RideAtDawn

Thanks wintermute. I've checked their site a couple times, but they have been sold out for months.


Am I looking in the wrong place, or is there another site? Every time I try putting the handlebars into my cart on Planet X USA, it says they are out of stock on everything but the white finish, which I don't want.


Here is the link I'm trying for reference.


On-One Midge Handlebar


thanks again for any help or tips!

eastbay71

They've been out of stock for quite some time now. I tried the Origin8 Gary 2 bar but I don't like it as much as the Midge. @velovixen bought a Soma bar for her drop conversion. I can't remember if it was the Brevet Randonneur or the Portola. Nitto also makes a 25.4 randonneur bar that is similar but the drops are longer and deeper. You cant use a 31.8mm?

Velocivixen

[QUOTE=eastbay71;17283063]They've been out of stock for quite some time now. I tried the Origin8 Gary 2 bar but I don't like it as much as the Midge. @velovixen bought a Soma bar for her drop conversion. I can't remember if it was the Brevet Randonneur or the Portola. Nitto also makes a 25.4 randonneur bar that is similar but the drops are longer and deeper. You cant use a 31.8mm?[/QUOTE @RideAtDawn @ eastbay71 - I bought the Soma Portola bars in the 53 cm size. Nice silver finish. Planning on using Fizik Microtek in the soft texture (like suede) black. Here's a few shots of the bar.


I bought the Nitto Mt-10 Dirt Drop stem in 100mm to try to get the bars up higher.


I called Planet X here in Portland and they had a couple of the black Midge bars in 31.8 only. Said the bars were very popular.

My my bike will be ready for pickup tomorrow - see seperate thread on my Trek 820 situation.

RideAtDawn

[QUOTE=Velocivixen;17283767][QUOTE=eastbay71;17283063]They've been out of stock for quite some time now. I tried the Origin8 Gary 2 bar but I don't like it as much as the Midge. @velovixen bought a Soma bar for her drop conversion. I can't remember if it was the Brevet Randonneur or the Portola. Nitto also makes a 25.4 randonneur bar that is similar but the drops are longer and deeper. You cant use a 31.8mm?[/QUOTE @RideAtDawn @ eastbay71 - I bought the Soma Portola bars in the 53 cm size. Nice silver finish. Planning on using Fizik Microtek in the soft texture (like suede) black. Here's a few shots of the bar.


Those bars look pretty interesting. I'll have to check out Soma's site.

Thanks!

sloar 

I finally did it, I really like the looks and how it feels. Haven't had a chance for a long enough ride yet to adjust things.

Velocivixen

turned out nice. What year is your Marin?

sloar 

I think a 95!

simmonsgc

That looks great; all business. I see you ran your shifter cable under the tape. Maybe I'll try that on the MB-2 conversion I'm just starting.

sloar 

Little better pics, finally was able to get out today and put some miles on it. I really like how it feels. It feels a little like my road bike, so the comfort is there. I can see some loaded touring on this thing. Might need to get some tires more suitable for the road.

Bikedued

Wow, what a difference better pictures made!! LOVE it. Well done sir!,,,,BD

sloar 

Thanks

tk1971

Here's my $40 Rockhopper wearing about $500 in components.

Summary of build:

91 Rockhopper
FSA Mega Exo V-drive XC crankset w/ external bottom bracket
XTR RD-M950 rear derailleur
Kenda Excavator DC tires 2.2
M520 SPD pedals
New brake pads, cables, housing
Avenir 40 deg 90mm stem
Midge 31.8 bars
Gevenalle (formerly Retroshift) CX2 brake levers / shifters in friction mode
Brooks B17 saddle
Cateye Micro

The angle of the Midge bars and stem height is tricky to set. As I understand it, the drops will be the primary riding position.

After a short ride up and down the street, the bars started off like this:


All packed up and ready to go:


Made a small adjustment while going up the fireroad. Made it up the fireroad:






Then I started going down. I needed to re-adjust the bar angle. Hands bouncing off the drops while craned at a weird angle. One final adjustment. Small photoshoot once I got home:




Check this out. A cat and mouse sharing the handlebar:


I think I'm going to try a longer stem to see if I can nail down the bar position and angle. That would require me to re-do the brake cables and housing. I should have cut them longer. I didn't think about it until I got to the shifters.

gomango

Shawn,

I would switch those nice Maxxis tires out for Resist Nomads or Schwalbe Fat Franks/Big Apples.

