That Salas touring MTB made me consider retrofitting an old Cannondale SM 500 that I have hanging on the wall into a drop bar, fat tire touring bike. Knowing nothing about the new components, other than the bike is older, are new components, specifically something like a new/longer stem, and a set of WTB bars, a bolt on? I know the bike has the old U-brakes, so it might be mid-80's ish. Thoughts? Is it worth the potential restoration and build, even scavaging used parts? And it is a wicked bright blueberry colored....
Salsa-similar buildup
- Thread starter Spenser
- Start date
Christophe Noel
Expedition Leader
If we're talking U-brake era, I'd have to say, it probably isn't worth the rather hefty expense to update that bike. Your rear spacing would make upgrading to current systems a little tricky. The bar and stem project wouldn't be a big deal at probably less than $60, but by the time you added new shifters, brake levers and a drivetrain to update the bike, you'd be well over $500 in no time. Bummer, but there it is.
duude, u brakes..... imo any bike is worth upgrading a little bit to make a light tourer or beer store bike out of. what do you think happens to all the old kleins with 1pc bar stem combos, diamond back overdrives,(one of the original 29rs), old touring bikes (turned into fixies) ....
rear spacing is not a big deal, if its been hanging that long the parts are probably not worn out anyway. wtb drop bars, or some mary bars run upsidedown, narrow knobbies or even slicks, a good cleaning... good to go. find some old xt thumshifters or even some ultegra bar end shifters (either in the bars or mounted to perches that are avail. that makes them above bar shifters. pauls components) then you can have 7-8-9 or even 10 spd with the right wheel build.every bike has a right to live, even to get dropped, crashed, allowed to wallow in spilled beverages of your (its) liking...besides those old cannondales are a LOT nicer than the new ones... b4 the "sellout"
(eat your hat montgomery)
rear spacing is not a big deal, if its been hanging that long the parts are probably not worn out anyway. wtb drop bars, or some mary bars run upsidedown, narrow knobbies or even slicks, a good cleaning... good to go. find some old xt thumshifters or even some ultegra bar end shifters (either in the bars or mounted to perches that are avail. that makes them above bar shifters. pauls components) then you can have 7-8-9 or even 10 spd with the right wheel build.every bike has a right to live, even to get dropped, crashed, allowed to wallow in spilled beverages of your (its) liking...besides those old cannondales are a LOT nicer than the new ones... b4 the "sellout"
(eat your hat montgomery)
bluedog
Adventurer
Up grading that baby is fairly easy, not necessarly inexpensive, but anything truly custom usually isn't.
To get over the quill stem the bike might have you can get an adaptor to convert it the more common threadless type. You will most likley need at a minimum a new rear wheel or set. Mavic has several that are entry level. You may want to look for someone unloading a road bike for the shifters and rear deraulleur.
I deal with pretty high end bicycle stuff every day but these type of projects I love to do and seem to always be my favorite bikes.
Send me a PM if you are looking for anything, I have LOTS O bike parts.
Good luck,
B.
To get over the quill stem the bike might have you can get an adaptor to convert it the more common threadless type. You will most likley need at a minimum a new rear wheel or set. Mavic has several that are entry level. You may want to look for someone unloading a road bike for the shifters and rear deraulleur.
I deal with pretty high end bicycle stuff every day but these type of projects I love to do and seem to always be my favorite bikes.
Send me a PM if you are looking for anything, I have LOTS O bike parts.
Good luck,
B.
i work at a bike shop also and lately we have been fixin up alot of older bikes, gas prices people trying to at least commute by bike for some things. there is no shrtage of repair parts for older bikes. quill stems,wheels,shifters,bars,...
if he is looking to make a 22lb high end tourer out of it, then yeah dont waste the money, to make something durable,simple and economical that could stand up to some light touring/commuting then there are any number of possiblilities . a guy from our shop just took off on a cross country ride, solo, on a old steel mt. bike frame rigged up as a tourer. high rise stem,mary bars, thumbshifters,slicks,panniers... simple and bulletproof.
if he is looking to make a 22lb high end tourer out of it, then yeah dont waste the money, to make something durable,simple and economical that could stand up to some light touring/commuting then there are any number of possiblilities . a guy from our shop just took off on a cross country ride, solo, on a old steel mt. bike frame rigged up as a tourer. high rise stem,mary bars, thumbshifters,slicks,panniers... simple and bulletproof.
Grim Reaper
Expedition Leader
Go for it!
Don't let the brakes be a deal killer. In fact they might be a better option then current V Brakes. V brakes will not work with most road brake levers. I think the U brakes will.
I however have a different handle bar recommendation that can get a better riding position for around $45.
www.nashbar.com is having a sale on most of the parts needed. On my 98 M400 I am running a 110mm stem with trekking bars that are on sale right now for $14.
They also sell a Quill to thread less adapter if you are not happy with the stem you have.
http://www.nashbar.com/results.cfm?...pe=&estoreid=&init=y&pagename=Category: Stems
The Trekking bar is the same diameter as MTB bars so your brake levers and shifters will work fine on it. Not quite the tuck of drops but a LOT better the MTB bars.
