Retro MTB build - 1988 Panasonic MC3500 dropbar

Hi everyone! A rebuild and minor modification of an old Panasonic mtb for today’s video.
This bike is for me and I’m stoked to finally have a Panasonic :)
They’ve been highly regarded by others, and I didn’t think I would get the chance to grab one, but a mate sent me a link to one in my size for sale so I jumped on it.
My Instagram link: / toastyrides
Music by: bensound.com
Parts list:
88 Panasonic MC3500 frame and fork
Suntour XCM cranks and derailleurs
Diacompe rear u-brake
Velo Orange Grand Cru handlebar
Nitto Dirt Drop stem
MKS MT Lite pedals
Avenir seatpost
Shimano Deerhead front brake
Shimano BL 6403 brake levers
Shimano S460 shifters
Brooks b17 saddle
DNP 6 speed freewheel
Araya Rims, Sansin hubs
Sachs chain
Michelin Country dry2 tyres 26x2.0

[@toastyrides]

Thanks all for checking out the video! If you have any questions then leave them below or message me on Instagram: instagram.com/toastyrides/

[@chrisdavidoreilly5073]

To be honest for a 1988 bike it seems to be in good shape and all the parts come off quite easy it's as obviously other service once or twice in the bike life Hi-5 from the 🇬🇧.

[@mojojojo6852]

Okay, I've been watching like 10 videos of you now and it's time to tell you how I appreciate these videos. They're wonderful. Your patience and tranquility when handling these bikes is calming and yet you're very instructive. Your explanations are exactly enough, your small comments loosen everything up and sometimes you just let your hands speak and say nothing. I'm just starting out fixing old 26" Mountainbikes and refurbishing them and your channel is like my go to place #1. Thank you very much for making these videos and the effort you put into it. Good luck with everything!

[@draggonhedd]

Oh hey! Biopace crankset! They feel nice for just cruising along.

[@bigbadstretch13yrago]

Sweet vid😊 Just a tip with RD alignment on the cheap. An old wheel can be used for this. Remove the QR from the old wheel. Then screw the hub axle threading into the actual derailleur hanger bolt hole. They are both an M10 sized threads. Then you can use the wheel to lever the hanger into alignment and also to check alignment against the installed wheel in the dropouts too👌

[@toastyrides]

Thank you! Haha yeah I always forget that when I go to align hangers when I’m in a rush, it’s a great tip though thanks for reminding me! 😁🤙 will definitely help others, too

[@bigbadstretch13yrago]

@@toastyrides I just notice these things because I watch videos like Toastyrides, and RJ’s the bike guy, Gary’s Projects, Spindatt for his alway ‘over excessive splattering of ever increasingly volume is vocabulary’, Parktool’s Calvin is amazing too. Even the GCN and GMBN fellows have a surprise every now and again that will bring a smile to my face. I do want to compliment you on your video presence, very calm, very down to earth, and easy to understand. Keep it coming. I’ll be watching more from you this morning here in Kiama, Australia😊🌲...🌿...🌱🚴‍♀️.......🚴‍♂️.🌲

[@drbaglyosdaniel]

You could use a rear hub axle to adjust derailleur hanger it provides enough leverage to "operate" by hand and by it's length can show accurately where to adjust the bent hanger as well. Same diameter same thread.

[@ГеннадийРутковский]

Не хвастайся -- конечно отличный проект --завидую великолепно провел работу и вышел идеальный велик -- БРАВО ,

[@dropthesubjectkiddodropthe5450]

eating pasta right now. ❤️❤️❤️ so clean. such a beauty.

[@toastyrides]

Haha awesome, hope your well! 😎 thanks, Arphy! Sure is, came up nicely 😁

[@garysprojects]

Yessssss been waiting for this one!

[@toastyrides]

Thanks homie! Me too 😁🤙 it’s no Panasonic track weapon but it’s comfy and heaps of fun 😎👌

[@toastyrides]

@@myvicariouslife4012 haha it’s a sweet group to be a part of! Glad you like it 😁🤙

[@Maik1968]

Dear Adam, thanks for these entertaining and teaching videos. I’m so impressed by the patience and overview you have whem restoring the bikes. I also like very much the test rides at the end, so we get an impression of the wonderful environment in which you live. Take care and stay healthy, greetings from Germany 🇩🇪

[@toastyrides]

Thank you for the kind words! 🙌 so glad you enjoy them! Haha it does test my patience at time but I do thoroughly enjoy the whole process! I know when to take a break now 😂 Cool that you enjoy the test rides, I’ll continue to do them at the end of the videos! Greetings from New Zealand!! 🤙

[@johnbaca8692]

I like all the silver bits with the red and white on the bike - just lovely! I'm not a drop bar fan, so I would have run a low riser bar with long white BMX grips. To each his own!

