Do I want a resto-mod 26er hardtail? + let’s see yours.

I have the space for another bike. I’m quite fancying a resto-mod 90’s hardtail, something like a Specailized Hardrock but brought up to date with new bits, wider rims, more modern components. For high days and holidays rather than actual MTB use. Anyone concur with some recommendations and suggestions?

This can be a stealth wanted add for anything you have that might be suitable at a sensible price too. I guess that paint condition is one of the important aspects, failed components not so much as that can be replaced. This GT is what I have in my head, or something like Northwind’s inappropriate commuter, but without the mudguards and racks, (and awesome paint job).

<blushes>
That GT looks ace.

I’ve built a few over the years.

The single limiting factor IMHO is tyre clearance. Find a frame that will swallow a decent sized tyre on a wideish rim and you’ll be golden.

My lates 90’s Konas will max out at 2” on a fairly narrow rim. Late 80’s lugged frame and you’ll usually fit a wider tyre but then have to often contend with a narrower RW spacing and an 1” HT.

The GT above IMHO would look moar betterer with a 25.4mm bar – it does win points on account of cantis.

Don’t look at the Stridsland Instagram feed ………

I have wheels, frame, bar and stem all lined up for a build but I’m debating if I want to spend the money going down the disc route and having a tab brazed on.

Oh and the answer is yes because you know N+1 and all that jazz.

If you want some bits I have some American Classic wheels + Barzo’s, XT drive train + brakes and a white Fox 100 straight steerer coming of another bike.

Paging @gbudd to the forum with his Fat Chance!

I’m actually doing that right now.

I’ve got a 92 marin team issue which I’m building up with 10 speed modern deore and a fancy chainset (when it arrives).

Will let you know how it rides when it’s done.

I built a Planet X Jack Flash in this sort of style. Moto bars with BMX stem, de rigeur mullet (27.5 front, 26 rear), rigid forks, 10 speed microSHIFT drivetrain and all that jazz. Stuck some Maxxis Ardent tyres on it for gravel and light (smoothish) singletrack duties. It never gets used…

I always want to do this. Then I remember how much I like disc brakes for being able to stop.

Then I see pictures like your Marin and think I’ve made poor life choices as that is beautiful! Please post photos when complete!

Having owned a 94 khs Montana comp that had 1” steerer rigid forks etc but got nicked and then later a mid 2000s inbred built up SS rigid I can see the appeal aesthetically. Both those bikes were rubbish off road compared to modern bikes though.
I have a dialled PA in skinny red 853 which my son will bring back from uni next month. I bought it in 2012. It has 140 uturn pikes, dropper, slx 1×10 and discs, 2.35 tyres etc. the head tube is 34mm id and seat tube 27.2 and 135qr dropouts so the last remnants of old standards that prevent it being kept fully “up to date”. Lovely soft back end on fast smooth singletrack though.

Maybe back to rigid fork no dropper style would work for it…

What steel 140 travel corrected 26” straight steerer fork would people go for? (front wheel can be qr or 100×20 as it is now)

Must have posted it a dozen times, so apologies to anyone seeing it for the thirteenth time

’97 Lava Dome, owned from new. Mix of modern and old components, but the only original parts are the frame and the clear plastic cable tubes on the top tube

DSC00400 by davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

DSC00402 by davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

DSC00398 by davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

And my other slightly more modern 26’er

20230518_150451~3 by davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

Love a good retro-mod project

It’s a good job I haven’t got a big pile of cash burning a hole in my pocket 😬

Screenshot_20230531_111824_Facebook by davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

That ^^ is very nice.

I had a 20” Hei Hei a few years ago that was lovely but by heck was it wiggly!

If you ran it with Maguras the seat stays would flex in a worrying fashion.

It was a good itch to scratch though.

I’ll try to remember to post my 97 Orange P7 later but for now I would advise checking out Spindatt’s youtube channel for inspiration.

…looks at Ti Inbred sat doing nothing in my back office.

Wonder if it’s worth owt! 🤔

Here’s my 1995 DBR Axis TT.

I’ve had it for 20 years with various builds. The Fox F80 I had on it recently blew & a mate hooked me up with a period correct P2.

Very nice, cheers gents, you’re definitely swaying me in the right direction.

To counter some of the points above, I’m not bothered about it being rubbish to ride off road or brakes that lack a bit of performance, I’ve got a modern MTB that has these requirements covered.

Also, @Kryton57 I’ll bear your offer in mind when I see what I need off a donor bike, thanks. I don’t know when or what that’ll be though, so if you get any interest in the mean time, take that offer.

