MTB to Road use

Will Bowden
Will Bowden Posts: 28
edited November 2008 in Workshop
First post so hello to everyone who knows me (maybe none of you, but I know a lot of cyclists so maybe someone).

So first question:

i've been abusing my old faithful 7005 aluminium Ribble R4 MTB for years and love it to bits, its a mixture of LT and XT 8speed kit with V brakes and a big triple suntour chainring for fast road use. Rims are narrow Mavic X517s.

I've fancied getting a new road bike for years but after reading the cyclocross write ups in CyclingPlus this month it occured to me that maybe I could just swap my tyres for something more road biased and swap the bars/levers etc for drops and have a nice light roadbike that I could use on the dirt tracks I ride with the kids.

Am I mad?

Is it as easy as I make out?

What levers should I be looking for? cheap on ebay would be good ;)

Cheers

Will 8)
www.MuddyRedLandRover.co.uk
www.ExmoorCentre.co.uk - cheap remote bunkhouse accomodation.

Comments

  • vinnn
    vinnn Posts: 62
    If you're after a truly multi-purpose bike between an MTB & a road bike then a crosser is definately the way to go.
    However don't expect a crosser to be as light, fast and nimble as a road bike on tarmac, nor will it be as bulletproof as an MTB on off-road, rocky downhills.

    However if you are after a versatile bike with 700c wheels that can handle off-road as well as it can handle tarmac then a crosser is a good bet.

    A few bikes such as the Specialized Tricross include 2 pairs of brake levers, drop levers and 'sissy levers' as standard as shown....

    spec06_tricross_bars_hi.jpg
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    A few years ago I did similar with my kona frame but I got the gearing wrong and didn't get on with it, if I kept to the MTB chainset it might have turned out better. IIRC there was an article in C+, that inspired me, about Avon Valley Cyclery selling/converting MTBs to 'RTBs'.

    You are going to need a set of drop bars, STI's or bar end shifters and road brake levers and if you want to keep with the power of V Brakes then you are going to need a set of mini v brakes or go retro with a set of cantis or use a travel agent type thing to give you more cable pull. I ran a set of Sora 24 speed STIs with mini v's and also used proper vs with a travel adapter thingy. Budget around £130 with the biggest chunk going on STIs.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • Thanks :lol:

    I am happy with the gearing, I had the bike built up geared for road use originally as I used to do a few longish rides back then (Kens Autumn Colours Audax and the like) Even on 26" wheels its plenty fast enough.

    I'd keep the 26" Mavic rims and justchange the tyres.

    I like the V brakes, If I could keep them and use dual brake/gear levers I'd be well chuffed, I am just not sure how the dual levers work and if they are remotely compatible.

    Will :)
    www.MuddyRedLandRover.co.uk
    www.ExmoorCentre.co.uk - cheap remote bunkhouse accomodation.
  • croggy
    croggy Posts: 116
    It's quite easy to convert an mtb to a road bike.
    I used Campag Xenon shifters with a Xenon rear changer, and a double chainset from my spares box replaced the triple.You could keep your triple and present rear changer if you want to.Front changer and Cassette were left unchanged.
    Tyres were changed from knobbly tread to Conti Sport Contact 26"x1.3" slicks.
    The cantilever brakes worked well with the shifters so I left them alone.
  • vinnn
    vinnn Posts: 62
    I just realised that I kind of read your original post wrong.

    However my personal opinion is still that MTBs are just too slow and heavy for lengthy road sessions.
    MTB slicks are there to reduce rolling resistance but won't eliminate the extra weight, extra pedalling (due to shorter gears and smaller wheels) and extra battering you'll get from head-winds (due to the riding position).
  • The Ribble doesn't have traditional MTB geometry, its not a sit up and beg bike at all much more like a road bike to ride which is why I went for it. I rode proper 531 framed road bikes for years before going to the dark side with a Specialized then a Kona. The other reason I had for buying the Ribble was its climbing ability, those who did the Exmoor Beast ride will appreciate the 1 in 4 hills we have around here need a bike thats built to climb!

    The Ribble already has very tall gearing, something I specified at build.

    Gearing is not an isssue, just how I change gears and get V brakes to work with drop bars.

    Will :lol:
    www.MuddyRedLandRover.co.uk
    www.ExmoorCentre.co.uk - cheap remote bunkhouse accomodation.
  • Ken Night
    Ken Night Posts: 2,005

    ...................I've fancied getting a new road bike for years

    Will 8)

    there is the real answer to your question....

    Here is the reason

    It's better to have a couple of bikes that do their thing well, rather than accept the compromises entailed in a rebuild on a frame not designed for the purpose-if you love the current frame and set up, keep them as they are

    There has never been a better time to buy a new bike (great prices and the cycle to work scheme) or a second hand one
    “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Dave Z has a MTB with drops:

    IMG_0017.jpg

    Looks pretty good.
    I like bikes...

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  • Ken Night wrote:

    There has never been a better time to buy a new bike (great prices and the cycle to work scheme) or a second hand one

    There has when you have two expensive to run kids, two expensive to run dogs and two Land-Rovers, not to mention an annual nightmare business cash flow issue at this time of the year!!

    I work at home so I can't even justify it on cheap commute grounds :(

    I did think of buying a Carrera Virtuoso as they seem a half decent bargain basement bike but for Exmoor a Cross Bike seems to make a lot of sense. Potholes on narrow 700 rims/tyres aren't much fun! The other isue is space, the Ribble lives outside under a cover and already takes up to much space that could be better used for tomato plants apparently.

    Presumably any 8speed levers can be fettled into working the rear XT mech so maybe I'll keep my eyes on ebay for a while and see if I can blag some cheap and suck it and see. I suppose Plan B is to just change the tyres and just get out and ride ;)

    Will :)
    www.MuddyRedLandRover.co.uk
    www.ExmoorCentre.co.uk - cheap remote bunkhouse accomodation.
  • Hudster
    Hudster Posts: 142
    I have a very light and fast full rigid Orange P7 mountain bike which I used to put 1" continental slicks on for riding on the road before I got a road bike. I would seriously struggle to be keeping with people I am much faster than who were on road bikes and I soon got a road bike as soon as funds allowed.
    The geometry is quite different on mountain bikes, they have longer top tubes, different angles etc. I've never seen one with drop bars which has worked very well.

    I think it's a compromise and if you want to try it as an experiment then fine, but bear in mind that it may not be ideal.
  • Heres a pic of the bike, not exactly typical MTB geometry eh!

    RibbleR4.jpg

    I'd be unlikely to use the drops much with the bars so low, then again I always rode road bikes thumbs on levers most of the time. I think the best thing to do is to change the tyres and see how it feels.

    Its not doing bad for its age, its well over ten years old now. Maybe time for a respray in bright red I think 8)

    Will :)
    www.MuddyRedLandRover.co.uk
    www.ExmoorCentre.co.uk - cheap remote bunkhouse accomodation.
  • vinnn
    vinnn Posts: 62
    Heres a pic of the bike, not exactly typical MTB geometry eh!

    Yes it is typical MTB geometry.
    However like I said, it'd be heavier and slower than a road bike.
    It's a nice mountain bike, don't ruin it by trying to make it something it isn't.
  • I would put slicks on it and see how you go, from the picture I reckon drops would be really uncomfortable , and if you ride on the tops you may as well have your gears and brakes on the tops too.
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