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Show Your Vintage MTB Drop Bar Conversions

Old 05-17-21, 12:09 PM
  #7101  
BoozyMcliverRot
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Old 05-19-21, 06:00 AM
  #7102  
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Originally Posted by celesteguy
I did a Giant Innova 700c hybrid drop conversion and it rode beautifully. Would reccomend.

This looks like an OEM product!
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Old 05-22-21, 06:09 AM
  #7103  
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Put a midge bar with tektro RL 520 levers and bar end shifters plus a Tubus rack on this 8 speed Tequesta. Touring on local GR trails is the idea, with 2 small panniers and a handlebar roll.
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Old 05-31-21, 06:45 AM
  #7104  
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So this thing is finished (for) now. It's save to say this place was a big help and inspiration for such a conversion as when I first came up with this idea I quickly learned that it's not as easy as it seems but this thread offered all the information needed.
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Old 06-04-21, 09:30 AM
  #7105  
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Posted on Bike Rumor this morning; https://bikerumor.com/2021/06/04/spe...ge-at-unbound/
I know some of you will appreciate this.
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Old 06-04-21, 02:50 PM
  #7106  
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I'm very much considering converting an old mtb for mixed use. At this point there's a Schwinn Impact (just my size) and Haro Impasse of unknown model years, Diamond Back Outlook, Cannondale M300 etc. available. Some are further away or I'm not sure about the frame size. Someone has a Trek 730 MultiTrack for next to nothing in another city, frame size seems promising, but he claims it has 24" wheels (doesn't seem so in the pics). All of these are within $ 30 - 90 range. What would you suggest?

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Old 06-04-21, 05:06 PM
  #7107  
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Originally Posted by Krov9
I'm very much considering converting an old mtb for mixed use. At this point there's a Schwinn Impact (just my size) and Haro Impasse of unknown model years, Diamond Back Outlook, Cannondale M300 etc. available. Some are further away or I'm not sure about the frame size. Someone has a Trek 730 MultiTrack for next to nothing in another city, frame size seems promising, but he claims it has 24" wheels (doesn't seem so in the pics). All of these are within $ 30 - 90 range. What would you suggest?
Were it me I'd choose the DB or Trek. But for $30-$90 you can't really go wrong.
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Old 06-04-21, 05:42 PM
  #7108  
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Originally Posted by bOsscO
Posted on Bike Rumor this morning; https://bikerumor.com/2021/06/04/spe...ge-at-unbound/
I know some of you will appreciate this.
Didn't the Rock Combo come with drop bars? Therefore no conversion, therefore does not qualify for this thread. Harsh, I know, but...
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Old 06-04-21, 09:03 PM
  #7109  
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Originally Posted by Krov9
I'm very much considering converting an old mtb for mixed use. At this point there's a Schwinn Impact (just my size) and Haro Impasse of unknown model years, Diamond Back Outlook, Cannondale M300 etc. available. Some are further away or I'm not sure about the frame size. Someone has a Trek 730 MultiTrack for next to nothing in another city, frame size seems promising, but he claims it has 24" wheels (doesn't seem so in the pics). All of these are within $ 30 - 90 range. What would you suggest?
Multitracks had 700c wheels and are really pretty nice for an all-round utility bike. Sometimes sellers with low bike IQ state odd wheel sizes. Same with frames. They just don't know the measuring standards.
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Old 06-06-21, 06:45 PM
  #7110  
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In need of help. Any recommendations on drop bars that are 25.4mm clamp and 42mm wide (hood to hood)? Really wanted to go with one of the nitto rando bars but they are all too narrow at the hoods. Even the 45cm bars would be ~39cm at the hoods (if my deductions hold up).
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Old 06-06-21, 09:03 PM
  #7111  
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Originally Posted by Barchettaman
For this of you running 1x conversions, do you have any chainring and/or square taper chainset recommendations?

I am thinking of swapping out a 3x7 (or 3x8) drivetrain and going 1x10.

