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

[retrobiker273891]

It is. It sort of represents someone frugal entering the world of bikes, and not necessarily retro either. Messed up. Bamboozled with tech. and lost.

We all know about 98% people here could put the man out of misery, cheaply face-to-face over an afternoon with beer. We have the experience and tools.

@retrobiker273891 - your old bike is for the bin. It's worthless junk and fit for a pub bike with no lock attached - but absolutely not fit for shelling out a single British penny in upgrading it. Your money is best spent getting something COMPLETE mid-range mid-90s ready to ride where the previous owner spent all the time, money and the tooling necessary to make something full rigid and road orientated and now wants it gone.

They are out there, and there are plenty, but this site is not "Click and Collect" so you need put some spunk energy into it too. If you want it all on a silver plate you will pay more, and no doubt someone could provide the additional services at cost here.

A mid-90s or later Hybrid would also work, and probably be a revelation for you.

I have many offers and spoilt for choice since I made a wanted thread with my requirements.

Am at a bit of a stale mate at the moment as I am expecting to move in the next few weeks so have been undecided whether to make a quick buy to keep my mind occupied and pass the time quicker rather than waiting for that golden email that everything is underway, or rather waiting until I have moved.

The latter has some practical benefits in that it is one less additional bulky item to move and also don't have storage secured yet at new place.

Due to the glut of offers it seems I will have no trouble finding what I am looking for at any time, as another poster mentioned it appears to be a buyer's market.

First way is "beaurocrats be damned I will carry on and enjoy myself until they pull their finger out".

 

[retrobiker273891]

On topic, you right. Standard practice for many.

Off topic. Yes!!!!. In the same situation especially getting fitness back and just pedalling. Triple MTB 22/32/42 or 24/32/44 with a 12-26 or 11-28 outback touch wood will do it all road wise is what I'm coming out with. It's all negative gearing at it's lowest. Later I intend to ditch the triple and man up *COUGH* for something like 32/42 or 44T upfront and rear end 11-30 or 11-32.

Yes I have decided on this way.

After the 1x Diamond Back offered, and running the numbers/costs, since the gearing on it was not ideal, I quickly realized it is better to stick to all old tech and not bastardise it with 8+ speed new cassettes and old cranks as, on some quick research. they would not mix well.

As someone rightly put on another forum when doing 3x the crankset is doing the work of what would otherwise be done at the back with a 1x so not need to mix and match. Low 20s granny and modest 30-34 will be comparable to any dinner place and most cases better past 30t.

 

[retrobiker273891]

Do modern 1x drivetrains really have significantly lower gear ratios than old school triples? If its all about low gear ratios I imagine slapping an old school (or modern equivalent) 50.6 BCD crankset on there with a super low granny would take care of things. If that's not enough, then get a used 8 speed wheel, cold set the old frame to 135mm and slap the lowest range cassette you can find on it and run it friction (1 x 10 should be possible). Or better yet buy an 8 speed frame and just do the crankset and cassette swap.

As I detailed in post above, I see that there is no cause to mix and match and old ones are equal to or lower than new ones for cheaper.

 

[retrobiker273891]

@CassidyAce covered this in some detail a while back

1x vs 3x: The Maths

Long post alert! After some recent debate about the merits of 1x versus 3x gearing on this site, I decided to go through the maths. There are tables of gear ratios and so on to be found elsewhere but I wanted to investigate for myself. I’ve been wondering about some of the new, flat bar gravel...

www.retrobike.co.uk

Aye I found and read through that whole thread a couple of days ago.

Despite the OP title asking about modern drivetrain, this was before I read that thread, which helped sway me back to the 'light' side, I am now back to favouring 3x, thus the title is defunct. Nonetheless a useful thought experiment which helped inform my decision.

As you would expect on a retrobike forum 3x was the most popular.

I think the most tenuous argument in favour of 1x is it is 'easier to understand'. That seems to be really grasping at straws to find a positive if you have to use that as an argument. If 3x was that hard for someone it is a wonder how they figure out how to turn the pedals.

Now the 'usable gears' equaling about the same, given the repeats and off limits of 3x, seems the strongest one.

