I have two road bikes - List of jobs for conversion!

daniel_b

Morning all,

so here is what I currently have, I have the Felt F70 (2005) as in my sig, only running a couble, with a 53/42 chainset, and 9 speed 105 throughout. Shimano WH-R500 wheels.
Nice and light, sub 9KG.

Saturday I bought this Marin Highway One (2005), which is a converted Hybrid
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12563866

This is a reasonable amount heavier than the Felt, but is not dissimilar in spec, and in 3 key areas is better, the wheels are WH-R550, the crankset is a rather lovely FSA carbon triple (53/39/30) and the previous owner has fitted brand new 105 10 spd levers, and a 10 spd 105 cassette on the rear.

He used it as a commuter, and I have that, or similar in mind also.

So here are my thoughts, but I don;t know if what I have planned is possible, so would appreciate your feedback/experience and knowledge!

Swap the Carbon crankset triple, WH-R550 wheels, and 105 levers/rear derailleur from the Marin to the Felt.

Do I need to swap the rear derailleur as well, or is it just a case of swapping the levers, and dropping the new wheel with attached cassette into the frame?

Then of course the idea is to swap the items from the Felt onto the Marin, thus still having 2 full running bikes.

As the Marin has cantilever brakes, and a good amount of general clearance, I was thinking of fitting pretty grippy tyres, maybe cyclo cross ones, and also as my commute involves shared ped cycle paths, canal towpaths and the like, and not much road, am thinking of fitting something like this, which I know are generally derided, but in my commuting environment they would make a lot of sense: http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/108328.html

Any magic way of fitting them, ie would I need to get whole new cables?
Am I correct in thinking they can be cabled to work 'inline' with the original levers, as in you can use one or the other at any time you choose to brake?

With regards to swapping the FSA cranksets, does anyone know if I would also need to swap bottom brackets also?

Does anyone think this is nuts, or have a better idea for what I should do?

I'm not in any hurry to start swapping stuff about, as i haven't even taken the Marin for a proper ride, but I also bought the flat bar and associated levers that were fitted pre conversion, so if the drop bar/commuter route isn't for me, I can always revert it back to that, but it seems a shame as this chaps cycle mechanic friend put a lot of work into the conversion including fabricating special brackets for the brakes to route along.

Would like to hear what you all think,

Cheers

Dan

Mettan

If it was my setup, then yes, I'd put the R550's on the Felt and put the 500's on the Marin (might aswell get the Felt as competent as possible) - I'm running R550's on my Roadie - good quality, light, budget wheels - someone else will know more about the chainset and other ideas etc.

In general, might awell get your Roadie as nippy, light and competent as possible.

andrewgturnbull

Hi there.

By the sounds of it you need to switch almost the whole drivetrain. STI levers, rear derailleur and chain are all 10 speed specific. If you're wanting to put the triple on the felt then you'll need to switch the front derailleur too.

The quickest/easiest way to switch the STI levers is to disconnect the ends of the brake and gear cables, then simply swap the whole handlebars, levers, tape and all between the bikes. If you're careful you won't even need new cables (unless they're old anyway).

The only fly in the ointment is the slightly suspect colour scheme on your Felt...

The cross-top brake levers are easy to fit - all you need is a decent set of snips to make a break in your existing cable outers. Once they're installed you can use either sets of levers. One set of levers pulls the cable, the other pushes the outer (does that make sense). I've inherited a set, ready to go onto my cross bike in the autumn - a good idea off road I think.

Tools: You'll need a chain splitter, a new 10 speed joining link and an ISIS crank puller to get the FSA crankset off. Is the bottom bracket on the Felt ISIS too? I can't tell from the side your photo is taken. If no then you'll need a different crank puller, plus a bottom bracket extraction tool for that one and the ISIS one on the Marin. Plenty of grease when you put them back too.

Cheers, Andy

daniel_b

Thanks both for your replies, apart from the colour comment! (I think we've been here before....)

The front derailleur on the Marin is bizarrely Tiagra (standard spec) so I think I will buy a new 105 version of that, as they are not much money in the scheme of things.

I do like the idea of swapping the bars over complete, but I have narrower bars on the felt, that suit it perfectly, that I only recently fitted, so I can't reallly go that route.

