Cheap and easy conversions for old non-suspension MTB's?

Advertise with us
BOXKARS
Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum

Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Combat_Butler

Combat_Butler

Joined
Sep 27, 2010
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Location
UK southwest
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Cruisers are still uncommon in the UK but cheap mountain bikes are everywhere so I was wondering if anything can be done with outdated quill-stem, non-suspension mountain bikes like these (pictures are from ads) to pimp them up.

oldmtb.jpg

ApolloMTB.jpg

RNH360.jpg


Could I put mustache handlebars on a mountain bike to "de-modernize" it or would the geometry of the frame make it unworkable?
I'd like to take a semi-modern mountain bike and give it a retro-70's look by giving it slick tyres, old fashioned handlebars and a comfort saddle.
 
i've been waiting for an early 80's, lugged frame (too big so the seat has to be way down), with a biplane fork to fall in my lap so i can do a '1890's' style retromod. i'm thinking white tires, front canti bosses used for struts.......hmmm...... :wink:
 
Here's my mid 90s Giant Butte mountain bike. The little beast went thru all kinds of heck over the years but never let me down. Two years ago after my open heart surgery I needed something to do while I sat and recovered. Everyday my cat (nursemaid, or so she thought) would go outside, sit under the tree and take something off the bike. Eventually I got better, the bike got reworked, painted and I started to put it back together . Other things came up, other bikes got started or finished and the bike sat. A few months ago I decided to finish the bike for riding this fall.
Ladies and Gentledudes, I present to you ... Mountain Freak!
StCharlesandcolumbiavillerides046.jpg
 
Chainsaw said:
Everyday my cat (nursemaid, or so she thought) would go outside, sit under the tree and take something off the bike.
Click to expand...

Your cat turns wrenches???


AWESOME!!! :D


Can it weld too??? :wink:
 
Grandpa RockHopper is an awesome bike. I must build it also.
dscf2099ir.jpg


Turned the lady's bikes into BMX cruisers
S5003620.jpg
 
Dr. Tankenstein said:
I've gotthe same problem in my neck of the woods.
There's quite a few builds on here based on old MTBs.

Here's a STELLAR one:
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/vi...=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=Grandpa+Rockhopper#p258770

Here's on i've got going:
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=27036&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=Amsterback

Cheers!
Dr. T
Click to expand...

Thanks DrT. :)
TBH I hate the position of the saddle on your bike but that's okay because it still looks fantastic. :wink:
I love the idea of putting struts on the front, it never occurred to me that you could do that.
Is there a way to avoid moving the saddle on a mountain bike all the way back?
 
ifitsfreeitsforme said:
I made this from a Vista (Taiwan) mountain bike circa early 90s...

4004889376_3ff9cac720_b.jpg
Click to expand...

That's impressive. 8)
I wish I had a workshop and knew how to weld, putting an extra bar under the top-tube completely changes the look. I wouldn't have even known that that bike had started out life as an MTB.
 
^^ thanks, but, I got the idea from TikiHari (sp?)... one of the guys here on the forum. He built something similar and it was love at first sight for me.
 
Dr. Tankenstein said:
ifitsfreeitsforme said:
I wish I had a workshop and knew how to weld, putting an extra bar under the top-tube completely changes the look. I wouldn't have even known that that bike had started out life as an MTB.
Click to expand...

No welding required...
Click to expand...

LOL! I thought you were gonna link out to that chopper the guy glued together with PC-7 epoxy... :p
 
Thanks for the compliment Sinner4 it was a fun build. I used 3/4 thin wall elect conduit for the center tube. this is the final version with the intended seat.
dscf2300e.jpg

By xc204 at 2010-08-06
 

Latest posts

Back
Top