Show Your Vintage MTB Drop Bar Conversions
03-08-18, 09:21 AM
#5976
Newbie
It's not a MTB but it's a vintage drop bar conversion...
1994 Bridgestone XO4
1994 Bridgestone XO4
03-08-18, 09:28 AM
#5977
Senior Member
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Location: San Francisco, California
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Bikes: Brompton H6, Schwinn Mirada, Cruzbike Sofrider. Used to own: ICE B1, 2 F-frame Moultons, Koga Myata Elevation 5000 mtb, Challenge Hurricane, Riese & Mueller Birdy Silver, Actionbent Tidalwave 3
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I agree this is probably not how that type of bar was "intended" to be set up. But I don't think it really matters - I think as long as people are happy, comfortable, and out riding that's the main thing!
Since I ride mostly on road, I have a Nitto Randonneur bar. I like the flat ramps for most riding, but also the shallow flared drops work ok offroad and for headwinds.
Since I ride mostly on road, I have a Nitto Randonneur bar. I like the flat ramps for most riding, but also the shallow flared drops work ok offroad and for headwinds.
03-08-18, 10:29 AM
#5978
Sempiternal Newb
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In my experience, the stem has to be short to get the reach right so the primary riding position is in the drops, which can allow for a shorter stem height. I found that rotating the bars so the drops are at an angle allowed for an aggressive and stable stance. I found that the flats on the Portola weren't really good for technical riding, just a change of position. It looks like abshipp preferred to set up the bars so that the hoods would be the preferred position?
Here's how I liked my Portolas, not a lot of room on the hoods:
I don't have good profile pic, but I set up some Origin 8 drops the same way:
Here's how I liked my Portolas, not a lot of room on the hoods:
I don't have good profile pic, but I set up some Origin 8 drops the same way:
03-08-18, 02:18 PM
#5980
Senior Member
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Bars are like saddles, everyone is comfortable in a different position. By using the bars from and old Nishiki International on my '87 Renegade (Raleigh Canada) I got to set everything up fairly level. I don't use the bike for extended high speed single track so these work great. I have Salsa Cowbells on my Vaya and would not want more flare than that.
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We are what we reflect. We are the changes that we bring to this world. Ride often. -Geo.-
We are what we reflect. We are the changes that we bring to this world. Ride often. -Geo.-
03-08-18, 03:45 PM
#5981
Senior Member
03-08-18, 03:55 PM
#5982
Senior Member
03-12-18, 11:30 AM
#5983
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Wow, that's a stunner! The stem really ties it all together.
How do you like the Panaracer Comets? I'm looking at those for an upcoming drop-bar build and am wondering about their ride quality vs. rolling resistance on pavement vs. gravel. Their price is certainly the reason I'm looking at them in the first place, just hoping they might be decent for mixed conditions. Any comments?
How do you like the Panaracer Comets? I'm looking at those for an upcoming drop-bar build and am wondering about their ride quality vs. rolling resistance on pavement vs. gravel. Their price is certainly the reason I'm looking at them in the first place, just hoping they might be decent for mixed conditions. Any comments?
That Mirada looks fantastic.
I have a question for all the drop bar MTB people. I often see people put those dirt drop bars on bikes like this with the bars angled upwards, so that the ramps are flat and the drops have a somewhat extreme angle, as abshipp's bike above.
I tried that setup once with a pair of Soma Portola dirt drop bars. My experience was that with the bars angled up like that the reach of the bars was pretty long. And being in the drops was somewhat impractical, because with that upward angle they were farther away, which meant I'd have to lean forward quite a bit and get low to be in the drops. Ultimately they were pretty uncomfortable in any position because both the hoods and the drops were quite far away with the bars angled up.
My takeaway from this experience was that these types of bars were designed to be angled so that the drops are parallel to the ground, or almost parallel, and the drops (behind the brake levers) would be the primary riding position. This makes the reach reasonable, and coupled with a very tall stem, allows you to have a wider hand position for off-road handling, and more leverage on the brake levers. If you look at the original WTB and Nitto dirt drops, that's how these were always set up.
So I'm confused why people angle them upwards, taking away all their advantages so they could ride on the hoods like a normal drop bar. If one wanted a position like this, I feel like a drop bar with a short reach and very shallow drops would make more sense (for example, the Soma Condor, or Salsa Cowbell, etc) for this riding position. With the dirt drops angled up like that, they just seem like a drop bar with a long reach and far-away drops, the opposite of what someone would want for offroad!
Anybody share this opinion or is my analysis idiosyncratic?
I have a question for all the drop bar MTB people. I often see people put those dirt drop bars on bikes like this with the bars angled upwards, so that the ramps are flat and the drops have a somewhat extreme angle, as abshipp's bike above.