I’ve got an old ~97ish Fire mountain frame in the garage that served time as my winter SS, I welded a Disc mount to the back end ages ago and then just didn’t do anything more with it.

I’ve had a few ideas over the years about what to do with it, maybe Grind the canti’ bosses off possibly even cut away the seatstay brace to improve clearances, then maybe use it as a 700c road/gravel/hybrid type bike, maybe try 650b on it or just build it back up as a 1x? – 26er hack, for which I would now need to find some wheels again, and I already have a 1×9 – 29er hack…

The sad truth is it’s probably just going to sit in the garage forever now, I can’t inflict my terrible welding on another human in good conscience, so unless I do something else with it, it’s a scrapper/wall art. I have pretty much zero need for yet another MTB currently, certainly not a 26er anymore as all my bikes are on some flavour or another of 622mm rims.

I bought this as a station bike about 6 months ago

It’s getting used quite a lot. Ridden it four days in the last seven for example, including a local trail centre. I’m now considering “upgrading” a few bits. The forks lose air and bottom out too easily, the right shifter has lost its return spring. Otherwise though it rides really well, surprisingly well in fact.

To go on I have some Noleen Girvin style forks (with a working “smart shock” coil) and a 1998 XT/LX 8spd groupset. I’m also eyeing up some 1996 Bomber Z1s which would be lovely…

To add to the above, a request for advice and ideas.

I’d like some fancy wheels, and some new tyres. Wheels would be 26” (obvs) and with black rims/spokes. Mavic ceramic would be lovely, but where to find them?

Tyre wise I’d like something that looks like a billy bonkers tan wall, but with a bit more tread for dry trails.

Any ideas?

@ cookeaa
The Fire Mountain sounds interesting. I have a 1997 one. Swapped for more modern bars and stem.

Today I took the slicks off and popped on a pair of new old stock Megbites. It’ll be my spin round the woods after work hack!

Tyre wise I’d like something that looks like a billy bonkers tan wall, but with a bit more tread for dry trails.

Any ideas?

Zoom in on my blue and white Shan further up. I believe Nobby Nics may be your answer 😉

Or are they too nobbly?

This is what it looked like before:

pretty much all the parts on it in that image are now flogged off or fitted to other bikes.

I believe Nobby Nics may be your answer

I believe you might be right! Will have a search for some

I’ve been considering a rat-resto-mod of my mates old Ridgeback*, it’s got fairly chunky forks so I’m thinking a disc tabs & wideish street tyres would be the order of the day.

* bought from a neighbour for £50 bitd, then swapped it for 21″ CRT monitor with my mate years ago.

Repained my MTB over Christmas, and gave everything a good service.

Running handbuilt Deore XT hubbed wheels now.

Work mode (with new wheels – period XT hubs too)

Yes you do

Has wider bars/shorter stem on now 🙂

what size chainring is that please plus-one?

Just being nosey as I’ve ordered a 48t for mine.

Lovely bike by the way.

I guess you do! Here’s mine GT and friend’s Iron Horse, both modded to disc brakes (because you know, reasons).
Fat pumptrack type of tyres is a key to success. For me this is daily city-commute-grocery-mostly pavement type of bike, it’s absolutely shite off road in comparison to 29ers.

Looking at some of these has reminded me that I haven’t done my back stretches today. I think I would need to raise the front end now.

Was it @Scotroutes who had a converted Dawes Ranger? It was someone Inverness way I think

I need to dust off my sun vertik and kili team dont i!

Start with something nicer than a hardrock. Late 97/98 rockhopper would be cool if you are going fully rigid as they have Ritchey tubing.

Quickly checked and there are lots of steel rockhoppers on ebay. Mostly blue with a ritchey sticker on the bottom of the down tube.

You do, and I did. But don’t make my mistake and build one with Canti’s. Admittedly I’m probably not that great at setting them up but it was terrifying with stubby flat bar levers! Did look ace though…

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I’ve had a various retro bikes over the years. The last one I sold was my Ritchey P20, but it was built period correct. In terms of mods and the one I’d have back, it would be my Bontrager. Modified by its previous owner to disc mounts.

Bonty Disc by ritcheyp20[/url], on Flickr

I’ve got a 95 Kona Cinder Cone in originalish spec, well used but the period cut down bars and mahoosive stem. What are my options to shorten the stem?
Add one of those quill adapters for a modern stem and bars?

what size chainring is that please plus-one?

Thanks 🙂 it’s 46t

I’ve got a 95 Kona Cinder Cone in originalish spec, well used but the period cut down bars and mahoosive stem. What are my options to shorten the stem?
Add one of those quill adapters for a modern stem and bars?

It will take an 1 1/8th headset then fit modern stem/bar of your choice 🙂