Show me your older 26" mtb, turned modern day gravel grinder.

[GTHOtrod]

Show me your older 26" mtb, turned modern day gravel grinder, tourer, etc. Drop, flat, riser bars. 1x, 3x. Racks and bags, stripped and light, restomod Etc etc.
Old mtb's given a new lease of life, post them up

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I'm in for the inspiration; all I have is an old thrashed Nishiki, some "before" pictures, and a vague plan
Been in pieces on the back shelf for too long

I'd love to go with a Nexus igh, make an all roads tourer like a Raleigh from the pre MTB days

 

[GTHOtrod]

I have the same plan for this one @MattiThundrrr. Igh, all roads touring bike.
Slowly getting parts together for it.
Shown here trying some DMR 26 x 2.4s, plenty of room for them.

 

[BDC]

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

I have a 26" Access Comp that I've owned since 1989. 1.95" knobbies with a center ridge, fenders, rear rack, and drop bars with Shimano Tourney brifters. I'll try to remember to edit this post with a picture of it later.

 

[K_50]

1995 'Sunn Vertik 2, OG and a couple of rebuilds later:










1994 Wheeler 9800, parts bin build gone weight-weenie:






Trek 950, as found, and turned into the summer house cruiser:

 

[MattiThundrrr]

@K_50 love your fleet! When are you going to put on that purple ring?

 

[K_50]

@K_50 love your fleet! When are you going to put on that purple ring?

Thanks!
If the weather forecast holds, the purple ring will happen in a day or two. I might have to bring a bucket of warm water to the back yard workshop, though, to keep me fingers from freezing.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

Here’s a ‘94 Scott I recently finished.
Swapped the suspension fork to a kona project 2 rigid one, shorter stem, and wider (motorcycle) handlebars. Thumbie shifters, indexed rear, friction front. Swapped up the gearing from a triple to a sub compact double up front, and a wider range cassette in the rear. The range now is similar to modern 1x12 drivetrains.

And a few builds back I did this ‘91 Nishiki Ariel. 1x9 wide range set up, moto bars, Since these pics ive swapped to Hookworm tires.

 

[GTHOtrod]

Here’s a ‘94 Scott I recently finished.
Swapped the suspension fork to a kona project 2 rigid one, shorter stem, and wider (motorcycle) handlebars. Thumbie shifters, indexed rear, friction front. Swapped up the gearing from a triple to a sub compact double up front, and a wider range cassette in the rear. The range now is similar to modern 1x12 drivetrains.

View attachment 181628
View attachment 181629


And a few builds back I did this ‘91 Nishiki Ariel. 1x9 wide range set up, moto bars, Since these pics ive swapped to Hookworm tires.
View attachment 181630
View attachment 181631

Pair of nice rides there.

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

Those old 26ers can be reimagined into anything you want them to be.

After dropping about $450 total on the bike and build, one would be hard-pressed to find anything new for less than $1000 that could match up with this bike in both performance and style. Of course the style factor is based on personal tastes...

 

[Hammond Eggz]

You know, I did this to my old Diamondback (bought new in '92 or '93) a few years back, and I hated it.
I think I went too far, trying to make it a comfort bike, and with the weird/wild style, with mini-apes, white grips, whitewall tires, etc. I'm going to have to revisit this idea after seeing all these cool bikes here!

 

[GTHOtrod]

Need to sort out a better handlebar, stem combo. But rides pretty nicely so far.

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Two I built in the past

GT Outpost single speed and Trek 820

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Alpinestars, Elevated stays.

More of Urban Klunker, but also gravel bike. Found this bike in country Abandoned by side of the road, looked like been in barn 30 years.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Alpinestars, Elevated stays. View attachment 182222More of Urban Klunker, but also gravel bike. Found this bike in country Abandoned by side of the road, looked like been in barn 30 years.View attachment 182221

The Alpinestars looks amazing! Aluminum, or chromoly?

 

[Gravelgrinder59]

Thanks Matti, It’s Aluminum, it’s a later one so it’s got gussets where they were cracking at steerer tube.

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

Thanks Matti, It’s Aluminum, it’s a later one so it’s got gussets where they were cracking at steerer tube.

The later Aliens were achey breaky as well.

 

[Grant]

One that I built to donate to my local co-op.

 

[irideiam]

My US made 97 Cannondale M700 ridge mountain bike, this is the first bike I bought new 25 yrs ago. I still have the receipt!
I've converted it to a variety of different 700C & 26" setups over the years, Currently running with 650Bs as a 1x8 trail bike for moderate trail riding, No jumping with these bars!!!!! It's great to get out on the old classic, all that is original is frame/fork/seat post clamp, all changed out and upgraded overtime. Love this aluminum frame/cromo fork frameset!

Ride on!