Request advice on refurb of 1992 Raleigh Dynatech

LateJunction

I am researching the cost of a complete refurb of my steel 1992 Raleigh Dynatech Encounter MTB. This bike is quite important to me: it has been totally reliable – still on the original Rigida rims, Deore hubs and canti brakes (and original brake blocks too), with a bottom bracket which has never been serviced. It runs OK but looks shabby having had such an eventful life (I can vouch that it survives multiple high speed, high apogee cartwheels down a forest trail with out any damage; the rider does not).

My first area of doubt is what group set should I fit to a newly painted frame? It currently has mix of old Deore DX, LX and XT. I want some thing that is about the equivalent of Tiagra on a road bike, or preferably 105-like weight/function/cost. What do forum members suggest?

I would prefer to have integrated shifters and brakes, as I currently have, but can’t seem to find these any more. I don’t think I’ll upgrade to disks, because of the cost of adapting the frame/forks.

What gearing is good for MT these days: 3x9 with 44/34/22 chain rings or 2x10 with 44/22 or something like that?

What cassette should I be using? Most MTB cassettes seem to be 12-25 or thereabouts, but, at my age, I think I need a bigger range, say 11-32. Is this sensible for an MTB?

cooldad

I'd start here

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/

I wouldn't bother with trying to replace with new stuff. I'd find decent period stuff, XT or XTR, which will probably be cheaper (and roughly equivalent maybe) of new Deore, which is the lowest I'd put on a bike. You are talking roadies stuff, but I think 105 is Deore sort of level?

Plenty of really nice old stuff around if you look. You aren't going to find modern combined shifters that work with cantis - the new ones are low end and work with V brakes which have a different pull ratio,

Never seen an MTB cassette in 12/25. These days the big cogs get into the 40s and I think now even 50s. 11/30 works fine with older stuff, up to about 11/32, as long as the mech is long cage. Any bigger and you start having issues.

As for chainrings, that depends on you. I think my old Explosif has 48/36/24 with an 11/30 (maybe 32) cassette which copes with everything I need to do on it. (I have more modern bikes for serious riding).

Discs are not a good idea anyway. the frame wasn't built for the forces. If you want decent braking I can recommend Magura hydraulics.

And get decent modern tyres. Old ones were rubbish.



SPDs were a failed experiment, back on flats.

LateJunction

cooldad wrote:

I'd start here

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/

Plenty of really nice old stuff around if you look. You aren't going to find modern combined shifters that work with cantis - the new ones are low end and work with V brakes which have a different pull ratio,

And get decent modern tyres. Old ones were rubbish.

Thanks for the breadth of your answer. I was going to say 'where should I start looking for period stuff?', but I see you have given me a start point. However I have to ask if there are any other sites you would recommend - as my own searching has not proved very productive.

Should I have concerns about the state of wear on the old Deore stuff? It's impossible that I can find NOS at this time, surely?

I have to say that the Kona in your image looks outstanding, with a very pleasing geometry, to my eye, but with some interesting 'features': can you please explain what the brakes are? The cassette doesn't look any 'larger' than my own, which is 12-25 and I don't see anything at Chain Reaction, for example, that is anywhere near 40T, except for 1-by SRAM systems - and I'm not keen on SRAM.

One draw back of finding an older integrated brake/shifter system is that it will support cantis only - even though my own cantis work well (once they are correctly set-up), modern V-brakes are better so I plan to switch to them. Meaning I will probably have to settle for separate brakes and shifters.

I entirely accept your comment about the tyres. Those on your Kona look excellent. I switched to Panaracer about 5 years ago and they have proved to get adequate grip in mud, while being surprising quick on a sealed road. I wouldn't go back to the old-style knobbly tyres now.