Show Your Vintage MTB Drop Bar Conversions
#6576
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#6578
Senior Member
#6579
Senior Member
No need to be sorry, what you’d do with the bike isn’t relevant to me. 🙂 It did a decent job of being a CX bike for a season (7 years ago!) before I bought my Cross-Check.
That one was great craftsmanship but too small and too beat up for me to keep. It’s moved on to someone else, and is being adorned with period correct parts and gently ridden around town. I hope this meets with your approval. 😉
That one was great craftsmanship but too small and too beat up for me to keep. It’s moved on to someone else, and is being adorned with period correct parts and gently ridden around town. I hope this meets with your approval. 😉
#6580
Senior Member
DeKerf? Really? con't
No need to be sorry, what you’d do with the bike isn’t relevant to me. 🙂 It did a decent job of being a CX bike for a season (7 years ago!) before I bought my Cross-Check.
That one was great craftsmanship but too small and too beat up for me to keep. It’s moved on to someone else, and is being adorned with period correct parts and gently ridden around town. I hope this meets with your approval. 😉
That one was great craftsmanship but too small and too beat up for me to keep. It’s moved on to someone else, and is being adorned with period correct parts and gently ridden around town. I hope this meets with your approval. 😉
#6581
Junior Member

Before to start a short ride today , including a bit of hill climbing.
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#6582
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 93
Bikes: 1980 Peugeot PFN-10, 1989 Bridgestone MB-3, 1988 Univega Alpina Uno, 1974 Velosolex Saint Tropez, 1995 Trek 830, 1986 Lotus Odyssey, 1987 Schwinn Mirada, 1987 Raleigh Elkhorn
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Wanted to share an update on my Univega Alpina Uno conversion. I love this bike! Recently added the front basket and the Oury grips on the drops. Such a fun and versatile bike.




#6583
Senior Member
^ Nice Univega.
I also zip-tied the stretch net onto the basket on my town bike. It's amazing how much easier it is to deal with, having one side fixed.
I also zip-tied the stretch net onto the basket on my town bike. It's amazing how much easier it is to deal with, having one side fixed.

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#6584
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Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Eastern Shore, MD
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Bikes: Road ready: 1993 Koga Miyata City Liner Touring Hybrid, 1989 Centurion Sport DLX, "I Blame GP" Bridgestone CB-1. Projects: Yea, I got a problem....
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I found a Schwinn Paramount PDG 20 today........
#6586
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But I think this will turn out to be a good candidate for a drop conversion.
#6587
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Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Eastern Shore, MD
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Bikes: Road ready: 1993 Koga Miyata City Liner Touring Hybrid, 1989 Centurion Sport DLX, "I Blame GP" Bridgestone CB-1. Projects: Yea, I got a problem....
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#6588
Thrifty Bill
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Try a threadless conversion and a super short stem. Thats the challenge with SOME of the vintage MTBs, really long top tubes. Its something to watch for as others can have more manageable length TT.
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Please don't confuse ebay "asking" prices with "selling" prices. Many sellers never get their ask price. some are far from it. Value is determined once an item actually SELLS. Its easy enough to check SOLD prices.
Please don't confuse ebay "asking" prices with "selling" prices. Many sellers never get their ask price. some are far from it. Value is determined once an item actually SELLS. Its easy enough to check SOLD prices.
#6590
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Eastern Shore, MD
Posts: 2,108
Bikes: Road ready: 1993 Koga Miyata City Liner Touring Hybrid, 1989 Centurion Sport DLX, "I Blame GP" Bridgestone CB-1. Projects: Yea, I got a problem....
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I've got few frames that I'd like to try with dirt drops, I figure I can sequentially build them up as single speeds and see how they ride with the same wheel-set and cockpit.
The dark hunter green paint on this one is realy nice, and dark enough I think I can do a good job touching up the dings and rust.
The dark hunter green paint on this one is realy nice, and dark enough I think I can do a good job touching up the dings and rust.
#6591
Junior Member
Stumpjumper 2.0 for gravel duty.
Lots of custom bits, front brake bridge and relocated brake mounts, relocated rear brake mounts,
custom adjustable rear derailleur cable attachment to mate Campy to Shimano.
Rebuilt fork, relaced old road race wheels. So far so good.
Lots of custom bits, front brake bridge and relocated brake mounts, relocated rear brake mounts,
custom adjustable rear derailleur cable attachment to mate Campy to Shimano.
Rebuilt fork, relaced old road race wheels. So far so good.

#6593
Full Member
This Diamondback just makes me smile.

