aaron, i noticed that you have the same generator switch mount that i do on my koga miyata on the back of the seat tube, have you ever seen one with a downtube shifter mounted there, that controls the front derailleur? i've been thinking about doing this and ordered a cheapy sunrace top pull to try it out.... just for fun i guess, it probably won't make shifting easier ha!

oh i forgot to add, awesome bike! the tubus racks look fantastic

I was thinking about heading in a similar direction on a commuter...LOVE that shifting on the lever.

I don't recall seeing anything like that...the oldddd campy front derailleurs had a similar shifting system to what you're describing. It would definitely be different!

The thing I love about that bike is that it just does everything; it's the bike I most often commute with, it's great on gravel, it's still fun to use and a little sporty and it handles rain and mud with aplomb.

64 Moulton...nothing is original except the frame, fork and FW hub. Swapped out all the steel for alloy from the parts pile including that spiffy Zoom seat post. The rims and high pressure Vredesteins make all the difference and I'd never go back.

Bought a bare Kilo TT frame. Built everything including the wheelset.

I think this fits your description.
Newish not period correct: Nitto Stem, Bars, Mavic Open Pros, Campy Pro Fit pedals..
Not stock: Super record rear derailluer modified with Rally long cage
Practical: Simplex retrofrictions, TA 48/36
Sometimes this wears fenders sometimes not.
It is a great everyday rider notta show bike

I bought this Raleigh Supercourse as a frame and fork, had it powdercoated then proceded to use Suntour parts from the bin with new Tektro brakes and handles for the build.

I rode it like that for about 6 months, then converted it with a Xtracycle kit I got on Craigslist to my utility bike, it also got a wheelset and tires from a Trek 920 multitrak, and a Sugino Crankset at that time.

I've decided to swap out the moustache bars for drops, but didn't want to remove the leather I stitched on them in order to get the Barcons off, so for now they stay.

These are older shots, but I'll post their updates, not exactly as you see them (although they're bastardized as shown)

First is a '94 Univega Activa Trail


converted to drops
Currently rocking Tektro CR720
No-name brake levers
Brooks B17
Shimano MTB front derailer
no-name triple (replaced the cracked original)
Kenda 700X38's

Next is my '74 Peugeot fixed gear

Formula hub, alex rims Flip-flop (16 freewheel, 17 fixed)
Michelin Speedium 2 tires
Schwinn approved 48t singlespeed (from a frankenbiked SChwinn World Tourist I don't have pics of)
Super huge Shimano dual-pivot brakes (from a BMX? Who knows. Got two fronts, spaced the rear out to work)
Planet Bike fenders
Cinelli drop bar
Belleri stem
Campagnolo non-aero brakes (switching to Tektro fairly soon - the campy's are too small)
Brooks B17s

all you guys have some real nice functional and flashy mix-n-match bikes.
makes me not wanna post mine when i get her put back together

I am much more of a tinkerer than a restorer and have modified a number of bikes to meet my needs. This may be my best:

-- gravel grinder
-- Russian/Dutch Ti frame
-- Deore XT RD and FD
-- Gossamer 50/34 crank
-- DA barend shifter
-- Thompson nosetback seat post
-- Tektro Brake Levers
-- Shimano cantilever brakes
-- 3T Forge Ahead Stem (my favorite)

'71Super Course, the "Loose Change" in my sig. I bought the bare frame for IIRC $50 and it gathered dust for a while. Swapped... I can't remember what for the Tange fork. Got the Le Paon fenders, complete with rack, for ten bucks at a later point. Headset is Shimano 600, stem SR Royal, bars SR Randnner.



For a while, the shifting was done with a Sachs Quarz, which pulls an enormous amount of chain; I think capacity is 34 teeth. Kind of overkill with the half-step 46/50 I had on the Mighty Tour cranks and a 14-30 7-speed. I found an early, early Deore mech and put that on instead, along with a 6-speed 14-32 SS Hyperglide freewheel. Levers are Simplex Criteriums, which came with the frame, and might be original to the bike.

I'm actually selling this, as I've never particularly liked the handling; kind of a shame, really, it's the bike that got me into vintage steel. But man, n+1 has reached ridiculous proportions and I've got to do something before I get buried.

