Vintage MTB to Gravel Conversion

[@slimboykip]

I love the look of the old Bridgestones - aesthetically they still hold up and are better than most color schemes today. I appreciated the deep dive into your build here, but I could not help but get distracted by that wild, couplered Softride behind it!!

[@TimCalvin]

Ask and ye shall recieve: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2PHaYxnaqp-aZI

[@Donut_Tube]

This was very enjoyable to watch. Really appreciate the work and the build

[@noahfranks984]

Damn this is wicked. Ive been wanting to put a 2x8 drivetrain on my vintage mountain bike for a while. This is just sick

[@Llamabanger]

A thousand thumbs up on your parameters, combination of original and new is absolutely spot on!!! I have my two MB s sporting the same combination of best old w best proven; stem rims crank derailuers chain set to all !!

[@Gravel-Cult]

I know this is an old video but it is still a sweet ride! I also love the vintage Soft Ride bike in the back with the original carbon suspension beam. It is cool that it is a triple as they mostly catered to road riders when that system came out.

[@rolandovera5935]

The devil is in the details. Pretty trick man. The best part of the conversion is all the tinkering and trickery that’s required to make them work. I’ve converted three vintage bikes myself and have loved the journey more than the final product each and every time.

[@Illsamustache]

I just bought a 1994 MB-3 in this exact same color. Great quality Japanese made bike. It's all original except for the seat, rear rim, tires and pedals. Such an awesome bike! I love the rigid forks so much more than shocks, but that's probably because I'm old and that's what I'm used to.

[@Mr2fiveone]

Looks great! Very informative, thank you! I'm dropping my Gary Fisher mountain bike off this week at our local shop. I'm going to have them add gravel bars. Currently don't have the means or resources to do myself.

[@deimosoverkill]

This is awesome, what you say about vintage mtb stems vs stem adapter is completely true; It just simpler (and even lighter than a modern diameter setup i would say). Also a front rack would look sick on this bike.

[@kuliatv]

Very cool. I have my MB-3 from college that I can’t bring myself to get rid of, but it’s a mess and needs a lot of work. I always thought the mustache bars from that period were kind of cool. You’ve inspired me to keep the bike and update it a bit.

[@TimCalvin]

Assuming you have the time/money/parts, you should totally do it. It costs a ton to get a modern steel lugged bike, so having a vintage quality one is a huge step up.

[@Aqwanermuk]

Great videos! I am also a fan of these vintage steel non-suspension MTBs. Most of them are made in their respective brand's country and not China. For me that just adds more enjoyment and uniqueness. Kudos for appreciating the beauty of these bikes for the way they are and not trying to adapt them to fit the every one of the modern trendy bits.

[@djkenny1202]

Have a commuterized MB3 in burgundy, red/green original MB-2, and JUST picked up an MB-1 I’m getting ready to figure out what kinda build I’ll do, it needs work! I cannot lean like its stock configuration-crazy stuff

[@benspeedschannel888]

What a fantastic bike 😍

[@tusconcactus7119]

built to last forever

[@p.g.reitsma7245]

I'm doing a lime green 91 Kona Explosif gravel build currently. Glad I kept all my boxes of spare parts. Bike shops are running out of many components.

[@recyclespinning9839]

Like that it has rack mounts on that frame also, can even tour.

[@TimCalvin]

Sort of? I can put a rear rack on it, but it’s be difficult to get full sized panniers on there without heel strike. A frame bag would likely be a better move on this frame, but I don’t tour anymore, so...

[@londonpickering8675]

Oddly satisfying. Thanks for posting.

[@TimCalvin]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@paulmaurice4491]

I run a 3x9 . 11-36,44-32-24. Plenty of range, nice bike!

[@nivek29]

This an awesome build! Functionally, aesthetically, the whole deal! Thank you for all the videos on it. Inspiring! I'm working on a similar build and this helps a lot. Related: I think in one of your videos you said you're in CT (apologies if I'm mixing you up with someone else). I'm in CT too and I'd love some recommendations of places to ride that are off road, but not super technical, e.g. root filled mountain biking trails. Thank you!

[@TimCalvin]

I’m glad they’ve been helpful! I’m in MA, not CT. Sorry!

[@ritchakaritch]

dude the cable stop for the rear brake seems super sketchy , i love it ahah

[@TimCalvin]

I mean- not really? The brazing is super solid (and brass), and the hanger portion is 2mm stainless steel. There's not much to break, there.

