To all you running modern set ups on old frames/bikes
- Thread starter chris86
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Got around what? Old bikes ride the way they do and its good, most old bikes are xc oriented and good at it. Maybe gears needs replacing through wear. As for bars, slightly wider flats or slight risers maybe. Brakes, XTR or Magura rim, or just V's if you are on Cantis. If you ride in the mud, you may have to replace rims once in a blue moon. But you actually need to change little, they are generally good XC bikes. If you want a slack DH monster, a retro bike is the wrong place to start.
doctorstewie
Senior Retro Guru
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My Go to mountain bike is a 97 Rift Zone, so it's already fitted with V brakes, slightly newer ( but fitted back in the day too ) risers and short stem, and a Marzocchi Bomber, DX Spds ( Oh and modern brake pads and tyres) That's it. I ride that at trail centres and cross country, it does it all. The shorter stem and wide risers make it into a pretty competent All Mountain bike 
And that's with period parts.
The bike I am rebuilding right now is a 94 Dyna Tech, and it's getting all period parts on it ( or at least parts that pass as period ) I am keeping the canti's on it, cos they are part of it's character, as is the ludicrously long stem and flat bar. But I want it to ride like a 94 bike - basically a low geared fat tyred toughened road bike I'll take out the RZ if I want to hammer anything, and it still has almost all it's original kit.
And that's with period parts.The bike I am rebuilding right now is a 94 Dyna Tech, and it's getting all period parts on it ( or at least parts that pass as period ) I am keeping the canti's on it, cos they are part of it's character, as is the ludicrously long stem and flat bar. But I want it to ride like a 94 bike - basically a low geared fat tyred toughened road bike
I'll take out the RZ if I want to hammer anything, and it still has almost all it's original kit.
Re:
I don't know that I'd go out of my way to modernise parts on an older bike while they still work.
The biggest limitations are things you can't do much about, have few modern options or are relatively expensive to change eg 1 inch threaded headsets/forks, suspension forks for non suspension corrected geometry, no disc brake tabs.
I would consider changing a stem for something shorter and riser bars to get a more comfortable position - and less of an ass in the air one - to avoid the back ache that if memory serves was always a part of riding 90s bikes. But that's obviously a personal preference rather than a drive to modernisation.
Replacing biopace rings for round ones is probably the only other proactive choice I'd make and that's because I had serious knee problems with them in the 90s.
I don't know that I'd go out of my way to modernise parts on an older bike while they still work.
The biggest limitations are things you can't do much about, have few modern options or are relatively expensive to change eg 1 inch threaded headsets/forks, suspension forks for non suspension corrected geometry, no disc brake tabs.
I would consider changing a stem for something shorter and riser bars to get a more comfortable position - and less of an ass in the air one - to avoid the back ache that if memory serves was always a part of riding 90s bikes. But that's obviously a personal preference rather than a drive to modernisation.
Replacing biopace rings for round ones is probably the only other proactive choice I'd make and that's because I had serious knee problems with them in the 90s.
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'wider bars and shorter stems'
didnt we all do that in 1996??
Anyway, whats improved since 96? Gears? No, still greasy and just as easily scuppered by thick mud and just as prone to wear now as back then.
Braking? Personally I dont think so. I was running Hope in 1996 with the adjustable cylinders - this allowed for changes in hot and cold weather. Biggest complaints about modern were 'stuck' brakes after bikes taken from hot sheds or no brakes at all in the winter.
Suspension forks - yes, lighter forks better steering but seemingly short service intervals and just as expensive as they've always been
Full suspension - its a different branch of cycling, you cant and shouldnt compare a 1991 clockwork against a sub 5 - the two are in no way related but, say a UFO against a sub 5, yeah why not but then physics and thousands of hours of design work later: you cant re-invent the wheel - certain designs work and work very well but marketing dictates that you must have 'new' every six months so what works dosent sell more 'new' and generate revenue.
Biopace is back in many forms, disc brakes have been around since the 1970's, blah de blah etc etc.
Frame materials? Lets wait for the daft carbon love affair to pass, steel is back, other new materials might appear. Printed frames and so on?
Too many old frames buggered up by long travel forks so stop that, yes, you there, stop it.
didnt we all do that in 1996??
Anyway, whats improved since 96? Gears? No, still greasy and just as easily scuppered by thick mud and just as prone to wear now as back then.
Braking? Personally I dont think so. I was running Hope in 1996 with the adjustable cylinders - this allowed for changes in hot and cold weather. Biggest complaints about modern were 'stuck' brakes after bikes taken from hot sheds or no brakes at all in the winter.
Suspension forks - yes, lighter forks better steering but seemingly short service intervals and just as expensive as they've always been
Full suspension - its a different branch of cycling, you cant and shouldnt compare a 1991 clockwork against a sub 5 - the two are in no way related but, say a UFO against a sub 5, yeah why not but then physics and thousands of hours of design work later: you cant re-invent the wheel - certain designs work and work very well but marketing dictates that you must have 'new' every six months so what works dosent sell more 'new' and generate revenue.
Biopace is back in many forms, disc brakes have been around since the 1970's, blah de blah etc etc.
Frame materials? Lets wait for the daft carbon love affair to pass, steel is back, other new materials might appear. Printed frames and so on?
Too many old frames buggered up by long travel forks so stop that, yes, you there, stop it.
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RobMac":31rgloyi said:
:mrgreen:
SEANSTEPHENS
GT Fan
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my 1994 zaskar has a 120mm modern thomson stem and 31.8mm ritchey carbon bars. its a vast improvement on handling and considerably lighter than the 90s combo i had before. also, they suit the bike suprisingly well.... i want to upgrade to a modern sram 9 speed as well, the xt m735 rear derailleur im using at the moment is shit. modern components are undeniably better, so if you can upgrade an older bike to make it ride better then you may as well. although a lot of retro freaks here would disagree
sean
my 1994 zaskar has a 120mm modern thomson stem and 31.8mm ritchey carbon bars. its a vast improvement on handling and considerably lighter than the 90s combo i had before. also, they suit the bike suprisingly well.... i want to upgrade to a modern sram 9 speed as well, the xt m735 rear derailleur im using at the moment is shit. modern components are undeniably better, so if you can upgrade an older bike to make it ride better then you may as well. although a lot of retro freaks here would disagree
sean
Re: Re:
So far I love the "why bother" attitude from a lot of people here. My answer to that is because I can, I have the gear to braze on disc tabs, I have access to a paint shop to refinish the frame, so I dont see a problem.
Thats my way of thinking, a few modern bits to get the most out of a bike.SEANSTEPHENS":150pyj4g said:my 1994 zaskar has a 120mm modern thomson stem and 31.8mm ritchey carbon bars. its a vast improvement on handling and considerably lighter than the 90s combo i had before. also, they suit the bike suprisingly well.... i want to upgrade to a modern sram 9 speed as well, the xt m735 rear derailleur im using at the moment is shit. modern components are undeniably better, so if you can upgrade an older bike to make it ride better then you may as well. although a lot of retro freaks here would disagree
So far I love the "why bother" attitude from a lot of people here. My answer to that is because I can, I have the gear to braze on disc tabs, I have access to a paint shop to refinish the frame, so I dont see a problem.
xxnick1975
Old School Grand Master
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if you've got the kit and the skills then defo go for it, and the photos up on here as these kind of adaptions are always good to see and admire
which i could do stuff like that
if you've got the kit and the skills then defo go for it, and the photos up on here as these kind of adaptions are always good to see and admire
which i could do stuff like that
