Retro therapy

[Pondo]

I'm jumping in for a late build. I had an accident a couple of months ago that damaged my thumb pretty severely which has been keeping me from all of my projects. That thumb is doing really well now and I'm going to do a light bike project to help rehab it and get it back into the action. Therefore the build name, a retro bike project as therapy for my recovering digit. I originally thought I might do a restyle on my '50 Roadmaster:

I'm going to go for a late '50s early '60s custom vibe on this one but it's a big project and I'm not sure exactly how I want to go about it. I'd kind of like to stretch the rear too so that makes it an even bigger project so I'm going to save this one for a future build.

The project I'm doing is going to be a complete rebuild on my early '90s GT Timberline:

I bought this bike for the frame a couple of years ago as it's just like the bike I had in college 30 years ago. Same color and model, maybe a year or 2 newer. This is how it looked this morning.

 

[Pondo]

The forks are frozen, seat is trash, and check out the stem extension!! I’m not going to be reusing most of these parts so no biggie. My idea is to build it up as if I still had it and modernized it a bit over the years.

1st thing to do is remove all the awful.

Much better. Less than an hour to tear it down, not bad considering. My bike, which I gave to a buddy in Montana years ago, was pretty stock except for a terrible Specialized elastomer fork, Brahma bars (which I still have but won’t be using) and Panaracer Smoke and Dart tires. I still have my old saddle which I’d like to use if I can find it. That bike was very well loved and worn out. It’s fun to have another one in the stable.

 

[Pondo]

Time for some fun stuff! I’ve been acquiring parts for a while but I’m still short of a few items.

1st up I installed the Bucklos cranks with Deckas 32 tooth narrow/wide chainring and Fooker pedals. I don’t remember why I chose to go with the red anodized accents but it seems to be working.

High quality amazon stuff, we'll see how it holds up. I'll upgrade as I wear stuff out or just find something I like better.

 

[Pondo]

I always wanted disc brakes on my old GT so this one will have them. I ‘borrowed’ a low end disc rear wheel from another of my projects.

I’m going to try a disc brake adapter on the rear. I haven’t used them before so I’m interested to see how it goes.

Then installed the FSA headset.

Forks are Rockshox Recon that are left over from a Marin I had years ago.

Stem is another Wake from Amazon. I have these on a few bikes and I like them.

 

[Pondo]

I added some carbon bars I had.

They’re going to be way too low for me. I’m thinking some Meal Replacement Bars might be better. And delicious.

 

[Pondo]

Next up front brake.

The Brooks is a place holder, just to check riding position.

The chain line is too far to the outside so I’m going to try the chainring on the other side.

And that’s all the parts I have so that’s all I can do today. I’ve got an 11 speed Shimano drivetrain on the way. I’m going to poach a rear brake off my fat bike. Need to decide which bar I’m going to get. And find my saddle. Hopefully I’ll be taking it for a ride in a week or so!

 

[Tallbikeman]

Good looking bike. Sorry to see the stem of all stems go but improvements have to be made. Keep up the good work. This bike will turn out looking great. Those old 26" MTB's were really good bicycles. Very durable.

 

[hbn]

Late start but very speedy progress!
I always liked those triple triangle frames

 

[OddJob]

Another MTB rehab in the works! There are at least 3 of us, maybe more, now in the build off; we could have our own sub-category!

Really diggin' your red ano parts and that white modern fork works really well on this build. I have the same chain ring (as does @metalchewy ) and a similar spec crank from Amazon. So far, I really like the performance.

If I might chime in on the disc brake adapter; I've had both of these. The cheap one suffices, the aluminum one with the two-sided plates really works! I had switched to this one on my Klunker Kat before I nabbed the wheels off of it for Midriff-ter. Tremendous difference in brake response and stability.

Looking forward to more of your creative work on this cool vintage MTB , Pondo! DiRt RaT oN~!

 

[Pondo]

Good looking bike. Sorry to see the stem of all stems go but improvements have to be made. Keep up the good work. This bike will turn out looking great. Those old 26" MTB's were really good bicycles. Very durable.

Thanks man! It's going great so far and I'm really looking forward to putting some miles on it. I do love vintage mountain bikes!

 

[Pondo]

Late start but very speedy progress!
I always liked those triple triangle frames

Yeah, very late start. But I think I can get it done as long as my parts show up on time.

 

[metalchewy]

Such a cool vintage frame to start

Great looking build.you are all caught up in a day..
.

