neo_pop_71

I love the front end... straight fork with a black quill stem... it just looks uber wicked!!!

frantik

yep.. 22" with a 23" top tube..

.Cricket

Wow, I am really enjoying reading through this thread! To those talking about selling: I would buy one! I wish I had a bike-smart friend to rely on, and I would try and build up one of these myself.

Someday!

anixi

22" isn't that large actually. I've got one 23.5" and the other is 24". The one I've actually decided to hang onto though is 20.5", the others are not only too tall, but, nearly 5lbs heavier than the Spec. Stumpjumper.

andyfloyd

You just dont see a lot of larger mtb frames...generally 21" is the largest you can find now. Back in the day it seemed larger frames were easily obtained. I know for me personally I like a smaller frame because you feel more "in control" on the trails if you have to put your foot down on a sharp turn or something. There is a reason for 400mm seatposts on MTB's...make up for the smaller frame sizes.

neo_pop_71

Hey anixi, do you have any pics of your Stumpjumper? I've owned a few over the years but I've always been most partial to my '91 Comp, it was the only year that Specialized went with a matte gray paint with red decals and a bombproof XT 7 speed group... awesome!



Thanks!

-D-

andyfloyd

Looks great. Gotta love the older 7 and 8 speed XT stuff its bombproof.

frantik

back in the day they offered more frame sizes in general.. these days it's small medium and large..

got my gary bar and cables today

andyfloyd

Yea they did offer more sizes back in the day, and the parts were made to last too. First time I saw a vintage 80s rear derailleur I was like " holy crap its metal.."....I was used to seeing plastic. Even my SRAM x5 on my 2011 Diamondback has plastic on it.

Get that Jamis done already I want to see that bike done! I love the colors on that frame. Get it sub 25lbs!

frantik

I think i finally have all of the parts.. I've been waiting to get everything.. plus I told myself I couldn't work on any more bikes until I got the '89 DB listed up. Cause i told myself like 2 bikes ago not to buy any more bikes until I sold one

andyfloyd

Dude Ive been having a real problem with N +1. I mean I sell off some of my "flippers" then I find these sick vintage MTB's on CL and I cannot help myself. I went to buy that Paramount series 50 to flip it....then I get there...ride it and realize that oopsies Im going to be adding this one to the collection. Same thing with the Alpina 5.5....I got it for cheap and intended on selling it...then I ride it and its just amazingly light and fast and Im like...why should someone else get this bike? I like it too much, ITS ALL MINE!

frantik

haha i think something similar when i see a nice mtb for cheap.. i'm like.. i don't want someone who's not going to appreciate it buying it just cause it's cheap.. I saw an Alpina 5.1 that i think has the same frame as your 5.5 for $50 recently.. i resisted N+1 though.. it's getting pretty cramped in my place, even with a few of the bikes torn down to the frame or partially assembled

frantik

posted this pic last night in my Jamis thread.. hung all the parts today



still need to do the cables, and grab a rim strip and some bar tape

neo_pop_71

Hey frantik, what kind of crazy alloy pulley do you have on that rear derailleur? That front one looks familiar, did you polish it up? I'm digging the double chainrings over the typical triple that most mountain bikes are running. I opted to run a swaged Sugino Super Maxy as a double with the 48 & 36 chainrings, I can't see a need for a 28 or 26 ring, plenty of gear overlap with the double and an 8 speed cassette in the back.



Looking good man, I can't wait to see it ready to roll, congrats!

-D-

frantik

the red pulleys are Bullseye brand.. they came with the short cage RD. I wish they were purple but red is cool. And yep I did do a bit of rust removal and cleaning on the FD

and yeah, I don't use granny gears.. with 36x28 you're already in the low 30 gear inches which is more than fine for me. The bike i use for grocery getting and trailer hauling has only a single chainring and the lowest gear is like 40gi.. hasn't caused a problem yet. The fact the nearest hill is over 5 miles away probably helps a little


oh yeah.. here's an MB-1 I saw on CL.. came with drops stock

due ruote 

Just take a blue sharpie and draw spokes on the pulleys, then when you're spinning the colors will blur and make purple.

andyfloyd

I too recently picked up a short cage XT RD with a red pulley set on them. Aluminum pulleys reduce weight and since when did anodizing not look cool. Im actually considering dropping my 26T small because the 46T and 36T are enough and the short cage RD cannot take up enough chain in the small gears with the short cage.

Aemmer

That MB-1 is it!

Nice. Don't pass it up.
Go get it!

ThermionicScott 

That Grant Petersen sure was ahead of his time, wasn't he?

Aemmer

Charlie Cunningham was making drop bar Mtb's by the early 80's. No doubt there was someone else doing something before that.

The 87 MB1 is absolutely the coolest GP bike ever (in my humble Mtb. influenced opinion).

frantik

I'd love to pick it up but the seller is asking $650.. https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bik/3799217477.html

Oldpeddaller

PINK PANTECHNICON - Specialized Hard Rock

I finally finished the drop-bar conversion of the Specialized Hard rock MTB given to me by my nephew’s friend, who has emigrated to Sweden. My plan was to build it as a long-distance ‘rough stuff’ camping tourer. I put PINK bar tape on because – well, I’ve got a load of it and couldn’t imagine what it would look like on a bike!







The Suntour Command shifters flawlessly change the Shimano Deore LX/ 200 derailleurs, the fenders don’t rattle or rub, no overlap with the baggage – even the compass on the bell works. Big ‘fly in the ointment’ though – the first fifteen miles or so were delightful, gliding along on the Schwalbe City Jet slick tyres on quite rough back lanes, Biopace rings not really noticeable as being different.













Then the pain started. I had the sense to turn round at that point and head for home – lower back, front of my shoulders, wrists, neck, outer thighs just got worse and worse and the last three to five miles were a real ordeal. I had to admit that it’s just not a good fit for me. As an MTB it was fine for me to ride to the shops and back, but this frame’s now just too tall and stretched out in it’s current form to do me any favours.



Shame, because I think it looks very different and the components finally work really well together. Time for a rethink. I’ve still got a Saracen Tange MTB frame that was the original intended recipient of most of these parts. I'll need to remove the remnants of a broken steel seat post from the bottom of the seat tube and paint it. The Saracen frame’s a lot smaller and should fit me better.

OK so this is not as exotic or successful as some of the beautiful conversions previously posted, but for a first attempt at least it all worked mechanically, so far it's cost me next to nothing and it's a 'work in progress'.

Gravity Aided

I have a Fuji Thrill MTB frame that's a bit too small, but I think it may suit drop bars well. I'll keep you all posted. Nothing fancy, just some down-home drop bar goodness.

frantik

sweet hard rock.. too bad it's too big for you

wrk101

+1 Looks too big for you, with that little seat post showing, and the long top tube, saddle all the way forward, and super short stem.

A zero set back post would allow you to move the saddle forward about another 3/4 inch or so. I think it is still too big for you.

The good news is that all the parts will transfer to your next project.

I had the same problem, just the other direction. I converted my Alpina Pro (first posting), and the frame was just too small. I ended up converting a somewhat larger frame instead (my Cimmaron conversion).

The other good news is that rigid mtb frames are readily available, at attractive (low) prices.