Garbage To Gravel -ish Bike Conversion Episode 1 | Vintage Bike Upgrade Projects with GCN Tech

[@gcntech]

What would you build it up with? Let us know!

[@samalvarezcaswell5975]

You cant beat a mtb groupset on a gravel bike...

[@TheWaxChainFanClub]

Full mudguards - chrome finish. Gold chain. Gumwall tyres

[@tonymcnally9355]

Install internal cabling

[@shannontrainer5857]

Start by shaving the bottom bracket down to 68mm. Also, get ceramic coated rims.

[@shannontrainer5857]

@@TheWaxChainFanClub That requires sandblasting the frame and finding a metal plater.

[@DeStraatz]

When you said, "It's almost 30, its from the 1990s" , it hurt my soul.

[@321bytor]

...I'm from the 1960's...I hurt everywhere

[@thelallyfamily]

it was my first adult mtb. I upgraded it to a Pace two years later. It was a great entry into MTB though!

[@fuzzi6870]

@@321bytor me too LOL

[@johnpotter4555]

In a world which is increasingly about the disposability of cheap goods, these "upcycling" series are great.

[@gcntech]

Thanks John, glad you think so! We have a lot of fun doing them too!

[@keithmccallum1054]

When this project is done I think you should send Si out on an adventure with this adventure bike !!

[@phillentz6742]

Keith McCallum this would be awesome to see but Si is much to good for this old school stuff anymore

[@theoriginaltylerdurden]

I still have a 26 inch mountain bike in perfect shape. Still love it.

[@zakswan4644]

tyler durden why do people say there old #26 for life

[@stevenharper6888]

I have two 26" MTB and still quicker and do more than most people I know!

[@waldimuller4911]

I just converted a 26 inch MTB to a gravel bike. I got an ultegra 3x10 group set relatively cheap on eBay (60€) and put drop handlebars, a quill to ahead adapter and a new stem on it. Now it works perfect as a commuter and I am looking forward to do some adventure riding on it. Greetings from Germany!

[@dafyddgiddins9861]

Disk brake conversion, lets see you do some welding

[@WashichawbachaW]

He can replace the fork with disc ready one and hire an expert bike welder for the rear disc mount.

[@milanbabic92]

That would be awesome! But that’s a lot of work to do, not so easy.

[@mithral999]

No need for welding, there are post-mount disk brake mounting solutions

[@grumpynerd]

@@mithral999 I was going to say the same thing, and then add that I wouldn't' trust them, at least not in front where the real business of stopping gets done. The simplest thing would be to add a disc compatible 1" steerer fork up front and leave the rear as-is.

[@cup_and_cone]

The problem are those adjustable rear dropouts...he'd need to have the whole rear reworked, which would cost more than a cheap frame.

[@Paddyhudson]

Exactly what I asked for! Thanks Jon! How about using that Microshift 1x 9 groupset with the clutch derailleur; cheap, rare and interesting.

[@paulr7496]

Like you, I am skeptical of the 'gravel bike' moniker. I have 2 26 inch mtbs full rigid with road tyres. 26 x 1.5 City Jets. Love 'em cos they'll do road and off road/gravel/ green lanes etc.They ain't dead yet. Your best and cheapest upgrade would be to put V brakes instead of cantis. You probably have what you need lying in your box of bits.

[@ucanskixc568]

Yes go V-brakes, as Cantis do not allow you to throw on a large basket etc. for heading to the store for milk, eggs and bread, etc. AND 26 inch is NOT dead!

[@C345OFR]

#26aintdead

[@newttella1043]

Sram group sets can mix and match road shifters and mtb derailleur. I would go 1x for simplicity, though there are good cyclocross 2x chainsets and front derailleurs that can be had for cheap. Speaking of cheap, lots of old high end 26er rims and tires out there. They can even be set up tubeless!

[@marcianosanchez517]

If you use Paul Components Motolite brakes, you can run 650 or 700c wheels. Tire width will depend on frame clearance.

[@FutoiBakaKun]

tekro cr720 can do that conversion to 650b for a much more affordable price

[@kwtnbe]

Monstercross! Loved bombing around on my monstercross'ed Kona when I had it. For the crank, use an old square taper Shimano 110BCD mountain crankset for chainring flexibility (run as double).

[@gnarlez]

Did we just become friends?

[@JonCannings]

You read my mind

[@oreocarlton3343]

Drops with linear pull levers for v brake, bar end shifters, crazy bartape colour, possibly skinwall tires

[@Owwliv]

Amen!

[@Jayneflakes]

You can fit a 700c wheel in there, but you will need to move the brake bosses, so get yourself a torch and some brass. The other option is to make a new drop out with a disk mount, from a piece of 6mm steel and braze that in place. Steel frames are so easy to modify, I did this with an orange Clockwork back in 96. Great work as always Jon, you like a challenge.

[@kimkrimson]

Great idea John and congrats on the successful inception of changing the name from gravel to adventure. I too like that name much better! Those things are not only for gravel but also forest roads and whatever you encounter on your bike adventure!