 

[Pondo]

Another MTB rehab in the works! There are at least 3 of us, maybe more, now in the build off; we could have our own sub-category!

Really diggin' your red ano parts and that white modern fork works really well on this build. I have the same chain ring (as does @metalchewy ) and a similar spec crank from Amazon. So far, I really like the performance.

If I might chime in on the disc brake adapter; I've had both of these. The cheap one suffices, the aluminum one with the two-sided plates really works! I had switched to this one on my Klunker Kat before I nabbed the wheels off of it for Midriff-ter. Tremendous difference in brake response and stability.

View attachment 238239

Looking forward to more of your creative work on this cool vintage MTB , Pondo! DiRt RaT oN~!

Thanks OJ! I've been following the builds as best I can but my schedule got pretty busy after I went back to work, so I've got some catching up to do. That's good news on the disc brake adapters, the more expensive of those 2 is the one that I ordered. More parts should start rolling in tomorrow. I really like your mtb builds and the ratina job you did on Midriff-ter is awesome!

I don't remember which but one of your builds has ATV handlebars on it, can you point me in that direction? I'm trying to decide among the Meal Replacement Bar, Surly Sunrise bar, or something else. I'm wanting approx 4.5" rise to get my bars to the level of my saddle.

I'm also planning to get an inexpensive dropper. They don't make a 26.8 mm so I'm going to try to shave down a 27.2mm. Should be interesting.

Such a cool vintage frame to start

Great looking build.you are all caught up in a day..
.

Thanks man! This evening I'll order more parts and catch up on more builds.

 

[OddJob]

Thanks OJ! I've been following the builds as best I can but my schedule got pretty busy after I went back to work, so I've got some catching up to do. That's good news on the disc brake adapters, the more expensive of those 2 is the one that I ordered. More parts should start rolling in tomorrow. I really like your mtb builds and the ratina job you did on Midriff-ter is awesome!

I don't remember which but one of your builds has ATV handlebars on it, can you point me in that direction? I'm trying to decide among the Meal Replacement Bar, Surly Sunrise bar, or something else. I'm wanting approx 4.5" rise to get my bars to the level of my saddle.

I'm also planning to get an inexpensive dropper. They don't make a 26.8 mm so I'm going to try to shave down a 27.2mm. Should be interesting.

It is on my build off build from last year, Silver King Unchained.

I like the old moto-x bars too. Your Meal Bar is cool!

 

[ParkRNDL]

...My idea is to build it up as if I still had it and modernized it a bit over the years.

(snip)

I did something like this several years ago when I found a KHS Winner that was a twin to the one I got in middle school in the early '80s. It was a low-end Japanese bike boom 10-speed, and I loved it. The build was great fun. Very gratifying putting aluminum wheels and crankset and such on it that I didn't get to do when I was reading Bicycling magazine as a 14-year-old.

 

[Pondo]

It is on my build off build from last year, Silver King Unchained.

View attachment 238280

I like the old moto-x bars too. Your Meal Bar is cool!

Ah, yes, the Silver King. I don’t know why I thought it was on one of your earlier builds. That bar looks great on that bike!

I did something like this several years ago when I found a KHS Winner that was a twin to the one I got in middle school in the early '80s. It was a low-end Japanese bike boom 10-speed, and I loved it. The build was great fun. Very gratifying putting aluminum wheels and crankset and such on it that I didn't get to do when I was reading Bicycling magazine as a 14-year-old.
View attachment 238311
View attachment 238313

Yeah, that looks great! It’s fun to experience what we couldn’t afford once upon a time.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Such a good starting point! Great progress

 

[Pondo]

Such a good starting point! Great progress

Thanks! It was a ton of fun to work on a bike after not being allowed to use my hand for a couple months.

 

[Jude Ephesus]

Next up front brake.
View attachment 238216View attachment 238217View attachment 238218

The Brooks is a place holder, just to check riding position.

The chain line is too far to the outside so I’m going to try the chainring on the other side.
View attachment 238219View attachment 238220

And that’s all the parts I have so that’s all I can do today. I’ve got an 11 speed Shimano drivetrain on the way. I’m going to poach a rear brake off my fat bike. Need to decide which bar I’m going to get. And find my saddle. Hopefully I’ll be taking it for a ride in a week or so!

Crushing this build! I hope your thumb gets better!

 

[Pondo]

Crushing this build! I hope your thumb gets better!

Thanks, man. So far so good!