# Building a vintage mountain bike for road use



## Drummerboy1975 (Nov 24, 2011)

I took my son out with us on our group ride the other day. Most of us ride vintage road bikes but he road my '97 Rockhopper and enjoyed it. He prefers the more upright ride of a mountain bike to the more aggressive saddle position of a road bike. Except for one thing. he would like to build him a bike using tires with less aggressive tread, more of a road bike or urban commuter style.

So I'm building him a 1990 Trek Singletrack. What tires would y'all recommend for this build?


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## 805MTB (Jul 4, 2010)

I'd say 26 x 1" if you want something fast that you can pump up to 100psi +

Take a look at the city tires on Nashbar, this looks like a WISE choice (pun intended) at $12 per tire: Nashbar 26x1.5 Streetwise Mountain Tire - City Bike Tires

I think they have Blackburn Flea lights on sale as well....and they are pretty good lights for foggy weather like u posted in the vintage road bike thread. Where did u take that photo?

good luck w/the rest of the build.


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## CS2 (Jul 24, 2007)

I use Specialized Nimbus tires. They come in Kevlar also. While they're heavy they're virtually indestructible. There is a fair segment of rider that do long rides on MTB's. I'm not one of them. I prefer to use my converted MTB for shorter hauls. Good luck


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## yo-Nate-y (Mar 5, 2009)

Or Paselas.

Amazon.com: Panaracer Pasela Tourguard 26 x1.25 Steel Bead: Sports & Outdoors


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## Agwan (Feb 16, 2011)

I'm building a 1990 Spec. Rockhopper. my big build will be linear pulls and fresh, modern wheels.

single speed.

Kenda Kwicktrax


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## Drummerboy1975 (Nov 24, 2011)

klasse said:


> I'd say 26 x 1" if you want something fast that you can pump up to 100psi +
> 
> Take a look at the city tires on Nashbar, this looks like a WISE choice (pun intended) at $12 per tire: Nashbar 26x1.5 Streetwise Mountain Tire - City Bike Tires
> 
> ...


No fog, maybe the lighting looked funny. Anyway, that pockets was taken at the top of through Big Dam Bridge in Little Rock, AR.


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## Drummerboy1975 (Nov 24, 2011)

klasse said:


> I'd say 26 x 1" if you want something fast that you can pump up to 100psi +
> 
> Take a look at the city tires on Nashbar, this looks like a WISE choice (pun intended) at $12 per tire: Nashbar 26x1.5 Streetwise Mountain Tire - City Bike Tires
> 
> ...


No fog, maybe the lighting looked funny. Anyway, that pockets was taken at the top of through Big Dam Bridge in Little Rock, AR.


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## Fred Smedley (Feb 28, 2006)

Continental Grand Prix 26 Inch at BikeTiresDirect


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

Some great ideas here:

http://forums.mtbr.com/vintage-retro-classic/official-klein-picture-thread-339302.html

(I am sorry, sometimes I just have funny thoughts)


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## CS2 (Jul 24, 2007)

Aemmer said:


> Some great ideas here:
> 
> http://forums.mtbr.com/vintage-retro-classic/official-klein-picture-thread-339302.html
> 
> (I am sorry, sometimes I just have funny thoughts)


WOW, those old Kleins had the greatest paint jobs.


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## ong (Jun 26, 2006)

I wouldn't go with the super narrow tires... I'm finally moving away from those on my mtb-to-roadie conversion. I'm tired of hitting my pedals on every hard turn, and the 26x1.1 Contis I'm using are a TERRIBLE fit on my rims (a pretty standard WTB XC rim) -- I literally ripped one of the tires reinstalling after a recent flat. And somehow, the high-pressure 26 slicks just never felt that "fast" to me -- nothing like narrow 700c tires feel. I'm liking this bike a lot better with the 1.5"s, and about to just throw in the towel and go with some 2.1" semi-slicks. (Of course, I seem to hit every unimproved roadway, railroad crossing, and pothole in town on my morning commute.)

Really, I just like re-installing and adjusting fenders over and over again.