[@gcntech]

Yep, agreed Gravel is a misleading one!

[@partsbinspecial1457]

Some Tektro mini V-brakes will work great with drop handlebars, and are loads more powerful than those cantis. I've done it myself with my commuter bike. The only issue you might run into is tyre clearance, but anything around 40c should be fine.

[@oreocarlton3343]

Classis v brakes with linear pull drop levers is a better option since clearance

[@davidobrien8438]

​@@oreocarlton3343 Bullocks. :-) mini-V brakes will work with larger tires than many think. I use the shortest of them all (Tektro 926AL 80mm) on my Bianchi Cross Concept cyclocross bike with 41mm Surly KNARD knobby tires and the straddle wire does not hit or rub on the tire and there is a little clearance for light mud build up. [no problem with 33mm tires in extreme mud] The more typical Tektro RX5 85mm mini-V would have even more clearance for the straddle wire. As would the TRP CX9 / Tektro RX6 at 90mm. Given the tires are about 50mm (1.95"), I believe mini-V's would work on this build for up to 2" (51mm) tires.

[@oreocarlton3343]

@@davidobrien8438 how is the feel of mini vs compared to standard vs? All of them seem spungy in comparison to classic vs

[@moishecallow56]

Damn it, Jon! Here I was enjoying overhauling an old Bianchi and turning it into a fixie, thoroughly enjoying the process, and now it appears that I have another project to undertake. My apartment is going to be overflowing with bikes if you keep making these videos. Seriously though, I'm really excited to see how this project goes. Keep up the great work!

[@inthemhills]

Drops, 105 components, a fizik saddle, don't paint it keep that frame with the 90 decals, gold chain, pale yellow/blue/pink bar tape make it look like a rad rave machine and some Okaley Razors and be rad

[@Vanir1337]

Saracens will never ever be described as garbage. Otherwise nice video. I've done some "gravel" conversions from retro MTBs too, they are really versatile.

[@kevinbowe]

I'm so excited to see what you come up with! I have a 1991 Schwinn HighPlains ridigid MTB with 26" wheels. I bought the bike new. I swapped out the MTB tires for some road friendly tires, the seat and grips about 3 years ago. Everything else is stock. It is my FIRST adult bike and I'm very fond of it. The idea of breathing new life into it is exciting. I'm looking forward to you inspiration Jon! Cheers!

[@eugenegongora1516]

for cassettes and crankset, go for shimano 105 compact gearing for tires, i use a 700cx35c tires in my vintage mtb 26er. for brakes, i think you can use cantiliver brake? some cx bike or gravel vintage is not disc brake

[@Maxy45600]

I recently did a very similar conversion with an old cro-mo steel Trek 930 Singletrack! Heres what I did, while trying to keep costs low(ish): - I bought a new 26" rear wheel (relatively inexpensively) from Taylor Wheels (highly recommended) with a modern 135mm wide hub. - I went 1x10 using a 38t Hope Retainer, a Shimano Deore M610 SGS (med. cage, with clutch!) - I switch the blasted cantis to acera v-brakes for my sanity. Crucially here, as I also put on flared drops (Nitto - PlanetX has 'em for not a bad price), but you must use brake levers designed for linear pull brakes otherwise you'll need a Travel-Agent (elegant, but unneeded additional complexity) The solution is Tektro RL520 levers, which are inexpensive and pretty good quality. I actually ended up using the mountain bike thumb shifter for the Deore M610 derailleur and mounted it alongside the stem on the tops - it's a bit of a hack/bodge, but actually not bad. The last thing I'd mention is that I had to chuck the old quill stem ( :( ) because clamp was too broad to fit around the curves of the drop bar. Left some hefty scratchs on my new bars trying to force it.

[@poraktobask]

Add either V-Brakes and Tektro RL520 brake levers or Mini-V's

[@dennismicallef9350]

I'll be watching closely at what crank and wheels you're able to fit. I've got an old 26" clunker from the 90's that im itching to setup 1x with some decent wheels.

[@evanphi]

Same!

[@tuftsbatson8387]

Great Project! Looking into doing something like this for my wife. As a suggestion: 650b wheels, 47-52mm tires, drop bars, 1x crankset, wide-range cassette, leather saddle. Keep the cantilever brakes if possible. Thank you for so many great videos!

[@chwbiker]

I'm almost trying to build something similar. I think it would be nice to see simple and cheap choises. I would like to have a STI Claris or better (not Tourney), with some big gears in the back (30, 32 or 34); A 34/50 in the front (maybe 32/48); Some 700x35/40 tyres (26 in your case) and no need to be disk brakes, in my opinion. But I'm looking forward to see what you are going to build! Good luck!

[@colinthompson5881]

How about a single speed gravel/commuting/pub bike weapon?

[@fast.biking_freddy]

Absolutely agree

[@gcntech]

Good shout!

