Can get tyres cheap in 26. And can put all kinds on a 26r. He could out much faster tyres on for speed if he wanted. Or full-on aggressive mud tyres. So cheap here in the UK it's nuts. I have a massive tyre collection in 26 now!
I've been tinkering with my 26" for about 7 years. I think part of the enjoyment is stripping it down, building it up in a different format and deciding what works. Mines had bmx bars, alt bars, flat bars, moto bars, an ebike motor, a banana seat, white wall tires, single speed, geared and everything in between. 🤙 Love tinkering
@@kevinlinares9060 the old Cruisers (turned Klunkers turned MTB) That Gary Fisher , Tom Ritchey and the boys rode down Mt. Tam weren’t Mountain specific either, but still, here we are!
@@iamdjsluggo sorry the comment was sarcastic to poke fun at “gravel specific” bikes and marketing. In no way do I believe a bike built for one terrain can’t be repurposed to use in a different terrain. The commentator above, pathless pedaled, jokingly sells “gravel specific” stickers that turn any bike into a gravel specific bike.
YEAAH! You just explained why I love my Bianchi 80's MTB converted into a gravel bike. No shocks, no carbon, party pace and good to go in just about all conditions except extreme. Also one of the most durable long lasting bikes you could ever own!
Just last night finished my late 80's steel frame 26" mtb conversion into a drop bar gravel commuter. Inaugural ride today was a raging success. It's gonna be a good summer.
I have a late 90s Cannondale F600, awesome bike, still use it on Southern California Fire Roads and other dirt that they now like to call "gravel". I'm a road biker now, but when I want to go on dirt, my F600 does it all.
Yes mine too is an F1000 with drop bars with the required shorter V brakes to match the leverage of road brake levers and bar end shifters. 3x8 XT. 1.75 “ semi-slicks work on everything dry.
Old 26” MTB frame with 650b tyres ( most of the frames can handle the increase of tyre circumference) is just pretty awesome commuter / gravel bike. 650 and 47 tyre is a great combination of performance & comfort. I do also have a proper 700c carbon gravel bike and difference is not too big! That bike I can say is FAST doing easily avg of 20kmh on a normal ride.
A 90`s 26" mtb is probably gonna be my next build , I had an old Fiori I got from The Trail shop but that was from the late 80`s I end up wrecking it out behind Auburn High way back when there was`nt an Auburn High ,early 90`s. I hope to build one to tour the Rails to Trails around Nova Scotia and search for those secret trails off the beaten track because you`re never to old to have fun on a bike . P.S. The original mtb is today`s gravel bike .
Still looks like a great option for an old guy with little money like me, who's just a recreational cyclist with a mountain bike I want to upgrade/convert for cheap and enjoy more a versatile ride.
I just completed a 1x10 dropbar conversion from a 3x7 full sus 94 Stumpjumper FSR. The bike wasn’t going to win any beauty pageants but functionally it’s a stunner. Washboards are now smoothed over. And the dropbars are just comfier for longer miles. Shaved a pound and a half by going 1x too.
My gravel bike is just a road bike with slightly fatter tires. Only recently the line with MTB's got more blurred with 650b, 1x drivetrain, dropper posts, suspension,....
That is spot on with what I saw with my old MTB when I converted it! Smooth, downhills like it is on rails, and sluggish AF. Been tinkering with my old '89 Fuji Sundance for a while (actually, since right after I bought it new, I like to tinker v8v ) to convert it to an all-road tourer/commuter. Kept the 26" because with 700c wheels (could manage with long reach calipers) 37's were just jammed into the frame and I could not justify the $300+ for Paul Motolites (could adjust pads to 26" or 650b rims) to run 650b. V-brakes with problems solvers, just have never loved standard canti's. I was off it for a year or so riding a different "all-road" bike and brought it out because I wanted to ride into Seattle without worrying about theft quite as much. Party Pace indeed. Fast downhill and once it gets going, but ugh, after riding a modern bike it feels like trying to accelerate through molasses getting across intersections and going uphill.
This is such a great looking bike that functions so well (at least from here haha) and that makes it so awesome to me. I’ve come to truly appreciate that under-biking is so much fun. I surf Craigslist contemplating similar builds so much now.
My early 90s GT All Terra Outpost Trail is now my #1 for workouts, gravel, trails, exploring and cruising the neighborhood with the kids (grandkids that is). With your guidance and encouragement, I had a blast dropping the OG straight handlebars down and converting from 3x7 to 1x11. This thing is over 30 years old and now is flat out the sexiest thing on the trail. So smooth, solid, quiet and comfortable. I'm realizing it's all about time in the saddle and laying down power. As long as you keep riding, stay healthy and enjoy the outdoors life is good. Thank you for the content. All the best! T ... I think I said this before but I wish I could upload a picture here. I'm sure you would dig it!
I bet Zach would love that purple!! By the way, my 30yrs old 26” Wheeler MTB has gone from scrap back to single speed freewheel one brake fixie concept to now a touring with pannier rack n wider swipe back handlebar to flat pedal..... still 1Speed/1Brake. Yes, I done lots of one way no return modification (with minimum tools) on the frame but it’s still moving towards the future bike design basically the handling is perfect for party pace. Thank for the inspiration guys.... Spindatt, PathLessPadaled n Zach Gallardo!!
I have several gravel bikes, but one of my favourites is precisely one that I built with a frame from a '96 Giant Terrago, it's one of the ones I use the most and it's not the lightest, it has a Sr Suntour magnesium fork, 50 tyres, its original Deore LX groupset with 24 speeds, Magura V brakes and MicroShift levers on a Ritchey Corralitos handlebar, I have a lot of fun with that bike, especially on difficult terrain where a "common" gravel bike has difficulties.
I cannot believe this!! This is my bike, right down to the same color! I wanted to investigate and possibly convert my Rockhopper over to a gravel bike and BAM look what I found! I love RUclips. Thanks so much man for the great work and sharing your experience. At 61 I am not looking for a race machine, but definitely want to upgrade for my old faithful. Peace bro!
Ive been looking for a retro mtb ALL DAY to convert into drop bars, bustin my mind if its the right thing to do (coz i know im gonna spend a ton of cash again after building my folding bike). Suddenly stumbled upon this video and answered all the questions in my head. Big thanks for this.