I can see that it will mean re-taping both sets of bars though in all reality.

Chain on the Marin is a KMC, and already has a splitter on it, or powerlink or whatever you want to call it - I also have a 9 spd powerlink I can stick on the Felt chain, so that's no biggy.

I have a BB removal tool, and can borrow a crank puller too.
I was hoping as they were both FSA cranksets from the same year they might be the same.

I didn't realise either that you could tell what kind of BB was fitted without taking the cranks off - I attach a picture below which has the bikes other side, does that enable you to tell whether it is an ISIS BB?



Many thanks

Dan

daniel_b

Ok, so the Marin is listed as having a 'Smimano Splined' bottom bracket, and the Felt has a: PowerPro Sealed Hollow CrMo ISIS

What do we think, or is just case of giving it a go?

EDIT: So on here http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Help.aspx?CategoryID=144

It seems to suggest that Shimano splined BB, would mean it is an Octalink BB, which it says cannot be confused with ISIS BB's.

So if the Felt has ISIS, and the Marin has Octalink, would that mean automatically that the cranks would not be swappable, without either moving the BB's as well, or replacing them?

Dan

andrewgturnbull

Hi there.

You would have had to swap the bottom brackets round anyway, as the one with the triple chainset would most likely have a wider external dimension to the double one. The shell width is likely to be 68mm in both cases.

Have fun!

Cheers, Andy

daniel_b

Thanks for the feedback Andy,

this sounds like a job for long summer evenings or a weekend!

I might take the opportunity to just drop some new BB's in anyway, whilst I have them out I mean.

They will both be 3 years old now.

Dan

timoid.

Not really contributing to the thread, but I think the yellow scheme is the shizzle.

For once on this section, I'd say don't listen to AGT.

daniel_b

Timoid. wrote:

Not really contributing to the thread, but I think the yellow scheme is the shizzle.

Thankyou Tim!

The Yellow peril appreciates all compliments she receives, even though at first I didn't know if shizzle was good or bad

Dan

richardjallen

That Marin is lovely. Reminds me of my Mill Valley, it looks like its from the same year or thereabouts. I would swap the best bits from the Marin onto the other one though and keep the Marin for commuting.

daniel_b

Hello all,

well whilst my collarbone is healing I have been amassing some bits and jobs to do on the bikes, I now have the use of 2 arms, but still can't ride for another 2 weeks

So in the meantime, I have made this list of jobs to do to the 2 bikes, have I missed anything stunningly obvious?

Remove chain from Felt (pin extractor tool needed)
Remove chain from Marin (KMC chain with a quick release link)
Remove FSA cranks from Felt and FSA Carbon cranks from Marin (Using crank extractor tool)
Potentially remove both bottom brackets, and replace (Am I best to replace anyway?)
Remove rear derailleurs from both bikes
Install 10 spd derailleur on Felt, and 9 spd on Marin.
Install FSA Carbon crankset on Felt
Install FSA crankset on Marin
Install 10 spd chain on Felt, and 9spd chain on Marin (Use SRAM powerlink for re-attaching))
Remove wheels
Remove tyres from all 4 wheels.
Move Michelin tyres on to current Marin wheels (WHR550).
Fit Vittoria 28C tyres to current Felt wheels (WHR500)
Install wheels/tyres on respective bikes
Undo tape on Felt
Disconnect gear and brake cables from levers on Felt (Is this easy to do?)
Disconnect gear and brake cables on Marin, remove handlebars, remove levers from handlebars.
Fit new Ritchey handlebar onto Felt
Install 10spd levers on new handlebar now on the Felt.
Re-attach gear and brake cables
Retape with old tape if possible, or new tape if not, and specialized phat inserts.
Install old Felt handlebar complete with levers on Marin
Re-attach gear and brake cables to 9spd levers
Retape bars with new tape already bought
Fit SKS mudguards to Marin and rear rack

The Felt is a double, and only clicks accordingly, but I think it used to be a triple (I bought it 2nd hand) so would my front 105 derailleur on the Felt be capable of shifting across the 3 chainrings from the Marin?

I'm hoping it will just do what the lever tells it, and that there doesn't need to be a seperate derailleur for 2 or 3 rings?

Cheers

Dan