[@thomasoei7089]

Wonderful show Jon! I can't wait to see the next episode. I'm building a similar one now with a step-through frame - CR-MO steel. Retro women's frames seem to fit my odd body dimensions better. The frame has been cleaned and polished with furniture polish. I haven't tried carnauba wax as you suggested in one of your previous videos. The requirement on my build is that the bike had to be made from parts that people were throwing away. That's right - 100% recycled and reused parts. I wanted to make a statement about consumerism in the States. I collected around my neighborhood and chose: 1. 26" x 1-3/8" hybrid street tires and wheels. The inflation pressure will be optimized per Frank Berto's article and graphs based on the total weight of the bike and rider. It should be a comfy ride. 2. Short-reach, single-pivot, side-pull, caliper, rim brakes for both the front and rear wheels. 3. Aluminum rims for the wheel. Aluminum seat post to resist galling and binding. My frame had a bit of rust in the seat tube. 4. A Specialized Toupe saddle. 5. Compact chainring with a 48T and a 38T chainring. 6. Seven-speed freewheel 14-28. The gearing is definitely an entry-level mountain bike set, but then I lack a single fast-twitch muscle in my body, so I choose to spin in a seated position going up steep hills. 7. Falcon front and rear derailleurs. 8. Falcon thumb shifters to keep it light. 9. Retro aluminum Schwinn brake levers with extensions. 10. Handlebars and right chainstay wrapped with old inner tubes as suggested from one of your previous videos. I trim and use plastic furniture glides from caps on the bottom of tubular chair legs for bar end plugs. 11. Resin flat pedals - no toe clips or clipless pedals. I am not terribly skilled in riding and this allows me to "tripod" on sharp corners without clipping out. 12. Standard retro drop bars made from chromed steel. Chromed, upward turned quill stem. I am no longer very flexible. I chose to take Emma Pooley's advice to produce less aerodynamic drag force by riding slower. 13. The bottom bracket is threaded with an asymmetric, square-tapered spindle and caged bearings. 14. Standard multi-speed chain. Unfortunately, this will take me through the winter to complete. I have quite a bit of de-rusting but in the end, I should have a nice commuter bike made from the generosity of my neighbors. Perhaps this will spark some ideas for your build. Best regards, Tom

[@347cyclealt]

a couple of years ago I built up an old univega hybrid frame I got for free from craigslist into my first CX bike. It had 700c wheels, which was good, but it had slightly wider rear spacing, and didn't have a derailleur hanger so I had to get an aftermarket solution. It was a fun experiment for me to get into CX and work on my mechanic skills but I soon got a brand new CX bike, which is way nicer! But I'm a big fan of recycling old bikes!

[@BoxCarBoy12]

Good luck! Drop bar Vintage MTB conversions are bombproof and highly underrated, I use mine as a commuter/tourer as well as a backup gravel bike. My tips are to find thumb shifters with a steel bar clamp so they can be widened to fit on wider diameter drops at the very end. You get instant bar end shifters and circumvent all MTB/road group incompatibilities by doing so. Also get mountain brake pull drop bar brake levers so you can use V-brakes (Cantis suck!) or do a disc brake conversion.

[@01FozzyS]

Yes! Drop bar conversion! Shorter stem with a higher angle, brifters or barcons. Outward angle drops.

[@ranggiarohmansani]

Thomson elite seatpost, Thomson x2 stem(with quill stem adaptor), Thomson dirt drop bar, Brooks b17 saddle, Brooks leather bartape, Shimano XT RD and Cassette, Ultegra shifter, Ultegra crank arm with 1x 42t Wolftooth narow wide chainring, Chris King headset and Hub, DT Swiss R460 Rims, Panaracer Gravelking Tires, Paul Motolite Brakes, hanger, and seatclamp! you"re ready to go!

[@deewigle8697]

You can use the Velo Orange removable faceplate quill stem to put modern 31.8 mm dirt drop bars on there. They tend to be easier to find and it looks great

[@collinscycleworks]

I have one, and its bloody lovely.

[@jeffreythree]

I have an old 26" MTB. The best thing about 26" going extinct now is people practically give away nice wheelsets

[@gcntech]

True!

[@gregtaylor6146]

I've found quite the opposite just recently, 2nd hand 26" wheelsets are, if anything, increasing in value.

[@peterpendergast3867]

@@gregtaylor6146 ........... Me too, Ive just been trying to buy a pair of Mavic Crossride 26" wheels new or on ebay . Its so rare to get some nice quality wheels at a reasonable price ......... I ended up paying £120 for some second hand Mavics that only had done 100 miles

[@jacgn_cycling]

SRAM 1*11, seatpost suspension (like Ergon CF3 Pro Carbon Seatpost), perhaps a carbon fork (optional), Ergotec Gravel handlebars (something like that), Brooks C17 Carved All Weather (style), Mavic Crossride UB 26. And give hydro dipping a second chance!

[@simonguard5087]

Jon, I started cross on canti brakes, Shimano CX in either 105 or Ultegra guise will stop you but are a bit more fiddly to set up or if you want to splash the cash Avid Shorty Ultimates stop you and look good too. Definitely go 1 X chainset & I guess plenty of budget rim brake wheel options.

