Thanks for watching. I've recently made a video about the rebuild and upgrade of my road bike too. If you like this then maybe you'd like that too. Cheers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9tjRbFYMHk

I wish cycling was more popular in my area so I could find cheap 700C bikes, everybody is into MTBs or dirtbikes

This was a really cool video to watch because while you seem to know what you are doing, there was still a kind of amateur feel to everything. Compared to the videos of people in fully kitted out workshops, it's much more relateable seeing someone working in their backyard, stripping threads and explaining their mistakes.
So from new zealand, thank you for the inspiration

Well done! You've made a great bike for a modest sum.
A few tips from an industry veteran (I started in the bicycle trade when hybrids were still the next big thing) for those wishing to do the same conversion.
1. Don't skimp on the grease. All that 'mingng' grease helped this build. Heaps of grease on the seat post, BB, and stem quill help to prevent galvanic bonding, AKA the bike mechanics' curse. Almost every bike with a threaded BB that I work on requires heavy tools for BB removal simply because 20 years ago, someone skimped on greasing the threads properly. My first boss in the trade told me 'grease is cheap, time is expensive'. I tell the same to my employees.
2. If you convert a hybrid from flats to drops, check the top tube length and choose your stem length accordingly. The TTs on early 90s hybrids were long, the same as 90s MTBs. For a gravel bike, a shorter, higher position than your road bike is useful. It allows you to ride in the drops more, giving better braking and balance on single-track, and less likelihood of losing traction on steep gravel climbs.
3. Don't be afraid of the triple chainrings that come standard on old hybrids and MTBs. I know, they're deeply unfashionable, but if you do get a set of 3x9 shifters, or are using bar-end shifters, you've got way more flexibility. I have a bunch of drivetrains in by quiver ranging from fixed gear to 1x12. My favourite, and the easiest to use, and work on (the fixies aside) is a 3x10 using an XT 10sp 'trekking' derailleur, Deore 28/38/48 cranks (now also sold as 'trekking cranks') and an XT front derailleur controlled by Microshift 10sp 'MTB pull' (to match the XT derailleur) bar-end shifters. The advantage for tight-arses like me is that at my old man pace on the road (somewhere around 20-24 km/h with bags on), I'm in the big ring, and halfway up the block, meaning lots of tooth engagement and lower drivetrain wear. Even at that moderate pace, a 36t chainring would put me at the top of the block, wearing out those tiny 11, 12, and 13 tooth sprockets.
4. Make sure you nip the crank puller up tight against the crank before winding in the extractor. This really reduces, but does not eliminate, the chances of stripped crank threads, of which I've seen way too many. If the threads are stripped, a ball joint splitter from your local automotive supply shop will sometimes do the trick. Just drive it in between the crank and BB cup. Brutal, but efficient. If the bike is rideable, Ride it down the street with the crank bolts off. the crank will usually fall off amazingly quickly. Less brutal, but only available if you pull the cranks off before disassembling the rest f the bike (there's another useful hint).
I hope this too-long comment proves helpful and saves money

These Bikes  are a real treasure for me. They´re fast, cheap and versatile. I love mine für the daily commute. Your´s looks very nice.

I like your build a lot but I'd like to mention two things: it's good that the previous owner liked grease so much because nothing was stuck and if you want some break power then you should think about mini v brakes if you can fit them with the big tire size

Great looking bike! Good to see those old cyclo-cross bikes getting a new life. They offer plenty of good comfort, and mixed with modern parts are really awesome commuters and gravelbikes. Nice work!

I love this idea. I am about to do a gravel bike build with a hybrid bike. I may steel the idea of brown tires, seat, bar tape.

Awesome. Loved it.

This is literally what I just did like a week ago with a Univega Via Carisma. Love bringing these old steel bikes to life as a gravel allrounder. Great job !

7:10 someone was like "VTEC POWAAA"

nice bike! Always love a budget build because it's great to see how clever you can be to make it cheap and functional

Incredible job!
That's is a lesson to the overprice bike companies  👍

Proof positive that gravel bikes are a triumph of marketing.

Our ‘budget gravel bikes’, used to be a five speed racer with cow horn handlebars, in the late 70’s!👍🏾🛠

Big fan of upgraded bikes. Good to keep them alive.

Very nice solution you did there! I’ve exhausted all of my vintage bike upgrades and they have grown long in the tooth. The cost now became prohibitive to start a revision on them, and with Vintage mountain bikes in high demand going for big bucks I took advantage of that market and sold all o fout of them (2 Treks, a Giant and.a Gary Fisher) them each for more than I paid for them new and a little more. With over $3,200 USD in my hand from thos sales, I began to look for a gravel bike. I rode many and watched dox=zens and dozens of videos of the course of nearly 2 mothis over the winter before making a choice.

I bought one of the Ozark Trail Explorers for a take along bike to have on my Thule rack for improtu rides wherever I may be at that time without having to worry about a more expensive bike in this type of use. Under $300 out the door, it was an easy decision. Then something happened. I now ride it more than I ever rode my now sold Trek, Giant and Gary Fisher  Bicycles which on paper cost more and have better specs. But in real life riding, I just love the Ozark Trail as a “gravel” bike that I ride on the streets through the wooded trails to the paved rail trails, over curbs and some reallly poorly maintained roads. It just works, goes everywhere I ride with ease and with stock componenets works great. Will I be changing anything? Maybe the seat, but it works for now still. Mechanical disc brakes sometimes require a 2-finger pull on downhills than the 1-finger pull of my hydric disk brakes on my Trek, but the Explorer stops with no noticeable fade.

I almost have a sense of being frugal feels really good, almost to the point of bragging about the value. I can officially say, I love my Ozark Trail Explorer “Gravel” Bike!

Great video! I love the candidness and honesty! 🎉

That's awesome! I frequently use my dad's Dawes bike. Good bikes. Love how you show things that didn't go to plan. Most videos just make it seem like everything goes to plan 100%

Amazing build! So refreshing to see someone who just wants a proper bike for any situation built practically! Well done!