I tried that setup once with a pair of Soma Portola dirt drop bars. My experience was that with the bars angled up like that the reach of the bars was pretty long. And being in the drops was somewhat impractical, because with that upward angle they were farther away, which meant I'd have to lean forward quite a bit and get low to be in the drops. Ultimately they were pretty uncomfortable in any position because both the hoods and the drops were quite far away with the bars angled up.
My takeaway from this experience was that these types of bars were designed to be angled so that the drops are parallel to the ground, or almost parallel, and the drops (behind the brake levers) would be the primary riding position. This makes the reach reasonable, and coupled with a very tall stem, allows you to have a wider hand position for off-road handling, and more leverage on the brake levers. If you look at the original WTB and Nitto dirt drops, that's how these were always set up.
So I'm confused why people angle them upwards, taking away all their advantages so they could ride on the hoods like a normal drop bar. If one wanted a position like this, I feel like a drop bar with a short reach and very shallow drops would make more sense (for example, the Soma Condor, or Salsa Cowbell, etc) for this riding position. With the dirt drops angled up like that, they just seem like a drop bar with a long reach and far-away drops, the opposite of what someone would want for offroad!
Anybody share this opinion or is my analysis idiosyncratic?
03-12-18, 07:00 PM
#5985
Senior Member
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03-15-18, 08:15 AM
#5987
Junior Member
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Took a minute, but I finally set up my 1991 Raleigh Technium Chill with Origin8 Gary-2 bar. Wheelset bought locally, mavic 117 S.U.P laced to some old school zip speed weaponry hubs and cook bros skewers. Threw on a NOS ideale TB90 saddle which I was super stoked to buy locally after I saw it posted on eBay. Recently added a simple rack with a Walmart-sourced dish rack to keep things funky.
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/IMG]Took a minute, but I finally set up my 1991 Raleigh Technium Chill with Origin8 Gary-2 bar. Wheelset bought locally, mavic 117 S.U.P laced to some old school zip speed weaponry hubs and cook bros skewers. Threw on a NOS ideale TB90 saddle which I was super stoked to buy locally after I saw it posted on eBay. Recently added a simple rack with a Walmart-sourced dish rack to keep things funky.
Last edited by bikerinnola; 03-15-18 at 05:12 PM. Reason: More pics
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03-15-18, 08:21 AM
#5988
Eccentric Old Man
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I like it.
03-15-18, 12:24 PM
#5989
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Took a minute, but I finally set up my 1991 Raleigh Technium Chill with Origin8 Gary-2 bar. Wheelset bought locally, mavic 117 S.U.P laced to some old school zip speed weaponry hubs and cook bros skewers. Threw on a NOS ideale TB90 saddle which I was super stoked to buy locally after I saw it posted on eBay. Recently added a simple rack with a Walmart-sourced dish rack to keep things funky.
[/URL][/IMG]"]https://https://[/IMG]Took a minute, but I finally set up my 1991 Raleigh Technium Chill with Origin8 Gary-2 bar. Wheelset bought locally, mavic 117 S.U.P laced to some old school zip speed weaponry hubs and cook bros skewers. Threw on a NOS ideale TB90 saddle which I was super stoked to buy locally after I saw it posted on eBay. Recently added a simple rack with a Walmart-sourced dish rack to keep things funky.
03-15-18, 02:06 PM
#5990
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Ross Mt. St. Helens update
I posted this awhile back, but finally got around to finishing up this '84 Ross Mt St. Helens. It's been a great winter / gravel / dirt / whatever ride so far.
03-15-18, 02:15 PM
#5991
Sempiternal Newb
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I feel like I saw one of these with that same crankset on the Tallahassee Craigslist a while back but never could make the drive to check it out. Now I'm wishing I tried harder!
03-19-18, 11:39 AM
#5993
High Plains Luddite
Last year I bought a lightly used, inexpensive Schwinn Frontier from craigslist to keep in my office in the city for lunchtime rides to the library, taco stands, errands, etc. I am finally getting around to replacing the narrow flat bars and twist-grip shifters with something else.
Those drop bars aren't right for me with that stem on that frame but it was a fun exercise and an excuse to post not one but TWO drop-bar MTBs here.
Those drop bars aren't right for me with that stem on that frame but it was a fun exercise and an excuse to post not one but TWO drop-bar MTBs here.
03-19-18, 05:35 PM
#5994
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80's Mongoose flat bar ATB (I believe the predecessor to the mountain bike) converted to drops w/2 x 10 gearing.
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nine mile skid on a ten mile ride
nine mile skid on a ten mile ride
03-19-18, 09:22 PM
#5996
Senior Member
That 'goose really flies! Great job! Did you do a repainted or just strip the decals off?
03-20-18, 07:51 AM
#5999
Newbie
03-24-18, 06:37 AM
#6000
Senior Member
Not a vintage mountain bike, but its a drop bar conversion. Just finished this morning...
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Semper fi
Semper fi