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.