223
HarborBandS
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I'm hoping to shift a triple chain ring with an existing top-pull Shimano Nexave FD-T310 front derailleur combined with a Claris 3-speed brifter. Does anyone know if this will work? Or do I need to get a bottom-pull road derailleur with a pulley (cable routing is top tube)? Finding info on cable pull is really difficult.
The rear is a Shimano eight speed, so the Claris 8-speed brifter should work. Eight speeds are usually easy like that.
I'm trying to spend as little as possible on this drop bar conversion, so having to get a new derailleur could kill the project. It's only temporary until I strip the frame down in a year or two and re-build it as a 1x11 gravel grinder.
The rear is a Shimano eight speed, so the Claris 8-speed brifter should work. Eight speeds are usually easy like that.
I'm trying to spend as little as possible on this drop bar conversion, so having to get a new derailleur could kill the project. It's only temporary until I strip the frame down in a year or two and re-build it as a 1x11 gravel grinder.
10-13-18, 03:05 PM
#6224
Cyclist
Finally made it through this thread... I know it's an older thread, but I just came across it. There are some seriously inspirational builds in here that still hold up. Great work, people! Thanks for putting me on to a new project idea.
Here are a few of my favourites (kudos to the builders) -- it was hard to choose ten:
Here are a few of my favourites (kudos to the builders) -- it was hard to choose ten:
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10-14-18, 03:25 AM
#6225
Senior Member
This thread has been going for at least 6 years.... pretty sure WE invented the "gravel bike". Pics of my latest drop bar conversion coming soon, a 1994 Skykomish from Costco.