I would show you pictures but I still can't upload.
Don't let the brakes be a deal killer. In fact they might be a better option then current V Brakes. V brakes will not work with most road brake levers. I think the U brakes will.
I however have a different handle bar recommendation that can get a better riding position for around $45.
www.nashbar.com is having a sale on most of the parts needed. On my 98 M400 I am running a 110mm stem with trekking bars that are on sale right now for $14.
They also sell a Quill to thread less adapter if you are not happy with the stem you have.
http://www.nashbar.com/results.cfm?...pe=&estoreid=&init=y&pagename=Category: Stems
The Trekking bar is the same diameter as MTB bars so your brake levers and shifters will work fine on it. Not quite the tuck of drops but a LOT better the MTB bars.
I would show you pictures but I still can't upload.
Christophe Noel
Expedition Leader
I think the original question was relative to converting this older bike into an extended touring beast like the Salsa Fargo. If that is the objective, no, this is not a cost effective way to achieve that end. If the goal is to restore this bike to commuter, offroad or just fooling around duties, of course, go for it.
This isn't really about the U-brake. Those are still very much available. Your primary limiter will the narrower rear spacing. Spreading the rear triangle on an older C'dale to accommodate a 135mm spaced hub is ill advised. Even if the objective is just to get this bike rolling again, do it on the cheap since making old bikes modern is really not possible. You can however bring back their former glory and have fun like you did when it was new.
This isn't really about the U-brake. Those are still very much available. Your primary limiter will the narrower rear spacing. Spreading the rear triangle on an older C'dale to accommodate a 135mm spaced hub is ill advised. Even if the objective is just to get this bike rolling again, do it on the cheap since making old bikes modern is really not possible. You can however bring back their former glory and have fun like you did when it was new.
Grim Reaper
Expedition Leader
Flounder said:
Its funny but a lot of people into biking don't care for the Salsa as a Tourer or commuter. They think it is over kill and over weight. Personally I really like it. I am not a speed demon. I would rather have a stout frame that will work as a pack mule and overcome its weight with gearing at the expense of top speed.
Back to the point though. This is a Grass is greener issue here. All he complained about was the handle bars. There is sub $50 fixes to this. There is nothing actually wrong with the bike otherwise. If it had bent wheels or a cracked frame yeah its time to upgrade.
Why spend $1200-1800 under those condtions unless you have it to blow? Would I blow it if I had it.....Sure would be tempting. That or the Surley LHT.
Does it make good sense to spend that if you are tight on cash? Not really. Lets put it this way..I paid $1400 for my 4Runner.
There is WAY to much put into "you have to have this or that to be a tourer". "Run what you brung". We are not talking a sub 20lb race bike made out of thin materials that will be hard to add mounting to. It has a sturdy frame that has a geometry that is relaxed because it was made at the onset of the 26 inch MTB craze without shocks. The brakes work. If it has a 48 big ring and a 11 or 12 on the cassette it has decent gearing even if it doesn't have 24+ gears and rapid fire index shifters with gear indicators on STI brake levers.
If there is nothing wrong with the back wheel then why does it matter if the frame will accommodate a 135mm axle? You don't have to have a 700. There is planty of good tires available for the 26 inch rims.
Put a good set of tires on it get some racks and packs and ride the snot out of it.
Still cant put my new picture in.
Link them I guess.
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Twenty-niner
New member
I agree that you can ride whatcha got and get by just fine. But if everyone at ExPo, and all the readers of Overland Journal, subscribed strictly to the ride whatcha got rule, there wouldn't be an ExPo or OJ.
Let's face it: most of us here are gear queers. When money's tight, we're fine making do with what we have. But as soon as you have a little coin burning a hole in your pocket, you gotta admit it feels good to buy and own the perfect piece of equipment for the job!
Let's face it: most of us here are gear queers. When money's tight, we're fine making do with what we have. But as soon as you have a little coin burning a hole in your pocket, you gotta admit it feels good to buy and own the perfect piece of equipment for the job!
Grim Reaper
Expedition Leader
Ohh it would be great to be rich and buy anything that catches my eye on a whim.
As for the OJ Its always nice to see the new stuff and work towards acquiring it but there is far more of us that "run what we brung" and buy the new stuff when the new stuff has been superseded.
Point in case. "76 Westy" Not much has ever been better then an old Westy for size vs accomidations.
As for the OJ Its always nice to see the new stuff and work towards acquiring it but there is far more of us that "run what we brung" and buy the new stuff when the new stuff has been superseded.
Point in case. "76 Westy"
Not much has ever been better then an old Westy for size vs accomidations.Guys-thanks for the input, I am really just doing this because I gave it to a friend, who gave it back to me. I already have a Cannondale touring bike, Fisher Mtn Bike and Cannondale prophet, with the leftie fork that I am not bonding with. I love the touring bike that I have, and am looking simply to put drop bars, possible bar end shifters or flight deck type set up, using Ebay or used parts, or maybe even strip the Prophet, and make a solid, old school drop bar offroad touring bike. Something like Old School, meets ebay, meets a mess of stuff bolted on.
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