Nothing to add here - he just hit the nail with this video in regards to retro MTB gravel bikes. I have one myself with a similar setup and went through similar design decisions, and what a supple ride it turned out to be. Just a few things I would like to add, though: Look for the highest grade steel frame you can get, it pays off. You may want to look for a frame slightly larger than what you typically have for a MTB, but beware: length of the top tube is the determining factor here!
@@FabioBaiano depends on how far you go back. Frames from the '80s till mid' 90s usually are made of steel, newer frames then aluminium. However, aluminium doesn't age as well as steel. It may become brittle, especially the welding. That's why I would go for steel.
My dad won the "wim" series (Washington, Idaho,Montana) in 1996 xc,he was going close to 70 on a man bike with no suspension, just hammering.love you Dixon Brown
Love the Bike.. I just recently bought a complete vintage Specialized Rockhopper A1 comp at "Goodwill" for 75$, man talk about a steal. I wasn't looking for a Mountain bike until I seen it, and I knew that I had to buy it. It's super light weight, and everything works. I actually wanted to make it into a motorized bicycle, since its ridged and ultra light weight. Anyway, thanks for the video..
Love it. I’m in the process of building a ‘98 giant Rincon as a dropbar gravelish bike. Such a fun build. It takes a lot of tinkering for sure. Can’t wait to take it on its first shakedown ride.
From 1980 until 1990, rigid hardtail MTB's were all there were. We did everything on them; single track, jeep roads, racing downhill... you name it. John Tomac and Scott Nicol raced on drop bar mountain bikes. Signed, the owner of a 1986 Moots Mountaineer. Yes, the STEEL one. 👍😋
The thing I love about 90s 26" MTBs is that they are a super-versatile platform if you're comfortable with some basic DIY wrenching. Because of the fact that the parts standards were fairly consistent over that period of time, it's not too difficult to convert them into a city commuter, single speed, adult-size BMX etc. using simple, readily-available parts. Seems like most bikes being produced now are niching down to increasingly specific applications and using conflicting parts standards to better appeal to high-end consumers on the basis of "optimizing performance".
I agree. And unless you’re racing or doing “extreme” things, what does it matter? What is the hurry? One thing I do like about newer mountain bikes (and I was doing this years ago) is the 1x drivetrains. I lost the front derailleur years ago and never looked back. cheers
I had this exact same bike and gave it away to a friend. Bought it used in the 90's - It was my first mob and was way too small for me but I rode the shit out of it!
I'd like to build out an old MTB that I have in my barn. This was really helpful! I appreciate the honesty about it not being fast or the best gravel bike but what it does well!
I converted the exact same Rockhopper into a Gravel bike too. Put a Pace carbon fork with 29 inch disc Setup in the front and 27.5 V-brake in the rear. This frankenstein runs like hell with plenty of tire Clearance
Back in the early 80s I bought the Peugeot Canyon Express MTB out of the LBS window. Eventually busted the frame hopping curbs in the city. Thanks for the memories.
At the risk of sounding like a "fan-boy" I've done a few conversions inspired by this channel and others like it. I've done the "dad-bike" conversion and I've done the 26er conversion and the flat bar road bike conversion, but the ride experience and sentiments describe in this vid is nearly identical to mine. All my conversions were SUPER FUN to build and tinker with. They're even super fun to ride. But they aren't "high performers" by the many ways you rate a bike. All my modern/purpose-built bikes (road, mtb, and cx) are infinitely better performers. That said the "conversion bug" has bit me and I'm kind of hooked, and I'm always on the lookout for the next project.
This video reminds me so much of being very young and riding through the local scrub looking for adventure. Sand hills to swamps and everything in between on weekends. Then back and forth to school during the week, don't ask me what the specs were I don't remember but it was a Swansea.
Same as i am who go to school everyday using my Federal bike since Junior High school.. passing through tarmac, asphalt etc back and forth while i attend my school from early morning.. alone.. and.. yeah... Back when i didnt know about groupset etc.. but enjoying rode that bike gave me such a good memories although that was repetition.
You've inspired me to do a gravel bike conversion! Seeing that it was actually possible to weld disk brake mounts really pushed me to try and figure it out. I'd love to show you where I'm at on it if you're interested!
I call my steel 1998 Gary Fisher a flat-bar gravel bike with a suspension. Years ago, I replaced the flimsy fork with a Rock Shox Dart fork with 28mm stanchions. Nothing like the Tora I have on my 29er, but an improvement. I recently powder coated the frame, and installed a 34T Wolf narrow-wide chainring on an Alivio crank, and I have that coupled to an 11-40 9-speed cassette shifted by a Deore XT derailleur. The bike actually works surprisingly well. Fast? No. But if a paved path turns into hard pack, or smooth single-track, I can keep going. The bike has been built up as a go-anywhere commuter. It's the only bike I have that has a rack!
A rigid 26” mtb makes an incredible gravel bike. I have a 91 stumpjumper comp I use as my gravel bike and have no problem setting the pace on all gravel rides with everyone else on a modern dedicated gravel bike. It’s are quite fast on the tarmac.
She is a beauty for sure, I just finished up something similar on a 1989 Bianchi Super Grizzly frame, I agree with your sentiments. Its not meant to go fast, it doesnt want to go fast, it just wants to go. I love those tires, on my third set on various bikes.
"Not to mention, I mean, just... just look at it!" One of the things I love about Spinney is that you don't have to be worried about sussing out his subtleties.
I rebuilt a '89 Hard Rock with modern components(no drop bar), Micro Shift Advent X is so economical. Such a fun build but yes, it turned into a money pit. So worth it though, find that I use the hardrock more than my other 2 gravel bikes. 26in wheels are so much fun
I'm still on 26" haven't ridden anything else over my 46 years of bike riding, would love to try a 29er one day if i ever buy another bike, I'm at 29" approximately now as i have 26x2.4 max ardent tyres on so look forward to 32" diameter, the smooth rolling over potholes must be fantastic, especially with the state of England's roads here in Derbyshire, I'm talking smash your face in craters. 😎🇬🇧🙏Great vid mate
I liked the silver colored components from the 90s. Scratches didn't show as much and can be buffed out. I hope the silver/unfinished/chrome/brushed look comes back.