[@rimtism123]

I'd cold set the rear drop outs to accept a 10spd Sram mtb groupset (preferably 1x) but use Apex shifters. I'd also opt for mini v brakes. I think all of those components could obtainable on ebay and the used market for relatively cheap now.

[@grumpynerd]

As much as I'd like to see cold setting done in a video, I think mountain bikes of this vintage were typically spec'd 3x7, which means this thing *probably* has 130mm dropout spacing. Even if it had 126mm spacing, you can squeeze 130mm hubs onto a 126mm steel frame -- at least according to Sheldon Browne's website. Now if they were doing an old 3x5 steel touring bike they'd definitely have to spread the dropouts to 130; those used to be spaced at 120mm. As for the 1x10 conversion, if you were doing a junkbox conversion you could use an old 10 speed SRAM mountain derailleur with road shifters -- they both use "Exact Actuation". Or you could use a new SRAM rival type 3 rear road derailleur which I think is targeted at gravel bikes. It's essentially a lightweight mountain bike derailleur, clutch mechanism and all, and will handle a 10-42 cassette. I don't think I'd favor the V-brakes; they're a little easier to adjust but once adjusted don't have any performance advantage over cantilevers, and they constrain your choice of brake levers.

[@5t4n5]

I have actually got something like that hanging in my shed that's gagging to be upgraded. That's why i bought the old beast about 4 years ago, but i've just never got around to it. So great series, Jon. I shall watch with interest and hopefully finally be inspired to get on with own clunker to adventure bike upgrade.

[@takane151]

I fixed up a 1986 Rockhopper I found at a thirft store in the spring. I've been using it for long hilly rides into the country with lots of dirt roads and snowmobile trails. I kept the original bars but added bar ends. For wheels I have knobby 1.5ish inch 26" tires from a late 80s huffy mtb. Once those wear out I'll probably switch to 26" bmx tires which are really the only way to get the treadblocks and skininess. Thinking Duro Comp III gumwalls. I love having the super low 24x34 ratio was steep washed out fireroads.

[@markmarlatt1105]

So excited for this one! Finished my 26er commuter recently and just picked up another 26er for fix up.

[@ygtcbee23]

"Jon Builds" Season 1 begins! I'd say place 650B Wheels and find brake calipers to match height. Probably the easiest way to convert the old 26" freewheel system into a modern cassette freehub system. You can locate light weight wheels and a nice cassette used around town or Craigslist/eBay. Best of luck Jon!

[@kirilyorgov9927]

Disk brakes, SRAM Force 1x42 with 11-36 cassette, fulcrum aluminum racing 4db. Kenda tires 40mm for gravel.

[@WheelersAtLarge]

Have done the same and even though it's a bit of a frankenstien bike, it rides really well. Donor bike was a Falcon Cycles Xenon 26" which now a 650b x 47c drop bar, 1x10 Tiagra gravel bike with carbon fork. Great fun! Good luck Jon, looking forward to your reveal...

[@nikolaandonoski7397]

Drop handlebars, Avid V brakes, tektro drop bar V brake compatible brake levers, and, of course, Rivendell silver bar end shifters. These shifters will take any drivetrain.

[@galootlovestools]

I’ve done this with several 26” mountain bikes. I like to use Shimano bar end shifters, 8 or 9 speed with triple cranksets. I use Velo Orange quill to threadless stem converters so that I can use threadless stems with modern drop handlebars that have a 31.8mm clamp diameter. I also fit Tektro RL721 cyclocross brake levers inline with the drop bar levers so that I can brake from the handlebar flats as well as the hoods.

[@tomgilfedder3515]

Look forward to following along. Personally I'd go as modern as you can fit on. Have fun.

[@ammgarage]

That's exactly what I'm building myself! Repurposing an older MTB frame (only 15 years old thou and made from alloy). Personally I'm planing a mix of Shimano components from road range, MTB range and plas is to throw and newest GRX derailleur there as well. If I can throw anything into your mix I'd say go for the 650b wheel. Clearance wise it might be a challange to stick with 700c with a bigger tire. Where as with 650b 50mm tyre shouldn't be a problem and then there is an added benefit of comfort and capabilities in wider range of terrains. Already can't wait to see the next episode!

[@GPflashclass]

A 26" wheel is really popular in the hardcore bike touring community. I would definitely look there for some inspiration especially since they favor rim brakes over disk brakes.

[@GPflashclass]

The Velocity Aileron 26" (tubeless) and Dyad 26" might be a good option for the wheel.

[@anvilhead59]

I have two 26" ChromeMoly frames. Actually, they are fully functional with Shimano Biopace cranks, etc. in a 3X 7 arrangement. I am all over this series. I think a 1X 12 speed, a LAUF fork. I'm so excited, my head is spinning.

