Show Your Vintage MTB Drop Bar Conversions
02-05-14, 08:53 AM
#2751
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Didn't see the other one. I'll have to look for it. I took the bike out for a very abbreviated spin yesterday after pics, but I wasn't dressed for the cold and there's more packed and icy snow than I want to ride on. What I can say is that at 40# the tires felt solid and springy. I expected to be sliding around a lot on the tires, but I didn't. There's no agressive tread, but there's plenty of texture and grooves, which, combined with the "float" that the size gives I think will allow them to perform well. I'll write up a review after I've had a chance to actually ride.
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02-05-14, 10:23 AM
#2752
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Received tires in the mail today (26x2.4 CST Cyclops. For those used to metric, that's 61mm!), so nearly finished with my conversion.
Started tear down about a month ago and have been slowly building it back up. Derailleurs are stock (Suntour XC), brakes are stock rollercams (with new brass pulleys from a BF member), crank arms are deore xt that I had on hand (spindle hole on the non drive side arm was rounded, so it as try to buy and match or used parts bin crankset. Esay choice), with stock chainrings from original crankset (good thing, as the xt rings were biopace). Bars and non aero levers are from a donor 1984 Miyata 210, bartape is planet bike, saddle is a selle royal from a 1985 Miyata 610 (which is now sporting my Brooks B17 Special honey colored with matching bartape), shifters are $20 ebay suntour barcons.
Hoping to post a pic this weekend. Should be a great commuter/hauler/gravel grinder.
Started tear down about a month ago and have been slowly building it back up. Derailleurs are stock (Suntour XC), brakes are stock rollercams (with new brass pulleys from a BF member), crank arms are deore xt that I had on hand (spindle hole on the non drive side arm was rounded, so it as try to buy and match or used parts bin crankset. Esay choice), with stock chainrings from original crankset (good thing, as the xt rings were biopace). Bars and non aero levers are from a donor 1984 Miyata 210, bartape is planet bike, saddle is a selle royal from a 1985 Miyata 610 (which is now sporting my Brooks B17 Special honey colored with matching bartape), shifters are $20 ebay suntour barcons.
Hoping to post a pic this weekend. Should be a great commuter/hauler/gravel grinder.
I also recently went with some fat tires on my Cimarron and really like them.
Mine are listed at 26x2.3 & measure 58mm wide and I am not sure I could fit any fatter on the rear.
02-05-14, 10:48 AM
#2753
Senior Member
Didn't see the other one. I'll have to look for it. I took the bike out for a very abbreviated spin yesterday after pics, but I wasn't dressed for the cold and there's more packed and icy snow than I want to ride on. What I can say is that at 40# the tires felt solid and springy. I expected to be sliding around a lot on the tires, but I didn't. There's no agressive tread, but there's plenty of texture and grooves, which, combined with the "float" that the size gives I think will allow them to perform well. I'll write up a review after I've had a chance to actually ride.
Do others have success stories for snow tires, other than studded?
02-05-14, 10:48 AM
#2754
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Hmmm. Bike lust. I've been hoping to add a Cimarron to the stable. They're hard to find. VERYY hard to find reasonbly priced. My HS was $80. I'd be willing to go up to $150 for a Cimarron, but no luck so faar.
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Don't complain about the weather and cower in fear. It's all good weather. Just different.
Don't complain about the weather and cower in fear. It's all good weather. Just different.
02-12-14, 08:08 AM
#2755
Thrifty Bill
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And then realize if you find one outside your area, it is going to require shipping. Shipping is going to be about $100+/-, making the $150 mark unobtainium.
BBC has one for sale right now for $3500!
Last edited by wrk101; 02-12-14 at 10:15 AM.
02-12-14, 12:28 PM
#2756
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But yours had the super rare, one of a kind quad chain ring. That's unobtanium!
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02-13-14, 06:50 AM
#2757
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Yes this bike is filthy, but it's had a rough job this week dragging me through the slush. I posted pics of my Diamond Back Apex a page or two back, I decided that bike was to small so I transferred many of the components to this bike. This one fits great and should serve well as a commuter and all around bike.
Last edited by turky lurkey; 02-13-14 at 06:53 AM.
