Has anyone built a Gravel bike using a retro frame

[Takingabreak]

Definitely does....it's the original gravel bike!
Doesn't get any better than that ...that's lovely

There are a couple of things I'm struggling with, one is using a compact double 34/48 - it just feels all wrong compared to a trusty triple and the other is getting the postion of the shifters optimal. The shifters are dura ace bar end shifters mounted as thumbies but in certain gears they are taking up hand grip space.

 

[Mickeyspinn]

There are a couple of things I'm struggling with, one is using a compact double 34/48 - it just feels all wrong compared to a trusty triple and the other is getting the postion of the shifters optimal. The shifters are dura ace bar end shifters mounted as thumbies but in certain gears they are taking up hand grip space.

The final tweaks eh! I ended up fitting downtube shifters on a frame that never had them! So nice having uncluttered bars... snd a road chainset 39 52 but I live on a marsh so it's all road to get to anywhere near off road and then we'll it's still flat!

 

[Stodgy]

Looks great that DY! Same tyres I’m running on my gravel thing. I really like them as long as they are tubeless.
I ditched the compact triple and bought an ultra low double from Spa Cycles. It’s a triple with the largest ring removed. Running 26/42 with 11-34 8 speeed on back. Still not a low enough gear so now looking at an 11-40 on the back.

 

[dirttorpedo]

There are a couple of things I'm struggling with, one is using a compact double 34/48 - it just feels all wrong compared to a trusty triple and the other is getting the postion of the shifters optimal. The shifters are dura ace bar end shifters mounted as thumbies but in certain gears they are taking up hand grip space.

I'd suggest a 48x34 is too big. I'm running a 46x30 on my purpose built gravel bike and that's even a bit too much when it gets really steep. No shame in running a 3x though although I'd look for a microdrive crank.

 

[dirttorpedo]

does a hybrid count as a gravel bike? It does have gravel king tyres... I'm still tweaking the set up and will run new cables once I'm happy with everything.View attachment 632567

Does to me. The original 29'er

 

[maryka]

Rule number one is never buy a frame the wrong size.

Rule number two is never buy a frame the wrong size.

...... I could go on. Why don't you put a Wanted Ad in the appropriate section?

To be honest, while they are cheap, none of them would be a brilliant ride. If you have the budget, just be a patient for some quality to turn up. Somebody somewhere has a nice steel or Ti frameset doing nothing and willing to sell if the price is right.

I'd stay clear of anything AL regardless of brand; they are practically worthless. Same for anything with older suspension forks.

Very good advice all round. On the point of your last sentence though:

I've found a 13.5" Stumpjumper M2 in green, 1998, with some mods: "1998 Z1 BAM forks, Magura race lines, mavic D521 rear rim with XT/LX 9 speed"

200 quid. Pics look nice. Says it's been stored in the dry and nothing rusty/dead. Seems a light frame but stiff... I guess that may make it a poor candidate for a gravel/offroad tourer conversion, will it beat me up too much?

 

[RACERX_26]

My 16" 1999 Kona Explosif 1x9 setup, b6er, bar end shifter, carbon fork

 

[pw_pw_la]

Right, so as someone with a decent accumulation of spare parts, and, perhaps, even an unused frame and fork, or two, I'm thinking the end of summer might be a nice time to dip my toe into a little parts bin special, dirt drop build.

But I have a few questions I'm hoping some of you might be able to answer:

1. What are some general frame characteristics (compared to, say, a person's normal preferences) I should be looking out for as the ideal candidate to build one around? Do I want a shorter top tube); relaxed or more aggressive geometry; do I want a frame slightly smaller than usual, or slightly bigger? Or what I would usually go for?

Would a Bontrager OR a size too small for me be workable, is what I'm getting at?!

2. I know something like a Salsa P10 is ideal, but can I get away with something a little less steep, if I'm able to raise it up a little? I only ask because I recently acquired a nice, steep and cheap Salsa stem. And although it's not a P10, I have a feeling it might just work well-enough to at least see what the vibe is like riding one of these.

3. Gearing/Braking. Do I try 2x9? Do I just stick a regular old XT group on there and run that with barcons? Do I dare try to find shifter mounts for all those $$$, that will allow me to run thumbies? Should I stick a bunch of old DuraAce on there? Lever recommendations that won't look out of place or break (brake!) the bank?

5. Do I just sack it all off and focus my time and money on a dedicated cross bike instead?

I don't, and never have, ridden drop bars or road bikes, so I'm really starting from scratch here. The only thing I know for sure is that I want to make sure the drops are positioned as close to level with the saddle as possible. But as I already struggle getting this to happen on my bikes with flat bars, I'm sure it's going to be more of a case of close-enough than nailed-it!

 

[maryka]

I've found a 13.5" Stumpjumper M2 in green, 1998, with some mods: "1998 Z1 BAM forks, Magura race lines, mavic D521 rear rim with XT/LX 9 speed"

Update: found a 1999 Rockhopper in the same size, much cheaper and close to home. Bit rusty but a good start -- if I love it, I will look to upgrade the frameset at a later date. Came with a 9 speed LX rapid fire, but 8 speed cassette and chain.

Anyway I have fitted it with 650b wheels and 38mm Schwalbe Allrounds, so far so good. Now looking at swapping to some drop bars from a kids' 26" CX bike I have, along with the cheapie 2x8 Claris groupset on that. Presumably I don't need to change the mechs as they will work with the shifters? But will need to swap to mini-Vs or cantis -- I think the former will just fit with those bigger wheels so I don't need to fit canti hangers (I hope!)

What to do about the square taper triple chainset, will the Claris 2x front STI work with the 32/42 chainrings if I trim the mech screws? In the long term I would like to go with a 1x set up with shorter crankarms but in the meantime I just want to keep everything pretty cheap with quickly and easily acquired parts whilst I play around with what works, what I like etc.

Yeah the seatpost height surprised me, I think I'll be looking for a longer one as I'm definitely pushing the limits of the minimum insert there... however the toptube is just barely short enough so I guess long term I'm going to want a much earlier model than 1999 to keep the reach short and the toptube less sloping?

 

[wroclaw]

650b tyres with 700d rims