mrkawasaki
Retrobike Rider
Has anyone built a Gravel bike using a retro frame
- Thread starter bjellys
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mrkawasaki":xihhwodu said:Apparently some visionary Charlie over the pond did this back in 1978...
cracking thread from the wild days of RB
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=175899
epicyclo
Senior Retro Guru
Re: Re:
If you are looking for Retro Gravel, you don't have to do too many modifications because back in the 1950s they actually built gravel bikes.
Only they called them rough stuff bikes and aimed them at the Rough Stuff Fellowship riders. A good example is the Rudge Pathfinder, it's made of 531, and is particularly useful because it has got a reinforced steerer - some of the more lightweight bikes used to fold their forks. There's plenty room for a decently wide tyre and a mudguard, and decent centre pull brakes like Mafac Racers are about as good as cantis.
Much later than the mid 1950s and the choice narrows because the market was being dominated by bikes aimed at road racing and chainstay clearances were being reduced accordingly.
For that matter, a 1930s lightweight would be also good, but you need to be using Resilion Cantilevers because just about any other brake from that period was crap. However the value of 1930s lightweights is rising, so it may be a bit sacrilegious .
mr-mac":1qg9ldv7 said:
If you are looking for Retro Gravel, you don't have to do too many modifications because back in the 1950s they actually built gravel bikes.
Only they called them rough stuff bikes and aimed them at the Rough Stuff Fellowship riders. A good example is the Rudge Pathfinder, it's made of 531, and is particularly useful because it has got a reinforced steerer - some of the more lightweight bikes used to fold their forks. There's plenty room for a decently wide tyre and a mudguard, and decent centre pull brakes like Mafac Racers are about as good as cantis.
Much later than the mid 1950s and the choice narrows because the market was being dominated by bikes aimed at road racing and chainstay clearances were being reduced accordingly.
For that matter, a 1930s lightweight would be also good, but you need to be using Resilion Cantilevers because just about any other brake from that period was crap. However the value of 1930s lightweights is rising, so it may be a bit sacrilegious .
dirttorpedo
Senior Retro Guru
Re:
I just bought an old steel hybrid and built it up with drops. I think I could run 40mm knobbies without fenders. I've been running 35mm slicks with fenders for commuting. Check out my miyata triple cross thread for the build.
I just bought an old steel hybrid and built it up with drops. I think I could run 40mm knobbies without fenders. I've been running 35mm slicks with fenders for commuting. Check out my miyata triple cross thread for the build.
secret_squirrel
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No more or no less really. Completely depends on the stem you choose. Obviously the headtube length and general geometry will have an impact too.Scvintage":3nlt02j6 said:
