cs1

Very very cool. What kind of stem is it? I'd love to do that on an old Stumpjumper I have.

due ruote 

Love the Bianchi. It looks like it's made of Corian, which, if memory serves, was pretty hot stuff around that time.

anixi

Yeah, I would definitely change out the velociraptors for something more gravel/hardpack friendly. I've got some Serfas Drifter 2.0 on my 26" wheels. They're a great compromise of high pressure, tarmac friendliness, and adequate traction.

neo_pop_71

+1 agreed... these drop bar bikes are the modern versions of the original klunkers and I love them!

Funny coincidence, 10 years ago my girlfriend (now my wife) made the same comment... now she races a Ferrari edition (red w/ white accents and chrome lugs) Simonetti with Campy 10... way better than any bike I've ever owned! I guess you have something to look forward to frantik, call it the love build but think of it more as the never get to build another bike without catching the stink eye build!!!



-D-

wrk101

Every trip I take, the Cimmaron ends up being my choice of bike.

Riding the trails on PEI Canada, this one is in the National Park near Cavendish. Picked up a set of Madden vintage saddle bags. These are the smaller front bags, mounted on a vintage Blackburn rack naturally. Need to go ahead and put on a set of 600 pedals, and replace the canti brakes with some better ones out of the bin, then the bike is "done."






Next step is converting my wife's 1992 Paramount Series 70 to drops.


bill

likebike23

@wrk101 (Bill), , the ride pics are great. That looks like a great time, and it's awesome to be able to do it with your wife. Before my 3 year old daughter was born my wife and I loved doing these kinds of rides. I'm working on getting my daughter into biking so we can start doing more of these kinds of rides.

Anyway, about the bike. I'm surprised those brakes are not cutting it for you. Lots of cyclocross guys hunt down those brakes because of the way they work with road levers. I have to say on my Bianchi I just posted, they feel great. No doubt you already know this but maybe a different set of pads, better levers, or a tweek to the setup would make them better?

neo_pop_71

Hi Bill,

Beautiful photos and what a great place to ride! It reminds me of riding up the coast above Santa Barbara and into central California. If I do any coastal rides, I'm going with the '88 Cimarron LE that I finished rebuilding last year. The Cimarron is the ideal "all-arounder" in my opinion, I think it's pretty hard to beat a fillet brazed and lugged double butted 4130 CrMo frame... especially as they are still sort of "sleeper" priced on the used market (at least around here compared to a similar era Stumpjumper, HKEK, or C'dale).


It's funny as it happens almost every single time I see a nice flat bar mountain bike, I instantly think it needs a drop bar conversion. That's what popped in my head when I saw the photo of your wife's PGD70 next to your Cimarron. It's getting to the point where I almost hate the look of the flat bar set up, that single hand position bugs me... than I see your drop bar with four different hand position and wonder how I rode all those years with a flat bar!

Bill, let me offer up something that might improve your cantilever braking before you make any big changes. Have you ever tried using Tephlon coated brake cables? I wasn't happy with the braking on the first couple drop bar conversion I did that used aero levers and I couldn't figure out why. Then I remembered the Odyssey Tephlon cables I raced on my BMX bikes and how much those cables improved the performance and feel. So, I ordered a pair of Jagwire Tephlon cables, they are pre-stretched and Tephlon coated stainless cables that have a road end and a mountain end. You simply cut the mountain end off and thread it through as usual. However, I found that I could cut and extra length off on the mountain end and use that left over piece as a new "pre-stretched" straddle cable. For non-aero brake levers this isn't a big deal, but for aero levers it made a huge improvement! Consider the bends that the road cable makes going to the rear caliper... a slight bend leaving the aero lever, near 90 degree bend on the handlebar, another 75 degree (or better) bend as it leaves the bar to the top tube, and finally a 35 degree bend from the top tube to the rear cable stop. That's asking a lot for a cable not to bind up and lose performance. Right now Tree Fort Bikes has the cable on price match for $6.45 instead of the regular $8.99 Tree Fort price. The price match is good until the 23rd, so only a few more days but it's worth it when you consider the 25% savings. Plus, my LBS sells the same cable for the full pop $12.00 MSRP, so then it's almost 2 for 1 and that's hard to beat!

https://www.treefortbikes.com/product...FbF_QgodGQ4Aag

You've been plenty helpful numerous times, I hope this proves beneficial and I'm able to finally give a touch back the other way!

