How hard (moreso costly) is it to put a modern drivetrain on a vintage mtb?

[retrobiker273891]

I know nothing that has not already been shared about gears, chainrings or shifters, (in fact a great deal less!!) but I will add my 2c to say that Diamondback's were great bikes back in the day. I had one as a kid. I think they are underrated/overlooked by a lot of collectors/retrobike addicts...

That is what I gathered from the bit of searching around I did after the bike came up for sale.

Sounds like other companies which had a great reputation at one point, like Raleigh when they were made in Wales but through getting sold off they end up selling BSOs and get a bad name.

The story seems a little different with DB in that they were great back then but still underrated due to lack of aggressive marketing that other companies did. No bad thing if the consumer knows this but bad for them as a company.

 

[retrobiker273891]

This.

Having lurked through and read this thread, my worry is that in trying to find, effectively, that perfect set-up. you will ultimately be disappointed. 25, 30 or 40 year old technology cannot be perfect. Every bike has some level of compromise...that's why so many of us have so many of them

Not really I am getting a lot closer to knowing what I want as I see more offers.

I realized, and the seller agreed, that the Diamond Back was not right for me as, given more thought, the gears are not low enough on that and would have to buy smaller contemporary crank and bigger cassette on back which would be costly.

Also mixing and matching old and new would be complex and also costly.

So back to all old offerings. As I ran the numbers it is much easier to get a super low with 22/34x26 with old stuff. Loads more choice.

Having done a quick search I found the Hollowtech chainring options much more limiting.

The original idea proposed by one or two members on here was that getting an 8 speed hub opens your options up to new tech but ironically it did the opposite.

 

[FluffyChicken]

I'll put this to rest (some hope!?): Buy any 90s rigid mountain bike made of decent steel. It will give you the ratio you want/need to climb. Anything from that period with a bog-standard groupset will climb anything if you put it in 1/1. Chances are it will be too spinney...

Pretty much this above, I was a good climber of steep rutted, dirt climbs etc.
My 24 with 30/32 was often not used and a drop to second gear worked best, you also need to be agile to get the bike over the obsticals, shift weight and left wheels. I'm talking steep straight up the sides stuff, not roads or the tracks.

Too low and most stuff just gives up.
Also suspension and good tyres helps. I would guess modern suspension even more, they're not bouncing and stay srcuk to the ground and that moving and liften isn't needed,. Just a shift of pedal power.
So do not write suspension of even properly setup Mag21 or JUDY forks.

Never did rear myself, but other peoples modern bikes I've ridden that are full sus circa 2010s made everything easier, that added traction is great, but does reduce the fun and challenge.

Anyway pretty much anything modern 2010 era will work fine and be great. P. S. I didn't really read the past many many pages of memes and stuff, so you hopefully they already told you that.

He only thing the big mega big modern cogs at the back give you is the ability to use less cogs at the front.

 

[retrobiker273891]

Pretty much this above, I was a good climber of steep rutted, dirt climbs etc.
My 24 with 30/32 was often not used and a drop to second gear worked best, you also need to be agile to get the bike over the obsticals, shift weight and left wheels. I'm talking steep straight up the sides stuff, not roads or the tracks.

Too low and most stuff just gives up.
Also suspension and good tyres helps. I would guess modern suspension even more, they're not bouncing and stay srcuk to the ground and that moving and liften isn't needed,. Just a shift of pedal power.
So do not write suspension of even properly setup Mag21 or JUDY forks.

Never did rear myself, but other peoples modern bikes I've ridden that are full sus circa 2010s made everything easier, that added traction is great, but does reduce the fun and challenge.

Anyway pretty much anything modern 2010 era will work fine and be great. P. S. I didn't really read the past many many pages of memes and stuff, so you hopefully they already told you that.

He only thing the big mega big modern cogs at the back give you is the ability to use less cogs at the front.

Sounds like very different terrain than I am looking to ride.

For me roads but very small ones but constant hills. Yea 90% road but I don't think so much so I would want a road bike and besides road bikes have super high gearing compared to mtbs!

