that_guy_zach

Theres some talk of it in the touring forum, but mostly people complaining about the threaded headset.

RFC

I totally love the paint job.

Sixty Fiver

An easily adjusted threaded headset is a good thing on a touring bike... when the road gets long and you want to change up your position it is not as easy to do with a threadless which is really something that is optimal on mountain and cross bikes where you want that extra stiff interface.

One would think that after well over 100 years of use that folks would still be able to see the virtue of a quality threaded headset.

randyjawa 

Picked this Gary Fisher up at the Dump two weeks ago. The darn thing is near mint and destined to become my cottage rider...



The last gravel grinder (new term to me) was a mid eighties Bianchi Volpé that was a tad small...


Had to let that one go and have been looking for a replacement ever since. The Gary Fisher "Hybrid" is it.

Sixty Fiver

You keep calling it a hybrid... it is a cross bike or perhaps a light duty touring bike what with the fender mounts front and rear, higher drop placement, and cantis.

LeicaLad 

I've got a set of "street tires" for this bike, but I've become quite fond of the fat Marathon XR for gravel roads. It helps that the frame was built for 27", so I have the room for the 35mm XRs here.

1963 Hetchins Mountain King

randyjawa 

Nope! That is not me calling the bike a hybrid. I am just reporting the bicycle's model name - "Hybrid", which appears on the top tube, close to the head tube upper lug...



Sorry for the crappy pictures.

And, for what this is worth, I agree. The bicycle is certainly more cross than hybrid, which is just fine with me. I get lots of hybrids, but this is the first ever cross bike to come my way...

realestvin7

A few more parts and maybe my project will be in here. Good stuff.

repechage

I would just complain about the kickstand bracket.

cyclotoine

Disagree. I know it is adjusted with one bolt, which is great but....

1. I like bar bags and threadless provides a stiffer base.
2. Threadless is tougher and there are more options.
3. It takes me less than 5 minutes to change the stem position on a threaded set-up.
4. a larger diameter strear and head tube makes a stiffer front end which is important as I like to carry a lot of weight up front and sometimes I get out of the saddle on my touring bike and I want stability, I ride large frames which makes this a significant factor.

However, I don't think this bike is markets at the pure expedition crown it is for road touring. For serious touring I choose modern frames and semi-modern parts (8s DTs of course).

Six jours

The threaded vs. threadless issue was fairly well hashed out on the touring thread. The bottom line, IMO, is that some folks think threadless is tremendously better and renders everything else obsolete (and possibly evil). Other folks understand that each style has its benefits and limitations and will choose based that.

Beyond that, I figure that thread veered away from the OP early on because A) nobody's bought a V/O Campeur yet, and B) we can figure out exactly what the bike's going to be like by looking at the pictures and reading the specs: A reasonably lightweight TIG'd steel frame with traditional low-trail geometry, plenty of braze-ons, and clearance for wide tires. IOW, a somewhat nicer Surly or a somewhat not-as-nice Boulder, and perfectly good for touring, "gravel grinding", and whatever.

Unless the headest catches fire, cruelly maiming a busload of schoolchildren.

plodderslusk

That is one very very nice bike, but how can it be called a Mountain King with that gearing ? What's that a 52-42 with a 12-25 at the back ? Most of us would not have a good time climbing a serious mountain in 42-25.

LeicaLad 

Thanks for the comment. The gearing isn't that tight. That's a Stronglight 93 with 52t/38t rings and the rear is 13-28 with a 1st generation Rally RD. True, I have found a couple hills that make me think of putting a 13-32 on the rear, but this isn't too bad.

That said, while I was out riding it today, I was thinking about putting a triple on the front. . .

This bike is a pleasure to ride.

Remember, the name of the frame is Mountain King. The decidedly non-period-correct build is my fault. Imagine the gearing options of 1963!!!

BlueDevil63 

I built this for rail trail riding. It is a 70 something Melton frame, very stout, built wiyth Reynolds 531 tandem tubing. Probably built as a loaded tourer originally but a pretty strange frame. Anyway I built it with:

• Mavic MA2 rims on Record hubs, with Origin8 cyclocross tires, 700x32
• first gen Rally rear derailleur, Gran Sport front
• Electra Ticino crank, 50x39
• Shimano megarange freewheel, 14-34
• Sugino BB, SR stem. Sunlite bars, Kalloy seatpost
• Shimano levers and thumb shifters
• Zeus 2001 brakes

RFC

Great application. How does it ride?

scozim 

Wait, didn't you have a sweet looking Peugeot for your cottage rider? I guess two isn't that bad of an idea.

BlueDevil63 

Very nice. The upright ride is very comfortable for me. It's much lighter than the MTB I used to use for rail trail riding.

ColonelJLloyd 

1972 Gitane TdF 1x5

gomango

Most of my riding next summer will be on gravel roads, fire roads, single track and likely cow pastures.

So that means I am adjusting the stable.

I've already ordered a Salsa Fargo ti. Should be a great pack mule.

For distance riding though, including the Almonzo 100, I decided to build from scratch.

Picked up this early 1990s nos Walter Croll. It will be my only Reynolds framed bicycle.

Alex from A Train is taking care of mods, most of which are complete.

1) Canti studs for Paul brakes.

2) Stainless steel chain protector.

3) Added eyelets for Berthouds I have sitting here.

4) Moved the bridge between the stays for a little more tire clearance.

5) Removed the posts for dt shifters and installed guides.

6) Will install a stainless tab for the front derailleur and provisions under the dt for a third water bottle.

I have a complete nos 2004 Campy grey 10 speed gruppo I'll be using including a new set of hubs.

Rims will be tubular for sure and I have a few nos sets here to choose from. Can't decide yet.

Tires will be Challenge Fangos that I bought at our local swap last winter.

For paint, forum member Sloar (Shawn) is going to use a silver metallic with Ferrari red in the windows.

Mighty nice of him to take the project on as I know he has two-three bicycles in line at this point.

I have a black Brooks Swift, a black Paul seatpost along with a black ano Nitto Pearl stem.

Bars are Nitto Noodles, my favorites.

Here are a few shots.

KonAaron Snake 

Once I get a non-insane freewheel on the back (and water bottles, and tape), this will get gravel duty:

20grit

I just fixed the front brake on mine and hope to log some mileage on the New River Trail in the next couple weeks.

That is assuming the incoming storm doesn't turn things into a mud pit.

LeicaLad 

Justin,

I think I usually catch all your build descriptions, but I missed this one.

Lovely frame, that was either an amazing garage queen find, or you've refinished it with a period perfect transfer set. Black TdFs were very, very unusual in that vintage. The Mafac brakes, although the correct model, appear to be from a later time period (not that I am a stickler for period correct - as I'm totally not!). What are those gravel grinder tires, too?

As to be expected from you, a fabulous build. That is a stunning looking bike. Surely you've done a thread on this bike, yes? Repost the link, eh?

And, last question: How do you find the ride in comparison with other bikes in your fleet?

Cheers.

southpawboston

I've shown this before, but this is my gravel grinder: a 1980's Shogun tourer turned 650B randonneuse, shown in the environment for which it was repurposed:

gomango

A beautiful bicycle.

Looks like the type of casual riding we are doing in the Lanesboro area of southern Minnesota.

Riding on country roads open up so many options for day trips.

....and no cars, just the occasional horse, cow or deer to cross your path.

oldskoolwrench

Would this count?