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This has probably covered many times and I've been doing a bit of research to try and get clued up. Guess it's an advance apology for asking daft questions that have been asked many times before!
Anyway, cutting to the chase...
I have 4 bikes (a road bike, a nice FS trail bike, a SS hardtail and an old 26" Gary Fisher hardtail)
I've been pondering doing some work on the Fisher (that I've owned since 2001) to convert it into gravel type all rounder bike. Not sure which direction to go but the plan is loosely as follows...
1. Replace the old elastomer Rock Shox with a rigid fork. My LBS has a couple of options in stock depending on whether I want discs or v-brakes. More on that later..
2. The wheels are OK but a bit rubbish. Was wondering whether to go 650b with disc hubs or stick with 26". The current front hub has a disc mount, the rear doesn't
3. Brakes. I want to do a drop bar conversion. This is where it gets a bit weird. What shifter/brake lever works with V Brakes? Or is it better to get a set of BB7's?
The other issue is the marvellous Fisher/Trek 22mm brake mount. There are brackets available but honestly, not sure it's worth the faff.
4. Gearing is currently a run of the mill 3x9 Shimano set up. May drop to 1x but would probably need to go 10 speed on the rear to get a clutch mech. Is a clutch necessary on a gravel type bike that doesn't too involved in anything too gnarly. If I stay 9 speed am I going to be able to find a shifter/brake lever that will work?
5. Aware of the difficulties of running drops on an MTB frame but sure I can run a shorter stem. The frame is a 'genesis' frame with a longer front centre than was typically available at that time. The stem is fairly short already. Typically how much further forward do drop bars put you?
So, again apologies for the long and relatively dull post (I'm bored), the short version is, converting an old MTB into a gravel bike anyone got any resources/insights/advice?
Bought a second hand Ibis Tranny in one size too small (to solve the long top tube / short stem issue) to make into a gravel bike / travel bike (because the frame comes apart).
Comments from that build:
You'll typically be able to fit a 650bx47 in the rear of an old XC frame; I went with 42mm Resolutes with enough clearance.
Mess around with your current sus fork if you can shorten the travel somehow (easy on my air forks) once you've fitted drop bars to work out how long a rigid fork you want (went with 440 on this build).
Hylix are slightly (!) more reputable cheap carbon forks.
Couldn't be a***d with hydraulics as I wanted to reuse old road shifters that I already had, cable discs work well enough if you're only riding fireroad. I'd try the V-brakes and current wheels before spending more on discs. Of course disc mounts bail you out of wheel size rim brake issues.
I run the rear mech with the clutch off without issue but dropped the chain off an XT 40T ring before I got a custom NW one, so clutch mech maybe but NW ring definitely. Or front mech?
If I stay 9 speed am I going to be able to find a shifter/brake lever that will work?
Sora 9 speed road levers work with 9 speed MTB kit. Microshift also do levers that work with various combinations of MTB kit.
I've been running an old 2x9 Sora/XT monstercross this year and am now looking at upgrades when the current drivetrain wears out. I'm quite interested in the Genevalle GX levers - if you change to a different rear mech or speed setup you can just retrofit the appropriate shifter to the lever.
What shifter/brake lever works with V Brakes?
You'll be pushing it getting combined brifters (I hate that word) to work with V-brakes (and MTB cable disks). You can get levers like this that pull the right amount for V brakes, which you could pair with e.g Microshift bar end shifters.
There are widgets you can put inline between the lever and brake to adapt to different cable pulls but I've never fancied them.
If you run Paul moto brakes on a 26” frame with either 700c or 650b wheels you can run normal brifters without any cable adjusters, as the movement of the brake pads makes up for the change in cable pull.
I’ve done it for years on an old Indy Fab frame and it works brilliantly.
If you run Paul moto brakes on a 26” frame with either 700c or 650b wheels you can run normal brifters without any cable adjusters, as the movement of the brake pads makes up for the change in cable pull.
I’ve done it for years on an old Indy Fab frame and it works brilliantly.
They're lovely, bit spendy but then it looks like most options are lol
They are indeed, but then so is the frame they’re on! They’ve also lasted for 15 years and will probably do at least another, so reasonable VFM.
A mate had just done this to an old Spesh frame
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Ah, that looks good. I think I need to keep it simple with the wheels, brakes and gears. Otherwise it'll cost me a fortune lol.
Some good info there though so thanks for the replies so far 😀
For braking duties, did you look into Trp hy/rd? A mate is looking at building something similar and was considering these, but as there are some very mixed opinions across the internet he's put his gravel ambitions on hold.
Why not keep one step ahead of the trend setters and invest in the next big thing: flat bar gravel?
They are indeed, but then so is the frame they’re on! They’ve also lasted for 15 years and will probably do at least another, so reasonable VFM.
Absolutely, I almost cringed at myself for writing that reply too lol. This isn't the right build for something like that though being a pretty basic mass produced hardtail
Just use barend shifters with the canecreek vbrake dtop levers.
Barends are great.
For brakes to use with brifters on a canti frame Tektro mini v's are great, fitted them to my dawes galaxy as a replacement for the original canti's, they are superb and very cheap. run mine with sora 3x9 brifters
I rebuilt my old Redline Monocog back up as a drop bar bike and it was horrible - stem need to be so short to be comfortable the bike was incredibly twitchy
My recent build of a singular swift is much better though - but I bought a smaller frame to cope with the change in bars
Regarding the short stem long frame issue. Is this still a thing with old MTBs? My old frame came with 110mm stem. Pluss you can move the saddle along the rails a bit too.
I just put a pair of Specialized Crossroad tyres on my old 26" Charge Duster and left it at that. Nice riding to Cannock Chase, nice riding on Cannock Chase.
I just put a pair of Specialized Crossroad tyres on my old 26″ Charge Duster and left it at that. Nice riding to Cannock Chase, nice riding on Cannock Chase.
I already do the same on my singlespeed although a Magic Mary/Nobby Nic combo perhaps isn't the best 😜
My route is mostly canal towpath from Stafford to Milford though which is just a mud fest this time of year.
As far as drop bars goes I think I'll whip the ones off my road bike (needs new bar tape and cables anyway) to mock it up. Obviously can't ride it but it'll give me an idea of whether it'll work or not.
Stage one will be a rigid fork and some tyres (I'll do this regardless as I ride it with the kids and the tyres that are on it are knackered) and mock up the drops before I spend out on bars/shifters/brakes etc.
I've got an old Dawes Kickback in a fetching Purple my last lodger left behind. I put some 700c rims on it with 35c tyres and some of those cantilever. Brake boss extender things.
Thinking about going drop bars as it's a bit small for me with the current riser bars and a short stem, so might be a good fit.
I've got a set of bars with brakes but not tried them with the cantis. Thinking about putting down tube shifters to the top tube as that's where the cable stops are and it's a no money build.