Show Your Vintage MTB Drop Bar Conversions
01-22-21, 11:20 AM
#7001
bOsscO
Join Date: May 2006
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Did this drop bar conversion on a Stumpjumper Sport in 1990 or so for my wife (I bought it new for her in 1986...though it might be an 85 model). She commuted on it for a couple years but then we bought a couple of XO-1s and hung up the Stumpjumper. Pulled it out of the rafters several weeks ago and cleaned it up with my daughter who has it now.
01-27-21, 04:35 AM
#7003
Junior Member
1992 Trek 950 Singletrack conversion
Here's another of mine, building these up are a great winter project. I used the MicroShift 3x7 to match to the original Deore LX components, although the odd top-pull FD with the cable anchored directly to the frame was a little trickier to adjust correctly. It all works really well in the end and is a pretty good low-budget build. Some spacers on the threaded-to-threadless adapter are useless but make a good look too.
Last edited by pcons713; 01-27-21 at 05:27 AM.
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01-27-21, 12:40 PM
#7007
Full Member
This is a c.1986 Diamond Back Apex that I saw in a Craiglist ad from St. Paul, Minnesota. I immediately fell in love with this bike and, since my brother lives in St. Paul, managed to get it shipped here to Nebraska. I'm not positive about the year, but the red is the original color and it has a Tange MTB frame and fork.
I wanted to make this my middle-class version of a Rivendell do-anything bike, so I swapped out the brakes for V-brakes, put on some Nitto Choco bars and changed to thumb shifters. I also got new wheels that I eventually put Serfas Drifter tires on and installed a Brooks saddle.
The first picture is as I re-assembled it out of the box, already converted to a touring bike.
It's a fun bike that I really enjoy. I'm starting another conversion that is going to be a mountain bike converted to a drop bar gravel bike. I posted about it here https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1142954-building-mountain-bike-drop-bar-conversion.html
I wanted to make this my middle-class version of a Rivendell do-anything bike, so I swapped out the brakes for V-brakes, put on some Nitto Choco bars and changed to thumb shifters. I also got new wheels that I eventually put Serfas Drifter tires on and installed a Brooks saddle.
The first picture is as I re-assembled it out of the box, already converted to a touring bike.
It's a fun bike that I really enjoy. I'm starting another conversion that is going to be a mountain bike converted to a drop bar gravel bike. I posted about it here https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1142954-building-mountain-bike-drop-bar-conversion.html
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01-27-21, 01:12 PM
#7008
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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Here's another of mine, building these up are a great winter project. I used the MicroShift 3x7 to match to the original Deore LX components, although the odd top-pull FD with the cable anchored directly to the frame was a little trickier to adjust correctly. It all works really well in the end and is a pretty good low-budget build. Some spacers on the threaded-to-threadless adapter are useless but make a good look too.
01-27-21, 01:18 PM
#7009
bOsscO
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Vancouver
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01-27-21, 02:41 PM
#7010
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Seattle
Posts: 36
Bikes: 2008 Rodriguez Adventure, 1995 TiCycles, 1995 KHS Montana Pro Custom, 2012 Surly Troll, 1976 Azuki Gran Sport Custom Frankenbike, 1974 Schwinn Sports Tourer, 1976 Schwinn Superior, 1989 Kona Cinder Cone
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Got one in the works, not ready to show yet but soon. 1989 Kona Cinder Cone w/dirt drops. Love the U brakes here.
01-31-21, 08:30 PM
#7011
Junior Member
i really wish i saw this thread earlier. Built this few years back off of cheap Craigslist find. really loved everything about it, including all mistakes i made whist doing it and then some imbecile stole it locked in front of my building..
seeing so many beautiful builds here will go at it again.
seeing so many beautiful builds here will go at it again.
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02-02-21, 11:50 AM
#7012
Junior Member
I've been working on this 1992 Stumpjumper for a while. It had a lot of scratches that I had to deal with. I used flat white rustoleum and then a model paint that was an OK match to the original color. I replaced the headset, cassette, and cantilevers but I was able to use the original derailleurs, crank, and wheels. I replaced the consumables. I like the gearing on old MTBs (46/36/24 and an 11-28 7 speed cassette). I'm running 26 x 1.9 continental top contact winter tires. They're good for mixed pavement/snow. I'll install some fenders as soon as I track down the right mounting bolt. I like the way the bike came out.
Steve
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02-06-21, 10:58 AM
#7013
Junior Member
I took a punt on this Verago frame last year. The size ctc is top tube 57.5 cm and seat tube 56 cm (22"). There are the remains of a "swiss hand-made" decal, but no tube identification. I think the seat tube is SPX (27.0 seatpost, 5 helical ribs at BB) and the others likely SP. The lug work is quite nice and original kit looks to have been XT from the early '90s. There is very little info on Verago ATB/MTBs other than one article on RetroBike and on Oldschool Racing. If anyone has more information I'd very much welcome finding out more. As shown transmission is 3x9 (48-36-26 with 11-36) (retro)friction shift of Exage FD and XTR RD. The Nitto stem and bars are pretty comfortable. The brake booster makes a big difference as the seat stays bend a lot under hard braking. The paintwork is black with lumpy white 'spatters', a bit of an acquired taste (cycle Artex).