I cannot say with confidence my view on the whole 3x have smaller steps between gears. I haven't ridden a 1x to be able to compare, but knowing how it is climbing long variable hills, it seems like that would be another + in favour of 3x.

Still, economically 3x makes most sense and I am just used to it so prefer it not knowing anything else and do not see the 1x arguments as strong enough to warrant trying.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Yes I have decided on this way.

After the 1x Diamond Back offered, and running the numbers/costs, since the gearing on it was not ideal, I quickly realized it is better to stick to all old tech and not bastardise it with 8+ speed new cassettes and old cranks as, on some quick research. they would not mix well.

As someone rightly put on another forum when doing 3x the crankset is doing the work of what would otherwise be done at the back with a 1x so not need to mix and match. Low 20s granny and modest 30-34 will be comparable to any dinner place and most cases better past 30t.

FWIW I'm running a 9 speed rear cluster with a modern 9 speed chain on a mid 80's Shimano 600 triple and it works just fine. Shifts much better than the stock 6 speed free wheel that came on the bike.

 

[dirttorpedo]

@CassidyAce covered this in some detail a while back

1x vs 3x: The Maths

Long post alert! After some recent debate about the merits of 1x versus 3x gearing on this site, I decided to go through the maths. There are tables of gear ratios and so on to be found elsewhere but I wanted to investigate for myself. I’ve been wondering about some of the new, flat bar gravel...

www.retrobike.co.uk

Ya, its a long thread and I responded to an early question.

 

[retrobiker273891]

FWIW I'm running a 9 speed rear cluster with a modern 9 speed chain on a mid 80's Shimano 600 triple and it works just fine. Shifts much better than the stock 6 speed free wheel that came on the bike.

Good to know, so rear mech is modern too, just up front is classic? So not true when people state your chain will drop all the time without narrow wide modern crankset?

Also do you happen to have thumb shifters to replace with the deore? That would be the icing on the cake! If not are those current ones removable without having to switch brake levers too? I have not used modern ones but I know from the 90s I liked the thumb shifters best. Just mechanically I prefer that style.

 

[Retro_Roy]

here's one with newer school drivetrain on an old frame.
i had this one out last night. it is a great riding build. i used
some decent components so this wasn't a bargain build.

Dean Titanium

hi i've noticed a couple of these on here lately and decided i should show mine too. it's a bit of a restomod. at least that is what it would be called in the automotive circles. when new(er) meets old. you'll see what i mean from pictures. this is quite light and very fun to ride. will not be...

www.retrobike.co.uk

 

[retrobiker273891]

here's one with newer school drivetrain on an old frame.
i had this one out last night. it is a great riding build. i used
some decent components so this wasn't a bargain build.

Dean Titanium

hi i've noticed a couple of these on here lately and decided i should show mine too. it's a bit of a restomod. at least that is what it would be called in the automotive circles. when new(er) meets old. you'll see what i mean from pictures. this is quite light and very fun to ride. will not be...

www.retrobike.co.uk

A couple of really nice modern drivetrain builds popped up on the for sale section this week.

I was very excited to see them at first but I think I might be steering back to keeping it classic. I like the new drivetrains but I am not fond of other additions like riser bars and those under brake shifters as opposed to classic thumbies.

I think I want to get a stock classic as a clean slate and add what I want as of course other people have their own preferences.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Good to know, so rear mech is modern too, just up front is classic? So not true when people state your chain will drop all the time without narrow wide modern crankset?

Also do you happen to have thumb shifters to replace with the deore? That would be the icing on the cake! If not are those current ones removable without having to switch brake levers too? I have not used modern ones but I know from the 90s I liked the thumb shifters best. Just mechanically I prefer that style.

Sorry - I'm running a 3X with a 9 speed rear end on my touring bike. If you are going 1X and don't want a chain tensioner or guide you should probably go with a narrow wide chainring to simplify your life (I believe you can get them to fit a vintage crank). That being said my ebike is 1x10 and doesn't have a narrow wide chainring and I've had no issues, but it lives on the street.