I've been riding an old Trek 830 for a few years and I love that bike. I don't have drops on it and for my uses it doesn't need them. I had a hybrid before that and the hybrid was just a slow unfun bike. The vintage MTB is light and although not fast it is quick and agile. I use mine for around town and it really shines in that environment. The lower top speed doesn't matter in that context since I have to stop for traffic or people walking their dogs or whatever else might be in the road or trails. And then because of the smaller wheel it can get started again much quicker.
I dugout my old race bike frame-1992 khs montana comp. I built it up as a gravel bike and entered it in a gravel race. I wasn't last! Now it's my go to bike for most stuff even though I have way better bikes for any task.
Isn’t fast or slow dependent on the rider? Lotsa people have gone very fast on 26” mountain bikes long before marketing dweebs convinced us that our wheels were too small.
the real problem is… try to find a 26 inch QR rim brake rear wheel that weighs less than 1200 grams. it cancels out significant advantages that ia smaller 26 inch wheel should have over a larger wheel.
07:52 sums up this video... If someone can't have fun on an old school mountain bike with a chromoly fork that in and of itself is like a suspension, I don't know what to do for them. They're wrong in life. If they start comparing said rig to modern day technowonders with features that didn't exist a quarter of a century ago, they're missing the forest for the trees. I just pulled out my mid-90's Trek Mountain Track 820 from the garage, cleaned it, degreased the drivetrain and lubed the hell out of it. I aired up the 25 year old tires and off I went for a quick run. It was a sweet ride. Yeah, it's worth modernizing into a bike for gravel riding. Just like you said, they're already coming with monster tire clearance and all that jazz and with a few tweaks, a $100 old school steel mountain bike with a good drivetrain is worth slapping on some new rubber and updating the cockpit (bars, stem, saddle, etc...). Add a pair of clipless pedals and some Kool Stop brake pads and take along some aspirins for the face pains from smiling so much and hit the road and forget about what it doesn't have (stupid disc brakes, proprietary bits, a shiny new paint job just waiting to get scratched, etc...). Just enjoy what it has because if it was 1995ish, we'd be STOKED to have a new mid-90's bike to roll around on. And THAT is what cycling is all about! 😉
Binge watching while waiting for migraine meds to kick in. LOVE your content. My gravel bike is a 2004 SEVEN Cycles Steel Touring bike, that has kicked ass pretty much as good as she can. I'm itching for wider tires - (40 on front 38 on back max) and more clearance (REALLY need a smaller big ring, but it's full Campy stuff.) and better brakes / grips (V-brakes with very low profile brake hoods/grips) ... you know... a REAL Gravel Bike! Still, she's super fast (Scored many QOMs on this thing, even though I'm surrounded by National Team racers and high-end riders, 10 years younger, who actually train). The SEVEN is nimble and comfy and FUN enough for 100km+ gravel rides (with some inevitable singletrack detours) but my riding has outgrown her limits. Sigh.
This is exactly the video I needed to see. Hopefully I'll be throwing the rest of the build together on my '92 Spesh Crossroads Flatbar conversion this weekend if UPS comes through for me. Happy riding, see you on the path!
Man, your videos truly inspired me. I recently moved to another country and miss my old bike. I need a new bike and don't know what to do! I would like to buy a dad bike and modernized it, but I don't have the tools and space to do so. Anyway, thank you for the great content!
Back! in the Days, late 90th, such a Type of Bike was called Monstercross! Its all comming back. Even now the Flat - Bar - Gravel bike is simply nothing than a adaption to the go´old full ridgit MTBs! Nice ride
My mtb to gravel convert is perfect for the riding I do as well although I did convert the wheels to 700c x 35 and some unique v brakes that allow the brake pads to reach the rims.
@@ronwhite8503 Yes the version I have are similar to the Lite Pro, the lite pro are lighter than my version, and to get them to work perfectly with road shifters you need to use the V-Brake adapters, you can find on e-bay cheap. I still wanted to run 2x on my bike and all the cables run on the top tube, so I had to purchase a problem solvers cross cramp in order to get my road front derailleur to work. The clamp has a small pulley that allows the cable to be routed from the top tube for bottom pull front derailleurs. The funny thing about the bike is the frame. It was my wife's mtb that she never used, its a size small. In order to fit me I had to purchase a very long seat post, and had to sacrifice the bottle cage on the seat tube because the front derailleur clamp covers the bolt hole for the bottle cage. But it's so much fun to ride.
Nice Project! Nice bikes for This: Trek 830 Specialized Hard Rock Giant Acapulco Scott 90's Royce Union (ALL models) GT (ALL models) Mongoose Iboc Sport ALL models with 20",21" and 22" frame cromoly
I work with a guy who's giving me a '97 GT Pantera with the beautiful triple triangle frame. It has V brakes and I'm not sure they'll work with Force levers. I hope so because I upgraded the shifters with a Ratio 12 speed ratchet. It works with SRAM Eagle derailleur and 10-50 cassette for maximum freshness. That on a dropbar GT will be forever blossoming with outrageous class. I just hope the cage doesn't hit the tire...
I converted a 96 stumpjumper over to a gravel grinder with a shit load less work. Specialized stem that takes 31.8 bars, zipp service course handlebars and some microshift r8 shifters. I swapped saddles for a specialized mimic power saddle, that s was preference, original saddle was just fine. Bike was $200 and conversion was $150. Saddle was almost as much as conversion. Lol. It's a amazing riding bike and wouldn't hesitate to ride it daily.
I converted my bike like this, but with (37-559) wheels. I think it's the best commuters bike. Can go fast on roads and it wont be shy on any single track.
Hi, Thanks for the video. Please could you argue on what is making it slow ? Is it 26" wheels on rough terrain ? Is it the geometry ? Is it the frame stifness ?
My first attempt was based on a 26 hybrid Devinci with discs. But next a Haro Beasly with 27.5x2.1 and shortish CX geometry rolled much better on and off pavement. Throw on a set of 700x38 wheels and a 38/16 SS set up and you have a great commuting bike. Decent value for money at about $700 CAN too.
Eric’s tire choice is just too perfect for this bike. Even if ive seen this rockhopper several times i still lust for it.. Maybe my favourite bicycle in his stable
Bikes aren’t slow, riders are. And no one is slower than me. 1990s steel bikes are awesome all rounders. They take any accessories and you can fix anything with a fist full of tools. The bike industry only changes specs when it reduces manufacturing costs, then you see a ton of sales driven advertising explaining why the new stuff is better. The 559 was and is a great wheel size.
