Modernizing a bike from the 80s or 90s really doesn`t present any major issues. You can still buy brand new and smoothly working replacements straight from your LBS, Amazon, or any of the big online bike stores for just about anything on your bike as long as you don`t care about bling factor. Finding high end fancy-pants parts for anything other than "flavor of the day" is where you`ll need to start hounding E-Bay.

If you want to keep the drivetrain 3 X 7, you can easily do that (low level parts, but they`ll function as well or better as what you have now), or you can go whole hog with a zillion Dollars worth of high end 10-speed parts, or anything in between. The only thing you won`t be able to do without frame mods is convert to disc brakes, although you could switch from straddle cantis to "V" brakes as long as you replace the levers at the same time.

EDIT: If you go looking for replacement or upgrade parts for anything, note that an unknowledgeable or unscrupulous vendor or LBS employee might well tell you that you can`t do this or that. You`ll be doing yourself a big favor to research "speeds", cable pull, hub width compatibilities and work arounds for yourself before starting. Sources such as Sheldon Brown, Park Tools, or Biketutor will give you all you need to know, or you can just ask on the mechanics or collectors subforums here on BFnet or any other big cycling discusion forum. People will gladly explain exactly what you can or can`t do for any stage of a refurbishing.

This has been a work in progress but I believe it is finished now. Put it on the trainer to get her all dialed in.

1993 Trek 830 Antelope

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=371683http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=371684

Finally got a bit better picture of mine.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-N...1257765367.jpg

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=372461

1984 Specialized Stumpjumper. His name is Ludlow. Nic put this together for himself. Nic is 16.

Ludlow is a classy ride. I'd be tempted to put a 50 or 52 ring on the front and drop the bars down to a roadie position. Then I could get to trailhead and back a little bit faster.

Raleigh MTB touring build
 

Just noticed this thread was started in 2007! I'm building a Raleigh Mountain Tour Seneca MTB as a touring bike. Bought the frame from a forum member. mparker, also a forum member, gave me the idea and found the frame in this forum. Here are a few photos of the frame when I purchased it:http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=431465http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=431473http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=431472http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=431471http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=431470http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=431469http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=431468http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=431467http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=431466http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=431474

A local bike builder has added some brazeons and had it powdercoated. Velocity sealed-bearing wheelset is on order. When the wheels arrive, I will get them and the frame from the builder and post more pics. Stay tuned!

smcrane

Repurposed 80's and 90's MTB's are awesome and this is a perfect example of one that would work perfectly for me. It's the right size and it's proportions are just perfect!

My Voodoo Hoodoo mountain bike tourer.
http://i.imgur.com/OUogLJD.jpg

What tires are those? For an old MTB conversion skinwall or tanwall tires look sharp!

Beautiful. Where was this taken?

Thanks, it was here.

Only "converting" I did was rigging up brakes and shifters out on the barends and put an other pair of barends further inboard for sleeping bag lashing. Also had a light daypack full of stuff.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5032/...78654679_k.jpg

FYI Maurice: There's a supported tour that's going to use that road for part of it's route this summer. Oregon Bicycle Ride 2015

1992 Fisher Paragon
http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/...psahkpfhgx.jpg

^
Very nice!

That Paragon is excellent! Hard to find all the touring braze ons on an older mountain bike.

Agreed. I snatched it up when I saw it on Craigslist. Probably the only downside is the 1-1/4" threaded fork but you can work with it. I ended up using the Nitto column with a 1-1/8" threadless extender. That gave me the height I needed and endless options with stems.

I have two:

1995 Trek 800 Sport
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...e/21b09cde.jpg
My mother currently uses this one when she needs it, I used this for a lot of years around the city. I bought this bike new with my own money all those years ago.

2010 On-One Inbred
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...psyy3h5egj.jpg
This one is actually my daily driver, and no I do not have any issues with the big tire on the front. I am currently building an IGH for this one.

Wow! I just saw your Alberta to Arizona video. I was mesmerized from beginning to end. What a great trip. And thanks for taking the time to do the video, I really enjoyed it.

Cool, thanks for that info! Now that @mobile_simon has inspired me with his video, I just might need to do a trip like "Lighthouses & Lumberjacks."

Glad you liked it!

Raleigh MTB touring build
 

Ran into a problem AFTER the brazeons had been added and the frame had been powdercoated. I had purchased a Nashbar 1-inch threaded cartridge bearing headset on ebay for $15.00. The guy who added the brazeons was supposed to install it after powdercoating. When he tried to install it, he discovered that Raleigh used a BMX headset! I really wanted a sealed bearing headset, but neither he nor I could find one to fit that frame. We ended up with a Neco headset that will fit, but it uses caged bearings. :notamused: Nobody's fault. At least it was reasonably priced. I will get the frame with headset installed soon, and mparker and I will build it up. Build photos will follow.

Call Chris King in Portland OR, and I suspect something compatible is available ..
All else the well equipped Pro Bike shop can do a little Head tube reaming and facing to dress it Out a mm or so.

whats the head tube Bore Now? was it masked off and so no powder in side?

The builder who added the braze-ons and got the frame powdercoated and I found a headset that fits well enough. The ID of the headtube is 32.3mm.

If anyone who is considering converting a vintage MTB to a touring bike, make sure that you have a headset that fits, or that you can get one that fits. You must measure the inside diameter of the headtube to be certain. If the headtube is an odd size, a builder can braze in an adapter so that more standard-sized headsets will fit. This is an extremely important issue that you should address before doing anything else to the frame. I had a problem because we didn't discover that the headtube was an odd size until the frame had been powdercoated.

Looks very much like mine. It started as a heavy Wheeler mtb. I put drop bar and GT chromoly fork on it. Served me very adequately until I retired it for about 10yers Then I resurrected it with a new Chinese chromoly touring frame.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=435252http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=435253