the unofficially cool MTB drop bar thread

[frkl]

2 earlier drop bar projects, both were a lot of fun to put together and to ride, the Roberts was especially rapid, the Team Marin needed a taller stem but was still a hoot.

View attachment 619142View attachment 619143

Two great and very different builds.

On the Marin, did you use the stock stem? It's always so tempting, because the resulting look is so low and slick. But it just doesn't work for long periods of time for normal humans, in my experience.

 

[frkl]

We may be talking at cross purposes - the spring I mean is the parallelogram spring, not the cage one.
But I had the exactly the same thought as you about removing the (parallelogram) spring!

no, i understand what you mean. the main spring in the parallelgram. the musing about the cage spring providing enough tension without the parallelogram spring was separate. Seed planted. Plant will now turn into a weed unless I try it....

So as I was trying to figure out a way of nondestructively removing the parallelogram spring, it occurred to me: because thumbies and bar end shifters wrap cable in opposite directions, using a bar end shifter with a low normal derailleur actually produces the same lever behavior as a thumbie with a high normal.

For both, clockwise (towards you) shifts harder, and counter clockwise (away from you) shifts easier. This would explain a lot...

 

[hamster]

Exactly - hence in both cases up for higher gear, down for lower - my point about it not bashing your knees then becomes clear.

 

[frkl]

Exactly - hence in both cases up for higher gear, down for lower - my point about it not bashing your knees then becomes clear.

Yes, for me what was interesting is that there is no "relearning" if you go from Thumbies with high normal to bar end with low normal. The reversed spring and reversed cable wrapping cancel.

 

[manuelschafer]

my first bike to post on this board i believe
Bridgestone CB-1 1988 with U-Brake and some wilderness trail features






the cable cluster upfront actually looks much better in real perspective and for a change i wannet to go over the bar....

 

[7x]

A Ritchey Timberwolf (very) unexpectedly showed up on the local CL a few weeks ago! No dents, but scratched, scraped, neglected, and generally just beat to shit. But the D-A hubs, 600 headset, and the BB were all good to rebuild! Deerhead F derailleurs never die, do they? Rims, rings, spokes, stem, and chain were ordered, the rest is parts bin stuff. The next owner can do a restoration. As it is, I think it will be a good bike for my screwed up neck. Took it for it's first ride out of the neighborhood this evening, tracks straight, smooth and quiet. Always kind of a relief to find out you didn't dump a bunch of $$ into something that's good for nothing other than photos on the interwebs. Lord knows I've been there... ;-)

Before and after...

 

[pw_pw_la]

Oh wow, those last two bikes.

Absolutely perfect.

This is an itch I NEED to scratch.

Need to salvage an old beater from somewhere...

 

[pw_pw_la]

my first bike to post on this board i believe
Bridgestone CB-1 1988 with U-Brake and some wilderness trail features



View attachment 620249


the cable cluster upfront actually looks much better in real perspective and for a change i wannet to go over the bar....

More photos of this please. All the details.

What forks are those?

 

[dirttorpedo]

2 earlier drop bar projects, both were a lot of fun to put together and to ride, the Roberts was especially rapid, the Team Marin needed a taller stem but was still a hoot.

View attachment 619142View attachment 619143

I don't know if its the angle or the bar tape matching the stem and contrasting with the grey, but that Marin looks really nice.

 

[manuelschafer]

More photos of this please. All the details.

What forks are those?

Good Day,
Some before vs after "goody" pics,
+plus relevant Bridgestone catalog info and promotion photography

Fork is an unknown makers UK Fillet Brazed works of art stamped 89 (so a perfect P.C. tuningfork lol). Possibly a Helmut Burns Sonic Cycles fork.. https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/its-a-sonic-helmut-burns-london.406012/page-2
("here" possibly a beefier tandem version/tubing)
Of course the fork could be made by anyone known or unknown today...


Handlebars are a regular modern oldschool road bar custom flared & spread at home. Weinman Levers in swap for the Lee-Chi MOTO-Flatbar Cpckpit situation.
Shifters are mounted similar to that quoted picture of Mike V. (while not 100% ideal for offroad it still works for road focus purposes as the bike was designed for).
Cranks are Shimano`s 1st ever compact version cranks as in 93 XC-Touring series with parallel introduction of STX.
FD/RD came og of Suntour/Sakae groupset along with adaptation to the medium chainring from that snapped crank.
Rear and front brakes to be changed, currently showing a lee chi ubrake and unknown modded black front canti.

@pw_pw_la
The CB-1 Line makes a great neo-retro gravel geometry with that lower BB, yet remaining 26"