Last edited by imabeliever1; 01-05-20 at 03:06 PM.
#6594
Junior Member
Not an MTB but a hybrid—I guess it counts. 1993 Marin Redwood, full 700CX, pretty darn light for its size and age. Climbs like a beast.



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#6595
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This was fun to build. Mostly, because I didn't think that I had bits and pieces to make it work. It worked just fine today to run errands and then a 40 mile round trip to the city. And I received TWO "Nice build" comments while out on the road. Those are always nice.
A 22 inch 1990 Univega Alpina Team with a 23 inch top tube.
I used a thread less converter from Performace's going out of business sale.
I stuck some spacers under it to make it look ok.
Well used -17 110 stem and matching WCS 42mm road bars.
105 SLR levers that have been waiting for just the right project.
9 speed bar ends from my go fast road bike that I haven't made go fast lately.
A free hub swap which included the dust cap from a 105 9 speed hub (5500?)
9 speed HG 12/28 cassette.
REI sells me cables for 3 bucks sometimes. This was one of those times.
The red Fizik has been used a couple times before.
I hope to finish this off with a Nitto Tallux stem, Nitto RM-3 dirt drops and black tape.
Those Tallux will move the bars up and back a tad but it is very comfortable and fast as is.
The Cool kids use dirt drops on the trails. So me too.


A 22 inch 1990 Univega Alpina Team with a 23 inch top tube.
I used a thread less converter from Performace's going out of business sale.
I stuck some spacers under it to make it look ok.
Well used -17 110 stem and matching WCS 42mm road bars.
105 SLR levers that have been waiting for just the right project.
9 speed bar ends from my go fast road bike that I haven't made go fast lately.
A free hub swap which included the dust cap from a 105 9 speed hub (5500?)
9 speed HG 12/28 cassette.
REI sells me cables for 3 bucks sometimes. This was one of those times.
The red Fizik has been used a couple times before.
I hope to finish this off with a Nitto Tallux stem, Nitto RM-3 dirt drops and black tape.
Those Tallux will move the bars up and back a tad but it is very comfortable and fast as is.
The Cool kids use dirt drops on the trails. So me too.



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I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
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#6596
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1993 Stumpjumper FS
I built a Tange Prestige Stumpy for my dad. He’s thrilled. I’m too young to be doing this stuff.
I’ll post pics when I get 10 posts. It’s got a Surly Singleator, Syncros bars, 105 levers, GT road stem, and more. It’s 90% finished.

#6597
Senior Member
Sounds like you are old enough. Looking forward to the pics.
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#6598
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Here is my contribution to this thread. Only thing left to swap is the stem which is a bit short, and not silver..
Ritchey Logic (Tange Prestige) frame
Shimano XT derailleurs
Sugino crankset
Mavic 217 SUP wheelset
PRO Discover 30° flared handlebars
My left leg is currently wounded, hence the left crank arm situation (I can only pedal with the right one for now).
Ritchey Logic (Tange Prestige) frame
Shimano XT derailleurs
Sugino crankset
Mavic 217 SUP wheelset
PRO Discover 30° flared handlebars
My left leg is currently wounded, hence the left crank arm situation (I can only pedal with the right one for now).

Last edited by SergueiGatorski; 01-24-20 at 07:28 PM.
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#6599
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Really beautiful, nice work!
Until last month I had a traditional leather saddle, but one of the rails broke. I switched to a Charge Spoon in the same color as you! I had one on a bike years ago and always thought it was comfy, and I'm finding that it still is. And of course a bargain at 1/4 the price and half the weight of my previous leather saddle ;-)
Until last month I had a traditional leather saddle, but one of the rails broke. I switched to a Charge Spoon in the same color as you! I had one on a bike years ago and always thought it was comfy, and I'm finding that it still is. And of course a bargain at 1/4 the price and half the weight of my previous leather saddle ;-)
#6600
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Bikes: Some mighty fine ones at that!
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A little before and after. This is my 1983 Miyata Ridge Runner, pretty much stock with original bullmoose bars and added porteur rack.

Here it is with Nitto dirt drop stem and Soma Portola bars, sans porteur rack.



So far, so fun. I took it out for a shakedown around the neighborhood and liked the way it felt. Truth be told, I almost certainly won't use the drops unless I'm pedaling into a fierce headwind or screaming down a steep descent. With the weight of the bike and those tries, I really don't think there will be much screaming.

Here it is with Nitto dirt drop stem and Soma Portola bars, sans porteur rack.



So far, so fun. I took it out for a shakedown around the neighborhood and liked the way it felt. Truth be told, I almost certainly won't use the drops unless I'm pedaling into a fierce headwind or screaming down a steep descent. With the weight of the bike and those tries, I really don't think there will be much screaming.

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