Gravel Bike Self Build

[Shebeen]

This past weekend at Eroica SA there was 1 woman who rode the Nuovo 140 km on a real cool monster build. Basically she took an old steel frame from the 1980s that she bought for R150 and built it up with modern drivetrain. It looked like she managed to fit 36 mm tyres, but I suppose that will be very frame dependent. It looked awesome, partly because she used the old frame exactly as it was, 40 years of patina and all, contrasting nicely with the shiny running gear. I can only imagine it working very well as those old frames often give a great ride on rough surfaces, and with new components, the reliability gets sorted.

i didn't see that one. i did enquire if a monstercross build on an old diamond back would pass muster, and the response was not positive so she did well!

[Barry_W]

Sadly, she was off and over the horizon before I could say 'cheers'.

That lady is Lynnae, she’s a hubber so maybe she will load a pic if she sees this post.

 

Edit, how do you tag someone in a post, I couldn’t work it out?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

That lady is Lynnae, she’s a hubber so maybe she will load a pic if she sees this post.

 

Edit, how do you tag someone in a post, I couldn’t work it out?

You can't.... 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

i didn't see that one. i did enquire if a monstercross build on an old diamond back would pass muster, and the response was not positive so she did well!

On an old Topanga? I don't think anything would stop me from doing that... Perfect bike for it. 

[DJR]

That lady is Lynnae, she’s a hubber so maybe she will load a pic if she sees this post.

 

Edit, how do you tag someone in a post, I couldn’t work it out?

I'll send her a pm to ask.

[Ki11gar]

I have recently built up a gravel bike which has post mount brakes, as do most mountain bikes, with flat mount brakes and so had get adapters made, I have a few extra if anyone is interested. 

 

Have an AD up here: https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/353515-flat-mount-brake-to-post-mount-frame/

[Breezer]

I build this bike with old parts lying in my garage. The only thing I bought was the carbon fork (29er so that I can fit 2.25 mtb tyers) for R2000 and more recently a set of spez 35mm pathfinder tyers for the CTCT. The groupset is a old ultegra with short cage dura ace rear derailleur. At the front I have a Xt 40/28 crank. My rear cluster is a 11/28. So in my lightest gear I have a 1-1 ratio.

I did the 100miler and the Agulhas mtb classic with this bike with no problems. This year I also did the CTCT with it. It truly is a very versatile bike to have.

 

Mine was a really cheap build because I had most of the parts. If you have to start buying it all, you might have to consider a secondhand bike.

[Sbloomer]

Nice Breezer.  Is that a 29" bike?

 

I build this bike with old parts lying in my garage. 

 

I have my eyes on this frame...

 

https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-mountain-bikes/wellington/merida-frame-tfs-900/1003051028280910427439509

 

but I'm inclined to think that its probably very overpriced

[Koos Likkewaan]

I build this bike with old parts lying in my garage. The only thing I bought was the carbon fork (29er so that I can fit 2.25 mtb tyers) for R2000 and more recently a set of spez 35mm pathfinder tyers for the CTCT. The groupset is a old ultegra with short cage dura ace rear derailleur. At the front I have a Xt 40/28 crank. My rear cluster is a 11/28. So in my lightest gear I have a 1-1 ratio.

I did the 100miler and the Agulhas mtb classic with this bike with no problems. This year I also did the CTCT with it. It truly is a very versatile bike to have.

 

Mine was a really cheap build because I had most of the parts. If you have to start buying it all, you might have to consider a secondhand bike.

 

Did something similar with a Giant Revel frame. Only difference is I went with the mtb gearing at the back ( 11x36 ) with a 9spd XT rear der. 2x10 Ultegra shifters.

 

2 wheelsets. 35C for road use, and 2.1 for offroad use.

 

Fun to ride.

[Lynnae]

Hi everyone,

 

Here is the bicycle I rode Eroica Nova with. It was such a wonderful build (and I learned alot)

 

 

I was on the hunt for a old frame that could accommodate tyres larger than 28 C. (the late 80's frames I looked at could not accommodate larger tyres). When I saw the Peugeot frame at a Woodstock Cycleworks 'swap, meet and race' I had to have it.

