Show Us Your Bicycle: That is as rad as it is bad

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > The Great Outdoors > Show Us Your Bicycle: That is as rad as it is bad

amenenema: Feb 10, 2003

Thanks for the interest! So my understanding after a bunch of reading is that to convert one of these 90's MTB frames you actually want a size smaller than you'd ride normally because of the hilariously long top tubes that were standard geometry for the era. My Rockhopper frame fit me when I was 14 (it is a '98) and it's a 19" or somewhere between M and L today (I ride a L in most modern MTB frames @ 6'1" with a 35.25 cycling inseam - all legs baby!) Because of the compact geo, you end up with really long seatposts to compensate. The stock post was a 350mm and to have it at the right height was about an inch outside of the minimum insert line. I picked up a 400mm Thompson (zero setback) but am going to put a 20mm setback post on it (Promax SP-1, which oddly appears to be the only non-Thompson 400mm+ setback post - I hate the Thompson "bend" for setback). I thought the zero setback would work, but because the front is lower now (non-suspension corrected solid fork) the seattube angle is effectively steeper, and I'm too over the center of balance which puts a lot of weight on my hands.

Here's a short summary post and a before/after comparison - https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?goto=post&noseen=1&postid=505919389#post505919389 I went with a 90mm stem and 46cm Salsa Cowbell bars vs the 110mm stem and 42cm compact drops on my road bike.

Kimbo - yeah I know I know. Veloce is great (and is even better cuz it's rebuildable, which I've already done on one brifter once without even removing it from the bike!) but I am really liking the "one lever for everything" of Sram. And since it's a made in USA CAAD it just feels right to have Sram on it. Insert "loving SRAM" gif here.

amenenema fucked around with this message at 15:51 on Sep 3, 2020

# ? Sep 3, 2020 15:49

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# ? Apr 28, 2024 06:22

bicievino: Feb 5, 2015

amenenema posted:

Thanks for the interest! So my understanding after a bunch of reading is that to convert one of these 90's MTB frames you actually want a size smaller than you'd ride normally because of the hilariously long top tubes that were standard geometry for the era. My Rockhopper frame fit me when I was 14 (it is a '98) and it's a 19" or somewhere between M and L today (I ride a L in most modern MTB frames @ 6'1" with a 35.25 cycling inseam - all legs baby!) Because of the compact geo, you end up with really long seatposts to compensate. The stock post was a 350mm and to have it at the right height was about an inch outside of the minimum insert line. I picked up a 400mm Thompson (zero setback) but am going to put a 20mm setback post on it (Promax SP-1, which oddly appears to be the only non-Thompson 400mm+ setback post - I hate the Thompson "bend" for setback). I thought the zero setback would work, but because the front is lower now (non-suspension corrected solid fork) the seattube angle is effectively steeper, and I'm too over the center of balance which puts a lot of weight on my hands.

Here's a short summary post and a before/after comparison - https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?goto=post&noseen=1&postid=505919389#post505919389 I went with a 90mm stem and 46cm Salsa Cowbell bars vs the 110mm stem and 42cm compact drops on my road bike.

Kimbo - yeah I know I know. Veloce is great (and is even better cuz it's rebuildable, which I've already done on one brifter once without even removing it from the bike!) but I am really liking the "one lever for everything" of Sram. And since it's a made in USA CAAD it just feels right to have Sram on it. Insert "loving SRAM" gif here.

I'll shed no tears over replacing Veloce, but I'm just gonna say, that bike would look tight AF with 10spd record carbon shifters.

# ? Sep 3, 2020 18:13

jet sanchEz: Oct 24, 2001; Lousy Manipulative Dog

My 1986 De Rosa.

# ? Sep 3, 2020 20:24

bicievino: Feb 5, 2015

jet sanchEz posted:

My 1986 De Rosa.

sploosh.

God, that crankset.

Normally I say De Rosas should be blue but that red is very choice.

# ? Sep 4, 2020 00:00

Mauser: Dec 16, 2003; How did I even get here, son?!

amenenema posted:

Rockhopper conversion

I am now convinced that my Rockhopper is a ~'93 after some googling.

I recently put back the stubby tires and I think I have no need for a third gravel bike, so it will stay this way or I'll get the road tires back on and use it for groceries. Not sure what I want to do with it, but I am never getting rid of it because it's too purple

Otherwise, I've just been using it to practice hopping and wheelies in the park

# ? Sep 4, 2020 01:01

amenenema: Feb 10, 2003

Mauser posted:

I am now convinced that my Rockhopper is a ~'93 after some googling.

