so old MTB frame to gravel bikes? thoughts? update on 30/06/24

[hamster]

You should have no problem with the front shifting if a double - if need be the cable hangs slack and the mech on the stop for the inner chainring. I've managed to get Campag Xenon Ergos (which only have a crude shift) to work that way.

My Dawes Edge with drops - I kept the 26" wheels: https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/dawes-edge-xt-purists-look-away-it-has-drops.465985/

 

[bikeworkshop]

you might find the exotic fork is a bit toooooo wide and looks odd, or you might not care at all.

The Exotic fork - it's not very exotic is it? It's possibly the ugliest fork ever made, excluding the early giant cadex, but is useful for scaring other riders out of your way with its pure ugliness.
Just don't look down when you're riding

 

[jonnyboy666]

yeah the exotic fork, i put in there a few years ago when that bike stopped being my main bike and the suspension fork was on the way out, it's got a bit of flex in it though so it's actually quite a good ride, but yeah noit pretty but i think it looks ok to be honest, the fork i always thought looked odd was that fork that came on Lemond Poprads, that was worse!

 

[bikeworkshop]

Exotic is around half the weight and price of a surly steel number.
The poprad is vying with cadex for the title, but I think the exotic still has a chance

 

[jonnyboy666]

i don't think it looks bad on an MTB, that poprad fork though

 

[hamster]

yeah the exotic fork, i put in there a few years ago when that bike stopped being my main bike and the suspension fork was on the way out, it's got a bit of flex in it though so it's actually quite a good ride,

I agree, had one on my singlespeed for the past 5 years - no lighter than a TB P2 but it has a nice spring to it.

 

[novocaine]

I was more thinking skinny tyre, wide fork, but if you lot don't like the exotic that's fair enough. You seen the moby dick hanging in the front of my g&t?

 

[tagnut69]

Recently built an old inbred frame in to a gravel-ish bike, on-one steel forks, tiagra brifters and crank, xt 9s rear mech and shimano cable disc brakes, tyres are panaracer gravel kings 2.1". It is quite honestly the smoothest bike I have ridden, looks like a dog dinner but I dont care.

 

[tagnut69]

Meet Rosie, She ain't exactly pretty

 

[Jonny69]

Here’s my 1992-ish Rudy Project which was in bits in the shed when you came round for the GT frame @jonnyboy666 . Can’t remember why I had it apart but, yeah, great plan! I put this one together over lockdown so I could explore the local paths with my little’un on the back and it just turned out it was also great for smashing over the trashed roads around here.