After coming across this thread about a year ago, I was inspired to create my own version. I started with a cheap 54cm Retrospec Amok ($370 at the time on Amazon). It's Cross-Check-ish, with horizontal dropouts + derailleur hanger. The only thing I kept was the frame, wheels, seat-post and crank. Here's the parts list for the rest of the build:

Mongoose paver steel handlebar and 105mm 25deg Bontrager stem from local bike coop ($10)

Ergon GC1 swept bar grids $22

Tektro CR720 Brakes $35

Race Face Wide-Narrow 40t 130mm BCD chainring $55

Kool Stop Salmon Brake Pads Dura 2 2x$7

Greenfield Rear-mount Stabilizer Kickstand Black $15

Sunrace CMS99 9-Speed Cassette 11-36T $22

Shimano SP-18-T Bottom Bracket Cable Guide $4

KMC X9.93 Chain $16

Odyssey Twisted PC pedals $16

Planet Bike Cascadia Fenders Hybrid 45mm Silver $33

Shimano CS50 Housing Stops for 1-1/8" Down Tube, Pair $12

SRAM X7 short-cage 9 speed rear derailleur $43

Sun Race MTB right friction shift lever $7

Wald 137 Front Basket with Adjustable Leg: Gloss Black $14

Sunlite Gold Tec Front Rack Black $12

WTB SST saddle $25 (used, Craigslist)

Banjo Brothers Waterproof Saddle Trunk Black $36


total cost ~$700




I love the bike. The only complaints I have with the frame are the heavy fork (which barely has clearance for 35mm tires + fenders) and the thin dropouts (which get bent have to be re-aligned every time the gusty Boulder winds blow the bike over). The handling of the original bike was quite twitchy, with a fair bit of high-speed shimmy. Weighing down the front end with heavy steel handlebars and a front basked actually improved the handling quite a bit.