Shes not a classic, but totally frankenbike. Fuji outland pro frame circa 2004 with disc/v brake mouting options, Sram 27 speed front crank set with a nice sealed bearing hub, 24 speed shimano rear cassette, Shimano 8 speed rear derailler.. very low on the food chain but it shifts great. Deore disc brakes with an xtr disc on the front and a lesser quality one on the back. Running xtr pads front and back, Sunrace shifters, Front wheel is Shimano deore level, back is some no name brand but it roll great and fits perfectly. Italian seat I got for free just by fixing it (The frame and the seat had seperated... no fun to get back in!) Rock Shocks Tora on the front I got second hand for less than half price. She weighs in at about 14kg so a bit heavy, but the ride is awesome and she fits like a glove. Don't think I could get a nicer riding bike short of spending a lot of $$$.

Love the old sports tourer, they seem to have all but disappeared from the market. I did a similar build, but mine was easy, just switched the flat bars out for drops and brifters on a Giant Excursion. I now have two of these bikes that are set up very similarly, time to decide which direction to go with the second one. I don't particularly like the brifters so they will probably go to bar ends. FWIW the Giant has Deore LX 21 speed, racks are stock Bor Yeuh, lights are Sanyo with a bottom bracket generator and no I didn't build it, this is the way they came from the factory.

Aaron

My Gardin frankenbike. Geometry too aggressive for the albatross bars. black cane creek brakes, campy everthing else, nothing matches. not fun trying to shift on a hill.


I plan to get some drop bars for it.

I think that you could improve the handling by changing the fork. Look how close the front wheel is to the down tube.

Mtn bike yes but this is a bored thread. Sometimes I feel guilty about bastardizing this bike and look forward to the day I find the right Type 2 fork to put it together correctly. Late 90's WTB Phoenix with an early 90's XTR 8 speed drivetrain (my favorite). Disc brake tab was added by SP back in the early 2000's. So modern brakes, Tubeless wheels, Carbon bar, Titanium stem, and a sweet Fox fork make this a joy to ride as my primary hardtail.

I think I can improve my bank account by several hundred dollars by selling it. I swapped in the fork from my Professional once, just to see if it was worth it to me to try to find a different fork. Still didn't like the handling.

An eclectic build based on a World Sport I found at a flea market. I only used the frame. Nitto B206AA bars, Campy Mirage triple crankset (26t chainring from the flea market), original DuraAce centerpulls, Paul Thumbies with Shimano 8-speed bar end shifters. VO Zeppelin fenders and a Civia Cafe rack. Shimano Alivio RD and a Suntour XCE FD. My commuter and grocery getter.


P6300110 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr

My 1983 Trek 620 says hola!

Got the bare frame off eBay and built it up with all new components ('cept the Dia-Compe 601s - had those on a Nishiki I got for free). 10 speed Shimano 105, Mavic A319 rims. And yes I know the bag is too small! Berthoud's dyer screwed up and they only had the medium size in blue. Good guy Gilles gave me a discount! Wife will get it once I get the tall bag.

Would never do this if the bike was complete.

Garage queen to be sure and rarely ridden, and although I haven’t posted in forever and haven’t torqued a wrench in over a year, I thought this ’83 Trek 500 9spd conversion, the last bike I ever built meets the OP’s criteria. The idea was to create an all-around sport/tourer out of stuff I had on hand. The only thing that is original to the bike is the frame/fork.

My biggiest mash-up is my overposted Comp-GS. Built up from a Frame-only buy, the only original parts are the paint and decals:

That's pretty cool.

I'm not much into touring bikes, but I like the bolt-on fever aspect to those kind of builds.

If I could only keep one bike, this would be the one. It's just so versatile and it really rides well. Most tourers either feel like crud loaded or unloaded, this handles well with or without weight. The koga is just so well thought out...from the plates to protect from rub, to the loop to protect from chain slap. I love the half fork fender mounts as well.

My only complaint is that, in a perfect world, it wouldn't have a unicrown fork.

Haha... nothing like a wald basket on an International to irritate the purists. How is that held on?