In the car world, a restomod has a pretty clean definition: a classic that has been restored, then upgraded with modern parts so it drives better without losing its old-school look.
Bikes are having their own version of that moment, just with less horsepower and more cable routing. At Gremlins Bicycle Emporium, shop manager Aaron Greenhow has watched the concept take hold as riders dig up older frames and build them into something that suits how they actually ride now, not how the catalog said they should ride in 1993.
“It’s kind of just taking an older bike and making it more suitable for your riding style and fit,” Greenhow said.
Making a 90s mountain bike make sense again
In practice, restomodding often starts with the bikes that are easiest to find and easiest to love: often rigid 90s mountain bikes. They are tough, simple and surprisingly capable if you stop pretending you need a 130-millimetre fork to buy groceries.
“A lot of people are taking 90s mountain bikes and kind of turning them into camping bikes or commuter bikes or backcountry touring bikes,” he said. “Putting on a more comfortable kind of handlebar. And a stem on there to get you in a bit better seating position.”
From there, the upgrades tend to be small but meaningful: indexed shifting, more gear range and tires that better match modern trails.
“A lot of tires back in the day were 1.95 or 2.0 and you know sometimes the frame can clear a 2.2 or a 2.5,” Greenhow said. “Yeah, maybe getting a bit bigger tire on there, making it just more comfortable.”
Other, more involved additions are also popular.
“A lot of people are putting a 1-by-12 drivetrains on with a clutch derailleur. Sometimes you do run into clearance issues, you might have to put like a little derailer hanger dropper on. There are companies like Wolftooth manufacturing this kind of thing. It’s a lot of trial and error. That’s, all part of the fun and charm about it though.
The disc brake question
Ask a room full of bike nerds what the ultimate restomod move is and someone will eventually say it: disc brakes. In theory, it is the perfect modern upgrade. In reality, it can turn into a welding project.
“People sometimes will weld on tabs,” Greenhow said.
He said the work has to be done carefully.
“It’s a little bit more of a process,” he said. “You obviously have to make sure everything’s lined up so your brakes aren’t rubbing and spacing’s all correct. You’ll oftentimes have to put a little brace on your rear frame as well so you don’t crack it”
Gremlins has not leaned heavily into disc conversions yet, but Greenhow is curious, especially when it comes to brazing on practical mounts that fit how people ride now.
Trial and error is the point
Unlike a clean new-bike build, restomods can be messy. Old standards collide with new parts. Clearances get tight. A change that looks perfect on the work stand might feel wrong on the road.
“That’s the other thing about restomods; it’s a lot of trial and error,” Greenhow said. “You get to play around and kind of make a Frankenstein build. You ride it, change a little something and kind of tweak it.”
He sees that tinkering as part of the appeal. Riders are not just buying a solution. They are building one, then living with it and adjusting as they go.
“The process is a catalyst for your own flavor and style as well,” he said. “It’s very unique looking. It’s personalized.”
Why riders are doing it now
The reasons are not hard to spot. New bikes got expensive, then the market whiplashed into discount season. At the same time, social media made old-bike projects look both attainable and cool.
“Just like any bikes, old bikes were a little bit pricier,” he said. “You’re seeing it all over social media on YouTube, kind of people taking old bikes and fixing them up. It’s kind of popular and trendy right now.”
But he also said prices have been settling and bikes are still out there, even if the days of finding a decent 90s mountain bike on the curb are fading.
Advice for your first restomod
Greenhow’s advice is simple: start with how you want to ride, then build around that. Do you want a pub crawler, a commuter, a camping bike? Or something else entirely?
“Figure out what you wanna do with your bike and what riding style you wanna do,” he said.
And if you are nervous about wrenching, start somewhere forgiving.
“I think a good place for people to if they wanna do stuff themselves is a co-op,” Greenhow said. “You can start with the frame and work your way out.”
In a sport that can feel obsessed with the newest thing, restomods offer a different kind of satisfaction. The bike is not perfect. The point is that it is yours.