Best regards,

-D-

frantik

what brakes are on there now? it looks like mid-late 80s shimano cantis which are imo THE BEST

i feel the same way about flat bar mtbs.. when i see them they just look wrong haha.. though lately i've been putting in a lot of miles on my 86 Apex which is a flatbar with bar ends.. but i ride the bar ends pretty much like they were bullhorns and get at least 2-3 decent hand positions

frantik

i've already been admonished for taking longer than i said i would

seely

Made some changes since my last post... the biggest being the wheelset. I've now got Velocity Aeroheats on Velocity road hubs (sealed cartridge bearings), new seatpost, and a front rack. Love the way it rides.

wrk101

I just like the ease of centering of the next generation Shimano cantis, LX or similar. I also have a set of Paul cantis that need a home. I need to change pads before I do anything.

frantik

those ones should have a centering bolt.. but whatever works

neo_pop_71

Awesome Bill... I'll send you a set of LX canti brakes and you can send me the set of PAUL brakes that need a home! A loving home awaits... I have just the build in mind, thanks!

-D-

due ruote 

Here's a nice splattery candidate on Chicago CL.

https://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/bid/3998835845.html

gomango

I have one up at the cabin.

Great mtb for the money.

Highly recommended.

frantik

i want a park pre... love those paint jobs and also has a connection to Diamondback

wrk101

+10 Nice deal!

gomango

Ours is just begging to be an XO-1 tribute bike.

The frame is nicely designed and rides like a champ.

I have a full XT gruppo sitting here, including a nice XT/Mavic wheel set.

Heck, I even have the Nittos and a nice set of Continental meats.

Maybe this winter.......

Edit: Cool thread on ParkPre rebuild!

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/vie...p?f=6&t=138033

Julius_Happy

Can anyone help me to recognise this bike?

YoKev

I'm looking at doing a conversion on a bike with a 1 1/4 headset/fork. Stem selection is slim to none besides some $12 things on ebay that's still not exactly what I'm looking for.

Are you able to make 1 1/4 quill stems in this style?

neo_pop_71

That seems only natural given your love for D.B. bikes and Cozy having been the development guy at D.B. through the '80s, especially so on the BMX side as his son raced around SoCal like I did. I rode a few Parkpre hardtail mountain bikes and a couple BMX bikes but it wasn't until I landed my Grail that my love for Parkpre was solidified! I scored a "Pistol Pete" Loncarevich Team Signature frame (all the info https://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/park_pre/52530#.UhYYBN238rg) that I built up with carbon cranks, SE fork, 20" custom wheels, and Magura hydra brakes... I raced for fun with the other fat old men under the lights down at the BMX track. Then the bike became my daughter's first trail bike when she was 6, she ripped it up and fell in love with the dirt before moving onto her '95 Barracuda a few months ago as the big 8 year old. The Parkpre mountain bikes pop up around here pretty frequently, usually on the cheap, but being Cozy was up near John Parker and Yeti might explain why I saw so many GT, Yeti, and Parkpre bikes on the trails in the early '90's.

Here is a '91 Catalyst that has been dying on the vine forever... $85.00 and no takers!

Also, here is a nice write up on the '91 Hammer, the next model up from the Catalyst but not the top model... The Sledgehammer!!!
https://www.parkpre.com/reviews/parkpre%20hammer.pdf

Reynolds 

I'm converting a 90's KHS, using a 45° stem and some thumb shifters I had in my parts bin. Not sure about putting the shifters near the stem (I like it but would interfere with my handlebar bag) or using them as 'poor man barcons' as I saw some of you did. Any cons to this setup?

Edit: Decided to mount the shifters on top, there was danger of hitting the TT in the lower position.

RFC

I had sworn off new projects, but this 1992 Litespeed Ocoee frame fell in my lap. Since I don't have a drop bar MTB single speed, the path seems clear.

Here is a mock up of what will become the first iteration. Those who have built drop bar MTB's know that one of the biggest challenges is to get the drop bars high enough to be useful. Normally, I'm not a fan of stem extenders, however, I don't find this Satori Heads Up to be quite so offensive. Also, the clamp is massive and very secure.

Components will switched and changed as I develop the design, but the threadless stem does make that a little easier.

BTW which Tektro levers do I need for V Brakes?

hairnet

RL520 levers

RFC

Thanks!