/n/ - Transportation » Thread #978101

[28 / 6 / ?]

915KiB, 1920x1200, cat_face_surprisingly_beer_food_hd-wallpaper-28547.jpg

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 05:55:30 No.978101 View View Reply Original Report

Hi /n/
I have no experience with bike customizing.
I am sorry if this belongs in another thread.
I recently got a bike from my uncle. It is a late 80s mountain bike, awesome color, awesome shaped frame. Really cool looking. I want to convert it to something more suited for city riding (streets, trails, etc.) like a "hybrid."

Is this even possible to do?
I'm assuming it would need more street appropriate tires, maybe even rims?
Different cranks/cassettes/shifters?
Handlebars?

Hard mode: How do i change the wheels to something that is *not* quick release (to prevent easy theft)?

Any advice is appreciated.

captcha: select all images with bicycles

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 06:06:41 No.978107 Report

Quoted By: >>978111 >>978116

That's a great thing to do. A high quality old rigid mtb makes an excellent commuter. You have a lot of options. The most important stuff to do is servicing it.

Post some pictures of it.

If the wheels have life left in them, don't change them, just service them. Get new slick tires, and either bolt on skewers, or locking skewers, like pitlock. That's cheap and easy to do. Alternately you can just lock your wheels when you lock your bike.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 06:20:59 No.978111 Report

Quoted By:

>>978107
also adding fenders, lights and racks

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 06:43:13 No.978116 Report

Quoted By: >>978117

>>978107
Thanks for the advice.
I'll post pictures tomorrow when I have the time.

What about the cranks? Part of the reason i want to convert is beacuse the SS I currently ride I'd like to have more pedal efficiency on top-speed long straight aways (trails) while still being able to gear down for stop/starts and the climbs on/off the trail. Plus this frame is way way cool.

Here's a pic of practically the same thing I have.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 06:47:04 No.978117 Report

Quoted By: >>978119 >>978121

>>978116

You want to convert the crank into a single? Or the crank is currently a single and you want to make it a double/triple?

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO bike bike bike.jpg, 168KiB, 864x648

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 06:54:19 No.978119 Report

Quoted By: >>978120 >>978121 >>978131 >>978423

>>978117
Sorry, the current Singlespeed is a completely different ride than the MTB in question. I want to customize the MTB into a more efficient gearing (larger crankset up front probs) than what it currently has.

Here's the picture i forgot to post.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 07:00:31 No.978120 Report

Quoted By: >>978122 >>978499

>>978119

How big is the gap between your large chainring and the chainstay? I have a '96 bontrager and the gap is tiny with a 42t chainring, something like 3mm.

If there isn't much wiggle room I wouldn't risk increasing the tooth count on the big ring. And anyway, 42x11 should give you plenty of speed.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 07:01:07 No.978121 Report

Quoted By:

>>978119
>>978117
>>978119
IN OTHER WORDS, I don't want to ride my SS anymore. I want to ride this blue machine, and I want to ride it faster (more efficiently) than it and my SS is currently is set up to do.

Sorry for the confusion :)

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 07:04:55 No.978122 Report

Quoted By: >>978124

>>978120
I am not sure how to measure that, heh.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 07:06:56 No.978124 Report

Quoted By:

>>978122
ok nm i found a picture of how to do it.
I'll check on that too, and let u know tomorrow. Don't feel like going out to the garage tonight.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 07:31:17 No.978131 Report

Quoted By:

>>978119
Dont crosschain like that.

It quite possibly has a 12t small cog on the rear so if you swap in a cassette with an 11t cog the top end gearing will increase quite a lot. Other than that, add 26" slicks, fenders, some racks, a new saddle & service it.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/mtb-slick-tyres/26-559-wheel-size/?o=3

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 08:11:40 No.978133 Report

Quoted By:

>>978101

You probably just need to regrease the hubs and get new tires if the bike was never used much. Add a rack, fenders, and panniers and you're good to go.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO beer-cat-15.jpg, 34KiB, 470x362

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 08:39:18 No.978145 Report

Quoted By:

OP Here.
Thanks for all the help, guys. I'll be watching this thread tomorrow, and on, and taking all of your good advice to heart, and responding when appropriate.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 22:35:33 No.978377 Report

Quoted By: >>978381

OP Here. Back again. Here's a picture of the actual bike.

I'm buying some bullhorn handlebars (25.4mm and 41cm width) on Amazon. Do you think this is wide enough to fit the brake levers and shifters?

