Help me re-purpose my old MTBs!!!
sb88
Posts: 37
Indulge me - I have a problem of my own making. Please reply if you're interested in tinkering with worthless bike stuff too. If you're going to reply to explain to me that I'm tinkering with worthless stuff, please don't bother. Spending my money and time on inconsequential bike problems of my own creation is a damn sight better than spending it on the tabs I used to smoke!
I have acquired in the last 3 months 3 90s MTBs. I bought the first so I could stop beating up my road bike commuting, but acquired a taste for how versatile and durable they are - steel frames, 1 1/8th head tubes, standard BSA bottom brackets. And even though they're fairly low-mid end, I like how they have cool little features like internal cable routing and stamped logos on the dropouts that you might not see on modern entry level bikes.
I have various other parts already lying around to add to them to give them their own 'specialism', but I can't decide which bike/frame for which purpose, so I need help!
The frame sets:
- Trek 830 1997, 18 inch with rack mounts. Fairly long and low position. Paintwork still pretty good.
- GT Timberline 1992, 17 inch. Fairly short top tube. Paintwork pretty chipped and worn and original 'splatter' paint job makes it look dated and kid-like. Stem matches paintwork... No rack mounts. U brake rear.
- GT Tequesta 1993(?). 17 inch. Fairly short top tube. Paintwork - original owner seems to have sanded off the GT logos in some mad belief that GTs aren't cool. No rack mounts. U brake rear.
The parts:
- Surly Forks (425mm A-C)
- An Avid BB7 disc brake and matching Avid lever
- A pair of wheels built by myself, 19mm inner rim width to accept wider tyres, 8-10 speed Deore disc hubs
- A pair of wheels built by myself, 17mm inner rim with 2nd hand 90s 7 speed XT/LX hubs
- An Avid Shorty canti brake
- Some Planet X Fast Bar riser bars
- Some On-One Midge bars and high-rise stem, plus quill adaptor
- Cane Creek SCR5 drop bar levers
- A set of 2nd hand Sugino MTB cranks (Sq taper). 44-34. missing granny ring.
- A modern set of Shimano MTB cranks, 22, 32, 42 (Sq taper)
- An 8 speed cassette and chain
- A 7 speed cassette and chain
- A couple of 7-8 speed Shimano rear mechs
- 90s Deore 7 speed Friction Shifters
- All the original kit off the Timberline, inc a Biopace crankset, Exage rear mech and hubs, Plasticky shifters.
- 2 Deore U brakes which need to stay on the GTs
- Various saddles, stems and seatposts, 90s canti brakes and flat bar canti-brake levers. Various BBs to get good chain line. 1 1/8th threaded and threadless headsets
Any suggestions as to possible combinations of these bits to make 3 'distinct' bikes much appreciated - I have a few ideas below but feel free to suggest different ones.
At the moment the Trek is set up as the 'proper' MTB due to it's longer, lower position, but it's the only one with rack mounts... The Timberline is the commuter due to it's worn appearance and plasticky levers = less theft-worthy. The Tequesta is about to be the dirt-drop bar bike unless persuaded otherwise.
I know none of these are high-end modern bikes, so don't expect them to perform as such, and I don't do any serious MTB-ing but they're cool bikes and it's a project. But should I expect one to be better than the other at certain stuff due to geometry, age, etc? Should I avoid using any of the bikes for a particular purposes? Should the one with rack mounts be the commuter?
The ideas:
- A 'proper' MTB with: Surly forks, Avid BB7 front disc, 8 speed cassette on wide rim wheels with disc hubs built by myself, 2.1 inch knobbly tyres, Planet X fast bar risers, 8 speed STI shifters.
- A dirt drop MTB / 26 inch CX type thing, with: On-One Midge bars, Cane Creek SCR-5 drop levers, 90s Deore friction shifters made to fit bars somehow (bendable clamp...), narrow knobbly-ish tyres. Something I can use for longer mixed terrain rides in winter / if road bike is broken.
- A commuter with slick-ish tyres. Mary bars, nothing too thieve able. With racks...
I have acquired in the last 3 months 3 90s MTBs. I bought the first so I could stop beating up my road bike commuting, but acquired a taste for how versatile and durable they are - steel frames, 1 1/8th head tubes, standard BSA bottom brackets. And even though they're fairly low-mid end, I like how they have cool little features like internal cable routing and stamped logos on the dropouts that you might not see on modern entry level bikes.