[@achn2b]

Love those old Bridgestones. Always regretted not buying a '92 MB-3 when I was looking for my first mountain bike. Looking to do a similar build on the old Stumpjumper I did end up buying, and have a question about the VO stem. One of the reviews on their site said the bars can rotate in the clamp some on rougher trails. Have you found that to be the case?

[@TimCalvin]

I have not found that to be the case. I’m using Salsa aluminum bars, and I often take this bike on moderately technical single track with no problems.

[@mathguy829]

Hi Tim, nice build! Quick question, I'm in the process of restoring a 1989 Bridgestone MB4. I'm assuming the bottom bracket on this bike was similar to the one in your bike. Any chance you recall the size of your original bottom bracket? Thanks in advance.

[@TimCalvin]

Sorry- the original bb (and most of my memory of it) are long, long gone. The shell is 73mm on my bike, and I think my boat current cranks are using a 118mm ISIS spindle- though I’ve thought it might be just a touch long. Good luck!

[@Brackcycle]

Hey, just found this. I have what looks like a steel tig welded 1994? Rocky Mountain Sherpa. It didn't come with a wheelset but I have a basic 650b wheelset I am going to try. I haven't done the math but I can get a 26" x2.25 in it, so how much will I raise the bottom bracket if I run 650bx48? Won't the tires offset a lot of the height increase due to rim size? Are there any cantis out there that adjust enough to make up the differences in rim height? Beautiful bike!

[@TimCalvin]

My back-of-the-napkin math shows the difference in radius between a 26x2.25 and a 650x48 is about 6mm, with the 650b wheels being taller. That assumes the frame will clear the 650x48’s (which isn’t a given) and that you can sort out the braking situation (which seems to mostly involve buying Paul brakes or something else with lots of reach) and then getting those brakes to talk nicely to your brake levers. All doable- but I wasn’t willing to source new wheels/brakes/tires and alter the geometry unfavorably when I had good 26” wheels. I view 26” as an entirely reasonable wheel size, and there have been more new tire options (with even more on the way!). But I’m also a fan of making what you’ve got work, so if you have the frame, wheels, and whatnot- and you can make them work together in a way that pleases you- do it!

[@Brackcycle]

@@TimCalvin thanks for those calculations, that will change the ride feel a little I suppose but I'll start with 42c. The 42s I have clear with a ton of space both at the chainstays, bridge and the fork. I pulled a tektro 720 off another bike and they have just enough reach, so I just need one set of these which are cheap. If I had 26" wheels I would use them and if I find a cheap set I may get them. I agree the appeal of conversions like yours is to keep investment low and the changes minimal. Yours is great!

[@chazwarpdrive5171]

sweet build. I love 90s gravel conversions. Way more fun than an out-of-the-box modern budget gravel bike. Do you have any barrel adjuster for that front derailleur? Lack of one is partially why I decided to go 1x for my own conversion, cuz the front shifting was always sloppy without fine-tuned cable adjustment.

[@TimCalvin]

Thanks! Not sure how “budget” mine came out in the end, though. No barrel adjust on the front derailleur. Just lots of practice and experience setting cable tension.

[@astrayagrarian]

Really love this bike of yours! So nice to see bikes built up so properly, so practical, and what some people would consider “sleeper” Personally if I were you I would have liked that the frameset have a taller head tube but it’s built that way already; not much you can do about it. Also, what crank length do you run (not sure if you mentioned) and yeah I totally agree with making it a 2x10. That would have been awesome.

[@TimCalvin]

Thanks! Yeah, I mean- If I was building a frame, I’d absolutely go for more stack, but decent mtb’s of this era almost all had really low front ends. The stem seems to handle fixing that pretty well. I ride 175mm cranks on almost all my bikes- my fixed gear has 170’s.

[@anielyantra1]

Good job! I made slightly different choices with a Bianchi MTB from the '80s. The question I would ask; Do you really need that much high end gears? If not I would go with a 1X. Change the crankset to a XTR (hollow tech) with a 38t and 9spd 11-42t cassette and drop one gear to fit your 8spd shifter. Also consider that unless your a using paniers on the front, I would go with a 1.75 tire on the front. Most people don't realize the front wheel and the back do completely different tasks. I run with a 1.75 front and a 1.95 slick back. As for tire reliability; I am a traditionalist. I think the slime INSIDE an inner tube does not sacrifice enough centrifugal momentum to warrant all the headaches of the latest craze to go tubeless....Then again I am putting reliability over fashion or race pace.