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 22:38:50 No.978381 Report

Quoted By: >>978382

>>978377
cool pic OP

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO IMG_20160709_161916488.jpg, 864KiB, 2592x1456

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 22:42:43 No.978382 Report

Quoted By: >>978383 >>978385 >>978503

>>978381
Ftfy

OP Here. Back again. Here's a picture of the actual bike.

I'm buying some bullhorn handlebars (25.4mm and 41cm width) on Amazon. Do you think this is wide enough to fit the brake levers and shifters?

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 22:45:53 No.978383 Report

Quoted By: >>978385 >>978400

>>978382

Old school MTB standard was 22.2mm for all levers and shifters. I would guess no. Although I've personally used a flathead screwdriver and widened clamps for it to fit, there is a risk of completely breaking the clamp so I wouldn't recommend it.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 22:48:34 No.978385 Report

Quoted By: >>978400

>>978382
>>978383

Keep forgetting to mention this as I respond to your posts, but that's a cool lookin' bike OP.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 23:16:31 No.978400 Report

Quoted By: >>978401 >>978499

>>978385
Thanks, man.

>>978383
I made sure to check that. It's got a grip diameter of 22.2

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 09 Jul 2016 23:19:18 No.978401 Report

Quoted By:

>>978400

Then the levers and shifters will fit fine, last thing to check for is the diameter of your stem.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 10 Jul 2016 00:13:29 No.978423 Report

Quoted By: >>978509

>>978119

That is a cool frame OP, but you are getting yourself into a lot of work.

What is wrong with it as it is?

Time to buy "Zinn and the art of mountain bike maintenance" and possibly the road bike edition as well

What you want to make this a commuter is slick tires, a better saddle, new chain, and probably a new stem since it is unlikely the stem it came with is the right size for you.

After that, consider chaning the crankset if you want. But get the fit and the tires right first.

You are going to spend A LOT of money on special tools and parts that end up not working. It's not a cheap hobby, but it's a lot of fun

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO IMG_8236.jpg, 658KiB, 2048x1536

Anonymous Sun 10 Jul 2016 02:46:02 No.978499 Report

Quoted By:

>>978400
I'm not worried about the handlebar diameter. I'm worried about there being enough room on the handlebars to fit the brake levers and shifters, but I guess I can just put the brakes somewhere else on the bar and angle them down.

I won't need to change the cranks cuz >>978120 was right, I think I'll have enough speed as it is.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO shutes.jpg, 188KiB, 1199x674

Anonymous Sun 10 Jul 2016 02:52:15 No.978503 Report

Quoted By: >>978511 >>978530

>>978382
Please don't buy bullhorns for that. It's going to be uncomfortable (because of the longer top tube designed for flat bars) and look like shit. You're going to regret it.

I put pursuit bars on my 80's mountain bike once and it ended up fucking retarded.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 10 Jul 2016 03:03:07 No.978509 Report

Quoted By: >>978535

>>978423
How can I tell if the stem is sized right/wrong?

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 10 Jul 2016 03:04:21 No.978511 Report

Quoted By:

>>978503

It might have been retarded and uncomfortable to ride, but it looks pretty aesthetique dude. Good job on making it look nice.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 10 Jul 2016 03:34:50 No.978530 Report

Quoted By:

>>978503
>>978503
Hmm, alright. I'm gonna still try it first. I already ordered a bullhorn (not pursuit bend) on Amazon for like $10 so no big loss. I figure plenty of MTBs have horn bar ends, and this isn't as wide as flat bars, which is what I want.

Schwalbe professional bike tires !!gcnuHDQsfXG

Schwalbe professional bike tires !!gcnuHDQsfXG Sun 10 Jul 2016 03:40:43 No.978533 Report

Quoted By:

>>978101
>Hard mode: How do i change the wheels to something that is *not* quick release (to prevent easy theft)?

Do you plan to leave it outside for prolonged amounts of time?

I would recommend against that anyways,everything outside gets stolen nowadays

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 10 Jul 2016 03:44:02 No.978535 Report

Quoted By:

>>978509
Do you feel too stretched out? Then it's too long. Feel too cramped? It's too short.

If you feel fine, then it's fine.

Capcode	All Only User Posts Only Verified Posts Only Moderator Posts Only Manager Posts Only Admin Posts Only Developer Posts Only Founder Posts
Show Posts	All Only With Images Only Without Images Only Spoiler Images Only Non-Spoiler Images
Deleted Posts	All Only Deleted Posts Only Non-Deleted Posts
Ghost Posts	All Only Ghost Posts Only Non-Ghost Posts
Post Type	All Only Sticky Threads Only Opening Posts Only Reply Posts
Results	All Grouped By Threads
Order	Latest Posts First Oldest Posts First

On these archives

Your latest searches