Mountain bike frame with drop bars

santahul
santahul Posts: 91
edited July 2011 in MTB general
Hi I've had this idea in my head for a while of building an all terrain tourer/expedition bike based on an old steel mountain bike frame, but I've decided I want drop bars on it, which is apparently nothing new. My current mountain bike has an 18" frame and my road tourer has a 23" frame. Both feel about right but obviously the tourer is better for long distances. The bike I'm building won't be doing any proper mountain biking or tight maneuvering, I just want it to handle potholes and rough(ish) terrain, the usual expedition bike stuff.

My question is this, what size frame should I be looking for? Mtb frames are always smaller, so what's going to happen if I build up a 23" mountain bike and put drop bars on it?

Any help would be very, very much appreciated.

P.S. Please don't suggest I buy a Thorn or Surly or something, I haven't got that kind of loose change and I have most of the components already. Just need a £50 frame.

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Just dome a quick totally un tech bit of measuring.

    my virtual horizontal top tube length is the same on my SS XC bike and my road bike.

    Frame size has very little to do with anything.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • santahul
    santahul Posts: 91
    Yeah I noticed that earlier today, both mine have a top tube length of 23", which made me think "what's the point in having different frame sizes at all?". But they both feel totally different to ride, is it really just the stem and handlebars making all the difference? I've never been able to get my head around frame geometry.

    P.S. I just poured myself a bowl of Co-op High Fibre Bran and amongst the cereal a single Shreddie came out?
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Angles too.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    Years ago this type of bike was sold by Avon Valley Cyclery, just across the river from BR HQ. I had a go at knocking one together and found I needed a shorter stem, from memory the spec was as follows:

    Frame: Kona Pine Mountain
    Forks: Spinner Ahead
    Headset: VP Ahead
    Shifters: Sora 3x8
    Rear Mech: Sora
    Front Mech: After much swearing and fiddling Deore multifit
    Chainset: M440.

    I did start the bike with a FM to match the levers but it didn't shift atall well on the MTB chainset, once I got a MTB mech on the frame the probs were sorted. I was runnig V-brakes with travel agents, then swapped to mini Vs at a later date. No guards other than a plastic clip on guard mounted on the pannier rack.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • captainfly
    captainfly Posts: 1,001
    Get a tioga disk rear wheel and pretend to be John Tomac :wink:
    -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
    Mongoose Teocali
    Giant STP0

    Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:
  • santahul
    santahul Posts: 91
    Redvee: Don't suppose you can remember what size you went for in relation to what you'd normally ride?

    I think I'll probably end up trying a few frames before I find one I like.
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    SantaHul wrote:
    Redvee: Don't suppose you can remember what size you went for in relation to what you'd normally ride?

    I think I'll probably end up trying a few frames before I find one I like.

    The Kona frame was one I'd used previously as an MTB, approx 18"
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • NatoED
    NatoED Posts: 480
    damn some one beet me to the Tomac reference. Ps Tomac said it was woeful to ride with drops. Only plus side is that now you can get interrupted brake levers so at least you can have brakes on the tops.

    I did ride my Boardman Team Carbon down a hill side a few weeks ago and it wasn't to bad . The brakes were not great for DH though . Just glad it was dry so the slick tyres worked on the dry soil.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    I am sure you did not miss this but..

    http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/artic ... edge-15985

    Tomac_DB10_full_view-800-75.jpg
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Pirahna
    Pirahna Posts: 1,315
    captainfly wrote:
    Get a tioga disk rear wheel and pretend to be John Tomac :wink:

    I know someone who's got two. They come up on Ebay from time to time, usually in the States.
  • Barteos
    Barteos Posts: 657
    edited November 2011
    ...
  • santahul
    santahul Posts: 91
    Yeah thanks that's what I was thinking, gonna for around a 21" frame. You lot reckon a Reynolds 500 frame will be up to the job? They just seem to be by far the most plentiful on eBay.

    Really appreciate all the help guys.
  • oodboo
    oodboo Posts: 2,171
    SantaHul wrote:
    P.S. I just poured myself a bowl of Co-op High Fibre Bran and amongst the cereal a single Shreddie came out?

    Superbly random :D
    I love horses, best of all the animals. I love horses, they're my friends.

    Strava

Categories