Your ‘not worth nicking’ ‘touring’ bike

[cycle tramp]

Dunno how plentiful 1990s MTB frames are these days, but it's an idea.

Probably not as plentiful as they were back in the 1990's..
Which is a shame. Certainly no one is looking to make a frame set for rim brakes, 26 " wheel set and quick release drop outs every again
...personally I find that disappointing, because it was one of the most flexible (in terms of use) frame sets which ever left the drawing board..

[Audax67]

This was the first avatar of my tourer, set up with spare Shim 105 3x9 gearing. The reach was a bit too long and the cantis didn't stop it worth a damn, but it was fun, and educational.



On its first 100k, in its natural habitat...

BTW, if you look at the date I joined this forum, that's when I built it. I came in here looking for advice.

Come to think of it, I still have the frame - I could make a gravel bike out of it.

[Cadence]

What a great bike! And at an amazing price. Has to be the bargain of the century...
How are you getting on with big apple tyres? I've been thinking of fitting pair.

Thank you. The guy lived two miles from me and was selling two Giant GSR400's on ebay. His was a 20" and his wife's an 18". I opted for the 18". The 20" only fetched £30.00! They had just spent £XXXX on two e-bikes, even though "we don't get time to ride much". The condition of my Giant bore that out!
To be fair I have spent a bit on it, although most of it was discretionary and I was lucky to already have the near-matching grey mudguards "in stock". The conversion kit cost about £400, but I've got an e-bike that suits my needs at a fraction of the amount that the previous owner has spent.

I've got the 26" x 2.00 Big Apples (hardly used on ebay at £25.00 pair inc. postage!) and they are brilliant. I'm 69 kilos and the converted bike weighs - well, a bl***y ton! . Schwalbe recommend 35psi, but I started at 40 front/45 rear. That was OK, but I've gradually come down to 30/35. At those pressures it just absorbs potholes and ruts that I'm nervously avoiding on my other bikes. The "road" type tread means that rolling resistance is low. When freewheeling down even a slight slope the acceleration is great fun. The only downside to that is I get through v-brake pads quite quickly. If only I could find a cheap rigid disc fork for a 1" threaded steerer. I would assume that the 2.15 and 2.35 wide Big Apples are even more comfortable, but perhaps not quite so fast.

[francovendee]

FWIW, back in 2011 I built a tourer on a 1994 suspension-free MTB frame with remedial paint daubs here and there. I used Decathlon parts and it came in pretty cheaply. It served as a practice build so that I could build a better bike on an Surly LHT frame the following year. In the end, though, there wasn't much difference, and the MTB frame would have been just as good and not as distressing if someone had nicked it. Fine for leaving outside coffee shops etc.

Dunno how plentiful 1990s MTB frames are these days, but it's an idea.

Two years ago I picked up a little-used 1992 Giant rigid MTB for the princely sum of £35.00, with the intention of it being my "winter" bike.
It was totally original (3 x 7 gears) and useable from day one. It was supposed to be an unloved "un-nickable" bike, but I just can't resist the urge to "tinker" - purely for the fun of it. So it's since had upgraded good S/H or NOS parts fitted that are sympathetic to the era (such as polished v-brakes and a better RD) - so the plan didn't really work.
Although I have three other bikes this has turned out to be the most comfortable and capable machine for mainly road and easy trails - so much so that I don't use the others much now. If I throw a couple of panniers on and do the weekly shop it has the feel of a dedicated tourer. I've not ridden a Surly or Thorn but I doubt they are that much better - the Giant even has fork mountings for a front rack! I wouldn't hesitate to go touring with it. On the other hand it is surprisingly agile for a steel framed bike.
WP_20221220_12_43_37_Pro.jpg
I was going to fit a different freewheel with a gear lower than 28T, but a year ago I decided that it was time for an e-bike. The tinkerer in me wanted to fit a conversion kit. I ultimately kitted out this one and two of the others. Again, the old Giant is by far the better ride and I don't need to use the "granny" now, despite it being a very heavy.
WP_20230625_18_35_56_Pro_LI (2).jpg
Since the above photo I've fitted Schwalbe Big Apple tyres. With lower pressures the ride is so smooth and comfortable that I find any old excuse just to get out on it. I don't often ride at 20mph plus, but when I do it is very stable and predictable. But is it now more nick-able? I really hope it would be overlooked, but I carefully lock it when left anywhere and would be very upset if it went missing!
Perhaps I need another bike?

That's very interesting, it looks a lot like mine. I bought mine for 15€ locally a couple of years ago. It was actually 2 bikes for 15€, the other one being a supermarket special that went to the dump.
I made changes using parts from my stock of used components. I've gone with a 3 x 8 drive train, swapped the wheels and tyres and put mudguards a rack and different bars on it.
I really can't believe how well it's turned out, I've put nearly 8000 miles on it and it's a joy to ride.
I estimate in total, bike+new parts, it cost me 40€.
It looks just scruffy and old enough to evade the eye of a would be thief.
I doubt I'll ever need another bike.