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## Laffinatcha (Feb 24, 2012)

Sweet. I was gonna do that with a vintage MTB but swapped it for a guitar. Woulda coulda shoulda, maybe I will.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

(Quote)Really, I just like re-installing and adjusting fenders over and over again.[/QUOTE]

THIS^^^^^^


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## Fred Smedley (Feb 28, 2006)

ong said:


> I wouldn't go with the super narrow tires... I'm finally moving away from those on my mtb-to-roadie conversion. I'm tired of hitting my pedals on every hard turn, and the 26x1.1 Contis I'm using are a TERRIBLE fit on my rims (a pretty standard WTB XC rim) -- I literally ripped one of the tires reinstalling after a recent flat. And somehow, the high-pressure 26 slicks just never felt that "fast" to me -- nothing like narrow 700c tires feel. I'm liking this bike a lot better with the 1.5"s, and about to just throw in the towel and go with some 2.1" semi-slicks. (Of course, I seem to hit every unimproved roadway, railroad crossing, and pothole in town on my morning commute.)
> 
> Really, I just like re-installing and adjusting fenders over and over again.


The Conti's work fine on Mavic 217-517-717 but using a skinny tire MTB is a terrible choice IMO. A old 27" bike is a better choice and a cross bike with 700 X XX if you need fat tire commuter. IMO MTB's are good for the dirt and not much else. Perhaps a 650B conversion might improve on a that, but with that investment you can have a RB.


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## Drummerboy1975 (Nov 24, 2011)

Fred Smedley said:


> The Conti's work fine on Mavic 217-517-717 but using a skinny tire MTB is a terrible choice IMO. A old 27" bike is a better choice and a cross bike with 700 X XX if you need fat tire commuter. IMO MTB's are good for the dirt and not much else. Perhaps a 650B conversion might improve on a that, but with that investment you can have a RB.


With that said, can someone explain to me the 650B conversion? What's the pro's and con's and what is the difference in a 26" and a 650B?


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

When I only had room for one bike, I built a second set of wheels for use on my mountain bike, using road gearing and 1" slicks. This was OK, but I find the inexpensive road bike I picked up later is a lot better on the road than the MTB ever was.


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## FairfaxPat (Jan 29, 2008)

I converted my '91 Funk to my road bike with 1.5 Continental Sport Contacts.


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## Drummerboy1975 (Nov 24, 2011)

We bought tires for it today. I'll post pics tomorrow.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

I agree with singletrack, a cheap road bike would be better for road rides. But if he's doing commuting, the mtb with road/dirt tires would be a good call.

If he continues liking the road and going on group rides, one thing is inevitable... he will end up on a road bike.


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## Agwan (Feb 16, 2011)

Fillet-brazed said:


> I agree with singletrack, a cheap road bike would be better for road rides. But if he's doing commuting, the mtb with road/dirt tires would be a good call.
> 
> If he continues liking the road and going on group rides, one thing is inevitable... he will end up on a road bike.


^ I'm experiencing that right now, wishing I'd built a road bike instead of a rigid XC bike.


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## ong (Jun 26, 2006)

I'm working on a 650B conversion to an old 1985 Stumpjumper Sport (figured it was a nice enough frame to build up, but not nice enough to cause too much wincing if I built it up as a drop-bar tourer). 650B is a slightly larger wheel size than 26", so you do need cantis with a lot of vertical adjustment. Fortunately/unfortunately, one of the rear studs is toast on my Stumpy anyway, so I'm just going to remove them and add a set 15mm higher up on the seatstays. I'll try to post a shot if/when I ever get it built up... need to clear some room for a brazing station first!


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## Drummerboy1975 (Nov 24, 2011)

Ok, here it is. New tires and a comfy seat too.

Before and after photos.


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## csm929 (Aug 24, 2010)

I wanted to start riding the road again and i already had my main mountain bike and my retro mtb, so I ended up buying a road bike. I rode it for 1 month and returned it for a credit to the store. I ended up not enjoying a road bike as much as i thought i would, I couldnt hop curbs, didnt like the way i was positioned, etc. So i converted my 95 cannondale i had since high school into a street bike with all the retro mtb parts i drooled over when i was younger (ringle, kooka, etc). I converted it into a SS and ive never had more fun on the street than with this thing. Its nimble, quick, light, strong, i can ride any crappy road (i have 1.5 tires) i can go down stairs, its just a blast. Im a fan of breathing life into an old mtb for street use.


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## Drummerboy1975 (Nov 24, 2011)

Now running Swabble Stelvio 26x1.50


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## jeffgothro (Mar 10, 2007)

Bontrager Hank tires...best I ever used for street. I have yet to meet anyone who didnt like them.


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## Drummerboy1975 (Nov 24, 2011)

Its amazing how much lower the bike is now. It rides great. Much faster.


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