I paid about $20 a tire for the Resist Nomads two years ago and they are still going strong on my Fargo. We tried them two summers ago on my son's Salsa and they were easily the best deal going at that price. A lot of performance for the money.

The Fat Franks are another super high volume tire that transform these mtbs into pleasure cruisers on the road. My wife has them on her Stumpjumper and I have them on my Miyata.

They come in different colors if the white is too much on your eyes. I found the white ones on sale for $23 a pop a month or two ago.

My Miyata is a super fun utility bike that I mainly use for fishing jaunts around our local lakes and rivers. Plenty of room for packable fly rods, waders and asst. gear.

[IMG]IMG_1794 by gomango1849, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]Untitled by gomango1849, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]SANY0062 by gomango1849, on Flickr[/IMG]

gomango

Great build.

Bet it performs quite well in those conditions. Would make a great fire road bike in northern Minnesota.

sloar 

Beautiful bikes Grady, I do plan on switching tires. Funny thing about those maxxis, I bought them new in 99 after I shredded a pair at Slick Rock. They have been on 4 different bikes and have held up great.

tk1971

Those white Fat Franks look great on that bike.

gomango

Thank you sir.

Don't get me wrong, Maxxis tires are worth every penny. I run Maxxis Ardents on my Niner and they are fabulous. I keep thinking that I would like to try a different brands from time to time and then I come to my senses.

They are just too good.

The Resists and Schwalbes though are excellent values. Normally I don't go too cheap on tires, but these are much better than their price indicates.

gomango

Thanks.

I'll let my wife know she got a compliment on her bike.

We can be out for a ride and her Stumpjumper always gets the nods over my Fargo.

I certainly understand why.

cooperryder

That's a great looking Marin you have there. Nice job.

cooperryder

gomango, those 3 bikes are outstanding!

Bicycle Addict

Hey guys I to have been bit by the bug, like crazy!

I scored an 88 Hardrock a couple of months ago but it turned out to be too small . . I have a 87 Hardrock build going on (starting from a very sad frameset) but today started mucking around with a couple of Marin frames I had about.


I am quite liking the feel at this early stage (sitting on bike hands on hoods) , I can see different uses for them the Pine Mountain will handle gravel duties while the Blue Muirwoods will be more every day.

1 of which will get a 2 x 9 Sora 3500 group with Tektro Canti's and possibly compact bars(undecided)
Anyway early days pics to come.

BradH

This thread inspired me so I built this over the summer. With the very cold fall we've been having in the Midwest I finally got it out and started putting real miles on it.

1993 Diamond Back Apex scored on CL for $50. It was complete minus tires. I swapped out the flatbar for drops, replaced chain & cables and repacked all the bearings. It had a nice Deore LX group on it. I already had the drop bars, shifters, freehub and cassette laying around. With the shorter Sunlite stem my reach to the drop bars is identical to my road bikes. I set the bars level with the saddle for a more upright position in the drops than I have on my road bikes. The Apex seems to be one of the nicer steel rigid MTBs from that era.

Deore LX front & rear derailleurs and hubs
Shimano Dura Ace 9 speed bar end shifters
I swapped in a 8/9/10 freehub and redished the rear wheel
12-27 nine speed cassette
KMC X9 chain
Deore LX crankset 46/36/26 175mm
Shimano M520 pedals
Old Dia Compe Aero levers
Deore LX canti brakes
Nitto B135 Rando bars
Sunlite 80mm/25.4 1 1/8 stem
Hutchinson 26 x 2.25 tires
SKS fenders
XT 27.0 seatpost
Selle Italia Flite Titanium saddle
27.2 pounds as pictured, well, with the snow melted off.

frantik

yeah i wish i wish i could score one for $50! Is the tubing TruTemper OX or TT-Lite?

BradH

It is TT OX. I'm not really a MTB guy but if I see a 950 or 970 Trek, Stumpjumper or anything equivalent for $50 I'm going to want to check it out! I gave away my 930 Trek so this is my replacement.

frantik

Both TT OX was the highest end tubing Diamondback used in 1993.. the other bikes you mentioned are definitely in the same category as far as price range and quality.. a little more under the radar though.. shhhh