[@grumpynerd]

Any upgrade to a modern fork is bound to be a problem because in the early 1990s mountain bikes typically came with head tubes with an inner diameter of 30.2 mm, intended to accommodate a fork with a 1 inch (25.6 mm) threaded steerer. This style of steerer went extinct in the late 90s when the industry switched to 34mm to accomodate a 1 1/8 inch (28.6mm) threadless steerer. The Lauf forks IIRC are designed for the current mountain bike standard of a steerer that tapers from 1.5 inches (38.1mm) to 1 1/8. Even if you took the headset out it wouldn't fit inside the head tube. There are such things as disc brake forks with 1" steerers, which are obviously made precisely for projects like this because nobody is building OEM frames with 30.2mm headtubes. But they're either rigid forks or have obsolete suspension designs. Kind of a shame really. If you are upgrading a vintage frame to have disc brakes and a suspension, its probably a pretty nice frame and you'd want a nice fork to go with it.

[@GravityV2R]

I'm excited to see what you can do with this. You can get VERY nice 26" frames for a song now, and I'd love to do something with one of these frames that I remember drooling over as young racer.

[@geraldfjenkins4726]

One of your best videos, congrats! Your comment relating to canti brakes put a smile on my face! Keep up your great work!

[@arthurong6719]

Just watch some videos from rjthebikeguy if you want ideas. HAHAHA

[@GargASBO]

I did the same thing a while ago. Opted for 700c wheels with a Claris groupset (it had a chain guard which I wanted for commuting). Got it repainted (by a professional - powder coating) Things to watch out for : - the front derailleur cable routing : be cariful if it is a top side or bottom side pulling) - the width of the tires that your calipers can accommodate (30 mm was fine in my case) - routing of the rear brake cable around the seat post. - if you were serious about adding disc brake brackets, please don't forget that welding will alter the material properties of where you weld... Just not wanting the ginnea pig tester to hurt himself. Have a blast!

[@shhhdontshout]

Same here! Building an old mtb 26' into gravel-ish bike. Still working on it. Shaved, grind few metal here and there, make it looks clean, simple, lighter. Now waiting for parts to try and fit in. Honestly, knew nothing about bikes, just bought one during quarantine and work on it and learn as i go along. Its a steel lugged frame, whats not to like? Lol!

[@Jace_Roams]

This is great timing! I just found an old Peugeot US Express for $40 in my neighborhood and I wanted to turn it into a gravel/adventure machine for bikepacking. Can't wait to see what you do, so I can steal some ideas!

[@michaeljohnpeel6900]

I'm hoping this is an amazing build. I had this very model when I was at school. Saved up around £500 to purchase it back then. Even added a set of Scott AT4 handlebars to it for speed! Wish I still had this frame. Unfortunately it was stolen some 25 years ago!

[@JonCannings]

Sorry about robbing it from you.

[@joetaylor486]

God I had a pair of those on my Giant Cadex 3 and pace first gen carbon forks with magura hydraulics on the front. Man that bike was of the times lol

[@nikhoward]

I used to dream of adding at4s to my old bike

[@kwtnbe]

Keep it old school rim brake. No to disc brakes or bodges like welding disc tabs.

[@JonCannings]

I agree

[@gorknmork6997]

Helps keep it cheap and easy to replace if you fancy going long distances

[@thebeardedba_sta_rd]

Hahaha! I'm literally doing the same thing with an old frame I found abandoned in a field just outside my parents country house. It's a 26 but I managed to fit a pair of old 700c wheels I've got, with 32mm tires (I'm planning to try even bigger tires). Brake-wise I mounted a pair of cantilever (of course) brakes without using brake post adapters. I bought a cheap ergo drop bar and stem from decathlon and an fsa orbit mx headset. I treated myself a little buying a cyclocross carbon fork. Crankset and derailleurs: compact (50-34) hollowtech style and shimano 7 speed levers and rear derailleurs (I'm planning tu upgrade it later, maybe with a tiagra or sora system). I decided to spray paint the frame: it let me really customize the graphics on my bike. I'm still working on this project so I don't know wether I'll encounter problems or not and wether I'll be able to solve them.

[@basilyashchenko5389]

I used to have a 26' mtb from 90s with elevated chainstays (it was branded 'Yukon Acura LX'), and it had HUGE clearance for tires. So big that I changed the wheelset for 650 with Conti X-King 2.2 tires on it. I made it possible by finding the oldschool CODA brakes where you can move the brake pads either to fit 26' rims or 650b. This turned out to be a great all-rounder/gravel-ish bike for winter.

[@typhoon3s943]

These are my favourite GCN vids!!

[@customerisalwaysrigh]

put some old raceline magura HS11’s on there! if you find some old 26 rim brake wheels with ceramic braking surfaces they actually perform really well even in the wet. i rode a similar build for years as a commuter. i used a 35 tooth single chain ring in the front with a chain keeper i made out of some scrap and paired that up with an old shimano exage 9speed rear mech.

[@DaanHoogland]

Wow, another buy-upgrades series by Jon, again. great!

[@gcntech]

Heck yas!

