Show Your Vintage MTB Drop Bar Conversions
#6851
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 92
Bikes: 1980 Peugeot PFN-10, 1989 Bridgestone MB-3, 1988 Univega Alpina Uno, 1974 Velosolex Saint Tropez, 1995 Trek 830, 1986 Lotus Odyssey, 1987 Schwinn Mirada, 1987 Raleigh Elkhorn
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Yet another update on the Univega Alpina Uno. This bike has been getting a lot of mileage lately and I felt it was time to give it some well-deserved upgrades.
I built a new wheelset with 36 hole Sun Rhyno Lites laced to an 8/9 speed LX hub in the rear and a Kasai dynamo hub in the front. Stock wheel was a 6 speed so I had to cold set the dropouts from 130 to 135.
Changed the rear mech to a modern Deore to handle the 8 speed cassette.
Wired up a Busch and Muller IQ-x headlight and a secula plus tail light.
Threw on some SKS fenders for the fall and winter. Outfitted the front with a Velo Orange mudflap.
I'm really loving where this is right now. No build is ever "done"... but this feels damn close.
I built a new wheelset with 36 hole Sun Rhyno Lites laced to an 8/9 speed LX hub in the rear and a Kasai dynamo hub in the front. Stock wheel was a 6 speed so I had to cold set the dropouts from 130 to 135.
Changed the rear mech to a modern Deore to handle the 8 speed cassette.
Wired up a Busch and Muller IQ-x headlight and a secula plus tail light.
Threw on some SKS fenders for the fall and winter. Outfitted the front with a Velo Orange mudflap.
I'm really loving where this is right now. No build is ever "done"... but this feels damn close.
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#6852
Full Member
Like others have said, take a bike you're already comfortable on, measure the stack and the "cockpit" reach (saddle to hand position on the bars). Now, pull up the specs on 1990 Hardrocks (shouldn't be hard to find), and do a lot of trigonometry. Using the head tube and seat tube angles, and top tube and seat tube lengths, calculate how much reach and stack the frame itself gets you. Figure out how high your saddle will ride above that and calculate the additional length in x- (reach) and y-dimensions. add those stacks and reaches together, and subtract them from your "comfortable" stack and reach. Now you know how much reach and elevation you need to make up with the stem. Start looking at the specs for different stems, the most important being quill length to max insertion, angle, and length. Play around with those until it matches up with your comfortable bike. Trigonometry, trigonometry, trigonometry!
-This coming from the guy with the ugliest bike on the board that needed around 9" bar elevation above the frame!
-This coming from the guy with the ugliest bike on the board that needed around 9" bar elevation above the frame!
#6853
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,852
Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv
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Like others have said, take a bike you're already comfortable on, measure the stack and the "cockpit" reach (saddle to hand position on the bars). Now, pull up the specs on 1990 Hardrocks (shouldn't be hard to find), and do a lot of trigonometry. Using the head tube and seat tube angles, and top tube and seat tube lengths, calculate how much reach and stack the frame itself gets you. Figure out how high your saddle will ride above that and calculate the additional length in x- (reach) and y-dimensions. add those stacks and reaches together, and subtract them from your "comfortable" stack and reach. Now you know how much reach and elevation you need to make up with the stem. Start looking at the specs for different stems, the most important being quill length to max insertion, angle, and length. Play around with those until it matches up with your comfortable bike. Trigonometry, trigonometry, trigonometry!
-This coming from the guy with the ugliest bike on the board that needed around 9" bar elevation above the frame!
-This coming from the guy with the ugliest bike on the board that needed around 9" bar elevation above the frame!
#6854
Junior Member
I just kinda went for it and seemed to luck out. The Rockhopper I bought is a few inches smaller than my road bike frame. With a short 30 degree riser stem, I have a pretty small saddle to bar drop and it's quite comfortable. But, had I been more familiar with bike frame geometry I likely would have gone through the steps to ensure I could have a reasonable setup.
#6855
Full Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 170
Bikes: Fuji Touring Series V 1985, Motobecane Grand Touring 1982, Specialized Stumpjumper 1993, Raleigh International 1972, Raleigh Grand Prix 1972, Kuwahara Count 1983, Trek Cirrus 1987, Shogun 2001 1983, Cannondale SM700 1990
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18" Stumpjumper Pro 1992, top tube 22", got rid of the old Deore LX 175mm 48-38-28, brakes are setup pretty tight right now and the indexing is working great (thanks xenologer for the tip! I didn't even need to file anything down: https://www.bikeforums.net/14179409-post9.html). I'm 5'9.75" and the bike really feels much more upright and closer but I just built it last night so need more time to test it. Stems at full extension in both pics. Shoutout to RJ the Bike Guy and BikemanforU, I could not have done it without their help.
Crust Towel Rack 645mm $120
Stronglight Impact 165mm 48-38-25 $105
UN-55 73x113 $30
Nitto MT-10 100mm $70
MKS UB-Lite $37
Soma Striated Bar Tape $16
Sunlight Cable Hanger $10
Cane Creek hoods $11
Dia-Compe Red Dot with Safety Levers, used $10
Sunour α-3000, used $15
+ some cables and housings
Total = quite a bit more than I paid for the bike
Last edited by ZudeJammer; 09-25-20 at 08:22 PM.
