Has anyone built a Gravel bike using a retro frame

[BarneyRubble]

I think the long pull ones are based on the Tektro RL 520s, which are V specific. I have them (levers only) on a bike. They are quite comfortable but for big hand.

They are indeed, and fortunately I have big hands!

 

[frkl]

I've got some Sora 9x2 I was going to use, just because I have them kicking around. Any reason not to? I had also intended to run avid db7s. Not sure on bars and stem combo though, I've only ridden road and a long time ago so not sure what the current wisdom is, especially as converting an MTB frame.

The stem choice really depends on the riding position you want. But in my experience with several conversions, for a bike built for flat bars, you need a shorter and taller stem to achieve a similar riding position, assuming this is what you want, with drops.

One way i think about it (and this is just me) is that i want a point between the flats and the hoods on the drop bar to be about the same reach as the grips on the flat bar. The hoods and drops will be a bit farther, the flats a bit closer. Then to make the drops usable, the bar needs to be a tick higher than the flat bar it's replacing since the drops, well drop.

If you put a drop bar on a 90s mountain bike stem, you will have a superman like position.

But it gets more complicated because the Cunningham style drop bar mtbs were set up not for hood riding but the with the drops as the main hand position. The brake levers were pushed way forward too, so that the levers were more accessible from the drops. These bikes have very very tall stems and the bottoms of the drops are sometimes higher than the top tube.

If you want a more modern road position, where you hang out on the hoods more than in the drops, you won't need to go as high with the stem.

And a 700c hybrid probably came with a more up right stem than a 90s mtb, and maybe adding the drops on the stock stem with make it a tad more stretched out. That might not be a bad thing.

 

[frkl]

I've got some Sora 9x2 I was going to use, just because I have them kicking around. Any reason not to? I had also intended to run avid db7s. Not sure on bars and stem combo though, I've only ridden road and a long time ago so not sure what the current wisdom is, especially as converting an MTB frame.

As a concrete example, this came with flat bars and a c. 135mm 10 degree rise Zoom stem. It now has an 80mm Kalloy -17 degree classic road style stem. I find I have both a more relaxed position on the flats, a neutral/equivalent position on the extensions, and a more low-long position in the drops (keeping in mind that my low-long is still pretty relaxed--i mostly use it to stretch, not to sprint...)



That frame is a 57cm, but 61cm measured to the horizontal virtual top tube. This mountain bike was 55.5cm, with a slightly sloping top tube. Even with that insane 35 degree 130mm stem, the riding position on this bike was longer and lower than the grey one.



I use this tool to compare stems, so that I don't have to shoot completely in the dark. If you put in a stem set up on the bike that you like, you can figure out generally what a stem with drops on it would have to look like to approximate the hand position. And you can see how that position can be achieved with different styles of stems, too.

http://yojimg.net/bike/web_tools/stem.php

 

[Woz]

^ Spot on post.

I can only add that the choice of drop bars is fundamental too. Look for short drop short reach bars if you are an
out of the saddle on the hoods kind of rider. You will know your position is off with too much reach when you
you are climbing on the hoods standing on the pedals and when you come to sit down the saddle is not where you expect it.....

 

[frkl]

^ Spot on post.

I can only add that the choice of drop bars is fundamental too. Look for short drop short reach bars if you are an
out of the saddle on the hoods kind of rider. You will know your position is off with too much reach when you
you are climbing on the hoods standing on the pedals and when you come to sit down the saddle is not where you expect it.....

Good point with the "out of the saddle hood rider." I actually found i mostly used the hoods as I would have used bar ends, to get super leverage for climbing.

My "home" hand position is on the extensions between the flats and the hoods.

 

[Joycey26]

Recent build of a trek 730. I was overly optimistic with my initial 44mm Tyre choice as it didn’t leave room for the FD. Currently setup as a commuter (28mm) but will likely fit tyres that sit between the two come summer.

 

[frkl]

Recent build of a trek 730. I was overly optimistic with my initial 44mm Tyre choice as it didn’t leave room for the FD. Currently setup as a commuter (28mm) but will likely fit tyres that sit between the two come summer.

View attachment 612543View attachment 612544View attachment 612545

And not just another fan of drop bar mounted thumbies, but you run Stronglight Impact cranks, too.

Have you tried running a bottom swing front derailleur? Might Let you max out the tires.

 

[frkl]

They are indeed, and fortunately I have big hands!

One thing I have noticed about the RL 520s is that the brake cable comes out at a really bad angle, or more accurately, the corner is quite sharp. I had to trim away some of the plastic body with a utility knife in order to avoid the handle's digging into the housing. (It actually cut thru the plastic down to the coiled metal). Once I did, the friction in the system went way way down. It was a little nerve wracking to cut into the handles but in the end well worth it. Just remove the edge made the whole system much smoother, especially the returns.

 

[dirttorpedo]

How do you like the shifter? I think they are a cool idea but have this feeling they mount a bit far away. But I guess downtubers are far away too and you get used to them

I run the IRD brake lever version with 10 speed shimano bar ends mounted on my gravel bike and am very happy with them. They don't work as well as modern brifters, but they work well, are pretty bomb proof and don't hit / stick on the luggage I store on my front rack. If I was racing I'd probably want brifters.

 

[dirttorpedo]

I built the gravel bike Dawes should have built in the 1980s as a successor to their WIndrush Rough Stuff oriented bike. They were still building lugged frames with 531db like this Cougar mtb.
I've set it up 1930-1950s Rough Stuff style with modern interpretation of Great north Road bars. It's got 60mm Super Motos slicks so it stays nippy on the road. I removed the vile 1980s stickers.
Single speed, of course, but because of my advancing age and growing enfeeblement, it may get a 3 speed S-A hub for long days in the mountains.
As a matter of interest 650b wheels with 50mm tyres fit, but it would need adapters for the cantis.
View attachment 600019

Looks very path racerish!