My Bianchi Ocelot has been a good "beater touring" bike (looks too good to call a beater, really), but since I have a Surly LHT, I'm gonna gravel out the Ocelot. Already has good drop bars (from my Y2Kona JtS) and a quill adapter/TL stem, but I'm gonna take that clunky rig off and install a nice, clean quill stem again. Just getting one with a faceplate, so's I won't have to undo everything to pull the bar off.
lmao bombs down steep slope doesent, fall, grabs camera takes 2 steps falls loved that part lol great vid, i just got my hands on a 1998 specialized hard rock and Im really excited to upgrade it and give it some new glory days!
My 26" MTB (~2005 era) to "gravel bike" conversion learnings are that the more rough stuff you plan to hit, the better suited the bike will be for it. Don't pay attention to your speed as this will be disappointing. Don't plan to hang comfortably in any kind of quick group ride. And if your typical "gravel" ride is going to be 75% asphalt and 25% dirt road, maybe just consider getting some meatier tires on your beater roadie.
Converted the mid 90’s steel mtb to an all road rig about 8 years ago, well before gravel was a thing. Best choice was to retain the triple chain ring. Often spinning out in the granny gear at the top of 1hr long climbs in the Cascades that tend to top out north of 15%, passing Cat 2 dudes pushing their 1x $5000 bikes with crap ratios.
Same here. Have an old mid '90s Stumpjumper with modified triple gear (20-32-42) and was thinking about putting a modern 1x Advant X on it and use it a touring offroad bike for the Alps. But then I'd lose the climbing capabilities or the travelling capabilities which a triple ring offers. Not sure what to do... :/
@@twhis9843 I found a good solution. Got me another mid '90s Stumpjumper on eBay for the price of a few beers. That's the one I will convert with drop bars to 1x10 for flat gravel routes and will keep my other Stumpjumper with 3x9 for the Alps and for bikepacking. Likewise I found on eBay a Shimano 20t chainring for the front. And 34 at the back is more than sufficient. That's more than enough for steep climbs with 15kg Ortliebs on tours. Never give up that option.
@@twhis9843 I am running 26x2.0" RaceKings at the moment. However I figured out that 2.25" without side knobs do fit into old frames, which makes the total diameter almost like modern 27.5"! Modern tires are so light and easy rolling that it's worth it to upgrade.
@@twhis9843 It's not steel, but an M2 Metal Matrix. I shot it on eBay for EUR 5,- in pristine, original condition. Beyond ridiculous. Yeah, who is still on eBay these days? Me! :D)))
@@twhis9843 Funny. My new EUR 5,- Stumpy is 18", has Shimano LX 3x7 and is the 1994 M2 model in Team Red, just as you said. I guess, I will keep it and convert it to a 1x11 gravel bike. Hopefully I can put in new freewheel hubs for 11sp.
I have Rene Herse Rat Trap Pass tires on my 1992 Kona Hei Hei and I'd say I maybe have to push slightly harder to keep up with some roadies on the path, but it's mostly down to gearing and the upright position. Thems some fast tires. Just sayin'. But you are correct, I've been tinkering with that bike for years, and it's not the most ideal. Thankfully I had the means to get a legit gravel bike in TI and I will admit, definitely a step up. Unfortunately, those good 80's and early 90's MTBs are being snatched up and going for boucoup bucks
![The Rock Hopper Build Breakdown [Finally]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/oZ7tUEOfYGg/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Rock Hopper Build Breakdown [Finally]](/img/tr.png)
A rigid mtb is so underrated you can honestly set it up to go anywhere and do whatever you need it to do #26isnotdead
They kinda like, default bike. Lol. Suits for lots of purpose.
@@shhhdontshout just waiting to be given a purpose
Can get tyres cheap in 26. And can put all kinds on a 26r. He could out much faster tyres on for speed if he wanted. Or full-on aggressive mud tyres. So cheap here in the UK it's nuts. I have a massive tyre collection in 26 now!
@HuskyOps very true and they are work horses
@@andrewnorris5415 they are starting to be more popular so parts are coming back into production
I've been tinkering with my 26" for about 7 years. I think part of the enjoyment is stripping it down, building it up in a different format and deciding what works. Mines had bmx bars, alt bars, flat bars, moto bars, an ebike motor, a banana seat, white wall tires, single speed, geared and everything in between. 🤙 Love tinkering
Get asked this a ton. Thanks for making this video so we don’t have to anymore :)
Yes PartyPace is a thing! Thanks to you!
I wouldn’t recommend riding an old mtb on gravel. If you think about it, it’s not gravel specific.
@@kevinlinares9060 the old Cruisers (turned Klunkers turned MTB) That Gary Fisher , Tom Ritchey and the boys rode down Mt. Tam weren’t Mountain specific either, but still, here we are!
@@iamdjsluggo sorry the comment was sarcastic to poke fun at “gravel specific” bikes and marketing. In no way do I believe a bike built for one terrain can’t be repurposed to use in a different terrain. The commentator above, pathless pedaled, jokingly sells “gravel specific” stickers that turn any bike into a gravel specific bike.
@@kevinlinares9060 Ha! Damn my 2wheel Bro! Sorry, long work day. I missed the joke!!! Missed the Path Less Pedaled reference too. My apologies ❤️✌🏾
According to Tom, any bike is a gravel bike. This looks like an especially rowdy candidate.
Well, fuck. At this rate the only thing we're going to be able to say about any bike, is that it isn't a trike.
YEAAH! You just explained why I love my Bianchi 80's MTB converted into a gravel bike. No shocks, no carbon, party pace and good to go in just about all conditions except extreme. Also one of the most durable long lasting bikes you could ever own!
Just last night finished my late 80's steel frame 26" mtb conversion into a drop bar gravel commuter. Inaugural ride today was a raging success. It's gonna be a good summer.
Poor kids will find a way; we always have and we always will. Peace, Dude!!!!
Made my stock Rockhopper 3x8 it into a 1x8 and im poor but rich with ideas!
Currently turning my GT avalanche into a 1x9 for 200 bucks.
Currently turning my 2002 Specialized HardRock into 2x9 rigid mtb for bikepacking.
Righttt!!!!!!
My gravel/tourer is a 26" 1997 Cannondale F1000. My winter is an early 90s steel 26". Yes, I have other modern rides but 26" still gets it done.
