Gravel bike from old MTB

[TheDoctor]

*approves*

 

[12boy]

Refurbishing/repurposing discarded/unused bikes is a lot of fun. Many hours can be spent rewardingly tinkering, testing and problem solving. Unlike many other things in today's world, when you prevail, there is a visible, concrete result.

 

[Thegreatthor]

I really think it looks great. I’m planning something similar myself!

 

[Gunk]

I love fettling and tinkering, my son and I buy and sell which we enjoy. I’m just about to start a Raleigh Team Banana upgrading it to modern running gear.

 

[currystomper]

Looks good! I'm in the middle of a similar conversion of an old mountain bike into a gravel type bike, just the brakes to fix and a bigger chain ring, I'll post the result here if I may

 

[figbat]

Sure. No reason this can’t be a thread about any MTB-to-gravel bike.

 

[DCBassman]

If i get on well with drops on the Scott, maybe I could do similar with my Trek 800 Sport. Another project!

 

[mickle]

Very tidy.

 

[currystomper]

And here she is

Rode 10 miles on the local coastal route - great fun over cobbles, rock, Sandbags(don't ask!) planks, road and gravel!!

 

[currystomper]

Now working on the light wieght camping setup...

 

[wafter]

Excellent work @ figbat - looks grand and I bet an immensely satisfying project

How did you sort the rear brake caliper mount - I'm assuming welding was involved..?

 

[figbat]

I had mine out for its first organised ride today - the Kinesis Wildwood Gravelcross sportive. I did the mid-length route (60 km) and the bike performed fantastically. The tyres are not really mud tyres, being for road and hard-packed dry trails but I tackled some really gruelling mud today - miles of it. I was keeping up with people on bona fide gravel and CX bikes, which made me happy. The 1x setup really helped in the mud, not having a front mech to clog up. Plenty of people were suffering with this and with punctures, of which I had none.

 

[figbat]

Excellent work @ figbat - looks grand and I bet an immensely satisfying project

How did you sort the rear brake caliper mount - I'm assuming welding was involved..?

A device called an A2Z Universal Disk Brake Adaptor - it clamps on the frame around the left-side dropout and provides IS caliper mounts. I had to fettle it a bit with a Dremel to make it fit and line-up properly. One downside is that although the rear wheel is QR, I have to completely remove the skewer to get the wheel off. So far I haven’t needed to do this yet though.

 

[wafter]

A device called an A2Z Universal Disk Brake Adaptor - it clamps on the frame around the left-side dropout and provides IS caliper mounts. I had to fettle it a bit with a Dremel to make it fit and line-up properly. One downside is that although the rear wheel is QR, I have to completely remove the skewer to get the wheel off. So far I haven’t needed to do this yet though.

Thanks - didn't know such things existed!

That's a shame about the skewer although not the end of the world - looking at the images online I'd be tempted to get creative with the dremel, although it's an obvious thought so I suspect that material beneath the skewer hole has been left there for a good reason

I'm currently deliberating over a "gravel" bike and my appreciation of nice things has drawn me towards a fairly expensive choice. Equally, anxiety over damage and theft hnestly makes something at the other end of the market seem so much more appealing - especially if it was the result of my own innovation and labour as in your case. I'm not surpised you enjoy riding it so much

 

[figbat]

When I was planning it I had in my mind that this would be my "throw-away" bike - the pub bike, train station bike etc - one that I wouldn't mind losing. I've actually grown quite attached to it now though.

I did also think about slotting the hole for the skewer and I assume they haven't because it would mount in a variety of orientations dependent on seat-stay angles etc. Until it becomes a nuisance though I'll leave it as it is.