Retro mountain bikes

Looking at different stem/handlebar options and getting to a point where I have no idea what to do between 25.4mm quill and bars and a 31.8mm setup + quill adaptor.

Has anyone got either any words of wisdom either way?

And if anyone has anything that matches the above in their parts bin that they could do without?

Most people loathe the idea of using adapters. As for me, I don't give a rat's ass about aesthetics, and I use them all the time. Newer stems and bars provide a gazillion more options, so I can set the cockpit up properly to my needs. If I'd go for the looks I'd deffo go with quills though.

you can get some 31.8 quill stems

but on an old GT i'm doing at the moment I just got new forks and headset, because it needs a really short stem. it seems so much lighter to use Ahead rather than any type of quill.

i'm thinking of removing the v brake bosses and moving them up for 605b wheels (using these).
Anyone tried this?

Funny that, I saw this yesterday and nearly took a pic myself... looks great!!!

Wow. That is very quite sort of purple.

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:) this whips.

Yum

This is noice purple.

Oh damn, the colour is great - was honesty expecting blue but this is pretty damn nice.

Fits 2.2s clearly which is nice, lock ring on the headset comes off but the next bit down feels a little seized.

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You've made it! We'll teach you the special handshake shortly.

Nice. But be gentle on the rear dropouts, these are those early 'dales weak spot.

Lush

This is special. Looking forward to seeing what you with it.

Stripped some parts off another bike and began putting bits together. Having problems with the bottom bracket from the donor bike so not sure what I want to do about having very mismatchy stuff on there.

Sorry about the valve alignment on the back! 😅

Never took myself as someone who cared about that sort of thing...

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Amazing!

(Needs a turbo)

And a supercharger

I agree. With some creative spacers it doesn't look too bad if the proportions matches up:

Couple of current retro mtb projects I have on the go; more detail on each in their build threads.

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After a few days of topping up the headset with WD40, I've finally managed to get the threaded top race off the Cannondale, so just waiting on a new one to come in the post, along with bars and stem adaptors.

Might try and bodge an old mop/rake handle into a headset remover to get it fully out.

Where are you based? I've got a "real" headset remover if you'd like to borrow?

Oo-er, that would be good.

I'm all the way down in the depths of Wimbledon, or I work in North Acton if the other end of no-where suits.

Is that yours? It's very nice. My current daily is a 90s DiamondBack with a similar dadbike vibe. I've ummed and ahhed over a frontrack/basket for ages, but I can't see that I'd actually use it enough to make up for the weight, rattleyness and aerolossez.

I'm in SE1, can always arrange a shady handover somewhere 😂