I recently put back the stubby tires and I think I have no need for a third gravel bike, so it will stay this way or I'll get the road tires back on and use it for groceries. Not sure what I want to do with it, but I am never getting rid of it because it's too purple

Otherwise, I've just been using it to practice hopping and wheelies in the park

https://medium.com/@jamesacklin/specialized-rockhopper-enduro-allroad-prototype-bc575532d320

# ? Sep 4, 2020 01:47

Project M.A.M.I.L.: Apr 30, 2007; Older, balder, fatter...

jet sanchEz posted:

My 1986 De Rosa.

*Beavis and Butthead boing noise*

I finally took a photo while out on a ride today, instead of just stretching out my back and then riding on. Lovely day, spring rules.

# ? Sep 4, 2020 03:28

Mauser: Dec 16, 2003; How did I even get here, son?!

amenenema posted:

https://medium.com/@jamesacklin/specialized-rockhopper-enduro-allroad-prototype-bc575532d320

This is way more involved than I am able to get at this point, but maybe one day~

# ? Sep 4, 2020 04:12

tylertfb: Mar 3, 2004; Time.Space.Transmat.

jet sanchEz posted:

My 1986 De Rosa.

Good god, that is perfect

# ? Sep 4, 2020 06:23

dema: Aug 13, 2006

Really like this bike. And the riding is pretty nice around here.

# ? Sep 4, 2020 19:59

Anachronist: Feb 13, 2009

Love those switchbacks. The bike is nice too.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 00:23

Horizontal Tree: Jan 1, 2010

That bichael is a thing of beauty.

# ? Sep 5, 2020 06:29

kimbo305: Jun 9, 2007; actually, yeah, I am a little mad

Still need to get the settings dialed in on the Trust
https://i.imgur.com/4qO6u19.mp4

# ? Sep 5, 2020 08:03

Horizontal Tree: Jan 1, 2010

Oh cool, how do you like it? The design of those is wicked, its a really cool idea.

# ? Sep 6, 2020 00:08

kimbo305: Jun 9, 2007; actually, yeah, I am a little mad

Horizontal Tree posted:

Oh cool, how do you like it? The design of those is wicked, its a really cool idea.

Still learning how it behaves, but it jibes with the reviews of it out there � stiff but offers stability and precision. I wrote more in the mtb thread:

https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3933905&perpage=40&noseen=1#post507155639

# ? Sep 6, 2020 01:04

jet sanchEz: Oct 24, 2001; Lousy Manipulative Dog

Quoting myself from 2013

jet sanchEz posted:

I snagged a 1973-ish Cinelli Speciale Corsa yesterday for $200. It is a little rough but, holy poo poo, it was such a good deal I couldn't pass it up. The chrome lugs are rusty but most of it appears to be surface rust only. It should be a fun winter project.

It sat for many years and then I had the idea to make a French-fit gravel grinder out of it. Still a work in progress, as you can see, but those are 32mm Gravel King slicks on there and they feel great on the road.

# ? Sep 6, 2020 04:17

Project M.A.M.I.L.: Apr 30, 2007; Older, balder, fatter...

jet sanchEz posted:

Quoting myself from 2013

It sat for many years and then I had the idea to make a French-fit gravel grinder out of it. Still a work in progress, as you can see, but those are 32mm Gravel King slicks on there and they feel great on the road.

That's even cooler than the De Rosa

# ? Sep 6, 2020 11:08

iospace: Jan 19, 2038

Found a good wall

# ? Sep 7, 2020 19:06

Feels Villeneuve: Oct 7, 2007; Setter is Better.

jet sanchEz posted:

My 1986 De Rosa.

C-Record crank, and a Shimano 600 RD? smh :colbert:

(that bike is sick)

# ? Sep 7, 2020 21:17

Casual Yogurt: Jul 1, 2005; Cool tricks kid, I like your style.

Every gravel bike is a road bike!

# ? Sep 8, 2020 01:16

Ropes4u: May 2, 2009

# ? Sep 8, 2020 02:59

amenenema: Feb 10, 2003

# ? Sep 8, 2020 13:46

feelix: Nov 27, 2016; THE ONLY EXERCISE I AM UNFAMILIAR WITH IS EXERCISING MY ABILITY TO MAKE A POST PEOPLE WANT TO READ

God that thing is sick

# ? Sep 8, 2020 17:17

amenenema: Feb 10, 2003

Thanks!

So any reason why this wouldn't work as a carbon fork for it?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/26-Zoll-MT...353.m1438.l2649

26", 1 1/8, threadless, canti. Hard combo to find!

# ? Sep 8, 2020 19:53

The Wiggly Wizard: Aug 21, 2008

amenenema posted:

Thanks!

