It Gravel Jim........89 Marin build

[Tootyred]

Its Gravel Jim...but not as we know it...captain. The immortal words of "The Firm", back in 87'.

Well something like that......and im told by a friend who runs a startrek pod cast that even their original quote was incorrect.

And so goes it with gravel bikes. I've been interested in the idea of them since they "officially appeared" about 10 years or so ago. But, in the same way im interested in the amazing workings of my environmentally friendly bio plant.....I'm not that keen to jump in feet first.

I have however watched with interest as slowly the parameters of a gravel bike have changed from kinda a road bike with slightly knobbly tyres (kinda like your equipe with the most gripsome tyres you could find in 1982 bolted on) to a seemingly never ending race for ever widening tyres...possibly some 40mm travel front suspension, 24 gears thanks to 12 speed grx 2x setup and possibly a steel frame if your feeling flush. The latest offering all seem hell bent on fitting 55mm ish tyres in too.........wait a minute......(insert scratchy record sound effect).......back up the bus.....WHoooooooohah. Haven't we seen that before somewhere?!

Ladies and gents i give you a slightly grown up, turn of the 90s mountain bike.

So where better to start my exploration of "gravel" (whatever that means) and drop bars which i haven't ridden for 44 years, than a 1989 Marin Pine Mountain.....XL obvs.

 

[widowmaker]

That's a nice frame. Watching with interest

 

[Tootyred]

This frame and forks has been kindly returned to me by the true gent that is @widowmaker . Originally I refurbished it a few years back to use as a touring bike, it then went to him, now its returned.

Thank you my friend.

The "gravel bating" aside, im actually intetested in whether i can ride drops any more. I've been seriously contemplating buying a gravel bike, I've even looked at one in a shop, but im concerned my back etc will not let me do it, or I just wont be a big enough stack as i need fairly high bars aggravated by being 6'5" ish!

So, the Pine Mountain is a pretty ideal base. Big headtube, long, stable, steel, not too heavy and even has the now trendy again slightly dropped seat stays....ooooooh .

Its going to be a fairly quick build and im trying to do it entirely out of bits from the boxes in the shed....so here goes.

Wheels, easy, straight off the wall. Mavic 317xc with 737 xt hubs (actually built for this bike in the first place). This will allow me to graft on some 8 speed kit which ive also got.

 

[widowmaker]

I'm on a similar page, I'm building (or rather a top local bike shop) is building my Raleigh XC gravel mash-up, with drops.

Will be interested in how you get on

If you ever want to pass on the frame don't mention it to me, I'm cutting down

 

[Tootyred]

"So why a gravel bike?" Your probably screaming.

TBH partly the bigger sizes and stack heights available, partly as my off roading is really now just bridal ways, farm tracks, forests in the main and partly wishing to try something new before i can't! Sadly a thought, with with my back issues, comes to me more and more of late.

Plus, the latest batch seem to more hit the mark. Wider tyres....probably about 45c would suit me fine day to day and cover all bases. 2x gearing with capacity for a reasonably close ratio cassette ( sorry 1x lovers, but i hate the big jumps or the lack of top/ bottom end), plus it probably as close to 1 bike territory as i might get.

Any way back to the build

 

[Tootyred]

So now i need to find some drops. Though the touring club I've been able to test a few types. Oddly, I can't hold the non flared old skool bars comfortably for some reason. So its got to be flares.

Problem 1. Frame is 1" threaded steerer.....

So its either quill converter or tall quill. Quill converter brings in lots of options, but is it just me or does balancing a mahoosive stem, 31.8 bars etc on top of a time 1" steer just look all types of wrong....

So its a tall stem.....hang on....problem....modern flared bars are neither 25.4mm clamp, nor will they go through a closed face stem. Arse.

Annoyingly ive got some really nice short drop (helps with back) midge bars from @benjabbi cheers mate.

So its needle in a haystack time. 1" steerer, open faced 25.4 clamp, steerer long enough to get the bars at least level with the seat ( remembering my height), short reach to make up for the huge reach on the frame and looks ok.....

 

[widowmaker]

What are your plans for levers/shifters

 

[Rotorhead]

Nice to see that frame back in the limelight. I’m thinking about a similar conundrum with a late 90s unthreaded steerer Marin: bad back considerations, how to get drop bars up, shifting options etc etc. So pulling up a chair to enjoy how you square the circle.

 

[doctor-bond]

So now i need to find some drops. Though the touring club I've been able to test a few types. Oddly, I can't hold the non flared old skool bars comfortably for some reason. So its got to be flares.

Problem 1. Frame is 1" threaded steerer.....

So its either quill converter or tall quill. …….. So its needle in a haystack time. 1" steerer, open faced 25.4 clamp, steerer long enough to get the bars at least level with the seat ( remembering my height), short reach to make up for the huge reach on the frame and looks ok.....

Nitto faceplate is your friend here (FW30?) - tho not cheap and availability is tight (Tokoyo bike had some).
Or how about experimenting with inverted north road style bars: cheap, shallow drop, good hand angle and will thread through a tall quill.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

https://freshtripe.co.uk/velo-orange-quill-stem-with-removable-faceplate/
This will let you use 31.8mm modern flared or shallow drop bars