I have various other parts already lying around to add to them to give them their own 'specialism', but I can't decide which bike/frame for which purpose, so I need help!
The frame sets:
- Trek 830 1997, 18 inch with rack mounts. Fairly long and low position. Paintwork still pretty good.
- GT Timberline 1992, 17 inch. Fairly short top tube. Paintwork pretty chipped and worn and original 'splatter' paint job makes it look dated and kid-like. Stem matches paintwork... No rack mounts. U brake rear.
- GT Tequesta 1993(?). 17 inch. Fairly short top tube. Paintwork - original owner seems to have sanded off the GT logos in some mad belief that GTs aren't cool. No rack mounts. U brake rear.
The parts:
- Surly Forks (425mm A-C)
- An Avid BB7 disc brake and matching Avid lever
- A pair of wheels built by myself, 19mm inner rim width to accept wider tyres, 8-10 speed Deore disc hubs
- A pair of wheels built by myself, 17mm inner rim with 2nd hand 90s 7 speed XT/LX hubs
- An Avid Shorty canti brake
- Some Planet X Fast Bar riser bars
- Some On-One Midge bars and high-rise stem, plus quill adaptor
- Cane Creek SCR5 drop bar levers
- A set of 2nd hand Sugino MTB cranks (Sq taper). 44-34. missing granny ring.
- A modern set of Shimano MTB cranks, 22, 32, 42 (Sq taper)
- An 8 speed cassette and chain
- A 7 speed cassette and chain
- A couple of 7-8 speed Shimano rear mechs
- 90s Deore 7 speed Friction Shifters
- All the original kit off the Timberline, inc a Biopace crankset, Exage rear mech and hubs, Plasticky shifters.
- 2 Deore U brakes which need to stay on the GTs
- Various saddles, stems and seatposts, 90s canti brakes and flat bar canti-brake levers. Various BBs to get good chain line. 1 1/8th threaded and threadless headsets
Any suggestions as to possible combinations of these bits to make 3 'distinct' bikes much appreciated - I have a few ideas below but feel free to suggest different ones.
At the moment the Trek is set up as the 'proper' MTB due to it's longer, lower position, but it's the only one with rack mounts... The Timberline is the commuter due to it's worn appearance and plasticky levers = less theft-worthy. The Tequesta is about to be the dirt-drop bar bike unless persuaded otherwise.
I know none of these are high-end modern bikes, so don't expect them to perform as such, and I don't do any serious MTB-ing but they're cool bikes and it's a project. But should I expect one to be better than the other at certain stuff due to geometry, age, etc? Should I avoid using any of the bikes for a particular purposes? Should the one with rack mounts be the commuter?
The ideas:
- A 'proper' MTB with: Surly forks, Avid BB7 front disc, 8 speed cassette on wide rim wheels with disc hubs built by myself, 2.1 inch knobbly tyres, Planet X fast bar risers, 8 speed STI shifters.
- A dirt drop MTB / 26 inch CX type thing, with: On-One Midge bars, Cane Creek SCR-5 drop levers, 90s Deore friction shifters made to fit bars somehow (bendable clamp...), narrow knobbly-ish tyres. Something I can use for longer mixed terrain rides in winter / if road bike is broken.
- A commuter with slick-ish tyres. Mary bars, nothing too thieve able. With racks...
0
Comments
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There's nothing much good in that lot to build one decent bike let alone three.
The long, low riding position of the Trek is the opposite to what you want off road. It would probably be best suited to tarmac.Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350 -
There's nothing much good in that lot to build one decent bike let alone three.
This I know, as far wider modern standards go. Not quite the point.
Also I'd disagree in as far as any of these bikes in whichever configuration I come up with are in most ways superior to a brand new BSO. I know the non-biking population is often surprised at how much is costs to get a decent bike. Conversely though, the biking population sometimes loses perspective on what constitutes 'decent'. If decent means 11 speed drivetrains and carbon handlebars, no, these bikes aren't decent. But decent means durable, easily-repairable and well-put-together, and not made up of components which will fail and need replacing regularly, suitable for the purposes they are used for, they are/will be perfectly decent.The long, low riding position of the Trek is the opposite to what you want off road. It would probably be best suited to tarmac.