[@waldimuller4911]

I just converted a 26 inch MTB to a gravel bike. I got an ultegra 3x10 group set relatively cheap on eBay (60€) and put drop handlebars, a quill to ahead adapter and a new stem on it. Now it works perfect as a commuter and I am looking forward to do some adventure riding on it. Greetings from Germany!

[@tomasmicola4319]

I did something similar three years ago. Had an old frame from the 90s, which belonged to my dad, so I had it painted, I then laced two wheels out of first price components, put on 26x2,0" Schwalbe Kojak (it rolls like a dream), and bodged a 1x9 from first price SRAM crankset and Shimano Altus mech and shifters. One year later, I swapped flat bars for a drop bars with Shimano Sora shifters. I absolutely loved the bike like that: It was a quick commuter, it rolled great, and it could be used as a tourer. Main problem were brakes. I used two different sets of cantilever brakes, but the stopping power was poor, probably because of setup. Second problem was gearing. I didn't have much money and Altus mech doesn't have a clutch and I never got around to order a narrow-wide chainring... plus on descends you quickly ran out of gears. But that didn't bother me much. Since then, I had to revert back to flat bars, but at least I solved my problems with brakes (threw away the cantis and put on V brakes) and I had a new rear mech with a clutch, so now the chain isn't falling off every five kilometres.

[@jackdumanat49]

I've always fancy iridecent paint or those rainbow anodised aluminium... Been thinking of doing that to my caad2.

[@Mikicomi23]

I had started a similar project last week with an old steel road frame (a SAB with columbs zerotre tubing). I had put on it a Sram apex/rival 1x11 goupset, drop bar, steel quill stem, mavic open pro rims 36h on 105 hubs, 28c Gatorskin tires( max size for the frame tolerance).... and of course rim brakes! For the paintjob I opted for a fancy monochrome tint made by myself ( old school metallized black wit some green/pearl metallic flakes). It will became my new winter training bike :) On that one would be very cool to see a 1x11 setup too!

[@Jeff-bd4gg]

Thank you for the inspiration! I am now in the midst of converting a garbage bike to an all road bike.

[@gethind-j2390]

Yaayyyyyyy JonnyTech! I'm doing the same with my old Trek Antelope 820 "Dogmeat". I'm putting on a 9 speed Campag group with a square taper triple chainset. No idea what to do for wheels, I'm hoping 700c will slip straight in as I've got a few hanging around. Looking forward to the rest of your shows on this project.

[@zekezyzypt608]

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Keep old bikes on the road/gravel/trail. Looking forward to seeing what you do with this. Planning on stripping down my old 1995 Ridgeback this Autumn and re-building it in a similar way.........

[@Speedy.V]

I got to be honest with you. You should turn a hybrid 700c and turn it into a monster cross bike. Get parts from ebay.

[@OnkelDoerte]

Carbon rims, fork & handlebars, ~40mm tubeless tyres, 1x mechanical groupset and hydraulic disc brakes of course. There is no need for welding to get this to work, because there are a lot of different adapters and brackets available for this.

[@imcorn1125]

I'm in the middle of doing this with my '87 Bridgestone MB-1, which came stock with dirt drops. As for my build, I'm planning on running a 650B/26" (undecided) 1x10. Nitto dirt drops, DA 10spd bar end shifter, XT/XTR 9spd Long Cage RD, Paul Cantis/Tektro CR720, CK headset, Phil BB, with a 1x SLX crankset (42 or 44t NW chainring) + 11 - 46 cassette.

[@skischwein1247]

I did this with my old 1996 Rocky Mountain 26" wheel bike. Took off the RockShox front and put on a rigid fork (also Rocky Mountain). It was very easy to setup largely due to 1-1/8" A-Headset and 135mm rear dropouts. Key components: Shimano XT V-Brakes, Tektro RL 520 drop bar levers, RaceFace Narrow-Wide single-chainset, single-speed bike for simplicity. 2 sets of wheels: Wider wheelset with knobbies w/larger 16T sprocket and a narrow wheelset for 1.5" slick/semi-slick with a 12T sprocket. I use a derailleur hanger-mounted manual chain tensioner for ease of swapping between wheelsets. (Also have a riser bar with V-Brake levers fitted if I want to quickly convert to "old MTB experience nostalgia" .... or more likely city shredder.

[@omen.b.4176]

Retro modern build with a oneby system, dirt chopper bars, a one inch to one eight inch quill stem adapter, Paul mini v brakes and some nice skinwall tires. and most importantly: a bar end shifter.

[@kcrymble]

Having done the same I would use an adaptor for the headset so you can use a modern sized stem and bars, but also watch out for the bars as your reach will change. The MTB reach will essentially be for the reach to the top of the bars, so the hoods or drops will be further away meaning that you'll need to use a shorter stem if the bike fitted you perfectly as an MTB. Also watch out for the pull of the brake levers as the canti brakes normally need a longer pull so you may need touring/canti brake levers.