[@toastyrides]

Yeah I agree! I think it was a good move, suits the classic vibe I was going for 🤙 Yeah that’s fair enough, they’re certainly not for everyone. I do love riser bars and how they handle, especially when off-road through some nice twisty corners! 🤩

[@robertneal9953]

Love it! I'm a sucker for old bikes and love your attention to detail. A gravel bike with old school feel! Love it!

[@toastyrides]

Thanks heaps! Haha me too 🤙 something about them that keeps attracting me to them 😆 Exactly 😎👌 thanks for checking out the video!

[@miketomkins5171]

The new handle bars look fantastic, never been a massive fan of the bull bars

[@mistermatsuda]

I have the Suntour XCM groupset on 2 of my Bridgestone bikes - love them. I don't like the shifterlevers (plastic-ish) and brake levers but the canti's and the whole drivetrain have been working flawlessly.

[@janburagay3178]

yellow bar tape will also look good on this, but white looks so cool too!

[@toastyrides]

Oo yeah! I think silver would, too 😍 I had some I wanted to try, but couldn’t resist trying the white one. I’ll definitely mix it up next time 🤙 The white will be grubby soon, anyway 😂

[@davidwhocares3293]

Wow, what a charmer that one is ! The red and white just looks awesome ! Great test ride footage, I really dig that forest section ! Thanx for taking us along !

[@TheMetabolicMadness]

Awesome build mate! It cleaned up beautifully and the colour combos are spot on! Thanks for making these videos, thoroughly enjoy them! I love your style 👍

[@toastyrides]

Cheers, mate!! It sure did, yeah the white and red go really well together 👌 glad you like them and my style of videos 🤙 Thanks!

[@glennpettersson9002]

That is a sweet build, happy trails👍

[@toastyrides]

Thanks heaps!! Same to you, have fun out there! 🤙😁

[@westonstonehocker8785]

Your previous videos inspired me to build up my dads old schwinn mesa runner into a 26" drop bar adventure bike with bar end friction shifters. Keep up the good work mate! Been really enjoying your videos

[@toastyrides]

Oh cool! Send some photos on Instagram if ya can/want, would love to see! Thanks heaps, glad you’re liking the videos 🤙🥳

[@jerrys.projects]

the evaporrust routine is kinda cool! love the metal container.

[@royalmoline9197]

I love your videos, brother! Wish every other bike-resto channel had longer ride clips at the end. Keep it! Much love from Pennsylvania, USA!

[@tinkerbike2510]

Lets see a build on that sweet trek road frame.

[@toastyrides]

That’s coming up at some point 🤙 I have an old Koga Miyata road bike that I’ll be doing up in the next week or so 😎 And a Cannondale ST600, too. The Cannondale will be a retro gravel bike, a lot of original components with a modern twist 🤙

[@tinkerbike2510]

@@toastyrides Very excited to see that cannondale then! Sounds like my bridgestone gravel build.

[@toastyrides]

@@tinkerbike2510 Awesome! Oo yeah that Bridgestone of yours looks like a beast 😍 awesome work! 👏

[@tinkerbike2510]

@@toastyrides thanks!

[@madisondeans5566]

Wow nice build,fun ride around as well,thanx Adam!🤗

[@richardturner81]

She’s a beauty mate 👍🏻

[@toastyrides]

Thanks heaps! I definitely agree with ya 😁🤙 😍

[@MrDistill]

Your bike love is top notch. This bike really came out sweet. Blessings!

[@toastyrides]

😁❤️ yes!! Thanks heaps, I love the outcome of this one. Same to you! All the best, happy rides friend! 😁🤙

[@Kevin-tl4zw]

beautiful and practical bike!

[@toastyrides]

Thank you! Glad you like it. It sure is a looker! Just needs a frame bag or something to carry stuff around 😎👌🤙

[@red_dread]

Absolutely beautiful. Those mid range Suntour groupsets aren’t easy to find over here, I’ve been dying to do another Suntour build on my channel. I’d probably have flown to Auckland to grab this one if I’d known about it!

[@toastyrides]

Thanks! It sure is 🤩 Yeah here it’s more common to find the lower end stuff, so it’s nice to find a midrange group! Haha if I ever end up selling it then I can let ya know 👍 if I ever do 😅

[@gblan]

I have a pair of those Exage Motion shift levers. Gotta find a use for them one day.

[@RoyBramlowe]

awesome video sir

[@toastyrides]

Thanks heaps 😎🤙 have a good one 🙌

[@Mantis858585]

Awesome bike. I'm building a 1984 Schwinn Sierra. I'm putting on drop bars and I've moved the friction shifters to the stem. Hopefully that works good. Took me a few days to get the seat post out, I'm guessing it was unmoved for the last 37 years or so. Lol. I used power tools to finally remove it. I put up a video if anyone's interested.