I have a late 90s Cannondale F600, awesome bike, still use it on Southern California Fire Roads and other dirt that they now like to call "gravel". I'm a road biker now, but when I want to go on dirt, my F600 does it all.
Yes mine too is an F1000 with drop bars with the required shorter V brakes to match the leverage of road brake levers and bar end shifters. 3x8 XT. 1.75 “ semi-slicks work on everything dry.
Old 26” MTB frame with 650b tyres ( most of the frames can handle the increase of tyre circumference) is just pretty awesome commuter / gravel bike. 650 and 47 tyre is a great combination of performance & comfort. I do also have a proper 700c carbon gravel bike and difference is not too big! That bike I can say is FAST doing easily avg of 20kmh on a normal ride.
A 90`s 26" mtb is probably gonna be my next build , I had an old Fiori I got from The Trail shop but that was from the late 80`s I end up wrecking it out behind Auburn High way back when there was`nt an Auburn High ,early 90`s. I hope to build one to tour the Rails to Trails around Nova Scotia and search for those secret trails off the beaten track because you`re never to old to have fun on a bike . P.S. The original mtb is today`s gravel bike .
Still looks like a great option for an old guy with little money like me, who's just a recreational cyclist with a mountain bike I want to upgrade/convert for cheap and enjoy more a versatile ride.
I just completed a 1x10 dropbar conversion from a 3x7 full sus 94 Stumpjumper FSR. The bike wasn’t going to win any beauty pageants but functionally it’s a stunner. Washboards are now smoothed over. And the dropbars are just comfier for longer miles. Shaved a pound and a half by going 1x too.
This is all a Gravel Bike is. It's a Mountain Bike set up with top bars. We were doing this back in the day before they gave it a name.
Or a road bike with fatter tires, or a hybrid bike with drops.
Almost like "gravel bike" is just marketing
Specialized called the Rockcombo which is pretty much a drop bar Rockhopper from the factor an ATB.
My gravel bike is just a road bike with slightly fatter tires. Only recently the line with MTB's got more blurred with 650b, 1x drivetrain, dropper posts, suspension,....
@@gusjeazer That's all I'm saying.
My old Hybrid is a fairly perfect gravel bike too...
That is spot on with what I saw with my old MTB when I converted it! Smooth, downhills like it is on rails, and sluggish AF. Been tinkering with my old '89 Fuji Sundance for a while (actually, since right after I bought it new, I like to tinker v8v ) to convert it to an all-road tourer/commuter.
Kept the 26" because with 700c wheels (could manage with long reach calipers) 37's were just jammed into the frame and I could not justify the $300+ for Paul Motolites (could adjust pads to 26" or 650b rims) to run 650b. V-brakes with problems solvers, just have never loved standard canti's.
I was off it for a year or so riding a different "all-road" bike and brought it out because I wanted to ride into Seattle without worrying about theft quite as much. Party Pace indeed. Fast downhill and once it gets going, but ugh, after riding a modern bike it feels like trying to accelerate through molasses getting across intersections and going uphill.
This is such a great looking bike that functions so well (at least from here haha) and that makes it so awesome to me. I’ve come to truly appreciate that under-biking is so much fun. I surf Craigslist contemplating similar builds so much now.
I said it after yesterday's video, but I will say it again, the Rock Hopper is my favorite bike in your fleet.
It just looks cool.
My early 90s GT All Terra Outpost Trail is now my #1 for workouts, gravel, trails, exploring and cruising the neighborhood with the kids (grandkids that is). With your guidance and encouragement, I had a blast dropping the OG straight handlebars down and converting from 3x7 to 1x11. This thing is over 30 years old and now is flat out the sexiest thing on the trail. So smooth, solid, quiet and comfortable.
I'm realizing it's all about time in the saddle and laying down power. As long as you keep riding, stay healthy and enjoy the outdoors life is good.
Thank you for the content. All the best! T
... I think I said this before but I wish I could upload a picture here. I'm sure you would dig it!
I bet Zach would love that purple!!
By the way, my 30yrs old 26” Wheeler MTB has gone from scrap back to single speed freewheel one brake fixie concept to now a touring with pannier rack n wider swipe back handlebar to flat pedal..... still 1Speed/1Brake. Yes, I done lots of one way no return modification (with minimum tools) on the frame but it’s still moving towards the future bike design basically the handling is perfect for party pace. Thank for the inspiration guys.... Spindatt, PathLessPadaled n Zach Gallardo!!
I have several gravel bikes, but one of my favourites is precisely one that I built with a frame from a '96 Giant Terrago, it's one of the ones I use the most and it's not the lightest, it has a Sr Suntour magnesium fork, 50 tyres, its original Deore LX groupset with 24 speeds, Magura V brakes and MicroShift levers on a Ritchey Corralitos handlebar, I have a lot of fun with that bike, especially on difficult terrain where a "common" gravel bike has difficulties.
I cannot believe this!! This is my bike, right down to the same color! I wanted to investigate and possibly convert my Rockhopper over to a gravel bike and BAM look what I found! I love RUclips. Thanks so much man for the great work and sharing your experience. At 61 I am not looking for a race machine, but definitely want to upgrade for my old faithful. Peace bro!
Two of us recently rode the Tasmanian Trail, on 90s mountain bikes, with panniers. No problem ☺
Going to do do that with my kids later in the year , will most likely credit card it along the way .
Ive been looking for a retro mtb ALL DAY to convert into drop bars, bustin my mind if its the right thing to do (coz i know im gonna spend a ton of cash again after building my folding bike). Suddenly stumbled upon this video and answered all the questions in my head. Big thanks for this.
Nothing to add here - he just hit the nail with this video in regards to retro MTB gravel bikes.
I have one myself with a similar setup and went through similar design decisions, and what a supple ride it turned out to be.
Just a few things I would like to add, though: Look for the highest grade steel frame you can get, it pays off. You may want to look for a frame slightly larger than what you typically have for a MTB, but beware: length of the top tube is the determining factor here!
Great advice thanks
What about Aluminium frames?
@@FabioBaiano depends on how far you go back. Frames from the '80s till mid' 90s usually are made of steel, newer frames then aluminium. However, aluminium doesn't age as well as steel. It may become brittle, especially the welding. That's why I would go for steel.