 

Absolutely loved the aero frame, the colours, chrome, and all glorious Patina. R250 later the gravelbike build started.

 

 

 

I stripped and cleaned the frame, applied rust converter and a clear coat. 

 

After trawling bikehub, a vintage cycling whatsapp group and a few local bicycle shops I managed to find all the bits and pieces needed for the build.

 

The wheels are a second hand set of Mavic Ksyrium's which I put a set of 35 C Continental Cyclocross tyres on. I could not believe these tyres fit the frame. The clearance is really tight, especially at the back where the brakes want to get intimate with the tyre. 

 

(I will need to put a smaller tyre on if any rain or mud came is predicted)

 

 

 

 

As I decided to put modern components on the bike there were some parts that were harder to source/make fit.

 

A quill stem adapter was needed for the handlebars. The adapter needed a shim to make it fit into the stem (finding the shim proved to be one of the trickier things). The frame also needed cable stops so that STI shifters could be installed. I ended up using a Suntour cable housing guide. A new headset was also fitted.

 

I found a 11 speed Sram Force groupset (with a Rotor crankset) on the hub for a really good deal.

 

Unfortunately the Rotor crank set could not fit the frame. The bottom bracket was having none of it. After trying two other crank sets I eventually went with a new Shimano 105 crank set. This was the most expensive part of the build.

 

I had the drill bigger holes in the frame to make the modern brakes fit. The Peugeot put up quite a fight, and I did not like drilling into the frame. But it had to get done.

 

 

The rear derailleur was fitted to the frame using a Shimano band adapter.

 

Finding a better seat post with more room for adjustment is still on my to do list. 

 

Everything else was pretty standard component wise. Olympic cycles put back all the bits and pieces for me and made my scrounged parts fit. 

 

I added my favorite Deda handlebar and Fabric Knurl bar tape to round off the bike.

 

 

Here are a few final photos of the bike.

 

Although its heavier than a carbon gravel machine it rides beautifully and has a great personality. We will be ready for more gravel adventure at the Swartberg Fondo next month.

 

 

 

 

Bye

Lynnae

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mokgaga'a mmakubela!]

I build this bike with old parts lying in my garage. The only thing I bought was the carbon fork (29er so that I can fit 2.25 mtb tyers) for R2000 and more recently a set of spez 35mm pathfinder tyers for the CTCT. The groupset is a old ultegra with short cage dura ace rear derailleur. At the front I have a Xt 40/28 crank. My rear cluster is a 11/28. So in my lightest gear I have a 1-1 ratio.

I did the 100miler and the Agulhas mtb classic with this bike with no problems. This year I also did the CTCT with it. It truly is a very versatile bike to have.

 

Mine was a really cheap build because I had most of the parts. If you have to start buying it all, you might have to consider a secondhand bike.

 

nice. where did you buy the carbon rigid fork?

[DJR]

Thanks Lynnae

 

That is a truly cool build.

 

Enjoy the Swartberg. It (the pass ) is my personal absolute favourite ride on earth. I grew up there and first rode it as a kid on a Western Flyer 5 sp road bike with skinny tyres. Your Peugeot will be totally at home.

[Karate Monkey]

Wow that is a pretty cool build Lynnae!

 

Can you post a picture of the tyre clearance with the brakes?

[Sbloomer]

we'd love to see some of our FARR OUT Cromo Frame-Kits used for some of these essential N+1 builds - so we have dropped prices a bit to help.

 

all frame-kits now only R 5995 for a limited while - see them here

Sigh

 

I keep returning to this every day. Just can’t stretch to this once off cost.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Breezer]

nice. where did you buy the carbon rigid fork?

From hubber MTB TG https://www.bikehub.co.za/user/26405-mtb-tg/

[Breezer]

 

Nice Breezer. Is that a 29" bike?

 

 

Yes, an old 29er silverback vida1