30 year old stumpjumper update?

[Core Shot]

1998 team stumpjumper
Thinking about making a gravel bike.
Maybe 1x or 2x, dropped bars, etc.

Anyone done this or have drivetrain or handlebar parts available?

[Groomer Gambler]

Put on a pair of wide dirt drops for ultimate off-road rowdiness like the cowchippers:

https://salsacycles.com/components/c...ars/cowchipper

These were probably the best investment on my gravel bike!

[mntlion]

dropped bars = need new brake levers that work with your current brakes (Canti? U-brakes)?

also need shifters of some kind and odds are your old bike is 7? speed again hard to find.

My suggestion:

1) sell to a collector nerd
2) add skinny tires and use it on gravel
3) not worth adding parts or money, unless you REALLY love it.

[El Chupacabra]

30 years old?

[GeezerSteve]

30 years old?

Core is 10 years ahead of his time

Or it's a 1988 Stumpjumper

[Core Shot]

Yeah, 1989.
Looks exactly like this fleabay item
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1989-Specia.../273506092462?

Lots of good times on my first decent bike. It has lived as a townie for the last 15 years, with narrow street slicks.

Just realized it has a big birthday next year. Wondering just how crazy it would be to bring it back to life. I got inspired by a few similar gravel projects on the web.

Obviously no disc brakes.
Hadn’t thought about the shifter issue. That would make an almost mandatory rear wheel and derailleur swap. Shits getting expensive now.

Hmmmm

[mntlion]

Hadn’t thought about the shifter issue. That would make an almost mandatory rear wheel and derailleur swap. Shits getting expensive now.

Hmmmm

yup,
keep as is (no money)
sell (make money)
upgrade (loose money)

[El Chupacabra]

Old fully rigid steel mountain bikes make good touring bikes, if that's of interest to you. They usually have attachment points for racks/ fenders, long chainstays for good heel clearance for panniers, sufficient gearing for loaded touring...

[SumJongGuy]

Sounds a little like my main human powered grocery getter..

[Peruvian]

I’ve got some late 80s/early 90s bikes I’ve considered upgrading to gravel monsters. They currently run ~1.9” semi-slicks.

If you want drops, you will need a quill adapter, new stem and bar end shifters. You can still use your canti brakes but it will take some effort to find proper long pull road style brakes levers.

I’ve come to the conclusion that they may get a butterfly bar one day to use for bike touring, but sadly the gravel monster project is not for me.

[radam]

Instead of drop bars, if you just want some additional hand positions, consider sq lab's inner bar ends, or a set of grips from them or ergon. I've been considering doing the same to a bike I have but we just don't have enough gravel riding around here to even make it worth it.

As for gearing, I don't think there's a 7-speed cassette (I assume it's 7 speed?) with enough range to make a 1x7 conversion enjoyable. But if your entire drivetrain is donezo and your rear spacing will accept 8/9/10 speed stuff, then there are budget wide-range cassette options from sunrace that could be paired with other new parts, but again I don't know if that's really worth the coin.

I'd say bar ends and/or grips, new tires with a bit of tread and if your brakes feel like they could use an upgrade, consider some fresh pads and compressionless housing. That should be enough to freshen up the bike and make it a little more fun and capable.

[GeezerSteve]

1-1/8" straight steerer? If so, you can add a front disc brake and go threadless headset with a Surly fork (around $100). Surly makes numerous forks with various specs, axle-to-crown is most critical dimension. Accurate Surly fork specs are listed Surly fork site. Taller A-to-C = slacker head angle/longer trail.

[El Chupacabra]

If you want to stay with 7-speed, I have some nicer old wheels with very low miles, with cassette. In storage for a long time...

If you convert to a drop bar, you'll want a very short and high stem, or else you will be quite stretched out over the hoods post-conversion. Easier to switch to a trekking bar keep the thumb shifters, and for better braking switch to V brakes or a disc front like Steve suggests (need new front wheel).

[teledad]

You can put 8 or 9 cogs on a 7-speed cassette by using 9 or 10 speed cogs - see here:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html#897

Your 7-speed derailleur should work (assuming it's in OK shape) but you'll need a new rear shifter and chain.

[XXX-er]

yup,
keep as is (no money)
sell (make money)
upgrade (loose money)

this ^^ just keep riding it as is if everything works

I have a completely stock 86 marin bear valley

except for the single speed conversion








I leave it in one gear man

[stuckathuntermtn]

26" touring or gravel bike sounds slow as fuck.
Looks like a good bar bike though. Maybe with some slicks.

[Jonny Snow]

Just strip it down and clean it fully, polish things where you can, and put some decent tires on it.

[Skistack]

We probably need a vintage mountain bike tread.

[XXX-er]

yeah it could be titled " leave the fucking thing alone "

[mntlion]

XXX-er is correct

[shirk]

Don't mess with it. Keep it stock and just replace what's needed. Cafe / bar bike.

[XXX-er]

if you must do something maybe this ... retro your ride

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/2371...lery-1-3&bes=1

[Core Shot]

if you must do something maybe this ... retro your ride

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/2371...lery-1-3&bes=1

Needs more cowbar

[SumJongGuy]

if you must do something maybe this ... retro your ride

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/2371...lery-1-3&bes=1