Converting Retrobikes into gravel rigs.

[Frankenorange]

This is my Crust gravel rig. It was more expensive than any of the other rigs, but my bro Ron likes it.



I just paid Woods Cyclery £25 per wheel to fit the new inner tubes I got from Blue Lug, so I can’t afford to eat for a month, but here I found some good gnar on the way home.

 

[doctor-bond]

I've converted several over the years, but quickly get bored/realise that I just get on "betterer" with flat-ish bars for anything off-road.
I'm always too tempted to take them on my usual technical/rocky MTB terrain, which invariably results in me regretting the decision/not enjoying it/fearing for my life/falling off or into something.

I saw this in action at a recent gravel race event. I entered on the old clunker below for a laugh and got beaten by most (was nursing a terrible cold you understand …) but the drop bar gravel rigs really struggled on the technical downhill sections at this event. My sit up and beg bars at least meant I could do the technical stuff without falling off (unlike a good number of rigs). One lad entered on a mountain bike and flew down the downs and got passed on the ups. It’s always been a balance; but drop bars have a lot of limitations - which is undoubtedly why they are getting wider, flatter and less droppy.

 

[novocaine]

This is my Crust gravel rig. It was more expensive than any of the other rigs, but my bro Ron likes it.

View attachment 1005534

I just paid Woods Cyclery £25 per wheel to fit the new inner tubes I got from Blue Lug, so I can’t afford to eat for a month, but here I found some good gnar on the way home.

Bet that's an absolute pig to clean.

but I do call bullshit on your new innertubes, and on the decks, lots and lots of bullshit.

 

[Theyetidentist]

Sorry to OP, but you read like AI.

Anyways, here's my mid retro conversion.

I’m stumped on a response to that one. Going to read back through and see if I can sound less like Rimer.

 

[novocaine]

I’m stumped on a response to that one. Going to read back through and see if I can sound less like Rimer.

ta.

It's the joys on the modern world, you don't know who to trust anymore.

also, that's what AI would say.

 

[Lucidone]

ta.

It's the joys on the modern world, you don't know who to trust anymore.

also, that's what AI would say.

This is getting really frustrating now - who the hell is this Alan everyone's referring to?

 

[oligali]

To feed AI further , here´´s my contribution:

First I was riding this:



Then this:


And now this:



All versions are running 650B wheels.
Sometimes it works better, sometimes not, but it´s fun to build and to fiddle around until it works (or not).
I don´t think I will stop...
Cheers.

 

[novocaine]

This is getting really frustrating now - who the hell is this Alan everyone's referring to?

He's a marmot who doesn't listen to his friends.


or the genius who beat the enigma machine (actually relatively fitting to be fair).

or, he's not real, he can't hurt you..... yet.

 

[novocaine]

To feed AI further , here´´s my contribution:

First I was riding this:
View attachment 1005841


Then this:
View attachment 1005843

And now this:

View attachment 1005845

All versions are running 650B wheels.
Sometimes it works better, sometimes not, but it´s fun to build and to fiddle around until it works (or not).
I don´t think I will stop...
Cheers.

The F600 with a leftie would be awesome. But no one would do such a thing.....

oh wait, Cannondale do stupid things.



lovely conversions you have there. Al will hopefully approve.

 

[fiveSixteenths]

Can’t unsee this thread now.
Going to look in the shed when I get home from work and see if I can jump on the bandwagon.