What to do with a steel mtb that's a touch small that I don't really need?

So my parents inherited a few bikes from their neighbors in France when they emigrated to the Canadian wilderness. The roadbike is basic but perfectly good for zooming between villages on.
The mtb needs some love. No pics atm but will hopefully have it in my hands soon.
If memory serves it's all lx and Tange tubes. It also has a full hhsb paintjob. It's def nothing special but certainly worth rebuilding.
Thing is, it's a touch small for me. I already have a flatbar commuter 90's mtb and another for pottering round the woods on but it's too cool not to play with.
Would dirt drops make it a touch longer and then build an on trend apocalyptic gravel tourer? Just service it and send it back to France for pottering duties?

Put a huge front rack on it and have a rad carry everything anywhere bike

That's what my commuter has so that niche is filled!

Well I'm out of ideas

7sp dropbar shifters exist. This interests me...

Dying for some pics

Dirt drops, big fat tyres, singlespeed. Monstercross is the way.

You'll have to wait a bit, it's still at the arse-end of France...
Can't remember the marque but for some reason I think it maybe be of Japanese origin although I could be wrong.
It won't be ss whatever happens as I don't believe in singularasizing functionally complete bikes...

huge slicks and a 1x* "tt build" if the frame is too small for you.

Now that's an idea! Iirc I put big slicks on it last year so part of the way there...

there was one particularly rad build with super motos and bullhorns, but can't find it now...

My current inclination is to build a troll-esque world tour thingy but as bivvying in a ditch is my idea of hell I need more inspiration...

lol

very much looking forward to bivvying in a ditch

This sounds bloody interesting, I'd go for gravel touring machine, depends on frame style though

It's a fairly standard early 90's mtb frame: no raised stays or other fancy nonsense.
It's probably less interesting than I've made it sound but should be fun to play with.

Couple of pics as it stands today. Should have it next weekend hopefully.
Not Japanese at all, no idea where that thought came from. Know nothing about Fiori. Pics don't do the crackle paint justic.

3 Attachments

Not sure if mtb or 26" road beik :/
Garish pink cables ordered, looking at long Uno stems on eBay but will wait til it arrives before making any real decisions.

Have spotted these as well but can't decide if I want drops or town bars on this. Good price tho

1 Attachment

Hey Ed, Fiori were a very Italian sounding brand that actually emanated from Norco Bikes here in BC, Canada (they did a similar thing with licensing the Nishiki name in Canada during the 10sp road bike boom). The thinking being an Italian sounding brand would resonate a little better with the higher-end builds (nicer tubing, parts) and corresponding prices than Norco (smoke and mirrors). I'll see if they have the corresponding old catalogue at work tomorrow. Were your folks neighbours originally from Canada? That would explain how it got to France (not sure they were sold outside of Canada).

http://www.labicycletta.ca/fiori-bicycles/

Hey Alb, thanks for the info, much appreciated!
Yes indeed, Christine, the bikes original owner hailed from the far north of Saskatchewan and travelled back and forth between there and France for years so would have thought she'd brought it with at some point.
I think it's a San Remo models but no idea about the age.

Not entirely sure why but just popped on a pair of schwalbe snow stud 26x1.95 cos chain reaction had them daft cheap.
Obviously it now will be balmy and warm all winter but fingers crossed it'll be justified. Trying to convince LadyLiz she needs a rad winter shopper/commuter...

Started pulling it apart tonight. LX throughout aside from cheap shifters that are toast. Have some that should work. Frame is cleaning up well, it's Tange mtb tubing. Seems cheapish but well made and nice geo when stripped of tat.
Swapped the front tyre for the snow stud, looks well road warrior. Not sure I can justify the cost of a wald or porteur rack but need to sort something out up front.
Just need stem, cables and ideally pedals to get rolling.
Pics tomorrow, looks like for now it's gonna be a deep winter commuter for LadyLiz. It better get cold soon..

Bit of progress. Pink Tange mtb decal is cool.
Longer stem has sorted the fit, still feels a bit high but no bad thing for winter. They're the dorkiest risers I've ever seen and would like to have north roads or priests but I don't want to spend any more on it.
Cables mostly done, front brake degreased and rebuilt. Haven't touched bb or mechs but everything is working perfectly so will deal with them in the spring.
Big Ben/snow stud combo looks ace.
Can't be bothered with the expense/faff of full guards so got crud catchers to go on along with a Wald basket and wellgo placcy bmx pedals on their way.

3 Attachments

Just pedals, rear guard and fucking around with the front mech left to go. Will attempt some half decent pics when done. Still weighs less than expected even with the basket and daft tyres.

1 Attachment

This is now finished and has become Lizzie's favourite beik. So much so it's what she wants to use for a 2week camping tour round Scotland next summer. Looks like we'll be bivvying in a ditch after all. Fit is perfect so will just need luggage.

On that note it might get a little revamp in the spring. It has mudguard eyes but no rack eyes. Previous rear rack used pclips on the seatstays which I suppose we'll use again, are they likely to fail?
Wald will have to do as no lowrider mounts but can always bungee a couple of bits under the basket.

How else to load it up but retain handling? Frame bag?
Also, Compass tyres worth the cost?(pair is considerably more than total build cost).