Somewhat OT but …. "Retroising" a modern steel frame

I appreciate that the number of people this will appeal to is very limited and yes I appreciate that disc are much better than V’s etc

But …..

Ideas needed for suitable donor frame.

Needs to be steel, decent tyre clearance (part of the reason I’ve not plumped for a late 90’s Kona) more xc than anything else.

I have a full XTR groupset to fit bust need a frame 😆

As I say this is somewhat OT.

Handsome dog talisman if you can find one? Or an old inbred? Not sure anything newer will have V-brakes appart from maybe a new-ish GT Peace 29er?

Up until recently Salsa Ala cartes had brake posts. Really nice riding bike.

Just to add clarity I would be looking at adding canti tabs and removing disc brake tabs 😯 😆

The Talisman is a good call but seem thin on the ground 🙁

Just to add clarity I would be looking at adding canti tabs and removing disc brake tabs

How old is the XTR? Would C2’s or Mini’s not be contemporary, and probably significantly cheeper than having canti stud’s brazed on? And don’t forget the stays might flex a bit much for V’s so you’ll need a brake booster of some description as well if you go down that route.

Steel Rockhopper?

Brilliant frames.

Can take decent tyres and works ok with a 80 – 100mm fork.
Light, handles really nicely.

On a similar note, my road frame will be getting an ice blue Raleigh Arena 70’s paint job and shorty chrome guards when I get round to it.

Budget? Get a custom Curtis or something?

Yep it depends on budget – there are some fab frame builders out there. Properly retro too.

if you want retro why not just get an old bike?

or perhaps a modern that looks less modern?

Charge? Singular swift/hummingbird? Ritchey P-29?

I would be looking at adding canti tabs and removing disc brake tabs

I’d check that the stays will cope with the forces that v brakes put on forcing them apart before getting too far down this route.

I could have something suitable in Swift or Hummingbird (shop soiled, shipping damaged could do with a repaint anyway kinda way) and could put you onto a framebuilder to do the bosses etc? Primary question is what sort of size you need! Drop me a line.

Pretty sure my old GT Zaskar frame had good tyre clearance

How is a thread about old steel frames even remotely OT on here?

and heres me trying to figure out how to modernize my retro frame!

Possibly too utilitarian for your needs, but what about a Surly Troll? Massive tyre clearance, has canti studs etc.

I’ve got a 1×1 which is the same geometry (the Troll is basically a geared 1×1 with extra mounts) and it’s probably one of the best bikes I’ve ever owned for sheer ridability and the grin factor.

Or what about a Thorn Nomad?

Thanks all for the responses.

I have previously modernised older Konas but found then to be too much of a compromise.

My 1999 Caldera has had the Argos treatment and is great but limited tyre clearance and older geometry do limit its use.

The addition of canti tabs and disc tab removal are both fairly straight forward minimal cost jobs – certainly even with the cost of frame, mods and paint are well under the cost of a custom frame.

@ Sam – YGM 😀

honourablegeorge – Member

How is a thread about old steel frames even remotely OT on here?

Well ….. 😳