Here's my 1990 Univega Via Carisma built up for hauling/camping. I bought the bike in great shape almost entirely stock, and have swapped out parts one at a time to get here, trying to use parts I already had and keeping most of the originals intact. Despite never crashing it, I've done much worse to the paint in the last 20 days than was done in the last 20 years, just in my constant riding and wrenching. I had no idea bikes like this existed until I saw a Schwinn CrissCross at a yard sale. Just like this, it had relaxed geometry, MTB components, and clearance for up to 700x48c tires. I passed on the CrissCross and then regretted it for a while before finding this Univega on craigslist. It was a cheap solid early hybrid as it was, and the Exage 500LX components felt solid enough that it was already more of a complete bike than just a frame or a project.

But it wasn't that easy. It turns out can't ride flat bars. My arms don't like to stay bent while riding. The bars were trimmed. Then flipped. Then I added bar ends. Then bar ends on the bar ends. I rode it everywhere for weeks and it could go anywhere, but even with high-PSI slicks, it was slow. After spending some more time back on my road bike that I've ridden for years, it occurred to me that the slowest thing on the bike was me. I needed a more aggressive, aerodynamic position. If this bike was a truck, it had to be an El Camino.

So I found a set of bars that should have never worked with this stem and this stem that somehow fit the bike. Cabled up a pair of backwards brake levers and upside-down barcons. I had only a hunch that any of this would play well together, but it somehow does. The bars are backswept somewhat and not actually flat at the top, so that gives me one great upright position. I can shift easily while climbing. And when riding out of the saddle on gnarly single track (preferably unloaded), I have a lot of control. Under-bar cable routing has been limited by ergonomics, so another set of levers at the tops are tricky.

Frame: Tange 4130 double-butted chromoly (TIG welded in Taiwan, likely made by KHS)
Drivetrain: Shimano Exage 500LX cranks (48-38-28), FD, RD. SRAM 7 Speed casette (12-32T). Shimano Ultegra bar-end shifters (both friction)
Wheels: Shimano Exage sealed hubs, Araya 700c 36 spoke rims
Brakes: Shimano Exage/Deore LX cantilevers, Tektro cross levers (I had to order a cable hanger that I fitted to my stem)
Pedals: MKS MT-Lux Compe
Bars/Stem: Profile Design bullhorn/Origin 8 1" quill
Racks: Blackburn Expedition rear, Jim Blackburn front

I also wish this was a sticky- A lot of great bikes and ideas here that would have inspired my own build, had I actually found the thread before now.