mountaindave 

Wow, you were able to bend aluminum?

SJX426 

YUUUUP! Don't know quite how to respond!

Modifying the street drops to MTB configuration is less expensive than purchasing new ones. The amount of displacement is significantly less than creating any of the original bends! Getting them symetrical is a pain because of the shape and trying to nail down the bar to create a good reference point between the sides for symmetry in multiple axis. You really don't know where the bend is going to occur. I tried to use the same process for both sides to ensure likelihood of uniformity. Not done checking yet.

Next challenge is getting a stem. I don't think I have a threadless stem for the bar diameter.

badger_biker 

I love success stories about fine tuning with a 2x4! It looks like you got them pretty symmetrical - nice job without kinking the tubing!

SJX426 

@badger_biker - Thanks! If the tubing would have buckled, I would not have be too disappointed. The Pinarello I bought about a year ago had a bent drop on one side. Bent it back, but it was only part of an inch. It did provide encouragement to give it a try. The process was taken very slowly with lots of inspection and validation of how to apply the force. Did not think a BFH was the tool of choice! A long 2x4 helps control the force. It worked on my bent fork (steel) too!

bjt0055

Thanks mountaindave. I really needed a bike that can handle the load, Im 6'4" and 225lbs w/ gear, tools, water, etc it could be carrying close to 275lbs at times. So far its held up well.

badger_biker 

Very nice rig bjt0055! That is the goal I had in mind when I started my Panasonic project. Any issues with the front Jandd rack hitting your down tube when the front wheel is turned to the max? I had that issue on a road touring bike and wound up selling the rack. It was a workhorse though and I kind of miss the platform.

bjt0055

No issues w/ the rack though at first I thought there may be, the shifters will hit the top tube before the rack hits the bottom, either way its beyond 90 degrees. The rack took some work to get it installed; fashioned some brackets for the low-rider mounts that are behind the rack so it was relatively flat, changed the calipers to Avid Shortys as the other calipers profile was interfering with the rack. I can see how it would not work on some bikes but they are great racks if they fit.

KonAaron Snake 

It hasn't changed too much since it was first posted. I LOVE this bike.



I'd seen this car in the area before...fun photo background.

Squeeze

I'm getting very close to having everything I need for my conversion and just wanted to run a couple things by the experts here, if you folks don't mind some newbie questions. I have never changed cables and components on a bike before, but I am fairly competent with tools and such so I'm not too worried. I do want to have everything ready before I start, and that's why I'm asking these questions.

1. I bought some Shimano bar-end shifters, new in the box. They came with cables but not housing. Does it matter what kind of housing I buy? I don't mind buying a large roll if that's cheaper per unit or measure than smaller pieces, and I plan to be tinkering on bikes for a long time to come, as we are a family of four with two young kids and we all ride. Would something like this product work with my bar-end shifters?

Jagwire 4mm Derailleur Housing w/ L3 Liner, Blk, 25 Roll

That product says it's compatible with Shimano 10 speed shifting systems. I have 3 x 8 gears. Does that matter?

Also, it says end caps are included. How many? Surely they include several with a 25-foot roll, right? Or am I expected to buy something like this "Hop-Up Kit", too? Truthfully, I wouldn't mind a little "bling", but if enough plain ones come with the roll above and similar products, that's good enough for me.

Jagwire End Cap Hop-Up Kit 4.5mm Shift Red

I'm not "married" to any particular brand - I just happened to find Jagwire stuff at my favorite (and local, to me) bike parts website. All suggestions are welcome.

2. I bought some Tektro road brake levers, which came without cables. I happen to have one of these cables new in the box from Perfomance Bike that I bought for my daughter's bike. It turns out I didn't need to change the cable on hers, just clean the housing. Could I just buy another one of these and be good to go for brake cables?

Clarks Stainless Steel Universal Brake Cable (with housing)

3. Here's my parts list. Am I forgetting anything?

- drop bar
- quill stem
- road brake levers
- bar-end shifters with brake cables (but no housing)

- cantilever straddle cables (need to buy. I figure it can't hurt to replace them while I'm at it. Mine are old. I'll get new pads, too)
- brake cables & housing (need to buy)
- shifter cable housing (need to buy)
- handlebar tape (need to buy. I have electrical tape for finishing)

Thanks!

mountaindave 

You don't have to buy the most expensive.

Yes, that would be perfect.

No, you'll be fine.

You might need to contact the seller to answer this question. Nothing wrong with bling.

Yes, that's what I use and they're fine.

Yes: a six pack of beer and a buddy to help you drink it while you work in the garage.

There are whole threads devoted to wrapping your bar. I personally prefer a "clean" look and wrap from the stem down - no tape required (you can see the start of the left side just above the brake cable):

thumpism 

Gotta love a big-ass Cimarron. I have a set of drops on a FlexStem that I'm about to install on mine, which I also got as a frameset. Rode it last week for the first time in a long time and rediscovered how nicely it rides. I picked up a set of Delta front lowriders but the fittings do not match up to the Cimarron fork's braze-ons and eyelets so it means a different front rack or modding this setup. Drops coming soon!

