tk1971

Yep. The frame is absolutely pristine. Thanks for the great deal.

Jonatan F

I just built this bike up, mostfly from parts that I got for free. (wires etc, cannondale cranks and pedals are what I paid for really and those weren't expensive!)

I would love if someone could tell me what bike this is!?

wesmamyke

More pictures would help, but with that huge gusset on the headtube I'm guessing Alpinestars of some sort.

Jonatan F

Will try to take more Pics.

Appears to be alpinestar all mega according to another forum

its great fun even though My feet keep hitting the chainstays

RoderWrench

Wow, just found this thread and I can't get over how similar this DB is to the Bridgestone CB3 that I have been building for the past few weeks. I conceived the whole bike in my head and this is damn near the same bike. Total parallel thinking! Right now I'm experimenting with gear ratios and stem sizes. I have a 120mm road bike stem on it now, it looks awesome but its too long and too low. I have a stem just like yours off a Raleigh that I'm going to try next. What kind of fenders are those, are they metal? And where's your rear brake? Is it a coaster?

Velocivixen

I'm reposting this bike because I've changed some things. Post #3787 encouraged me a little. So I didn't "love" the Midge bars, so I took those off my 1988 Rockhopper Comp, and installed a Nitto MT-10 "dirt drop" stem, Soma Portola handlebars and Shimano 8 speed bar end shifters (using on friction). Took off the Serfas "Drifter" tires & put these Forte Metro 1.5" on. Took off the cheap plastic pedals & installed circa 1986 MKS "Grafite 2000" pedals. After I took these photos I had to rotate the handlebars up more so my arms weren't so stretched out.
'88 Rockhopper Comp by velocivixen, on Flickr

IMG_4945 by velocivixen, on Flickr

Velocivixen

I just completed another one. This time a 1990 Trek 930 (lugged) with Suntour Accushift Plus drivetrain all original. I used On One Midge handlebars with SunTour 7 speed indexed Bar-Cons. Rides great and is super maneuverable.
'90 Lugged Trek 930 by velocivixen, on Midge bars on 930 by velocivixen, on Flickr
SunTour Accushift Plus Cluster & RD by velocivixen, on Flickr
SunTour X-1 Drivetrain by velocivixen, on Flickr
Seat Cluster Trek 930 by velocivixen, on Flickr

On One Midge Handlebars by velocivixen, on Flickr
New Trek Headbadge by velocivixen, on Flickr
Chromoly Tubing by velocivixen, on Flickr
Avocet Cross Saddle by velocivixen, on Flickr

mountaindave 

Damn! You are a velocivixen!! Sweet bikes and sweet builds!

Velocivixen

Thanks. I'm figuring out that I feel more grounded when riding smaller wheel size with wider tires vs, say 27 x 1 1/4" tires.

Dale Alan

Me too,never thought I would go to smaller wheels. That is a real nice build,those bars looks very interesting. I think I may try something like that.

Velocivixen

@Alan Dale - The Midge bars are very hard to find. Planet-X in Portland is the On One (England) distributer in the US, and is in Portland. Although there were none available through the website (available, but never in stock), I called Planet-X and they had a pair of the black Midges in 25.4, so I went over to their shop and picked them up. I asked if they were not making the Midge bars and they said that they were just really popular. Seems if they were that popular the company would make more. Was hoping for silver, but as a consolation these were on sale for $39.99!

I don't line "normal" drop bars, even the short reach/shallow drop, but I like this style handlebar. Soma "Portola" bars are silver, with 26.0 clamp size and come in 53 or 56 cm widths, and they're narrower than the Midges. I have them on my Rockhopper and love them.

Sixty Fiver

Sweet.

Clang

I love the beefy seat clusters on these early 90's lugged Treks. Your blacked-out 930 looks tough! Your bike's close relative is on my local CL along with a 950 for $175 each. What's the going rate for these? Do you think vintage mtbs have been trending upwards?

Trek 950 930



Anyways, I just wanted to thank all the forum members posting here for providing such incredible inspiration. I just picked up a '86 Diamondback Ascent yesterday.

Velocivixen

Oh nice. I understand that those Diamond Backs, especially the Apex and Ascent were great bikes in their day. Have fun with it. I'm not sure what market you're in, so hard to say if $175 is good or not. I'm in the Portland market which is considered a "Hot" bike market. I paid $140 to the original owner for this bike & had to drive about 15 miles to a different town. She was asking about $175. I think $140 may have been a bit high, but it's a nicely lugged bike and I liked the seller!

I don't know if older mountain bikes are gaining in popularity. I live in an area where vintage bikes are appreciated more than I think is typical. I think that rigid mountain bikes are a nice platform for making a lot of different bikes from one frame.

Bikedued

Had to check in with my MB-2, which is not a drop bar, but a moustache to emulate an XO-3 I sold 4 years ago. I had forgotten how scary it was to ride on the dummy levers and have to stop...NOW! I got it stopped though. I was riding along in a group, and someone decided an intersection required a stop. I got on the front brake just in time. Whew! Now I remember to NOT get on the hoods in a group. A blast to ride though. It feels a lot like the XO, but heavier and the geometry is way more relaxed. Loved it! The grips, wrap, and saddle are to be changed to honey color, and Panaracer skinwalls to replace the black. Just changed the wrap after the ride. Saddle will be a Honey B.17. I am on the fence about fenders, but am leaning towards a no for this bike. A rear rack though, is a definite maybe.,,,,BD

Bikedued

I will probably change the brakes too. The 90's Deore's don't stick out enough.,,,,BD

257 roberts

just found this thread, I love it!! thanks for all the shares...what could I expect to pay to have a drop bar conv. done to my 1990 Giant AT 740 MT ?

wrk101

Paying to have it done would be expensive, and negate the advantage of a conversion. Bar end shifters are not cheap, then you have bars and brake levers, and possibly a new stem, and bar tape.

Shops around here charge $65 to $70 an hour for labor. Add over $100 retail for parts, probably more.


Be resourceful, round up some parts and do it yourself and it becomes cost effective.

wrk101

$175 in ready to ride condition sounds about right. Unfortunately, the one in the ad, while clean, looks like it needs a refresh.

forkicks45

This thread was one of my motivation threads where I got the idea to drop bar my stumpjumper. Here is the finished product. If anyone is interested I can get more pictures/details. Thanks for all the great build ideas everyone!

mountaindave 

Is anybody interested? Post more pictures, newbie, or go back to lurking! But seriously, welcome to the forums and yes, please post more pictures. Is that a 1x10?

forkicks45

Thanks for the welcome! It is currently a 1x9 actually. The bike started out as this with friction shifters, no seat, no wheels, and no chain found in the garbage of a neighbor who apparently decided that those were condemning faults. I threw an extra pair of 26" Spinergys I had, put up with the crappy cables on it (friction allows a lot of leway), grabbed an old saddle and rode it that way for a few months before getting the drop bar bug. As it sits it's a Deore DX crank and RD, a 38 T front ring and an 11-34 9 speed rear cassette. The JTEK allows me use the 10 speed microshift shifters I picked up for next to nothing. It makes a great do anything commuter at the moment.

Chrome Molly

Has a real "offroad sled" look to it. All business, even the tires look bigger on it when it's converted. Very nice conversion to brifters on the cheap. Makes me want to do something with that old rockhopper comp frame that's lurking in my basement.

09box

All these are pretty badass looking

mountaindave 

You found it in the garbage?! That is a nice save and a sweet build. It looks way more badass as a dirt drop conversion.

This thread reminded me of a jacked up El Camino I once saw with giant mud tires. It was unconventional and a bit odd... but still badass.