t_e_r_r_y

here's a few better pictures after the first ride.





clearance is a little tight in the frame with these 2.35" tires, but everything fits great!

over all, i'm really happy with this bike! the brakes are terrible, pads are cracked and the cable pinch part on the front is cross threaded, one of the pedals has a bent spindle, and the grips are rock hard - but it'll get me around!

rear shifts fine, but the front is still gummed up. i'm still thinking about going single speed, but i'll leave that decision for a later time.

super glad i didn't pass on this one!

madpogue 

Rear wheel is off. Either it's not straight in the dropouts, the rear triangle is tweaked, or the rim is not centered between the axle locknuts.

And take that grumpy face thing off -- bad feng shui.

t_e_r_r_y

nah, rear wheel isn't off, not sure what you think you're seeing.

i love me some bad feng shui

Commando

Awesome, a few simple parts swapped out and you've completely transformed the bike from a cheap 90's mtb to a kickass all-rounder.

Here's my '92(?) Timberline converted to a coaster braked klunker

mgopack42 

I used to have a triple triangle GT. I would say late 90's Zaskar LE. It was meant to be use as a commuter, but I needed to get a non suspension fork for it. and then the movers "lost" it

madpogue 

Trick of the light / angle of the photo. Made it look at first like the tire had less clearance on the right seat stay. Took a second look for my brain to make sense of it. Straight indeed, but yeah, that is close. Don't put another coat of paint on that bike....

Just have an Alka-Seltzer handy..... Or a Zantac, if you're more 21st-Century.....

ryansu

FWIW on my Rock Hopper pick up this summer I could NOT get the rear shifter to work regardless of how much I flushed it so I used a cheap falcon thumbie I had in the parts bin and bingo I had all my gears back. Should work the same for the front if you wanted the multi speed or you could lose the front shifter and FD and go 1 x 7 (8?) or as you said a single speed. Have fun on your GT



not elegant but it works

madpogue 

^^^^ Oh I'd call that elegant. A little ugly and cheap, but definitely _elegant_. That's the beauty of thumbies; such simple, foolproof design. No springs, no pawls.

But I'll bet that front shifter will start responding. Might need some more degreaser flushing is all. All the triggers I've seen, they've never been worn, just sluggish from the "peanut butter" effect of the lubricant.

t_e_r_r_y

the rear shifter is working fine and goes through all the gears, the front will shift between small and middle sprocket, so it's alright for now. I really like the idea of going 1 speed when I can, so I'll leave it be.

brakes really need addressing before I can do some for real rides, so that's next up

mechanicmatt

I'm not sure what a mixte would like like with Hellenic stays, but would this be close?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mongoose-Cr...4AAOSw4e1dZbHT

madpogue 

That bike has the same geometry as any other mixte. In effect, every mixte is a "triple triangle" frame. But to me, "hellenic" geometry means one small triangle inscribed into the corner of the main triangle. I can't quite get my head around how this would be possible with a mixte.

t_e_r_r_y

​​​​​bianchigirll was just joshin around. i missed that part of her post the first time around until someone else pointed it out.

t_e_r_r_y

got some new cantis! they're the wide ones, I hope I don't have foot interference. the stock fronts have a cross threaded cable pinch bolt and all of the pads are rock hard, a couple cracked even, I got these cheap enough that I don't feel too bad spending money on them.
I would have gone to v brakes, but I didn't wanna get new levers too.

got new cables while I was at it. hope it'll actually stop now!

J.Higgins 

I think those Tektros are the same as what comes with a stock Surly LHT. Good brakes. I hear your lament over the possible v-brake swap. I'm stalled at that point with a couple of my projects as well.

t_e_r_r_y

yeaah, Vs are great obviously, and I went that direction with my univega, but that was a build from the frame up so I needed to buy levers anyway.

to keep this easy on the wallet I'm just gonna replace things as needed, so it made sense to stick to cantis. I heard good things about these, and you can get a full set pretty dang cheap if you shop around.

madpogue 

^^^^^ They're sharp looking, too, for modern parts. They look appropriate on a bike like yours. Plus, you might still be able to rehab the old ones, maybe find another size for the pinch bolt (in a pinch....).

Also, that rear cable braze-on on the seat tube might not have worked in conjunction with a v-brake noodle. I have a Specialized Crossroads with a similar setup, and opted out of a v-brake swap for that reason.