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02-06-21, 07:00 PM
#7014
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Berea, KY
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I took a punt on this Verago frame last year. The size ctc is top tube 57.5 cm and seat tube 56 cm (22"). There are the remains of a "swiss hand-made" decal, but no tube identification. I think the seat tube is SPX (27.0 seatpost, 5 helical ribs at BB) and the others likely SP.
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Andy
Andy
02-07-21, 05:31 AM
#7015
Junior Member
Thanks, yes, this may well be a possibility as Cromor OR, SP and SPX have 0.7/1.0 28.6 seat tubes. I'm fairly sure about the seat tube being SPX because of the ribbed butt. The tubeset has standard road dimensions with top tube at 25.4 (no access to check for ribs) and the down tube is 28.6 with no ribs. I think Cromor OR is oversize (for road) with top tube at 28.6 and down tube at 31.7. I think Cromor OR has 25.4 unicrown fork blades, but this bike has 28.6 unicrown blades (653 All Terrain?) and 25.4 steerer with what looks like an Everest lug. It looks like this is a mixture of tubesets.
02-07-21, 07:24 PM
#7016
Senior Member
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Thanks, yes, this may well be a possibility as Cromor OR, SP and SPX have 0.7/1.0 28.6 seat tubes. I'm fairly sure about the seat tube being SPX because of the ribbed butt. The tubeset has standard road dimensions with top tube at 25.4 (no access to check for ribs) and the down tube is 28.6 with no ribs. I think Cromor OR is oversize (for road) with top tube at 28.6 and down tube at 31.7. I think Cromor OR has 25.4 unicrown fork blades, but this bike has 28.6 unicrown blades (653 All Terrain?) and 25.4 steerer with what looks like an Everest lug. It looks like this is a mixture of tubesets.
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Andy
Andy
02-07-21, 11:02 PM
#7017
Junior Member
Salsa Dos Niner
My old Salsa Dos Niner, it rode like a quality hybrid and in this form I mostly used it to haul my todler son up the local mountain in a trailer, before this it had an upside down Velo Orange english 3 speed type bar and would later become a more boring flat bar Mountain bike, sadly stolen when my wife left the garage door open.
02-08-21, 03:37 PM
#7018
Newbie
Some really lovely bikes on here, congratulations and thanks to you all. I’m in the process of building up an eBay-bought ‘89 Raleigh Appalachian frameset (Reynolds 531 All Terrain) as a drop-bar tourer/gravel/utility bike. The intention was to use ‘in-stock’ (in my garage) parts as much as possible. This is going pretty well, but I will be buying Nitto stem (MT-10) and bars (BA132AAF) and Maxxis DTH 2.15 tyres. Will post some pics as soon as I’ve got my post count up.
02-08-21, 03:41 PM
#7019
Newbie
Great to see this thread going strong after so many years, so I'll add in my contribution - conversion of a 1994 Giant Chaos. Little known frame but really quite nice with double butted tubes including stays and a threadless headset. I used MicroShift / MicroNew 3x7 shifters to match the original Deore LX drivetrain and they work perfectly. No issues with fit or handling with the super short stem (maybe 50mm). All around a great budget build (approx. 130 EUR all in), and these Schwalbe tires float over the gravel and endless cobblestones in Germany!
02-08-21, 10:08 PM
#7020
bOsscO
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 746
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Maybe I'll put a set of Billy Bonkers on my next 26er build.
02-09-21, 02:49 AM
#7021
Newbie
I took a punt on this Verago frame last year. The size ctc is top tube 57.5 cm and seat tube 56 cm (22"). There are the remains of a "swiss hand-made" decal, but no tube identification. I think the seat tube is SPX (27.0 seatpost, 5 helical ribs at BB) and the others likely SP. The lug work is quite nice and original kit looks to have been XT from the early '90s. There is very little info on Verago ATB/MTBs other than one article on RetroBike and on Oldschool Racing. If anyone has more information I'd very much welcome finding out more. As shown transmission is 3x9 (48-36-26 with 11-36) (retro)friction shift of Exage FD and XTR RD. The Nitto stem and bars are pretty comfortable. The brake booster makes a big difference as the seat stays bend a lot under hard braking. The paintwork is black with lumpy white 'spatters', a bit of an acquired taste (cycle Artex).
02-09-21, 02:54 AM
#7022
Newbie
I think this (the 22.5 Shogun with the RTP tyres) is my favourite bike on here. Everything just looks right.
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02-09-21, 09:38 AM
#7023
Senior Member
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Thanks, yes, this may well be a possibility as Cromor OR, SP and SPX have 0.7/1.0 28.6 seat tubes. I'm fairly sure about the seat tube being SPX because of the ribbed butt. The tubeset has standard road dimensions with top tube at 25.4 (no access to check for ribs) and the down tube is 28.6 with no ribs. I think Cromor OR is oversize (for road) with top tube at 28.6 and down tube at 31.7. I think Cromor OR has 25.4 unicrown fork blades, but this bike has 28.6 unicrown blades (653 All Terrain?) and 25.4 steerer with what looks like an Everest lug. It looks like this is a mixture of tubesets.
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Andy
02-09-21, 12:00 PM
#7024
Junior Member
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02-09-21, 12:07 PM
#7025
Junior Member
Many thanks indeed, this is very helpful. I'm not sure why worrying about old steel tubes is so interesting, maybe it's just the times!
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