02-13-14, 09:17 AM
#2758
That guy from the Chi
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Yes this bike is filthy, but it's had a rough job this week dragging me through the slush. I posted pics of my Diamond Back Apex a page or two back, I decided that bike was to small so I transferred many of the components to this bike. This one fits great and should serve well as a commuter and all around bike.
Is that the infamous Biopace ring gears I see on there?
02-13-14, 01:42 PM
#2759
Thrifty Bill
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OK, you guys get ALL the BLAME. I just had to pick up my next drop bar conversion project.
Here it is. This is the first time I have seen FOUR sets of bottle cage mounts on a vintage bike, and on a mtb to boot!:
Here it is. This is the first time I have seen FOUR sets of bottle cage mounts on a vintage bike, and on a mtb to boot!:
Last edited by wrk101; 02-13-14 at 01:46 PM.
02-13-14, 01:55 PM
#2760
Hoards Thumbshifters
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Started the drop bar conversion of my 1996 Mongoose IBOC Zero-G tonight. Got to this point and also assembled a Tourney GS with 46/36, hoping to dig up a 48T cheap. Just eyeballing things the crank should be about right with current BB, but will get a UN26 of proper length if needed.
Also need to go about 2cm stubbier on the stem, but the only one I have that small is 25.4 clamp.
P1010124 by Lester Luallin, on Flickr
Also need to go about 2cm stubbier on the stem, but the only one I have that small is 25.4 clamp.
P1010124 by Lester Luallin, on Flickr
02-13-14, 02:02 PM
#2761
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Man, some guys have all the luck! But having read your posts with great interest, I'm pretty sure luck had nothing to do with it. Can't wait for pics.
02-13-14, 02:33 PM
#2762
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I bet you can sell that stem for whatever you paid for the whole bike.
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02-13-14, 02:52 PM
#2764
Thrifty Bill
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I can't get over how touring oriented this model is compared to my one or two year older Cimarron LE. Front mid fork rack braze on, plus a whopping four bottle cage mounts. Going to move this one to the front of the project queue.
To those looking for a Cimarron, my advice, when you see one, BUY. They just don't come up very often. This one was listed as a "Schwinn Commuter". Picture was pretty obvious.
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Please don't confuse ebay "asking" prices with "selling" prices. Many sellers never get their ask price. some are far from it. Value is determined once an item actually SELLS. Its easy enough to check SOLD prices.
Please don't confuse ebay "asking" prices with "selling" prices. Many sellers never get their ask price. some are far from it. Value is determined once an item actually SELLS. Its easy enough to check SOLD prices.
Last edited by wrk101; 02-13-14 at 05:59 PM.
02-13-14, 03:20 PM
#2765
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Those vintage Klein Mission Control stem/bar combos do sell pretty well.
I can't get over how touring oriented this model is compared to my one or two year older Cimarron LE. Front mid fork rack braze on, plus a whopping four bottle cage mounts. Going to move this one to the front of the project queue.
To those looking for a Cimarron, my advice, when you see one, BUY. They just don't come up very often. This one was listed as a "Schwinn Commuter". Picture was pretty obvious.
I can't get over how touring oriented this model is compared to my one or two year older Cimarron LE. Front mid fork rack braze on, plus a whopping four bottle cage mounts. Going to move this one to the front of the project queue.
To those looking for a Cimarron, my advice, when you see one, BUY. They just don't come up very often. This one was listed as a "Schwinn Commuter". Picture was pretty obvious.
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1 Super Record bike, 1 Nuovo Record bike, 1 Pista, 1 Road, 1 Cyclocross/Allrounder, 1 MTB, 1 Touring, 1 Fixed gear
1 Super Record bike, 1 Nuovo Record bike, 1 Pista, 1 Road, 1 Cyclocross/Allrounder, 1 MTB, 1 Touring, 1 Fixed gear
02-13-14, 08:48 PM
#2766
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Started the drop bar conversion of my 1996 Mongoose IBOC Zero-G tonight. Got to this point and also assembled a Tourney GS with 46/36, hoping to dig up a 48T cheap. Just eyeballing things the crank should be about right with current BB, but will get a UN26 of proper length if needed.
Also need to go about 2cm stubbier on the stem, but the only one I have that small is 25.4 clamp.
P1010124 by Lester Luallin, on Flickr
Also need to go about 2cm stubbier on the stem, but the only one I have that small is 25.4 clamp.