This, on the other hand, is a very helpful comment - I had been thinking that a longer, lower position might not be great for comfortable commuting, but I'm beginning to think the other way around now... Plus having the rack mounts on this bike maybe makes it more suited to for that purpose...0 -
This is trial and error - obviously from here we can't say wether the parts will fit or not ie BB shell widths, axle lengths and chainline/crank clocking, wheels/cassettes/freewheels, headsets and so on.
See what works, have a play, keep what is best!0 -
This is trial and error - obviously from here we can't say wether the parts will fit or not ie BB shell widths, axle lengths and chainline/crank clocking, wheels/cassettes/freewheels, headsets and so on.
See what works, have a play, keep what is best!
They're all 73mm BSA standard BB shells and all the wheels run cassettes, not freewheels. I have the correct axle-length BB for 2 of the chainsets and various others to try with the Sugino so that's not a problem. I'm interested to hear ideas about best geometry for different purposes, whether the rack mounts thing is a factor and whether any of the frames should definitely NOT be used for light MTB riding.0 -
The frames are fine for light MTBing. Or moderate MTBing - the old GT cromo steel frames are tough, but heavy - the trek also gets a nice cromo frame.
Geometry is so personal - but one part that is pretty universally accepted is that a steep seat angle (73 degrees plus) is a good thing for weight distribution and seated climbing. If you add in a fork that is too long with these frames you can seriously upset the handling. Most from this era adhered to 71/73 angles with about a 400-420mm crown to axle fork.
It really is experiment time - if you need racks, certain fittings can be got for light loads.0 -
The frames are fine for light MTBing. Or moderate MTBing - the old GT cromo steel frames are tough, but heavy - the trek also gets a nice cromo frame.
Geometry is so personal - but one part that is pretty universally accepted is that a steep seat angle (73 degrees plus) is a good thing for weight distribution and seated climbing. If you add in a fork that is too long with these frames you can seriously upset the handling. Most from this era adhered to 71/73 angles with about a 400-420mm crown to axle fork.
It really is experiment time - if you need racks, certain fittings can be got for light loads.
Hmmm thanks.
Think I will continue with my current approach of making the Trek the 'dedicated MTB' - it is the most modern and has the longest top tube and shortest head tube, so wouldn't suit a drop-bar set-up. The Surly forks and disc brake have already been on it for a few weeks. I was having difficulty getting a comfortable position - bars were too low, but with 50mm spacers and a wide riser bar, it seems good now - the 90's XC narrow flat bar style was not great! Interesting that when i bought it, with the original forks and 120mm quill stem, it felt fine, but with the threadless forks and an 80mm A-head stem, it felt too low - you forget how much higher quill stems enable you to get the bars, plus the higher stack of a threaded headset...
The Surly fork is 425mm A-c vs the 400 of the original, so the BB does feel a bit higher, but I'm not enough of an MTB connoisseur to mind, I don't think.
The Tequesta can be the drop-bar conversion and the Timberline the 'commuter's' as it's the rattiest looking I think.
They're all heavy, but all my bikes are steel and I see it as the price paid for durability!0 -
Ignore RMSC's negativity. I enjoy building stuff out of random parts, and unless you are doing big jumps, drops or other scary stuff, which being a big pussy I avoid, most old bikes are quite capable of handling almost any trail.
Maybe just a bit slower than some of the people around you on the latest huge suspension stuff.
It can be a lot of fun getting down something sketchy without dying in the process.
Frankenbike SS drop bar thingy made from a Diamondback Ascent. Since fitted with a very needed chain tensioner.
Kona Explosif from 1996 that gets used weekly. Lovely for twisty singletrack.
Kona Caldera 2000 something, singlespeeded with orange tyres. And my most modern bike, 2008 Kona 4 Deluxe, which still has the original frame and shock and not much else.
Azonic DS1 gnarly build. 150mm Magura Wotans.
Marin Pioneer Trail, kind of commuter.
Kona Hahanna daily commuter
1992 Marin Palisades Trail.
Random selection, tidying up the conservatory. Rest are kept in the shed. Excuse the road bikes. On the left is a Specialised Rockhopper from 1987, still on original hubs, mechs, chainrings etc.
Most recent build is a 2006 Specialised Enduro, but no picture yet.
