What to do with a vintage Bianchi mountain bike in Celeste green?
02-02-09, 11:00 PM
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What to do with a vintage Bianchi mountain bike in Celeste green?
My old mountain is hanging around with no one wanting to ride it. Made in Japan, Celeste green, nice lugged butted cromoly frame. I don't ride trails anymore, but do a lot of road riding and bopping around the city. I love tinkering with bikes, and now have no projects. So I was wondering if this bike would make a good drop-bar bike for city riding, light trails, maybe cyclo-cross someday? One possible snag is that is has a U-brake. Maybe put on 650C wheels on with cross tires? 8-speed STI? Any ideas?
02-02-09, 11:10 PM
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Two suggestions:
-old rigid MTB's make the best city bikes. Minimally, all that needs to be done is to put on slick tires. That alone transforms them into a whole new beast. If you are more ambitious, you could get creative with the bars: risers, mustache, dirtdrops. Depending on how you will ride it, you likely need not change the gearing at all. But, for those kinds of bikes, I like to strip off the front derailleur and all but one chainring. I have several such bikes and they are a blast to ride. I am not a huge fan of U-brakes, but really there is no problem with them (except they are heavy and ugly) Or, make it into a fixed gear and strip the U-brake off the rear altogether.
-Sell it to me so that I can do this to it.
jim
-old rigid MTB's make the best city bikes. Minimally, all that needs to be done is to put on slick tires. That alone transforms them into a whole new beast. If you are more ambitious, you could get creative with the bars: risers, mustache, dirtdrops. Depending on how you will ride it, you likely need not change the gearing at all. But, for those kinds of bikes, I like to strip off the front derailleur and all but one chainring. I have several such bikes and they are a blast to ride. I am not a huge fan of U-brakes, but really there is no problem with them (except they are heavy and ugly) Or, make it into a fixed gear and strip the U-brake off the rear altogether.
-Sell it to me so that I can do this to it.
jim
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Cross Check Nexus7, IRO Mark V, Trek 620 Nexus7, Karate Monkey half fat, IRO Model 19 fixed, Amp Research B3, Surly 1x1 half fat fixed, and more...
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02-02-09, 11:11 PM
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Got any pics?
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02-02-09, 11:25 PM
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I agree. Absolutely the best city bikes. Bombproof frame and wheels for handling rough city streets, flat bars for a more upright riding position, brake and gear levers at your fingertips, powerful brakes, gears for handling hills. Change to slicks and you can go as fast as you need to go. Add fenders and a rack, and you're good for all-weather riding, and trips to the store.
I've put my '91 GT Karakoram to that use. Still need to change to slicks. I'm going to wait until the threat of snow retreats before I do that (and hopefully will have my winter bike ready by next winter). I plan to have two wheel sets, one with slicks, one with knobbies, so I can switch between city biking (it's major use) and trails.
Oh, and I've got a u-brake on mine too. Not a problem, it's a very powerful brake.
I've put my '91 GT Karakoram to that use. Still need to change to slicks. I'm going to wait until the threat of snow retreats before I do that (and hopefully will have my winter bike ready by next winter). I plan to have two wheel sets, one with slicks, one with knobbies, so I can switch between city biking (it's major use) and trails.
Oh, and I've got a u-brake on mine too. Not a problem, it's a very powerful brake.
02-03-09, 12:55 AM
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Velocommuter Commando
+1 U-brakes are great on the road no so good on the trail/singletrack where there is a lot of mud.
02-03-09, 05:38 AM
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You don't need 650b wheels. Stick with the standard 26" and get a nice set of slicks. I say this every time someone is looking to do the mnt to road thing, consider trekking bars instead of drops. You get hand positions and can just move your old controls (brake and shift) over. Total cost would be maybe $30 for the bars, bar wrap and set of grips.
02-03-09, 09:43 AM
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celeste green? urgh. shoot yourself in the head.
02-03-09, 10:13 AM
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+1 Slicks.
+1 Trekking bars.
Adding drop bars to a mountain bike can be pretty costly (not the bars, but changing the controls). Trekking bars are a cost effective alternative as the existing controls are reused. The pic below shows Dirt Research trekking bars. Most people use the Nashbar bars, and I would recommend the Nashbar bars as well. The tires below are Nashbar slicks, 26 x 1.25. Catch them on a good sale, I paid under $10 each for them.
+1 Trekking bars.
Adding drop bars to a mountain bike can be pretty costly (not the bars, but changing the controls). Trekking bars are a cost effective alternative as the existing controls are reused. The pic below shows Dirt Research trekking bars. Most people use the Nashbar bars, and I would recommend the Nashbar bars as well. The tires below are Nashbar slicks, 26 x 1.25. Catch them on a good sale, I paid under $10 each for them.
02-03-09, 12:25 PM
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I would ride it as a mountain bike, personally. I know, I know, absurd. 
It would also make a good home for the celeste flite I've had kicking around in my parts bin for what seems like forever.
It would also make a good home for the celeste flite I've had kicking around in my parts bin for what seems like forever.
02-03-09, 08:28 PM
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Uber Commuter... my late 80's Super Grizzly. stripped down to SS these days and geared WAY low for winter.
'Rasher
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Last edited by roadrasher; 02-03-09 at 08:32 PM.
02-05-09, 09:47 PM
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Its up at a lake house now, waiting for summer. I plan to bring it home next opportunity and will post pix.
02-06-09, 04:51 PM
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+1 Slicks.
+1 Trekking bars.
Adding drop bars to a mountain bike can be pretty costly (not the bars, but changing the controls). Trekking bars are a cost effective alternative as the existing controls are reused. The pic below shows Dirt Research trekking bars. Most people use the Nashbar bars, and I would recommend the Nashbar bars as well. The tires below are Nashbar slicks, 26 x 1.25. Catch them on a good sale, I paid under $10 each for them.
+1 Trekking bars.
Adding drop bars to a mountain bike can be pretty costly (not the bars, but changing the controls). Trekking bars are a cost effective alternative as the existing controls are reused. The pic below shows Dirt Research trekking bars. Most people use the Nashbar bars, and I would recommend the Nashbar bars as well. The tires below are Nashbar slicks, 26 x 1.25. Catch them on a good sale, I paid under $10 each for them.
Last edited by texastwister; 02-06-09 at 05:01 PM.
02-06-09, 05:06 PM
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+1 for slicks. Did it on my wife's Trek 4300, and some friend's MTB's that only ride road. They love the change. So much faster, easier to pedal on the road, much smoother. Definately would make a good city bike with the changes mentioned above (fenders, tires, rack if you need it). As for the bars, find what you like/are comfy with, and roll with it!