Tim_Iowa

Great advice from Dave.

Except the bar wrap. It looks quite nice, but, when you start at the center of the bars the tape edges are pointing toward you on top of the bars, instead of away from you (as when you wrap from the ends in). The edges of the bar tape will get curled up and dirty from riding up on the brake hoods and the bar corners. Think about how roof shingles overlap, or shark scales. You're pushing against the grain of the wrap up on top, and your tape will look and feel gross in a much shorter time.

Personally, I wrap from the bar ends to the center, and wrap the center with twine, Rivendell-style.

csarachene

My old Diamond Back Apex, around 1991. Lots of Boulder / Crested Butte / Marin miles on here before some jerk ripped it off.

csarachene

Here's its successor!

Squeeze

Thanks @mountaindave and @Tim_Iowa for the advice and the bar-wrapping video.

I figure the bar wrapping will be my fun reward after getting the mechanical stuff set up correctly, and easier to fix as well, if I make a mess of it the first time(s).

I don't want to obsess over this, but it's nice to get confirmations from those who have done this before that I'm looking at the right parts. Thank you.

mountaindave 

With cotton tape, I can see how the edges would curl up when wrapped stem-to-end, but foam is not so much an issue. And I can't stand twine for some reason.

Nice bikes @csarachene!

Bummer about the Diamondback getting stolen. That Paramount is pretty sweet though!

bjt0055

These do seem to ride rather nice. I dont ride it much as it looks so "big-ass" or cumbersome but once Im on it, it doesnt feel that way. I was really trying for a touring build and Im happy with the result. Like you, Ive tried other racks and nothing fit right or I didnt like them, but this rack worked out well. I did end up fashioning some brackets to get this to work, the brackets can hardly be seen. So now I just need some consistent nice weather to load this up for camping. Good luck with your build!

Bikedued

Resisting the urge to drop bar this thing. I even have a set of chrome 7/8's center bars from a PH8. Hmmm. Everything else on it is touring. Mountech and touring cranks(50 big ring IIRC?). Mini Dia Compe canti's. I am wondering if all this stuff was taken from a touring bike that was wrecked. Fuji Touring 4 or similar? These frames could only be ordered bare, so it's a possibility.,,,,BD

That stem is just bizarre looking to me. It has four 6mm bolts on the underside, so slipping won't be an issue.

Velocivixen

My 1985 Sekai Bigfoot had similar stem clamp but had 4 bolts - one on each corner. Guess this style was popular with the BMX crowd & when large company's strarted to mass produce MTBs they often used parts they already had.

Bikedued

They certainly did, but they quickly realized that bmx stems didn't offer near enough height. These were a couple of years down the line, where they used the same clamp type but added an extension.,,,,BD

arex

Sounds like my '85 Nishiki Colorado has a similar stem to yours..big chunky knob of a thing, four bolts.

gate28

hahahahaha!!!!

9009000

I hope some of you may be able to help with a suggestion for a drop bar MTB for me. I`m a tall rider & will generally be on a standard `old` road bike between 24 1/2 to 25 1/4. I even had a 26" Bob Jackson once.
The older off road frame seem to stop at a max of 23" c to top seat-tube - am I going to get a reasonable saddle position & reach if:
1. I use a seatpost with some layback
2. I mess around with a cheap ergo stem until I find what reach I want?
Any advice from similar shaped riders would be very welcome. Thanks, Julian

striknein

The people who benefit most from a conversion tend to have short legs and long arms/torso. If this describes your body type, you can generally find a much better bike fit from a mtb conversion than you would from most road bikes, even if that means you have to use goofy parts like extra long stems. I wouldn't mess with a seat post with a lot of setback though, unless you have an especially long femur.

wrk101

Because BB tends to be significantly higher off the ground, I think you will find a 23" MTB frameset to be pretty close to your 25/25.5 inch road bikes. Top tubes tend to be significantly LONGER on MTBs, so reach is not going to be a problem.

I tried to make a 22 inch MTB work for me (it was all chrome). Stand over was ridiculously high for me. No go.

I get the same reach with a 19.5 inch MTB that I get with a 22 inch road bike. I recently set up a 20 inch MTB and it had a top tube length of 24 inches. Too much reach for me, so I put North Road bars on it. The later you go, the longer the top tube IME. 1990s MTBs tend to have longer TT than mid 1980s versions.

Add to the longer TTs that dirt drop stems tend to bring the handlebars up AND forward, making effective TT even longer. I put the shortest stem I could find on that 20 inch MTB with the 24 inch TT.

I included pictures of a recent 1987 Cimarron I picked up. 17 inch ST, c-t-t, 21 inch TT c-t-c.