bikemig 

To the OP's question: the drop conversion thread for mtbs is all about "modernizing" and re-purposing vintage mtbs. They make great all rounders and the price is right. For going offroad, the lack of suspension can be an issue.

I set up this 1988 Stumpjumper Comp with drop bars, "modern" bar end shifters, and new wheels. It's a great all around bike esp. in winter:

mobilemail

Tell me this ain't cool! Lugged frame and miles of chainstays!!!

Bikedued

Just gave my old 88 C'dale a rebuild. I am planning a 10-20 mile ride tomorrow.,,,,BD

bdumas35

Freshened up Bridgestone MB-1





XTR RD
XT 8spd cassette
Sram 9.0 V Brakes
Chris King Headset
Thomson Seatpost
Specialized Ti railed seat
Velocity K 525 Rims
Michelin Wild Run'r 1" Tires
Trek System 3 Bar

Italuminium

Sweet bike! welcome to the forums. I'd have no problem slapping a pair of fat tires on that one and take it to the trails.

Returning to the OP's question, I think that the biggest improvement for any mountain bike is a set of modern tires. Instant transformation.

Case in point:

Untitled by ctjr, on Flickr

frantik

sweet bike... i have those rims, super light!

vdub6541

I just finished changing up my 1994 Bridgestone MB-5 resto-mod to a rigid carbon fork. I've come to love modern components on older frames, as I prefer steel to aluminum (I used to have a Trek 4500 which I could never get myself to like). Here are a few pictures. I'm taking the MB5 on the trails for the first time since the change-up tomorrow, I'll take some more pictures then.

My bikes:

1994 Bridgestone MB-5 (Stage 1 - 1x10 Shimano SLX with Recon suspension fork, riser bar):



1994 Bridgestone MB-5 (Stage 2 - carbon rigid fork and v-brakes, flat bar):




1993 Supergo Access Comp XTR (monstercross single speed drop bar build--not completely resto-mod, but not purely vintage either):





and finally my old commuter, which I regret selling:
1998 Specialized Hardrock Classic (mix of XTR, XT, mostly LX components):

hobbs1951

Here's my Stumpjumper Comp, bought new in '88, and most of the original parts (XT, XTR) replaced with NoS some years ago - U brake removed and frame repainted and Tange Fat Fork added by Chas Roberts in '94, it has Tomac rings on the chainset, a Specialized stem and bar, Mavic rims and recently fitted Continental Traffic tyres.

Note the super rare Cinelli OR (Off-Road) sprung saddle.

Rarely ridden off road these days (it has been to the Highlands of Scotland, Cornwall, the Picos de Europa (Spain) and had various other adventures in it's time). I'm now looking for a classic hardtail with a suspension fork - perhaps a later Stumpjumper ?

Jon.

P.S not quite sure how to place images in text ?

bulldog1935

As far as the OP, price a few Stumpjumper framesets and you'll see the owners are quite proud of them.

Some other great choices to build are Schwinn KOM and any Gary Fisher bike.

OldsCOOL

The modern love guys want the newest, latest and bestest. This dynamic is more a function of the personality then anything else. Us older riders have the sentimental attraction added to the "I dont ride off cliffs anymore" approach. And that is just fine.

I had this fine '84 Univega Alpina Uno given to me this summer. The bright alloy parts, Ukai rims with high flange hubs and gnarly fat nobbies really sets it off. This is my main single-tracker. It's lightweight and handles with pinpoint accuracy in the switchbacks.
[IMG][/IMG]

loubapache

Here is my 1999 Stumpjumper with trekking bar. It has the 1.25 Fat Boy slicks on it. It is still lighter and better than many newer bikes, I hope.

gomango

I like old mtbs.

Loads of charm and utility.

At last count, I've owned over thirty of them over the last forty years.

But none of them handle like my Yeti.

Not even close.

So, I'll continue to fix up these vintage mtbs, but I'll continue to keep a keen eye on suspension and tire upgrades over time.

The advances are profound and at least to me, worth every penny.

DMC707

YEs ---- I have no affinity for actually riding vintage MTB's when I have a 6" travel trailbike and a 4" travel trailbike in the garage

But that said, I wont be selling my old Yeti looptail, or my Tange Prestige tubed Marin Team , -- also have a MArin Eldridge Grade equipped with slicks

If I ever come across a deal on any of the following, I will have to consider strongly, but I don't spend an inordinate amount of time looking : early 90's Klein's, Merlin, Litespeed, Dean, Ritchey P-23 or P-21, Fat City , YEti Arc or Ultimate, Nishiki Alien, Alpinestars cro-mega ,

gomango

Yes, always on the lookout for some of these myself.