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#6857
Senior Member
Fat Drop Bar
My current college commuter. Finally made the conversion. Loving this bike. Absolutely eats up the gravel around here. (bar end shifters, FD & RD are incoming. plz do not look at my zip tied thumbie)
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#6860
Senior Member
#6861
on the wheels of steel
Making some progress on my 84 Trek 850 build! It started as just a frame and fork and I finally got it to a state that I can ride it around the block. I did this with some temporary parts so I could test the fit and because I was impatient. The seat tube is about 54cm and the top tube is 58cm. I tried to reduce the reach with a short reach stem and bars. I think it could be improved with a zero setback seatpost (holy seat tube angle batman!) but it feels pretty good so far. The ride is very very smooth and surprisingly zippy on these big tires. I can see how this thing would make a fun (though terrifying) mountain bike.
The full build will eventually include gears and two entire brakes!
The full build will eventually include gears and two entire brakes!
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#6862
bOsscO
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 746
Bikes: 2024 Spec Crux, 2015 Norco Search S1, 93 Mongoose IBOC COMP
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Making some progress on my 84 Trek 850 build! It started as just a frame and fork and I finally got it to a state that I can ride it around the block. I did this with some temporary parts so I could test the fit and because I was impatient. The seat tube is about 54cm and the top tube is 58cm. I tried to reduce the reach with a short reach stem and bars. I think it could be improved with a zero setback seatpost (holy seat tube angle batman!) but it feels pretty good so far. The ride is very very smooth and surprisingly zippy on these big tires. I can see how this thing would make a fun (though terrifying) mountain bike.
The full build will eventually include gears and two entire brakes!
The full build will eventually include gears and two entire brakes!
#6863
on the wheels of steel
Thanks! Yeah it's hard to find tires these days. I think you can find these in 26x2.3 around for ~ 40 each, which is a decent price for any folding tire and a lot cheaper than RTPs. Still pricey, but I consider them a key part of the build.
#6864
Senior Member
I have a pr on the way from Bikeinn. $74 for the pr with shipping, which didn’t seem terrible to me. I ordered black but I think they also had skinwall.
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#6865
bOsscO
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 746
Bikes: 2024 Spec Crux, 2015 Norco Search S1, 93 Mongoose IBOC COMP
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Dude you are my SAVIOUR!!! I just ordered a pair (26"X2.15" skinwalls) from BikeInn for $86 shipping included. Should arrive mid-October.
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#6866
Senior Member
#6867
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,852
Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv
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#6869
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,852
Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv
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Ah..I knew it was obvious, just was drawing a blank.
I'm tempted to pick up a PR of the DTH tires, though their website is confusing. On the blackwalls they list the wheel size as 26-650". On the gumwall page they say the wheel size is both 26-650" and Etrto: 52/54-559(which should be the correct size). Confusing..
I'm tempted to pick up a PR of the DTH tires, though their website is confusing. On the blackwalls they list the wheel size as 26-650". On the gumwall page they say the wheel size is both 26-650" and Etrto: 52/54-559(which should be the correct size). Confusing..
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#6871
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Updates !
Campy Record 10s shifters & RD
11-36t cassette & 38-24t crankset
-17° 110mm stem
ITM carbon seat post
Ultra light (315g) 1.95" tires with some knobs
Purple bottle cages ;D
Total W : 22lbs
I know, my drivetrain is a bodge, my that's just what I had in the shed (except the shiftmate). I'm thinking about replacing it with Deore 1x12s, but I don't know how to mount the shifter on the bars... Any suggestions ?
Campy Record 10s shifters & RD
11-36t cassette & 38-24t crankset
-17° 110mm stem
ITM carbon seat post
Ultra light (315g) 1.95" tires with some knobs
Purple bottle cages ;D
Total W : 22lbs
I know, my drivetrain is a bodge, my that's just what I had in the shed (except the shiftmate). I'm thinking about replacing it with Deore 1x12s, but I don't know how to mount the shifter on the bars... Any suggestions ?
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#6872
bOsscO
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 746
Bikes: 2024 Spec Crux, 2015 Norco Search S1, 93 Mongoose IBOC COMP
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Updates !
Campy Record 10s shifters & RD
11-36t cassette & 38-24t crankset
-17° 110mm stem
ITM carbon seat post
Ultra light (315g) 1.95" tires with some knobs
Purple bottle cages ;D
Total W : 22lbs
I know, my drivetrain is a bodge, my that's just what I had in the shed (except the shiftmate). I'm thinking about replacing it with Deore 1x12s, but I don't know how to mount the shifter on the bars... Any suggestions ?
Campy Record 10s shifters & RD
11-36t cassette & 38-24t crankset
-17° 110mm stem
ITM carbon seat post
Ultra light (315g) 1.95" tires with some knobs
Purple bottle cages ;D
Total W : 22lbs
I know, my drivetrain is a bodge, my that's just what I had in the shed (except the shiftmate). I'm thinking about replacing it with Deore 1x12s, but I don't know how to mount the shifter on the bars... Any suggestions ?