Since I built a single speed as my primary commuter, I decided to do something with the old commuter I made as a 700c drop bar MTB. I got tired of the flat tires and prefer running 26" wheels. This is the original bike I started riding a few years ago and I decided to do something special with it since the bike is special to me. I turned this old Huffy Mountain Bike back to it's roots, but with awesome components including.......

Zoom Brahma Bull bars.
Shimano Deore XT V-brakes and pads.
Shimano Deore XT brake levers.
Shimano Deore XT thumb shifters.
Shimano Deore XT hubs.
Mavic Oxygen 26" wheels.
Shimano SIS derailleurs and cables.

I kept the original Ashtabula Crank and indexing since it works well. I equipped it with fat 26X2.125 cruiser tires and these things roll over anything. I really love the fit and feel of this bike now. Check it out.........

A couple more............

I'd like to see trigger shifters, better crank and a nicer looking RD on, then it would be the coolest Huffy ever.

A Huffster. In '91 I bought a Stone Mountain. Yours looks like it's better quality. I rode that thing into the ground, not knowing how crappy it was until I bought a Trek 8000 two years later.

I have a Deore XT front and rear derailleur for it. I need an adapter for my rear dropout to make it work. That is the next step

I also have a Deore XT crank set with BioPace to install, but need to get a bottom bracket adapter.

[MENTION=376137]Johnny Mullet[/MENTION]

What kind of an adapter are you needing for the RD, like at hanger? Something like this?
https://www.schaltauge.com/Rear-Derailleur-Hanger-012

You've had a good run with the Huffy's ----

just quit now ----- turn them into wall hangers if you will, or recycle them and drop $120 on a semi vintage late 80's Trek/Specialized/Bridegestone/ Fuji/ - etc etc etc ---- and instantly experience better performance

I have a 1989 Reflex ALX Carbon. Too stiff of a ride. I had a Raleigh M20. Did not like it. I also had higher end road bikes and did not like them. I like my old Huffy bikes.

That is exactly what I need. I found my bottom bracket adapter on Amazon.

I think there were many different styles and they are pretty cheap so it shouldn't be a hold up. Way back in the early 80's I got a bike very much like your. It was a Walmarrt Murry Baja, it was the fist MTB I had ever seen.

OP, I dig the bike color and the yellow cable housings... Nice work biker

I will update this thread when I finish the upgrades on this bike. After the crank swap and derailleur swap, I might consider an alloy stem and seatpost, but these are oddball sized components. I do have Deore XT pedals to go with the crankset also.

Any suggestions on a decent 68MM English square taper bottom bracket?

"lipstick on a pig" comes to mind.

A very funny thread.

Some people prefer Carbon Fiber. Some like Chromoly steel. Others like Aluminum and Titanium. I prefer regular carbon steel. I like the soft, silent feel of gaspipe steel.

All these upgrade components came from an old Carbon Fiber tubed mountain bike. That frame is way too stiff for my liking and I don't like the feel or the ride. A forum member here is interested in that frame/fork combo and it will go to a good home.

What about a quill to threadless adapter for the stem? I know it's a matter of taste but one of my favorite things (visually) about modern bikes. I think I've seen them for around $15. Keep listening to me and I'll have a ton of your money tied up in this bike, LOL.

Ah, the trite old canards - "carbon fiber/aluminum is stiff" and "cromoly is so much more comfortable."

Application (as in tube diameter regardless of composition) is what counts. There is more flex in your tires' sidewalls than the "flex"/"soft silent feel" that you would be able to feel in framesets made with different materials.

Where'd you get the "Mullet" badge made?

I had some website sticker for my Geo Metro Forum and cut them up to custom make those.

I went to the local bike shop today to get the items needed to complete the build. The kid had no idea what I was talking about when describing the items I needed. The owner came out and was able to help me. He said...........

"I never seen an XT equipped Huffy before." I assume this frame has some sentimental value to spec it out like this."

Anyway, here is the rear hanger I needed and a bottom bracket conversion kit. I will update when done.......

Love it, great job. As someone who can't part with my first adult bike, which was a gift, a 2002 Trek Multitrack 7100 that still runs well today, I feel you man!

After I got some stuff done around the house, I decided to go ahead and finish the Shimano Deore XT conversion on this Huffy. I swapped out the rear derailleur and got all the gears tuned in. This little adapter was just what I needed.........



I also remove the one piece crank and installed the BMX 3 piece crank adapter and this was a real easy swap. I still use the original style bearings and they are still easy to service. I then installed the Shimano crank arms and Deore XT pedals.......



I am also running BioPace HP chainrings on this setup.........

After completing this upgrades on the Huffy, I only had enough time to ride up and down the road in the dark to tune the gears. I decided to do my daily commute on this bike this morning and I was very happy with the outcome. Every gear shifted perfectly and the brakes were better than ever. I still have to say the stock Shimano SIS derailleurs worked just as good and never had an issue, but if I am going full Deore XT, then I am all in. I will admit the Deore XT V-brakes work way better than the no-name brakes from original.

This Huffy is also noticeably lighter. All the components on this bike came from a 27.5 lb carbon tubed Reflex MTB and I suspect this Huffy is around 30 lbs with oversized carbon steel tubes. I will weigh this bike to verify, but I am not a weight weenie type guy and don't care. If need be I can find an allow stem and seatpost to drop a few pounds.