Like this ARC X.



or this beast.

prairiepedaler

Interesting thread

bikemig 

+ 1. Nothing like a good argument without a good answer, .

This thread is getting me motivated to rebuild my 1991 Team stumpjumper. It's tange prestige tubing and I'll bet I can get it down to around 24 pounds or so.

clubman 

There's an 82-83 Stumpy, in my size locked outside on a front porch in my 'hood' with all it's parts. The market suggests it's worth a few hundred but I can't see what I'll get out of it. I'm sure it's a fun novelty ride but I have a few of those. It's just another boat anchor to clog up my basement even more.

Maybe I'm getting old. Once upon a time I'd obsess over it. Looks like this one, good condition but it's a rider.

OldsCOOL

Here is my winter ride this year. It's a '91ish Hardrock I bought for 25.00. Who needs a Stumpjumper??

[IMG][/IMG]

crank_addict

The early atb's are just old workhorses and only fun nostalgia riders. If you have other bikes, you don't want to ride one of these for long. They handle like slugs and not especially good climbers, no matter the gearing.

I think the early to mid-1990's with all rigid set-ups are really the versatile machines. Toss the front. suspended forks away too. Cheap fun can be built in many different ways for all sorts of applications. Most allow a wide variety of wheel sizes and tires.

Contrary to the suspended types. Have had others come to me in fixing all sorts of suspension atb's, including grip shift this and thats. I don't like them. Never ending bushings wear, creaking, quirky , wiggly, pogo, mini travel, ovalized mounting holes in gusset / brackets, sloppy hardware fittings, PITA rebuild of air / oil forks, hardened elastomer property changes, un-obtanium replacement der. hangers for the broken.

Riding those old susp. type is not fun including even into the more modern GT idrive of which set you up for taking a header with its un-balanced forward body weight transfer. Annoying. Only exceptions I wouldn't mind having in the vinti suspended type are from the boutique handbuilts. Though honestly doubt would ride it much.

Getting on something modern is truly amazing and a transformation. Spoils one. Other than that, as I mentioned go with a full rigid 90's era and make it a utility fun machine. Piles of them available for nominal money.

bikemig 

Cheap is good for a winter rider.

Loose Chain

That is along the lines of what I intend for this one:



I bought it a size up from what I would normally get for a MTB so I can set it up more as a gravel grinder, multi-purpose bike with drop bars and a stable mate to this one:



I think the reason in part that MTBs get no love is that they are generally beat to Hades and thoroughly trashed out.

J

bikemig 

Sweet, sizing up is good when going drop bar. Also in some ways, the older the better when doing a drop bar conversion. Older MTBs (often those from the 80s) tend not to have as long a top tube relative to the seat tube length which makes the drop bar conversion a bit easier.

But when it comes to the bike being beat up, my experience has been different. I've found a number of vintage mtbs in really excellent shape. I suspect those that were used as intended to ride off road did get beat up and many of those died. A lot of them have seen little use. The two MTBs I picked up recently--the 1987 Stumpjumper comp and the 1993 Trek 950--were not garage queens but they hadn't seen a lot of use either.

canklecat

I didn't think I'd be interested in older mountain bikes until I bought one and tried it. Now I can see the appeal. With a few modifications my Univega made a comfortable but efficient cruiser for mixed terrain and hauling a modest amount of photo gear.

And when I check craigslist I see more bargains in 1980s-'90s mountain bikes than comparable drop bar road bikes.

arex

A coworker of mine recently had this epiphany...swore by his old rigid Cannondale for a lot of years, until he tested a new full-suspension Cannondale with a Lefty fork. He found he was able to effortlessly go up and down stairs over by the college, and he never looked back. He still commutes on the old rigid bike, though...I can't imagine him giving it up.

Henry III

Wow blast from the past seeing this thread. I think I love older mountain bikes is because their so versatile and pretty cheap. I'm the weirdo at the shop as 27.5, 29ers or full squishy bikes don't make my eyes widen up but seeing a decent rigid 26" mtb gets me all giddy. Mind you I've got a Cannondale Scalpel and a fat bike but when a customer donated a old roached out Cannondale I knew it was coming home with me and would be given a new life. I'm like the crazy old lady who can't turn a hungry cat or dog away.

I like the quirkiness of old bikes and don't really want the most balanced single track ripper with oodles of grip. My next frame to build is a replica of Breezer #1 but with a twist. So stay tuned.