Show Your Vintage MTB Drop Bar Conversions
#2001
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 12
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#2002
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 20
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
1 Post
After reading this thread I decided this is what i want/need. and old mountain bike, no suspension, cantis, drob bars, for my city rides (I hurt my back so no more mtb for me for a long time).
IMO the good point are
-solid frame
-gears
-strong tires and wheels even when 1.5 slicks are used (potholes, train tracks, dirt paths, etc)
-drop bars have 3 riding positions -maybe more
-good for long rides -from other people experience.
-cheap -at least this bike is cheap, 25 bucks CL find.
the bike right now is disassembled and in cleaning lub stage.
is a royce union unknown year, in fair condition. if everything goes well maybe later I'll upgrade to a lighter frame.
plan is to have it in running condition as soon and as cheap as possible and later upgrade components and new paint.
this is the CL pic, i'll update later.
IMO the good point are
-solid frame
-gears
-strong tires and wheels even when 1.5 slicks are used (potholes, train tracks, dirt paths, etc)
-drop bars have 3 riding positions -maybe more
-good for long rides -from other people experience.
-cheap -at least this bike is cheap, 25 bucks CL find.
the bike right now is disassembled and in cleaning lub stage.
is a royce union unknown year, in fair condition. if everything goes well maybe later I'll upgrade to a lighter frame.
plan is to have it in running condition as soon and as cheap as possible and later upgrade components and new paint.
this is the CL pic, i'll update later.
#2003
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 44,814
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12757 Post(s)
Liked 7,672 Times
in
4,070 Posts
Shoulda been a $5 CL find, I'm afraid. Those Royce Unions are pretty nasty bikes.
Sounds like you'd want more of a townie conversion than a drop bar conversion.
Sounds like you'd want more of a townie conversion than a drop bar conversion.
#2004
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 20
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
1 Post
-seat clamp was mounted backwards
-tons of thick oil on chain and freewheel -at least helped prevent rusting
-26 x 1 3/8 tubes in 26 x 2.10 tires!!!!!
other than that it looks fine -hubs are stamped "made in Italy"- not bad for cheap project/experiment!
#2005
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: SoCal
Posts: 834
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times
in
10 Posts
Hemizach stated,
After reading this thread I decided this is what i want/need. and old mountain bike, no suspension, cantis, drob bars, for my city rides (I hurt my back so no more mtb for me for a long time).
IMO the good point are
-solid frame
-gears
-strong tires and wheels even when 1.5 slicks are used (potholes, train tracks, dirt paths, etc)
-drop bars have 3 riding positions -maybe more
-good for long rides -from other people experience
How are his desires or interests any different than anyone else's in this thread? He seems like he's read through the postings and formulated a clear idea of what's important to him. I'm not going to make the leap that you did that his hurt back damns him to riding "a townie" for the rest of his days. A $25.00 bike that's going to get a new life and not end up in the landfill, seems like a good thing to me! I'm not going to be an elitist, I don't know hemizach's used bike market, and it's not any of my business! Hemizach, please post pictures of those hubs... I'd love it if you scored a vintage set of Campy or Fiemme hubs for 25 quid!!!
Thanks!
-D-
Last edited by neo_pop_71; 06-06-13 at 06:51 PM.
#2006
Thrifty Bill
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mountains of Western NC
Posts: 23,524
Bikes: 86 Katakura Silk, 87 Prologue X2, 88 Cimarron LE, 1975 Sekai 4000 Professional, 73 Paramount, plus more
Mentioned: 96 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1236 Post(s)
Liked 964 Times
in
628 Posts
I like to tinker, several of my keeper bikes have gone through several rebuilds and reworks, my Cimarron is on its third or fourth build, my Prologue is on its fifth, etc. I don't get hammered on the cost side as I keep an ample supply of take off/donor parts.
#2007
In the right lane
Keeping perfectly serviceable frames out of the dump is a great thing to do. There's a good market for touring and other fat-tire-application bikes. Older MTBs and hybrid can often be converted into pretty sweet looking rides.
#2008
In the right lane
At the $25 price point, you did just fine. Be resourceful on the project, and you should be able to make significant improvements for very little $$.
I like to tinker, several of my keeper bikes have gone through several rebuilds and reworks, my Cimarron is on its third or fourth build, my Prologue is on its fifth, etc. I don't get hammered on the cost side as I keep an ample supply of take off/donor parts.
I like to tinker, several of my keeper bikes have gone through several rebuilds and reworks, my Cimarron is on its third or fourth build, my Prologue is on its fifth, etc. I don't get hammered on the cost side as I keep an ample supply of take off/donor parts.