The donor bike is likely to have square taper and assuming the BB is ok I would hope to reuse it.

Dropping the chain is something I would really like to avoid; would one of these narrow/wide chainrings help?

thanks in advance!
Did you ever get an answer to this? I converted from 3x7 square taper to 1x10 Hollowtech2 and Microshift Advent X. The narrow wide chainring is now a 32t oval. Had to get a new wheelset to accommodate the larger cassette. If I were to do it again, I would just keep the rear 7 or 8 speed as is, convert the square taper BB to HT2 and get used dropbar levers with brifters or barends. The new Microshift dropbar levers and new wheelset were nice but brought my budget up.



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Old 06-07-21, 12:36 AM
  #7112  
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Originally Posted by antmaster5000
In need of help. Any recommendations on drop bars that are 25.4mm clamp and 42mm wide (hood to hood)? Really wanted to go with one of the nitto rando bars but they are all too narrow at the hoods. Even the 45cm bars would be ~39cm at the hoods (if my deductions hold up).
There are some cheap Zoom traditional drops (long reach, big drop so beware that it complicates the position) in 25,4 with 425 mm C-C. Not very nice or light but they work and are great to experiment. Would look like this on a cheap hybrid-CX conversion:
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Old 06-15-21, 01:47 PM
  #7113  
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Finally made my way through this entire thread- so many delicious builds! Lots of great information and inspiration here which greatly helped during my recent dirt dropper conversion project.
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Old 06-18-21, 03:40 PM
  #7114  
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Originally Posted by antmaster5000
In need of help. Any recommendations on drop bars that are 25.4mm clamp and 42mm wide (hood to hood)? Really wanted to go with one of the nitto rando bars but they are all too narrow at the hoods. Even the 45cm bars would be ~39cm at the hoods (if my deductions hold up).
Here's what's on my Paramount, SR copy of the Modolo Anatomico with 25.4mm center and 42cm wide at the levers. Don't know if they're still available new but you might find them used.


And speaking of drop bar conversions, my Marin mentioned earlier had its first official outing today when it got drafted for some trail maintenance. You might think I'm cheating by trailering to the trailhead but I'm glad I did. That B.O.B. was overloaded with chainsaw, spare fuel and bar oil, chaps, hand tools, cordless sawzall and spare batteries, water and snacks. The bike did okay but I'd rather ride gravel than a rooty/rocky path in the woods. And I'm going to have to make a PVC pipe kickstand for the B.O.B. because with substantial weight in it the bike will be overwhelmed if the rig is slightly off vertical at rest. In motion today, this thing did have a tendency to wag the dog. A learning experience in many ways.
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Old 06-19-21, 10:52 AM
  #7115  
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Just curious--- those of you who have converted to a 1x setup, what crank/chainring/bb setup have you used? I know I could just take the big/small rings off the triple and leave everything else alone, but I'm interested in maybe a more modern/lighter crank and a clutch derailleur....
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Old 06-19-21, 11:26 AM
  #7116  
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Originally Posted by no67el
Just curious--- those of you who have converted to a 1x setup, what crank/chainring/bb setup have you used? I know I could just take the big/small rings off the triple and leave everything else alone, but I'm interested in maybe a more modern/lighter crank and a clutch derailleur....
Not drop bar, and not really vintage, but here's my ten-speed mountain bike.

This is a mid-2000's bikesdirect Motobecane mtb frame with a standard 68mm bottom bracket shell. The only 10 speed chainring I had laying around was 39 tooth, 130bcd, so I used a normal, square-taper road crankset, with a 114mm bottom bracket spindle. The cassette is a Sunrace 11-50, and the derailleur is also a Sunrace, I want to say MX90, with a clutch. Shifter is a Microshift 10-speed thumbie. The gear range is excellent for riding around town and the shifting works great, It has thrown the chain three or four times though in the five months since I built it. If I rode it on trails I'd want a smaller, narrow-wide chainring, which would require cranks with a smaller bcd.
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Old 06-19-21, 02:15 PM
  #7117  
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I bought this High Sierra new in 1985, and since it wasn't getting much use over the last several years, I thought I'd either sell it or give it a little more of a 'gravel' vibe. Of course, the latter of the two won out, and I just finished putting it all together today. On top of the parts I already had, I only needed to order a stem adapter and a new bottom bracket (EDIT....tires, too). So, it turned out to be an affordable conversion:



I'll probably make a few minor changes as I go along but, all in all, I'm pretty happy with the result! It actually rides pretty well, too!

