Alt Bike Culture - Working on MTB/Cruiser Hybrid

So as the title says...I have an old Raleigh M60 my dad wants to ride but he wants Ape handlebars on it.

First Issue, the stems I have are typical 4 bolt and the ape bars do not fit. Do I need to convert to quill? The ape bars are Electra Mini Ape but if I can avoid converting to quill I'd be good.

Second issue, if I do convert what parts do I need so the stem doesn't look ugly sticking out of the steerer tube?

So am I creating the impossible and is the conversion as simple as putting the quill stem into the steerer tube (sounds too simple)?

Would just having the rear brake be ok (adding rear disc brakes is an option)?

What's preventing the apes from working? Too big or too small for the clamp? Post pics if possible. Converting to a quill stem means a new threaded fork & headset.

You can run rear brakes only, but your front brake provides most of the stopping power. Two brakes are best.

Here's a picture of my MTB/cruiser hybrid. I started with a cruiser frame & used bits off of a mountain bike. Worked well.

What's preventing the apes from working? Too big or too small for the clamp? Post pics if possible. Converting to a quill stem means a new threaded fork & headset.

You can run rear brakes only, but your front brake provides most of the stopping power. Two brakes are best.

Here's a picture of my MTB/cruiser hybrid. I started with a cruiser frame & used bits off of a mountain bike. Worked well.

The center of the bar is too small but the quill stems tend to have the perfect clamp. I'll get pics when I get back from vacation.

By the way your bike looks slick!

Shim it:

http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=7414&category=2680

Or get new bars, it will be a PITA to convert to 1 1/8 threaded.

Ill just make a shim like I did for my folding bike but instead for the bars. I'm hoping this works out but the bike isn't going off road or anything.

Got my Apes and a new stem ordered, now to find some fat tires, some type of banana seat/sissy bar and ill be set.

If its an aheadset forks and stem. Its easy enough fitting a BMX stem. As a lot of BMX use bars with no centre bulge.

Yeah most if not all the Ape Hangers are 7/8" and a lot of the MTB's that take a 22.2 stem are 1" (25.4mm ), some 1 1/8" stems use the old 1" (25.4mm ) bars also but a lot are going to the 30+mm bars. It is getting harder to find 22.2 stems that take a 7/8" bar but they can be shimmed as can some of the early 1 1/8" clamps. Problem Solvers make a lot of different adapters & stems so check there. As far as the Banana seat & sissy bar go, I would get the sissy bar first and check the measurement from the center of the seat post to the mounting bolts on the sissy bar and make sure you can get a seat that is long enough, some MTB's have longer Chainstays then a cruiser & finding a seat that is long enough may or may not be difficult.


Glenn