So any reason why this wouldn't work as a carbon fork for it?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/26-Zoll-MT...353.m1438.l2649

26", 1 1/8, threadless, canti. Hard combo to find!

Measure your axle to crown and see if it's in the ballpark of 420 mm

# ? Sep 8, 2020 20:03

nm: Jan 28, 2008; "I saw Minos the Space Judge holding a golden sceptre and passing sentence upon the Martians. There he presided, and around him the noble Space Prosecutors sought the firm justice of space law."

I bet it is. Mid-late 90s mountain bikes were generally designed around a 63-80mm fork, which is about 420.

# ? Sep 8, 2020 20:58

Sab0921: Aug 2, 2004; This for my justices slingin' thangs, rib breakin' kings / Truck, necklace, robe, gavel and things / For the solicitors seein' them dissents spin and grin / That robe with the lace trim that win.

I am a Honda Accord biker - this is my bike - a cheap-ish hybrid, used mostly to tow around a 2 year old and keep me not super fat (just like kinda fat).

It has reflectors (what's wrong with reflectors, they keep you safe at night!), a kickstand, no cool drop bars, is heavy-ish, and not very fast (though that is probably just because I'm not very fast rather than the Bike itself).

Bicycles are cool and fun and I've had this thing for 4 years and it has been an incredible purchase - maybe one day I'll put in enough time, or put in enough effort to deserve something cooler.

Sab0921 fucked around with this message at 23:31 on Sep 8, 2020

# ? Sep 8, 2020 23:26

aparmenideanmonad: Jan 28, 2004; Balls to you and your way of mortal opinions - you don't exist anyway!; Fun Shoe

Sab0921 posted:

I am a Honda Accord biker - this is my bike - a cheap-ish hybrid, used mostly to tow around a 2 year old and keep me not super fat (just like kinda fat).

It has reflectors (what's wrong with reflectors, they keep you safe at night!), a kickstand, no cool drop bars, is heavy-ish, and not very fast (though that is probably just because I'm not very fast rather than the Bike itself).

Bicycles are cool and fun and I've had this thing for 4 years and it has been an incredible purchase - maybe one day I'll put in enough time, or put in enough effort to deserve something cooler.

Excellent crotch-fruit chariot. I sense a tiny balance bike in your future!

# ? Sep 9, 2020 00:03

Sab0921: Aug 2, 2004; This for my justices slingin' thangs, rib breakin' kings / Truck, necklace, robe, gavel and things / For the solicitors seein' them dissents spin and grin / That robe with the lace trim that win.

aparmenideanmonad posted:

Excellent crotch-fruit chariot. I sense a tiny balance bike in your future!

Definitely - he just turned 2, so I think still a little small for it, but it's coming! Bicycles are freedom for children.

# ? Sep 9, 2020 01:52

Chill Callahan: Nov 14, 2012

jet sanchEz posted:

My 1986 De Rosa.

# ? Sep 12, 2020 09:53

Koth: Jul 1, 2005

I finally finished this build after having the frame for over a month.

2017 Surly Troll

# ? Sep 13, 2020 00:10

Bud Manstrong: Dec 11, 2003; The Curse of the Flying Criosphinx

I love it

# ? Sep 13, 2020 03:21

DeesGrandpa: Oct 21, 2009

Took the journeyman, fully loaded with beer and fishing poo poo, onto a trail I did a couple of times on my old Fargo and usually do on my FS bike. The snow and mud made it even spicier than I expected, and it was a loving blast.

# ? Sep 13, 2020 03:29

The Wiggly Wizard: Aug 21, 2008

Koth posted:

I finally finished this build after having the frame for over a month.

2017 Surly Troll

# ? Sep 13, 2020 04:56

spf3million: Sep 27, 2007; hit 'em with the rhythm

NBD

Needed a lightweight travel bike with an easy-to-remove fork so it'd fit in my case. 17.4 lbs as pictured. Steel, still real.

# ? Sep 13, 2020 19:06

sweat poteto: Feb 16, 2006; Everybody's gotta learn sometime

spf3million posted:

NBD

Needed a lightweight travel bike with an easy-to-remove fork so it'd fit in my case. 17.4 lbs as pictured. Steel, still real.

Super nice :discourse:

My 853 bike at similar state is 3 lbs heavier (disc brakes, gravel fork/wheels/tires - twice as many spokes haha). Edit: and fillet brazed so there's big gobs of brass in the joints.

sweat poteto fucked around with this message at 01:49 on Sep 14, 2020

# ? Sep 14, 2020 01:19