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Old 06-19-21, 03:23 PM
  #7118  
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Originally Posted by jim_pridx
I bought this High Sierra new in 1985, and since it wasn't getting much use over the last several years, I thought I'd either sell it or give it a little more of a 'gravel' vibe. Of course, the latter of the two won out, and I just finished putting it all together today. On top of the parts I already had, I only needed to order a stem adapter and a new bottom bracket: So, it turned out to be an affordable conversion:



I'll probably make a few minor changes as I go along but, all in all, I'm pretty happy with the result! It actually rides pretty well, too!
The clearance between the rear tire and the seattube means you can mount a water bottle holder there. I did that with my old Bianchi MTB way back in the 1980s.

It's not the best quality image but that's because it's scanned from a 3"x5" photo.


Cheers
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Old 06-20-21, 06:39 PM
  #7119  
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Originally Posted by eeuuugh
Not drop bar, and not really vintage, but here's my ten-speed mountain bike.

This is a mid-2000's bikesdirect Motobecane mtb frame with a standard 68mm bottom bracket shell. The only 10 speed chainring I had laying around was 39 tooth, 130bcd, so I used a normal, square-taper road crankset, with a 114mm bottom bracket spindle. The cassette is a Sunrace 11-50, and the derailleur is also a Sunrace, I want to say MX90, with a clutch. Shifter is a Microshift 10-speed thumbie. The gear range is excellent for riding around town and the shifting works great, It has thrown the chain three or four times though in the five months since I built it. If I rode it on trails I'd want a smaller, narrow-wide chainring, which would require cranks with a smaller bcd.
I run a 10 speed chain on old 7 speed Suntour rings so if you're not using a narrow wide, you can just use some old chainrings.
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Old 06-21-21, 12:40 AM
  #7120  
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Originally Posted by no67el
Just curious--- those of you who have converted to a 1x setup, what crank/chainring/bb setup have you used?
I use a Hollowtech II bottom bracket and a Deore double crankset (an FC-M6000, I think?) with a narrow/wide Race Face chainring in the big ring position. No clutch derailleur, but then I'm not often on very technical terrain. Works like a dream! I rarely drop the chain.
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Old 06-21-21, 07:08 AM
  #7121  
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Hollowtech

Originally Posted by OrkneyDullard
I use a Hollowtech II bottom bracket and a Deore double crankset (an FC-M6000, I think?) with a narrow/wide Race Face chainring in the big ring position. No clutch derailleur, but then I'm not often on very technical terrain. Works like a dream! I rarely drop the chain.
Thanks Ork-- those Hollowtech setups seem to be pretty widely available, either the M6000 or the M5100. Are you running a 10-speed chain/cassette? Interesting that the chain retention is good without a clutch RD. It would be nice not to have to source a new derailleur, just in the interest of keeping costs down...
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Old 06-23-21, 08:42 PM
  #7122  
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Not mine. Looks like a decent conversion with "bar combs."

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...93152205375075

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Old 07-09-21, 12:26 AM
  #7123  
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late 80s wisconsin steel
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Old 07-09-21, 12:25 PM
  #7124  
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Originally Posted by craig_dahlke

late 80s wisconsin steel
Fantastic
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Old 07-09-21, 07:14 PM
  #7125  
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Originally Posted by craig_dahlke

late 80s wisconsin steel
What bars are you running with the dirt drop?
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