My dad won the "wim" series (Washington, Idaho,Montana) in 1996 xc,he was going close to 70 on a man bike with no suspension, just hammering.love you Dixon Brown
Love the Bike.. I just recently bought a complete vintage Specialized Rockhopper A1 comp at "Goodwill" for 75$, man talk about a steal. I wasn't looking for a Mountain bike until I seen it, and I knew that I had to buy it. It's super light weight, and everything works. I actually wanted to make it into a motorized bicycle, since its ridged and ultra light weight. Anyway, thanks for the video..
Love it. I’m in the process of building a ‘98 giant Rincon as a dropbar gravelish bike. Such a fun build. It takes a lot of tinkering for sure. Can’t wait to take it on its first shakedown ride.
That’d be cool to see. I just pulled all the parts off my old Rincon for another build (it was a tad small).
From 1980 until 1990, rigid hardtail MTB's were all there were. We did everything on them; single track, jeep roads, racing downhill... you name it. John Tomac and Scott Nicol raced on drop bar mountain bikes.
Signed, the owner of a 1986 Moots Mountaineer. Yes, the STEEL one. 👍😋
I lovingly refer to my hardrock as a “clunker SL”- definitely quicker and more capable than a traditional clunker, but it’s a slow ride at heart :)
The thing I love about 90s 26" MTBs is that they are a super-versatile platform if you're comfortable with some basic DIY wrenching. Because of the fact that the parts standards were fairly consistent over that period of time, it's not too difficult to convert them into a city commuter, single speed, adult-size BMX etc. using simple, readily-available parts. Seems like most bikes being produced now are niching down to increasingly specific applications and using conflicting parts standards to better appeal to high-end consumers on the basis of "optimizing performance".
I agree. And unless you’re racing or doing “extreme” things, what does it matter? What is the hurry? One thing I do like about newer mountain bikes (and I was doing this years ago) is the 1x drivetrains. I lost the front derailleur years ago and never looked back.
cheers
I had this exact same bike and gave it away to a friend. Bought it used in the 90's - It was my first mob and was way too small for me but I rode the shit out of it!
I'd like to build out an old MTB that I have in my barn. This was really helpful! I appreciate the honesty about it not being fast or the best gravel bike but what it does well!
I converted the exact same Rockhopper into a Gravel bike too. Put a Pace carbon fork with 29 inch disc Setup in the front and 27.5 V-brake in the rear. This frankenstein runs like hell with plenty of tire Clearance
What section you put in the rear with 650b?
Back in the early 80s I bought the Peugeot Canyon Express MTB out of the LBS window. Eventually busted the frame hopping curbs in the city. Thanks for the memories.
At the risk of sounding like a "fan-boy" I've done a few conversions inspired by this channel and others like it. I've done the "dad-bike" conversion and I've done the 26er conversion and the flat bar road bike conversion, but the ride experience and sentiments describe in this vid is nearly identical to mine. All my conversions were SUPER FUN to build and tinker with. They're even super fun to ride. But they aren't "high performers" by the many ways you rate a bike. All my modern/purpose-built bikes (road, mtb, and cx) are infinitely better performers. That said the "conversion bug" has bit me and I'm kind of hooked, and I'm always on the lookout for the next project.
Yooo, the Speciaized Rockhopper was my first real mountain bike so I especially love this.
Having fun makes for great content. You get to create (twice), build, ride, and then tinker -- followed by talking about it. Thanks!
This video reminds me so much of being very young and riding through the local scrub looking for adventure. Sand hills to swamps and everything in between on weekends. Then back and forth to school during the week, don't ask me what the specs were I don't remember but it was a Swansea.
Same as i am who go to school everyday using my Federal bike since Junior High school.. passing through tarmac, asphalt etc back and forth while i attend my school from early morning.. alone.. and.. yeah... Back when i didnt know about groupset etc.. but enjoying rode that bike gave me such a good memories although that was repetition.
You've inspired me to do a gravel bike conversion! Seeing that it was actually possible to weld disk brake mounts really pushed me to try and figure it out. I'd love to show you where I'm at on it if you're interested!
All i EVER needed. Daily commuter thru mixed terrain. There's a saying...Gravel bikes are modified 90's mtb. Perfect
I call my steel 1998 Gary Fisher a flat-bar gravel bike with a suspension. Years ago, I replaced the flimsy fork with a Rock Shox Dart fork with 28mm stanchions. Nothing like the Tora I have on my 29er, but an improvement. I recently powder coated the frame, and installed a 34T Wolf narrow-wide chainring on an Alivio crank, and I have that coupled to an 11-40 9-speed cassette shifted by a Deore XT derailleur. The bike actually works surprisingly well. Fast? No. But if a paved path turns into hard pack, or smooth single-track, I can keep going. The bike has been built up as a go-anywhere commuter. It's the only bike I have that has a rack!
A rigid 26” mtb makes an incredible gravel bike. I have a 91 stumpjumper comp I use as my gravel bike and have no problem setting the pace on all gravel rides with everyone else on a modern dedicated gravel bike. It’s are quite fast on the tarmac.
Yup. I also have a "Gravelhopper" of a similar age and I love it.
She is a beauty for sure, I just finished up something similar on a 1989 Bianchi Super Grizzly frame, I agree with your sentiments. Its not meant to go fast, it doesnt want to go fast, it just wants to go. I love those tires, on my third set on various bikes.
"Not to mention, I mean, just... just look at it!" One of the things I love about Spinney is that you don't have to be worried about sussing out his subtleties.
I rebuilt a '89 Hard Rock with modern components(no drop bar), Micro Shift Advent X is so economical. Such a fun build but yes, it turned into a money pit. So worth it though, find that I use the hardrock more than my other 2 gravel bikes. 26in wheels are so much fun
I'm still on 26" haven't ridden anything else over my 46 years of bike riding, would love to try a 29er one day if i ever buy another bike, I'm at 29" approximately now as i have 26x2.4 max ardent tyres on so look forward to 32" diameter, the smooth rolling over potholes must be fantastic, especially with the state of England's roads here in Derbyshire, I'm talking smash your face in craters. 😎🇬🇧🙏Great vid mate
I liked the silver colored components from the 90s. Scratches didn't show as much and can be buffed out. I hope the silver/unfinished/chrome/brushed look comes back.