[@WalkerBikes]

Wow I need to try that headset cup installation method, so easy!

[@toastyrides]

Haha it’s so good! 👌🤙

[@lesterfisher1758]

That bike is fast!!

[@si12j12]

Just found your channel. Loving the content. currently building triple triangle GT and a couple of others although I have perfectly good bikes. There's an addiction to these old bikes.

[@toastyrides]

Awesome! Glad you’re liking the content 😁👍 Nice! Old GTs are really fun to ride, unique look too 👌 have fun and happy riding!

[@si12j12]

@@toastyrides likewise, cheers bud.

[@raylaux8295]

Bravo!

[@toastyrides]

Thank you! 😁🤙

[@davidwhocares3293]

Bitchin ! It's great to see the old Panasonic getting a refurb ! Alot of the old Schwinns were made by Panasonic and can be found here and there, great job !!

[@cityproofdad]

well done very nice bike

[@crabbyck]

Just found your channel and subscribed straight away! Great vids! Im a fellow kiwi and have just picked up a sweet avanti town and country to give a tickle up during lockdown.

[@toastyrides]

Oh awesome! Thanks heaps, cool to see another kiwi doing up old bikes! If you need any help then just send a message on Instagram, would be cool to see what you make of the Avanti! 😁🤙 Will be a fun project 👌

[@crabbyck]

Cheers for getting back to me! Are all your builds just for yourself/KZbin content or are they for customers?

[@toastyrides]

@@crabbyck No worries! I just had a look and it seems about 50/50 for my uploads currently haha. Half were for me, the other half were for the channel and then passed on or for customers 🤙

[@mtanalog4026]

You’re videos are great! Do you have any guidance on what could/should be done following the rust converter? Just paint or clear coat over the affected areas, then hit it with wax? Any suggestions on clear coat to use (I know some folks use clear nail polish). Keep up the awesome work!

[@toastyrides]

Thank you! Glad you liked the video 🤙 I typically clearcoat over it, or leave it as is. Nail polish works great if you just have a few spots 👍 and you can often find a colour to match the frame, too! Thanks heaps 🙌 will do! 🫡

[@dir5155]

👍

[@tmayberry7559]

Hi I love the build. Curious though. What are your thoughts on a retro bike with friction shifters and bullhorn handlebars. . Trying to decide which way to go drop bar or bullhorn

[@donaldixon4036]

Lovely rebuild ,just not a fan of the gearshiters and the racer style handlebars. Changing gear you have to change grip every time and the brakes position is always far never the upright.

[@enzoresquin5854]

Hola muy bueno tu video. Es 26 pulgadas?

[@mr.gigitix]

Keren,....😎👍👍👍👍👍

[@garik.crezyrussian.7937]

🚲🔥🔥🔥👍😍

[@아우빠]

Hi, I was wondering if you usually weight your frames out of curiosity. The thing is I have a frame I believed it would weight around 5.7lbs because it has a 4130 sticker on it but it weights 7.2lbs, just like a cheaper hi-tensile frame and I'm baffled. It's a Scott Sawtooth frame. The sticker can't be fake because I've seen other Sawtooth frames with the same sticker... I don't understand. The tubes aren't even oversized or anything, quite the opposite, just like this Panasonic you built. I had another chromoly frame of the same size 21'' and it weighted 5.7lbs...

[@toastyrides]

Hi! I don’t normally weigh my frames, no. I don’t really get caught up about weight, as long as it rides nicely then I’m happy haha. If it’s 4130 then it should ride well, I’ve heard those Sawtooths do. But if you do want to save 1.5lbs then just build something else up instead, wouldn’t sweat it if it doesn’t tickle ya fancy 🤙

[@아우빠]

@@toastyrides after writing the question I realized I might come across as a weight weenie, but I was worried about strength and durability as I want it for touring. Maybe only the seat tube is chromoly, or the walls are thicker, it remains a mystery. Thank you for your answer and for this great channel!

[@MonkeyShred]

Dude I need to know! It was bothering me the entire video...... Who was the imposter??

[@toastyrides]

You of all people picked that up, hahaha 😂😂😂 I have no idea, there’s a few roles in it now too! 😆 I love a twitch stream in the background when I’m in the workshop haha

[@toastyrides]

10/10 comment 😂😂👌

[@MonkeyShred]

@@toastyrides oh I know 😅 I’ve seen my share of games. Sherif, mafia, detective etc 😂 yeah I game too

[@toastyrides]

@@MonkeyShred haha no way! Great minds think alike 😆👍

[@slodziak222222]

Rear breake bad position