The little off-roading I could envision would just be like forestry tracks or perhaps the odd bit of grass/bridleway between serviced roads. Even if I looked to do more real off-roading I would still ride there and back making road the main portion of the journey.

 

[synchronicity]

Why not just get a second hand MTB with a triple crankset already on it?
Then just buy a rigid fork.

My main training steed still has a triple 3x9. Until I get fitter and start riding road bikes again (compact double).
I just find the gearing easier and more closely spaced. Got a fairly tight cluster at the back, currently 13-23T. No larger than 2T jumps.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Sounds like very different terrain than I am looking to ride.

For me roads but very small ones but constant hills. Yea 90% road but I don't think so much so I would want a road bike and besides road bikes have super high gearing compared to mtbs!

The little off-roading I could envision would just be like forestry tracks or perhaps the odd bit of grass/bridleway between serviced roads. Even if I looked to do more real off-roading I would still ride there and back making road the main portion of the journey.

They needn't have really high gearing. My Raleigh Randonneur tourer bottom gear is 28 - 32. Nine speed with the ability to change the cassette or rings for even lower gearing. 23.6" to save you looking it up. I regularly lug 20kgs on tours with that and the only thing that stops me getting up a hill is fitness or tiredness.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Sounds like very different terrain than I am looking to ride.

For me roads but very small ones but constant hills. Yea 90% road but I don't think so much so I would want a road bike and besides road bikes have super high gearing compared to mtbs!

The little off-roading I could envision would just be like forestry tracks or perhaps the odd bit of grass/bridleway between serviced roads. Even if I looked to do more real off-roading I would still ride there and back making road the main portion of the journey.

That's a completely different setup to aim for than MTB then.
Roads are not that steep in reality. Road bike can have triple rings and big cogs. The rears cogs are now as wide or wider than 90s MTBs and tyres getting near to the width or retro mtb race tyres.

I would think the old MicroDrive/Compact drive or newer end of the 90s 4arm would get you a comfortably slow and easy ratio.
With a standard 90s range, say 32 or 34 max. You'll honestly get tired and leg cramps/lockup before you can't actually pedal. You may find you only use it for the switch back on zig zag hill climb or just before you give up. Any slower and well, the two feet gearing works really well and is quicker and easier.
This is similar to the 2010s before the changed everything, so a good Deore/STX/XT in the Mxxx or Txxx range would be great, I use them. It'll all mostly work on 90s bikes and work really well. The T range being when they started Trekking, which probably became Gravel.

Where abouts are you?
It sounds like your going up the NY Moors or Dales and you get ot teh top of the hill to find it just leveled off for a bit and tit keeps on going and then keeps doing this.


----
Modern roads are of course harsher, bumper and more difficult to ride on that a purpose built trail centre. So 400mm of comfort travel suspension is the way to go. ;-)

 

[retrobiker273891]

Where abouts are you?
It sounds like your going up the NY Moors or Dales and you get ot teh top of the hill to find it just leveled off for a bit and tit keeps on going and then keeps doing this.

I am on the border to wales which is rather flat on the english side and quickly steep hills on the welsh.

Indeed, the 'false summits' as I recently read they are called in some article.

I am pretty exhausted with all the research I have done for mtbs, and just feel I am getting to grips with prices and tech. Don't have the energy right now to start over looking at road bikes.

I am thinking I might just chuck an impel crankset on my current 'BSO' bike as everything is working fine on it generally. It isn't pretty but fully functional for now and that would be a quick fix.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Go for it!

I wouldn't go road bike either but comfy ATB, slick-ish to semi slick tyres,. 1.5-1.95s.
Rigid setup
Whatever gears you have or can put on.
See how it goes.

Ride and build another bike.
Then repeat....
Go to Malverns event.

 

[hamster]

I think you are massively overthinking this.

Do some changes, ride, then do some more. @FluffyChicken is right.

That said, for a gear much below 20" (so something like 24 front / 30 rear or 22 front / 28 rear) you will be riding at around 3 mph uphill. Any lower and you might as well get off and push.
As you do more your fitness will improve and you will need such gears less and less.