[Carlton green]

This thread is turning out even better than I’d hoped .

Where possible pictures of bikes would be appreciated, well they would be appreciated by me and maybe they’ll inspire readers of this thread too.

Magazines, sadly including CUK’s too, pretty much exclusively focus on high cost wonder bikes that cost thousands. Personally I think that that practice is daft and would love to see the regular and frequent celebration of good bikes that were cobbled together by their owners on a limited budget. Obviously, and particularly in relation to this thread, ones that also don’t look worth nicking are the ideal too.

Edit. A thank you to our correspondent in France, see below.

[francovendee]

You did ask!

I've had many bikes and bikes given to me it was easy to put this together and apart from a couple of bits it's all recycled.

Over the 21 years living here we've seen many fellow Brits arrive, try it for a few years then decide to return to the UK. Often it's the arrival of grandchildren or the struggle with the language or they just miss the UK.
Moving their possessions back is expensive and involves a lot of paper work plus you can be asked to pay tax on your own possessions.
It's one of the benefits of leaving the EU, at least to me, as it's often not worth the hassle to take a rarely used bike. Locals Brits know I prefer a bike for transport so have frequently been asked am I interested in their bike? I usually say maybe, but how much?
When the reply is 'I don't want anything for it I just need to get rid of it the answer is usually yes unless it's a supermarket special.
I am a proud cheapskate and have no qualms about helping people out.

[Bice]

Two years ago I picked up a little-used 1992 Giant rigid MTB for the princely sum of £35.00, with the intention of it being my "winter" bike.
It was totally original (3 x 7 gears) and useable from day one. It was supposed to be an unloved "un-nickable" bike, but I just can't resist the urge to "tinker" -

Chapeau!

That MTB steel frame bargain beats my £80 Marin steel one.



And full marks for the incessant tinkering to the point where you have a half decent e-bike (although, perhaps, even I would suggest that disc brakes are a good idea to stop an e-weight bike).

Here is my 'not worth nicking touring bike' and I am very fond of it, although it is slow and heavy. But it is bound to be that given the 12-14kgs I carry: tent and Trangia, bottle of something and food.

It is a really comfortable bike. I have spent out by making up two Ryde Sputnik wheels, some second hand Schwalbe Marathon Pluses, V-brakes, and about to replace drive parts while keeping it as a 3x7.

My boxer pants on the handlebars are not an anti theft device, as it happens: they were drying in the sun when I arrived at Le Havre earlier this month.

I do travel with a combination cable lock, that wouldn't deter a serious thief. But I am not too anxious leaving all my stuff on - except the absolutely brilliant Rixen and Kaul handlebar box which carries my passport, phone etc - when visiting museums in small towns. Le Havre is a bit big, but it was a hot Sunday and even thieves would be taking time off, I reckoned. Talking of which, the art gallery in Le Havre, which is full of Impressionist stuff and no crowds unlike Musee D'Orsay, gave me a reduction from euros 6 to euros 4 because I had arrived by bicycle. That's a first for me.

Yes, I would be annoyed to have this bike stolen, with all its invested memory - it took me to Provence last year - and it would end my tour. But the financial loss would be less than a new wheel for some of the guys I ride with.

[hoogerbooger]

Seems some similarities...so might as well add mine and my Missus's

1991 Hooger Booger Comp XT ( Scott) and 1999 Marin Bear Valley..... adapted over the years.

Added low rider bosses to the Hooger Booger in the late 90's. I stealthed it originally in innertube and then in Hammerite grey. This was not so much to stop it being nicked.....but rather that small boys tended to stare and laugh at it's purple to violet fade and stupid unknown brand name ( at least I think they were laughing at the bike) . The grey paint job was rather good ( I would have considered nicking it myself) , but that then got trashed in the back of a jeep in India and subsequent touch up's soon made it look less desirable. For the last 10 years or so I deliberately don't touch up the paint and just seal new scratches.

The Bear Valley has old Surly LHT forks and similarly the paint chips and scratches are sealed, to retain a scuzzy nature.....although the remaining original pearlescent yellow is letting the side down.

[Tinkerbell]

Make it difficult to ride…

I purchased an old Dawes Double Blue, converted to a single speed, from my local bike charity. I then “upgraded” the front ring to a 52 tooth (just manageable with my tree trunk legs). I ran it for many years with a cheap lock - leaving it amongst others in the town centre (which had a theft problem at the time) without any issues.

It was definitely non-standard and had very few components (none worth stealing), but you also needed strong legs to start pedalling!