[@TimCalvin]

Yes, I need that much top end gearing- that’s why I put those chainrings on. I’m going to spin out a 38x11 often. I previously ran a 44, and I moved up to a 46 for more headroom. And no, I can’t run a 9 speed cassette with 8 speed shifters- the spacing isn’t the same and the indexing won’t work properly. My tire width choices are deliberate. I ride a combination of road, gravel, and fairly technical single track. A 1.75 on the front isn’t going to cut it on those trails. As far as the “new fad” of tubeless: I’ve been running tubeless tires for coming on 20 years. I have no regrets or reservations using them on a bike like this.

[@alexlikesoutdoors5825]

Love this build. Any idea as to which model Tektro canti’s those are?

[@TimCalvin]

They're CR710's, and they're pretty ok.

[@alexlikesoutdoors5825]

@@TimCalvin thanks!

[@alexlikesoutdoors5825]

For fit purposes, would you mind sharing how tall you are?

[@TimCalvin]

I'm about 6' 1", but my arms are unusually long for my height. Pedal spindle to saddle top is 960mm, and center of saddle to center of handlebar tops is 760mm. Hope that helps.

[@alexlikesoutdoors5825]

@@TimCalvin helps a ton. Thanks man

[@ChrisLoew]

love it!

[@Sergio_Math]

I am running Vbrakes with Claris shifters. Stops really well. I was also hesitant at first but now I see all of that short-throw - long-throw talk is more fearmongering than anything else.

[@TimCalvin]

Details matter, for that. When I originally set this bike up, I threw on some full-sized v-brakes I had around- the result was entirely unacceptable. The pads had to be impossibly close to the rims for the brake levers to not bottom out on the bars, and power was non-existent. That said, with mini-v-brakes or levers that pull slightly more cable, I'm *sure* there are combinations that totally work.

[@Sergio_Math]

@@TimCalvin I might have been lucky with my mishmash of Claris, Sora, Altus, Deore...

[@Dx3Official]

Duuude. doing it right.

[@TimCalvin]

It's all about taking your time on a build like this. It can be tempting to settle, but sometimes it's worth holding out.

[@lukeholloway7836]

I don’t like bar end shifters for off road applications cuz you lose control over rocks and stuff. There perfect for touring bikes .

[@TimCalvin]

I don't entirely agree. I mean, they were the standard choice for cyclocross racers for a very, very long time. And John Tomac ran them on his drop-bar race bikes for a few years.

[@lukeholloway7836]

Good point

[@mistermatsuda]

I would've left it original. I have 2 Bridgestone MBs and people who know bikes and especially Bridgestone bikes appreciate originality. It will handle gravel better as is IMO.

[@TimCalvin]

“People who know bikes” is a pretty broad category to make blanket statements about, don’t you think? Maybe it’s possible that there are a wider variety of use cases? Or that a rider has different expectations for a bike? Or that a given bike was never “original” and whatever “original” part were on it have long since been worn out?

[@mistermatsuda]

@@TimCalvin Yes, "broad" but so what? You know what I mean. I said, I would've left it original or close to it. I guess the term is "period correct". You do whatever. Don't take it personally.

[@TimCalvin]

I don't "know what you mean," I only know what you wrote- and what you wrote was that "people who know bikes and especially Bridgestone bikes appreciate originality" which is a blanket and demonstrably false statement. Fine, you want to keep your bikes "period correct"? Knock yourself out. But don't roll up on my channel and tell me all the things you think I'm doing wrong and not expect a response.

[@djkenny1202]

My MB-1 is too aggressive. Making changes. I have a commuter MB-3 with albatriss bars and adjustable quill stem, front hub powered light, Bontrager fenders, slicks, front Wald basket.. it’s a wonderful platform to build on. Note; I have heard Cane Creek makes pretty comparable head sets to Chris K. Much cheaper! Lovely MB-3

[@Pshpshpshpshpshpshpsh]

Do you think the gravelkings would fit a v brake conversion on a build? Width isn’t a problem but I’m worried about tire height and depth. And whether the 90mm v brakes would clear the tire.

[@TimCalvin]

V Brakes could likely work- for me it was a matter of the cable pull of my brake levers not being correct for v brakes, so I happily reverted to canti. If your brake levers have the right cable pull, v brakes should work just fine. I also had a teeny bit of trouble with fender clearance on the front with a v brake, so if you’re using fenders that’s something to think about.

[@Pshpshpshpshpshpshpsh]

@@TimCalvin thanks for the response yea I’m thinking it would be an issue but I can always buy other types of fenders. I’m going to have to double check once I “complete” my initial conversion. Based on what I’m measuring up I might have to go with a modern canti, I was initially hoping for the additional reliability and power of mini v’s though