#2009
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 44,814
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12757 Post(s)
Liked 7,672 Times
in
4,070 Posts
Sorry to offend, that's just the opinion of one who spent several hours maintaining and riding a Royce Union around last summer. Uggh.
#2012
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Michigan
Posts: 90
Bikes: 2012 Rivendell Atlantis, 2012 Soma Double Cross DC,1984 Fisher Mt. Tam, 1992 Trek 970, 1993 Bridgestone MB-2, 1985 Trek 870
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#2013
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 44,814
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12757 Post(s)
Liked 7,672 Times
in
4,070 Posts
That definitely took the GT to another level there!
#2014
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Michigan
Posts: 90
Bikes: 2012 Rivendell Atlantis, 2012 Soma Double Cross DC,1984 Fisher Mt. Tam, 1992 Trek 970, 1993 Bridgestone MB-2, 1985 Trek 870
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks - Yeah, I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.
#2016
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 260
Bikes: 200x Coppi w DuraAce 9, 82 Schwinn Voyager 11.2, 2004 DeBernardi Track, 83 Centurion Elite RS, and some others.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
[QUOTE=mainstreetexile;15716300]Sweet, I think this is the first elevated chainstay drop-bar conversion I've seen.
+1. That is funktastic.
+1. That is funktastic.
#2017
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 260
Bikes: 200x Coppi w DuraAce 9, 82 Schwinn Voyager 11.2, 2004 DeBernardi Track, 83 Centurion Elite RS, and some others.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I can't make out the stamp on the seat. Is that a Brooks Flyer or a more affordable knockoff? How do you like it on road and off? I've been considering a similar saddle for the Trek 820 drop bar conversion. (Don't diss the 820; it was free. And so far, except for a $12 Gary bar, so is the rest of the conversion.)
#2018
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Michigan
Posts: 90
Bikes: 2012 Rivendell Atlantis, 2012 Soma Double Cross DC,1984 Fisher Mt. Tam, 1992 Trek 970, 1993 Bridgestone MB-2, 1985 Trek 870
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thats a pre aged champion flyer. I love the saddle but, it's kind of a squeaky one. If there's one thing I cant stand it's a squeaky bike but, for some reason this doesnt bother me much. Probably because I know the springs are doing they're job absorbing shock... I guess....
And dont worry... I not going to hate on an 820. This is a GT Outost like the bottom of the barrel for a GT. Speaking of Trek's Im going to look at a '89 950 this weekend!
And dont worry... I not going to hate on an 820. This is a GT Outost like the bottom of the barrel for a GT. Speaking of Trek's Im going to look at a '89 950 this weekend!
Last edited by simpleton.; 06-07-13 at 03:37 PM.
#2019
Junior Member
#2020
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Yukon, Canada
Posts: 8,759
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 113 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 16 Times
in
14 Posts
Thats a pre aged champion flyer. I love the saddle but, it's kind of a sweaky one. If there's one thing I cant stand it's a sweaky bike but, for some reason this doesnt bother me much. Probably because I know the springs are doing they're job absorbing shock... I guess....
And dont worry... I not going to hate on an 820. This is a GT Outost like the bottom of the barrel for a GT. Speaking of Trek's Im going to look at a '89 950 this weekend!
And dont worry... I not going to hate on an 820. This is a GT Outost like the bottom of the barrel for a GT. Speaking of Trek's Im going to look at a '89 950 this weekend!
__________________
1 Super Record bike, 1 Nuovo Record bike, 1 Pista, 1 Road, 1 Cyclocross/Allrounder, 1 MTB, 1 Touring, 1 Fixed gear
1 Super Record bike, 1 Nuovo Record bike, 1 Pista, 1 Road, 1 Cyclocross/Allrounder, 1 MTB, 1 Touring, 1 Fixed gear
#2021
Spin Forest! Spin!
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Arrid Zone-a
Posts: 5,956
Bikes: I used to have many. And I Will again.
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times
in
10 Posts
I had picked up a Alpinestars AL-Mega-DA frame that is also an e-stay config, and it's getting a drop bar conversion. Now I have a rough idea how it'll turn out.
#2024
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: The First State.
Posts: 1,168
Bikes: Schwinn Continental, Schwinn Paramount, Schwinn High Plains, Schwinn World Sport, Trek 420, Trek 930,Trek 660, Novara X-R, Giant Iguana. Fuji Sagres mixte.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 35 Post(s)
Liked 22 Times
in
10 Posts
#2025
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Michigan
Posts: 90
Bikes: 2012 Rivendell Atlantis, 2012 Soma Double Cross DC,1984 Fisher Mt. Tam, 1992 Trek 970, 1993 Bridgestone MB-2, 1985 Trek 870
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thank you all for the kind words!