Advice needed - modernising this period Mercian MTB

This is amazing, I would do as Howard says fatter tyres, v brakes and enjoy.

...but trim the front stay or find end caps, unless you like getting poked in the legs.

Fair point. I guessed senor bear was probably talking about the gappy lines, maybe not.

Don't fuck with this build.

I'm not one for period correct, NOS etc, but this should stay as is.

Hard A.

As someone else has already mentioned, the NOS-botherers on Retrobike will froth themselves into a rich, creamy lather for this.

Definitely this!
It's super nice, making it lighter doesn't make any sense imo. I would fit some nice tyres and just use it like this.

why not strip everything off, keep it all minty, fit totally new parts, decide it’s not right later and rebuild for sale as was

Accurate description of messing with old bikes 😂

Absolutely dreamy.
As other have said: option A.
I reckon you’d have more fun on something a bit more 90s, lighter, fewer puppies getting killed.

Heard conflicting things about weight-saving. I've heard the right choice of tyres could make the world of difference, others have said it's just about updating the wheelset, then there's another camp that any weight saving would be negligible.

But yeah, this has definitely confirmed what I was thinking. Hope I can find something better suited that also turns as many heads.

Lovely. Don't change it.

I am glad I didn't see this for sale at the time to be honest - it's a beaut. Definitely option A for me. Imagine I'm not the first person to say I'd buy it off you if you end up going with something different :P

Did you watch the recent Shimano 100 year anniversary rerelease of the promo video for this XT groupset? that alone makes me want this bike.

Sell it imo. Half the fun of having a 26er knockabout is that there's 1k million out there on ebay.

I think I’m in the camp where if I absolutely wanted this to be my bike I’d probably take everything off it and put it in a box. Run it with whatever wheels and groupset you want, then put it back together as original at sale time.

Main question for me would be this: these are built like the old Cali klunkers. Tough frames with good clearance and slack angles, main job is for bombing down long dusty hills in outskirts of LA and Hollywood. Is that the sort of bike you want?

I say do whatever you like with it. Yes it looks lovely as it is, but I'm sure it could easily be modernised and still look lovely. Progress is a good thing - down with conservation, boo hiss to heritage, etc.

Any decision on what your going to do with it?

I've decided to sell. In talks with a bike shop about them sourcing a frame and building up something more suited to what I want in exchange for it. If that falls through my next stop will probably be Retrobike.

Ah no not seen this but will definitely check out!

Did you sell? Thought I saw it on eBay earlier on..

The cable hanger in the middle of the handlebar cross bar is sick and should be used rather than the shit flexy QR Dia Compe thing.

This bike is a beauty as it is now!