[@iGameOvertv]

I actually have a 26" mtb sitting at home and I ride it sometimes too. I'm quite excited what you will do with this, and I might just copy you a bit :)

[@JimsObsessiveCyclingDisorder]

Sounds like a fun project! I have a 1994 LL Bean Approach (rebadged Specialized Hardrock) rigid that I still ride. I replaced the quill stem with an adapter so I can run a modern stem and handlebar. Just a thought. I look forward to the series.

[@gcntech]

Nice one!

[@Simon_Says]

Great! I can't wait to see how it will transform. Very promising project!

[@ReCycledCycler]

2-3 x 9 Shimano, Tektro mini Vs, STI shifters(for compatibility to a road STI shifter you will need to run a road front derailleur(due to cable pull ratio etc), modernish MTB rear derailleur will work with most STIs. I run a riser 1 1/8 riser stem(BBB) and ergo bars. Koolstop Eagle Claw 2 brake pads for some great stopping power. Looking forward to this vid series, it will become one of your favourite bikes, and totally capable as a touring bike should the need arise.

[@jen3800]

i love the build specials, and the idea of re building. as we say in Newfoundland " you made a silk purse out of a sow's ear, Jon b'y ! "

[@paulj302]

Looking forward to this build, I have something similar out in the shed, also from the early 90s. Branded as Lotus 2000M with Sun Tour 18 speed XCT.

[@songfta]

Worth keeping in mind is that cable pull on the brakes will be weird with most drop-bar setups on either MTB cantilever or V-brake/sidepull designs. If you can find a pair of out-of-production Problem Solvers Travel Agents, you'll be in like Flynn in terms of cable pull. Otherwise, you can get cyclocross cantis (or short-arm V-brakes) that are compatible with road brake levers, but will give up some tire versatility (can't run wider rubber than a 1.5"). It's a trade-off. Also realize that you'll likely want a shorter stem if running drop bars, as the reach will be different than with a flat MTB bar. I did this same transformation on a circa 1997 Marin hardtail, and am now running Salsa Cowbell bars, a shorter stem, Shimano XT V-brakes using Travel Agents, and 10-speed Shimano 105 brifters shifting 1997 vintage Shimano Deore XT 8-speed derailleurs. Gearing is 11-32 in the rear, 34-46 in the front (a triple where I've locked out the 20 tooth granny gear), and it works well enough (though I may swap out my cool White Industries triple chainset for a SRAM Rival compact double for sheer shifting simplicity). It can be done, and done well! Good luck!

[@maladroitrobot]

700c, custom v brake mounts, rack mounts, pursuit bars, 1x 12 in the rear, a spare hub gear in the front, add suspension travel to the steerer tube, and dropper post. That’s a gnarly world tour/ adventure bike.

[@AmericanGunWorx]

Can't wait to see how it turns out. I have one I have actually been thinking of doing the same thing with. My kids ride it now and it is older than they are. Lol. 90's Specialized.

[@eloyanzola]

look forward to details on setting up cantis! (also suggest checking out TRP revox for those)

[@andrewwhite5850]

I basically did this on my 1993 Raleigh M-Trax M600 mountain bike, which had a similar spec to your Saracen - canti brakes, 21-Speed Shimano Exage and a threaded fork, albeit a 1-1/8". I have used the rebuilt (and repainted) bike on gravel rides, but liked that style of riding so much I bought a bike specifically for it, and now my old Raleigh is my daily commuter bike. I kept the weird touring bars it came with because they were a feature I liked, so I used a Tiagra 10-speed flat bar shifter, and it's the brifters for drop-bars that are going to givve you the biggest headache, I reckon. I changed my wheels for the only set I could find of twin-wall rims, non-disc hub and 10-speed comaptible in 26". I put a Shimano Tiagra/Deore 11-32 10-spd cassette on, a 105 GS rear-mech (because there were no Tiagra rear-mechs available at the time. I put a SRAM Rival-1 crankset with GXP bottom bracket (external bearings for my 68mm English-threaded BB) with a 42-tooth chainring. You don't need a clutch rear-mech or chain guide to go 1x, so long as you have a narrow-wide chainring. Sure, you get a bit of chain slap, but an inner-tube wrap of the chain stay sorts that out. For brakes, I replaced the frankly scarily bad cantis for V-brakes, and there's now no shortage of stopping power, wet or dry. I used full-length outer on all the cables to keep them weatherproof, and replaced the one-piece rubber grip on the bars with roadie bar-tape. For your build, I think aiming for a 1x would be good - it's a popular setup on gravel bikes. Your frame should have a 68mm BB, so it's just a matter of using a road crankset that you can get a narrow-wide ring for, and I would highly recommend converting to v-brakes to get tyre clearance and stopping power without having to modify the frame. For simplicity, you could go with a full SRAM 1x group set, but where's the fun in that? You could also use a mechanical version of the Shimano GRX kit and fit a dropper post to make full use of the left-hand brifter. Or you could mix and match, for a more challenging build.

[@Tkdmaster1991]

Part recommendations: WTB 26" Shimano M475 wheelset (bikesmiths has these for ~70usd) Shimano 11spd MTB cassette whichever 11spd group you'd prefer beyond that.