I've been riding an old Trek 830 for a few years and I love that bike. I don't have drops on it and for my uses it doesn't need them. I had a hybrid before that and the hybrid was just a slow unfun bike. The vintage MTB is light and although not fast it is quick and agile. I use mine for around town and it really shines in that environment. The lower top speed doesn't matter in that context since I have to stop for traffic or people walking their dogs or whatever else might be in the road or trails. And then because of the smaller wheel it can get started again much quicker.
I dugout my old race bike frame-1992 khs montana comp. I built it up as a gravel bike and entered it in a gravel race. I wasn't last! Now it's my go to bike for most stuff even though I have way better bikes for any task.
This bike and Old Shovels "Klunker" are my 2 favorite bikes in the internet right now.
Isn’t fast or slow dependent on the rider? Lotsa people have gone very fast on 26” mountain bikes long before marketing dweebs convinced us that our wheels were too small.
the only problem with 26 inch tires is that they look too small on XL frame. They look like someone put kids 24 inch wheels on adult bike.
the real problem is…
try to find a 26 inch QR rim brake rear wheel that weighs less than 1200 grams. it cancels out significant advantages that ia smaller 26 inch wheel should have over a larger wheel.
07:52 sums up this video...
If someone can't have fun on an old school mountain bike with a chromoly fork that in and of itself is like a suspension, I don't know what to do for them. They're wrong in life. If they start comparing said rig to modern day technowonders with features that didn't exist a quarter of a century ago, they're missing the forest for the trees.
I just pulled out my mid-90's Trek Mountain Track 820 from the garage, cleaned it, degreased the drivetrain and lubed the hell out of it. I aired up the 25 year old tires and off I went for a quick run. It was a sweet ride. Yeah, it's worth modernizing into a bike for gravel riding. Just like you said, they're already coming with monster tire clearance and all that jazz and with a few tweaks, a $100 old school steel mountain bike with a good drivetrain is worth slapping on some new rubber and updating the cockpit (bars, stem, saddle, etc...).
Add a pair of clipless pedals and some Kool Stop brake pads and take along some aspirins for the face pains from smiling so much and hit the road and forget about what it doesn't have (stupid disc brakes, proprietary bits, a shiny new paint job just waiting to get scratched, etc...). Just enjoy what it has because if it was 1995ish, we'd be STOKED to have a new mid-90's bike to roll around on. And THAT is what cycling is all about! 😉
Something about horizontal top tubes that really makes a bike look like a "bike" that classic timeless look
Love that little hopper. Thank you Spindatt.😁
Its a Mavel bike! I love it! Been building them out of old bikes from our bike shops basement
Genuinely found this entertaining. gives me ideas for the 90's hard rock laying about some place...
Only thing I dislike about it, is the seat to bars angle (geometry), which is quite aggressive. But it's a great budget option! And looks cool!🤑😍
Binge watching while waiting for migraine meds to kick in. LOVE your content. My gravel bike is a 2004 SEVEN Cycles Steel Touring bike, that has kicked ass pretty much as good as she can. I'm itching for wider tires - (40 on front 38 on back max) and more clearance (REALLY need a smaller big ring, but it's full Campy stuff.) and better brakes / grips (V-brakes with very low profile brake hoods/grips) ... you know... a REAL Gravel Bike! Still, she's super fast (Scored many QOMs on this thing, even though I'm surrounded by National Team racers and high-end riders, 10 years younger, who actually train). The SEVEN is nimble and comfy and FUN enough for 100km+ gravel rides (with some inevitable singletrack detours) but my riding has outgrown her limits. Sigh.
It's a good looking machine has to be said, would you say a 700c hybrid type frame would be more suited with drop bars etc?
Fav vid so far man, thanks for the free content!
Thanks!
Currently assembling the bits I need to do this to a 1990 Shogun Trailbreaker. I’ll be running Claris 2x8 and mini-V brakes.
This is exactly the video I needed to see. Hopefully I'll be throwing the rest of the build together on my '92 Spesh Crossroads Flatbar conversion this weekend if UPS comes through for me. Happy riding, see you on the path!
That's my kinda bike. You can beat the hell out of it, and it keeps on giving you a huge smile.
Man, your videos truly inspired me. I recently moved to another country and miss my old bike. I need a new bike and don't know what to do! I would like to buy a dad bike and modernized it, but I don't have the tools and space to do so. Anyway, thank you for the great content!
Back! in the Days, late 90th, such a Type of Bike was called Monstercross! Its all comming back. Even now the Flat - Bar - Gravel bike is simply nothing than a adaption to the go´old full ridgit MTBs!
Nice ride
My mtb to gravel convert is perfect for the riding I do as well although I did convert the wheels to 700c x 35 and some unique v brakes that allow the brake pads to reach the rims.
Tell me more about those brakes!
Lite pro do a v brake that has huge adjustment......I am about to try them on a 700c into a a steely Kona 'Cone.
@@ronwhite8503 Yes the version I have are similar to the Lite Pro, the lite pro are lighter than my version, and to get them to work perfectly with road shifters you need to use the V-Brake adapters, you can find on e-bay cheap. I still wanted to run 2x on my bike and all the cables run on the top tube, so I had to purchase a problem solvers cross cramp in order to get my road front derailleur to work. The clamp has a small pulley that allows the cable to be routed from the top tube for bottom pull front derailleurs. The funny thing about the bike is the frame. It was my wife's mtb that she never used, its a size small. In order to fit me I had to purchase a very long seat post, and had to sacrifice the bottle cage on the seat tube because the front derailleur clamp covers the bolt hole for the bottle cage. But it's so much fun to ride.
Those gravel kings look sick with the purple
Nice Project!
Nice bikes for This:
Trek 830
Specialized Hard Rock
Giant Acapulco
Scott 90's
Royce Union (ALL models)
GT (ALL models)
Mongoose Iboc Sport
ALL models with 20",21" and 22" frame cromoly
I work with a guy who's giving me a '97 GT Pantera with the beautiful triple triangle frame. It has V brakes and I'm not sure they'll work with Force levers. I hope so because I upgraded the shifters with a Ratio 12 speed ratchet. It works with SRAM Eagle derailleur and 10-50 cassette for maximum freshness. That on a dropbar GT will be forever blossoming with outrageous class. I just hope the cage doesn't hit the tire...
Awesome video!! I bought an old Gary fisher mountain bike on craigs list. New sub!!!
