Raleigh Titanium dropbar project

[Jamis Diablo]

Last saterday was a very rainy day, so I was messing around in my shed.
I looked at my Jamis gravelracer/CX/commuter bike I built about 8 years ago and just wanted somthing else.
Something with a little bit more comfort (I'm not getting younger...) than the 35C tires it has now.
I've been looking through the adds lately to see if there is a affordable replacement, but when I looked around and saw this:

That should be enough to build something nice
So after a little sorting it came to this:

And after two hours building this:

Behold my PBMX; Parts Bin Monster Cross

It is a mix of retro and a little modern:
Raleigh (Torus?) Ti frame
M952 group with Boone Ti chainring and modified brakes to fit the bars
Surley forks (modern)
Satori beach racer handlebars (modern)
Dura Ace thumbie
Crossmax 1st gen wheelset
Cheapy BBB stem (modern)
Thompson seatpost

I had the original decals lying around, so got them on yesterday:

I'm waiting for Brooks bargrip and Super Moto tires.
Hope you like the result, I do!

 

[Lhatch4]

I like like it. I'm not really sold on the handlebar/shifter/lever situation but it looks really good. The colour combo is great.

 

[Gerard]

Looking good Jeroen. Look foward to seeing the finished project.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Re:

Nice! How does the shifting / braking work out?

 

[was8v]

Looks great!

What tyres are those?

 

[The History Man]

Nice. Apart from the bar tape making bars look like the amputated arms of a baby.

Or is it just me?

Like the lever shifter combo. Very un pc.

 

[Jamis Diablo]

Re: Re:

Nice! How does the shifting / braking work out?

I finally finished it yesterday, just need the right stem but did go for a spin.
Shifting and breaking is just like a normal bar, I can reach the shifter fine.

 

[Jamis Diablo]

Looks great!

What tyres are those?

Thanks, these are Nokian or something like that, replaced by Super Moto's by now.

 

[Jamis Diablo]

Nice. Apart from the bar tape making bars look like the amputated arms of a baby.

Or is it just me?

Like the lever shifter combo. Very un pc.

Thanks, and yes that is just you, and not the look I was going for
It's not your typical drop bar, but a bar made for beach races, pretty popular here in Holland.
Less drop and more flair to the outside. Gives a very nice wrist positioning for me.

 

[Jamis Diablo]

Some update pics, changed the tires and installed a Brooks Cambium so need matching bar grip now.
Not happy with this stem and spacers combo, but another stem is on its way.
I took it for a spin yesterday and it feels pretty comfortable compared to my previous road/gravel/CX thingy.
The Super Moto's roll very light, but the steering is very different, if you turn the bars at some point the tires start to selfsteering and pull the bike to that side. Not dramatically but needs some time to get used to.
The Brooks is one of the finest saddles I've had, very comfortable from the first meters and looking damn pretty.