[@SimoneChiaretta]

I indeed have a very similar bike, a MTB from the ‘95. It’s a Ritchey frame, so was pretty fancy at the time. Currently I use it as a commuter bike, and touring bike with paneers on the back, and already has kind of “gravel” tyres. And... wait for it... sram grip-shift, some clear prototype model. But always wanted to make it into a a modern-looking bike. Only problem I see is the cantilever brakes, will be difficult to find something decent. I’ll definitely wait how it turns out and then I’ll make it a small project for the off-season.

[@briw4647]

I still ride my full suspension mtb with 26" wheels. It's a fully upgraded haro extreme I purchased new in 1997 with money from my first job. 19.5 large frame. New Shocks, hydraulic disc brakes, dropper post. The lot. Works like a dream. I have 2 bikes, the other is a hardtail gravel bike. In truth, I can't do downhills or such anymore due to injuries but I can go off road fine

[@TheWaxChainFanClub]

Good old JC, never afraid of difficult.

[@JonCannings]

Afraid?! Petrified

[@thomastaylor3299]

nice easy job get cheap parts from ebay jod done

[@jamesowen418]

Flared drops, shorter high rise stem (that top tube will be relatively long), stick with 26" wheels, cheap 8 or 9 Speed brifters, 1x with wide range cassette, either use canti brakes or get disc adapters for cable disc brakes. I'm doing the same to an old Proflex for the ultimate comfortable gravel bike 👌😁

[@zbigniewandruszkiewicz7703]

Been there, done that! I have converted a couple of mid 90s mtb bikes into gravel beasts. My main bike today is based on a 1996 CAAD3 C-dale frame! (However, quill stem is no go for me... I wouldn't like adaptes. Dunno what to do... ) Ditch square taper bb, ditch old 3x crank. If you don't, you run into a whole chain of incompatibilities, kind of "domino effect". 3x drop down shifters are hard to find, front mech incompatible, chain lines and what not... For a drivetrain, I'd use modern 2x wide-range mtb crank, like Alivio FC-M4050-B2 Drop down STI shifters Claris or Sora, you can get them cheap second hand from people who upgrade. For brakes, drop down shifters are NOT compatible with normal V-brakes, but they are compatible with so called mini-v brakes, (I've found them in a BMX department). ((However, probably the most common object suitable for conversion would be an old mtb bike with a relatively short travel susp fork (60 mm would be considered short these days, right?) and a-head stem. Chances are, it would have a mount for disc brake in front, right? Or else, you could buy an inexpensive rigid fork with disc mounts, but watch out for A/C height! You CAN put a disc in front with a special road levers compatible caliper and the mini-v, such a combination works really well! ))

[@marshallw]

For drop bars, I've done a lot of research into those for an old bike I converted myself, and I think the Velo Orange Nouveau Randonneur look fantastic and would be great on an adventure bike like this. They have oval tops and flared ergonomic drops, and I think would be quite comfortable. The only reason I didn't order them myself was the cost of shipping to Canada.

[@raybarber9526]

I have an Apollo MTB, similar vintage, fitted with road tyres. I use it when the weather is dire and it spends most of its time on the turbo trainer, where the weight is less of an issue. I can't wait to see what you put on yours.

[@eddevincentis2218]

Recently converted a late 90’s, high end steel MTB to full rigid monster cross glory. Got a new set of 105 STI 3x10 shifters and rear derailleur and kept the old triple crank and derailleur up front. The brake pull works with the XTR cantilevers, and I don’t believe you will find an STI setup that can pull V-brakes without modifications. Old drop bars off a newer old road bike covered in purple tape to match the frame, 1.90 schwable black jacks for her shoes. New inexpensive rear wheel fitted with an 11-36 shifts perfect and climbs like a goat.

[@Mjayson]

This will be exciting. I have the same bike, the classic mtb. I'm thinking of upgrading it after GCN does.😍

[@danmooney4162]

Drop bars, dropper post... super popular in MTB but very overlooked in gravel (adventure) riding despite being a great helpful bit of kit, 1x something gearing to keep it simple and looking clean, cables internally routed to look clean.

[@ville6338]

Yees build stuff!!! Definitely weld on some disc tabs and 1x drivetrain. SRAM 1x10 is not a bad choice

[@gdevansh]

Can you guys spec it out with Shimano’s GRX gravel group set? please?

[@gcntech]

Ooooo!

[@philipcowhig2946]

This should be good, I’ll follow with interest. RJ the bike guy did a similar video a while ago, putting 29er wheels on an old steel frame. That had a 1x10 gear set up. And a disk brake conversion I think. I was thinking about doing the same with an old Raleigh Record Sprint I’ve got. But I’ll watch you first.

[@davidadamus177]

very excited to see this video! I have an old beater Specialized Hardrock sport that is very similar to the frame you're using. It is currently my "gravel" bike, and has the original straight handlebar with quill stem. The brake cable runs thru the stem. Would love to have drop bars on it (though ironically i've been thinking about donating it somewhere and getting a Canyon CF gravel bike LOL).