All you need is the matchy match green seat and youre golden!
I converted a 96 stumpjumper over to a gravel grinder with a shit load less work.
Specialized stem that takes 31.8 bars, zipp service course handlebars and some microshift r8 shifters. I swapped saddles for a specialized mimic power saddle, that s was preference, original saddle was just fine. Bike was $200 and conversion was $150. Saddle was almost as much as conversion. Lol. It's a amazing riding bike and wouldn't hesitate to ride it daily.
This bike really does inspire you to come up with some great content.
Looked VERY capable today! Thanks for sharing the fall😄 Been there🤫.
I converted my bike like this, but with (37-559) wheels. I think it's the best commuters bike. Can go fast on roads and it wont be shy on any single track.
they pretty much will just chug along through anything
Hi,
Thanks for the video. Please could you argue on what is making it slow ? Is it 26" wheels on rough terrain ? Is it the geometry ? Is it the frame stifness ?
It's probably the wheels, they get rolling quicker than 700/29er but have a slower top speed due to being smaller
good job! practical and more reliable
Great video showing capabilities! I'll have to take mine on a bit more of a adventure. Have a 80s mountaineer I've done the same conversation too.
My first attempt was based on a 26 hybrid Devinci with discs. But next a Haro Beasly with 27.5x2.1 and shortish CX geometry rolled much better on and off pavement. Throw on a set of 700x38 wheels and a 38/16 SS set up and you have a great commuting bike. Decent value for money at about $700 CAN too.
"How is it that I fall down just walking?" I feel seen
Eric’s tire choice is just too perfect for this bike. Even if ive seen this rockhopper several times i still lust for it.. Maybe my favourite bicycle in his stable
Fun stuff. Great looking bike. Long live "Party Pace".
This build inspired me to build my own. I love it! I put an old school rockshox fork on mine too for haha’s
Inspired me to start building
my own Grouch!
Bikes aren’t slow, riders are. And no one is slower than me. 1990s steel bikes are awesome all rounders. They take any accessories and you can fix anything with a fist full of tools. The bike industry only changes specs when it reduces manufacturing costs, then you see a ton of sales driven advertising explaining why the new stuff is better. The 559 was and is a great wheel size.
My Bianchi Ocelot has been a good "beater touring" bike (looks too good to call a beater, really), but since I have a Surly LHT, I'm gonna gravel out the Ocelot. Already has good drop bars (from my Y2Kona JtS) and a quill adapter/TL stem, but I'm gonna take that clunky rig off and install a nice, clean quill stem again. Just getting one with a faceplate, so's I won't have to undo everything to pull the bar off.
Great stuff mate thanks for the video
this is why i still ride the shit out of my steel 1998 GT rebound 💪🏽
I have a GT Outpost.
Same idea in mind.with claris group set
95 GT outpost conversion 🦾🇺🇸⚖️
I got a GT Avalanche
I had one with 26'' wheels and it felt like mini gravel bike for child. I would prefer to build next time on hybrid bike.
I've been having the same exact question, for me the gravel bikes were classic MTB from the beginning.
lmao bombs down steep slope doesent, fall, grabs camera takes 2 steps falls
loved that part lol great vid, i just got my hands on a 1998 specialized hard rock and Im really excited to upgrade it and give it some new glory days!
My 26" MTB (~2005 era) to "gravel bike" conversion learnings are that the more rough stuff you plan to hit, the better suited the bike will be for it. Don't pay attention to your speed as this will be disappointing. Don't plan to hang comfortably in any kind of quick group ride. And if your typical "gravel" ride is going to be 75% asphalt and 25% dirt road, maybe just consider getting some meatier tires on your beater roadie.
Diggin' those Ritchey Bars, think I'll get some for my 26" Gravel mashup.
I built one for bike packing, but that things is a lot of fun to ride all the time :-)
Converted the mid 90’s steel mtb to an all road rig about 8 years ago, well before gravel was a thing. Best choice was to retain the triple chain ring. Often spinning out in the granny gear at the top of 1hr long climbs in the Cascades that tend to top out north of 15%, passing Cat 2 dudes pushing their 1x $5000 bikes with crap ratios.
Same here. Have an old mid '90s Stumpjumper with modified triple gear (20-32-42) and was thinking about putting a modern 1x Advant X on it and use it a touring offroad bike for the Alps. But then I'd lose the climbing capabilities or the travelling capabilities which a triple ring offers. Not sure what to do... :/
@@twhis9843 I found a good solution. Got me another mid '90s Stumpjumper on eBay for the price of a few beers. That's the one I will convert with drop bars to 1x10 for flat gravel routes and will keep my other Stumpjumper with 3x9 for the Alps and for bikepacking. Likewise I found on eBay a Shimano 20t chainring for the front. And 34 at the back is more than sufficient. That's more than enough for steep climbs with 15kg Ortliebs on tours. Never give up that option.
@@twhis9843 I am running 26x2.0" RaceKings at the moment. However I figured out that 2.25" without side knobs do fit into old frames, which makes the total diameter almost like modern 27.5"! Modern tires are so light and easy rolling that it's worth it to upgrade.
@@twhis9843 It's not steel, but an M2 Metal Matrix. I shot it on eBay for EUR 5,- in pristine, original condition. Beyond ridiculous. Yeah, who is still on eBay these days? Me! :D)))
@@twhis9843 Funny. My new EUR 5,- Stumpy is 18", has Shimano LX 3x7 and is the 1994 M2 model in Team Red, just as you said. I guess, I will keep it and convert it to a 1x11 gravel bike. Hopefully I can put in new freewheel hubs for 11sp.
Wow Nice ..i like this kind of Gravelbike. I will try to my Bike set up
Maybe it depends on if you actually ride it on gravel? Or do some actual distance?
I had a rockhopper comp in 1988
I have Rene Herse Rat Trap Pass tires on my 1992 Kona Hei Hei and I'd say I maybe have to push slightly harder to keep up with some roadies on the path, but it's mostly down to gearing and the upright position. Thems some fast tires. Just sayin'. But you are correct, I've been tinkering with that bike for years, and it's not the most ideal. Thankfully I had the means to get a legit gravel bike in TI and I will admit, definitely a step up. Unfortunately, those good 80's and early 90's MTBs are being snatched up and going for boucoup bucks
Fast Schmast....it’s flippin FUN AS HECK!