P1010124 by Lester Luallin, on Flickr
02-13-14, 08:59 PM
#2767
cowboy, steel horse, etc
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...maybe also partially due to Johnny T's input, since he was fond of riding MTBs with drop bars not long before he got on with Mongoose.
Rotated bars forward a tad today, but drop position feels like they need to be rotated a tad more forward for that ergo area to feel right, maybe I need to just get some nice wide non-ergo compact drops. Still haven't put the double on, so not bothering to set up front derailer cable, just rode around in middle ring all day today.
02-13-14, 09:04 PM
#2768
Thrifty Bill
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+10 Love that Mongoose, drops look like a natural on that bike!
02-14-14, 08:11 PM
#2769
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I loved the old IBOCs. I had a IBOC with the aluminum triangular top tube in chrome! i miss that bike!
02-14-14, 09:07 PM
#2771
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Dang it Bill, now you got me nutted up about finding another Cimarron!
I found one in your neck of the woods... road trip???
Vintage Schwinn Cimarro (Red) - $50 (Columbia, SC)
Vintage Schwinn Cimarro (Red) in very good condition. Still has original equipment as far as I know.
Tires seem to be holding air so far. Frame sells for more on ebay. Good, solid bike. $50 cash.
Location: Columbia, SC
I found one in your neck of the woods... road trip???
Vintage Schwinn Cimarro (Red) - $50 (Columbia, SC)
Vintage Schwinn Cimarro (Red) in very good condition. Still has original equipment as far as I know.
Tires seem to be holding air so far. Frame sells for more on ebay. Good, solid bike. $50 cash.
Location: Columbia, SC
Last edited by neo_pop_71; 02-14-14 at 09:14 PM.
02-16-14, 03:50 PM
#2772
Fork and spoon operator
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I just discovered this thread, and I love it! Here's mine, although it's a little iffy on the "vintage" part, and on the "mountain bike" part. It's a 2003 Trek 7200 comfort bike. I bought it new before I was very interested in biking, and it's grown along with me over the last 10 years.
I ride it 1x8, and the brakes are v-brakes. I replaced the suspension fork with a Surly Instigator fork, and there's a Soma steer-tube extender on there.
my main bike is a Surly Cross Check, and this is my backup bike.
I ride it 1x8, and the brakes are v-brakes. I replaced the suspension fork with a Surly Instigator fork, and there's a Soma steer-tube extender on there.
my main bike is a Surly Cross Check, and this is my backup bike.
02-17-14, 08:21 AM
#2773
Chainstay Brake Mafia
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after riding on dirt drops for over a year, when i ride "normal" drop bars they feel so weird to me.. the brakes feel like they are in the wrong spot and the drops feel like they are bent inward. i just wish someone made a dirt drop bar that was a little narrower.. i love the flare but don't always need the width, especially when on the road.
i'm also strongly considering brifters or maybe even barcons.. the thumbies on the top of the bar are a cheap and easy solution but they're kind of a pain to shift, kinda like stem shifters.
btw here's some gary 2 bars on sale for $32.. normally they're like 38
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Origin8-Gary...item43c4842d45
i'm also strongly considering brifters or maybe even barcons.. the thumbies on the top of the bar are a cheap and easy solution but they're kind of a pain to shift, kinda like stem shifters.
btw here's some gary 2 bars on sale for $32.. normally they're like 38
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Origin8-Gary...item43c4842d45
02-17-14, 09:15 AM
#2774
Thrifty Bill
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Dang it Bill, now you got me nutted up about finding another Cimarron!
I found one in your neck of the woods... road trip???
Vintage Schwinn Cimarro (Red) - $50 (Columbia, SC)
Vintage Schwinn Cimarro (Red) in very good condition. Still has original equipment as far as I know.
Tires seem to be holding air so far. Frame sells for more on ebay. Good, solid bike. $50 cash.
Location: Columbia, SC
I found one in your neck of the woods... road trip???
Vintage Schwinn Cimarro (Red) - $50 (Columbia, SC)
Vintage Schwinn Cimarro (Red) in very good condition. Still has original equipment as far as I know.
Tires seem to be holding air so far. Frame sells for more on ebay. Good, solid bike. $50 cash.
Location: Columbia, SC