None of them owe me more than a few hundred £s, most were built for well under a hundred. All are fun.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
Old pic of Enduro, being ridden by an elf, before being stripped and stored in the shed for a few years. Now up and running, with my first attempt at modernity, a NW ring. I am the heroic one in the middle.
So just build and go nuts.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
Old pic of Enduro, being ridden by an elf, before being stripped and stored in the shed for a few years. Now up and running, with my first attempt at modernity, a NW ring. I am the heroic one in the middle.
So just build and go nuts.
For some reason I can only see the final picture in your list - the non-visible ones sound brilliant!0 -
I can see them even if I log out so maybe just takes a bit of time to load.
Edit: bloody computer. Now fixed.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
Pics not working. I'm disappointed. I always wondered what a CD looked like.
Worked when logged out and in again. Great collection of my sort of bike - versatile, practical, well-put-together things.0 -
Surely this is all that counts.All are fun.
Simlarly built up an old frame bought on Ebay for £10 for my son with various parts that have been upgraded over the years. He loves it and it's much better than any of the newer BSO's his mates have got.0 -
I admit, I do love building bikes out of bits. I've just built a single speed commuter out of old On One/Voodoo bits. I had a no-name aluminium frame knocking about that I bought new for £25
I'll chuck bits on it I pick up cheap and maybe even build another eventually.
Here's a pic of it in it's current state. Might try to get a rigid fork next. Excuse my mates Trek (needs lower leg service).
Stumpjumper FSR Comp 650B http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13032340
Frankenbike Commuter
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130404820 -
This is turning into a great thread.. More pics please!0
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This is turning into a great thread.. More pics please!
Here they are in their current guises. Not sure they'll stay this way...0 -
Thinking of putting some drop bars on mine. The only thing I would want to keep is disc brakes though. Cable actuated road ones would be fine for this bike (probably lighter than the rubbish Tektros that are on at the moment).Stumpjumper FSR Comp 650B http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13032340
Frankenbike Commuter
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130404820 -
Thinking of putting some drop bars on mine. The only thing I would want to keep is disc brakes though. Cable actuated road ones would be fine for this bike (probably lighter than the rubbish Tektros that are on at the moment).
So your decision is MTB discs with v-brake drop levers, or road discs with road levers... Preference? I have a feeling Road disc callipers for post/I.S. mount are going to fade out in next few years with the new Shimano flat mount standard for road bikes... Unless there's enough of a market of people who've bought decent road bikes with post/I.S road discs in last few years (Genesis Croix de Fers, Kaffenbacks, etc).
FWIW I think well set up cantis, even 20 yr old ones, work at least as well as my road BB7s on my Kaffenback, give a classic look and allow use of wide range of levers...0 -
I love fettling with this sort of thing, rather jealous I must say.
I just converted an old trek 6700 (1999) version to discs, added 650b wheels ( stolen from my 650b marathon bike when I bought a 29er) and have a set of narrow tyres on order for commuting and trying out cyclocross.
My next experiment t is a cargobike conversion. Am considering an strategic-cycle or noomad conversion kit and an old steel frame hardtail. Have you considered something on those lines?
Good luck and have fun.....far better money than smokes I agree.....cheaper than a psychologist too. Keeps me sane fettling with old shite0 -
I was going to look at road discs/levers. If I can get them second hand with IS mounts, they would do this bike to be honest
Stumpjumper FSR Comp 650B http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13032340
Frankenbike Commuter
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130404820 -
I love fettling with this sort of thing, rather jealous I must say.
I just converted an old trek 6700 (1999) version to discs, added 650b wheels ( stolen from my 650b marathon bike when I bought a 29er) and have a set of narrow tyres on order for commuting and trying out cyclocross.
My next experiment t is a cargobike conversion. Am considering an strategic-cycle or noomad conversion kit and an old steel frame hardtail. Have you considered something on those lines?
I have considered making the Trek into a long distance MTB tourer. Maybe nicknamed the LHF - the Long Haul F**ker... or Long Haul Mucker
With a rack and panniers and other touring kit wouldn't be that useful for commuting in Sheffield then due to frequent steep hills, so I'd have to maybe continue w. Timberline for that and make the Tequesta a drop bar MTB as my 'main' MTB (I only own 1 and a half road bikes other than these at the moment... or a 26 inch cx bike...
Who knows!? Maybe it will come to me in a dream...0
