Converting Mtn. Frame to Winter/Cross Type Bike

What are the problems with trying to set up a mountain bike frame as a
winter-type road bike? I have a Schwinn mtn. bike that I never ride
(aluminum frame, few years old) and I'd like to try to make use of the
frame. I have a complete Ultegra group that I can put on it, so that's not
an issue. From what I can think of, the issues a

Fork - I'd replace the front shock with a steel or carbon cyclocross fork
with canti bosses
Wheels - I'd probably replace the tires with something more suitable to
winter road riding (suggestions?)
Bars/stem - I'm assuming I can set this up top get myself into the right
position with road bars, can't I? The bike is sized for me as a mtn. bike.
Brakeset - To be able to use the Ultegra brifters, I'd install a set of
cantis (assuming it has v-brakes on it now ... I have to check). Comments
on this?

Any other issues/pitfalls? I know it's not the most elegant solution, but
it'd be cheap, and probably good enough to get me outside in the Wisconsin
winter. I don't really care for riding a mtn. bike set-up on the road,
plus, I think it's be fun to screw around with this project (something to
do).

Any comments/suggestions, or is this a stupid/unworkable idea?

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In article ,
tlarwa wrote:
What are the problems with trying to set up a mountain bike frame as a
winter-type road bike? I have a Schwinn mtn. bike that I never ride
(aluminum frame, few years old) and I'd like to try to make use of the
frame. I have a complete Ultegra group that I can put on it, so that's not
an issue. From what I can think of, the issues a

Fork - I'd replace the front shock with a steel or carbon cyclocross fork
with canti bosses

_ I would avoid "cyclocross" since that almost always means 700c
wheels. You need a suspension corrected rigid MTB fork so the
brakes will be in the correct place and the head tube at a
comfortable angle.

Wheels - I'd probably replace the tires with something more suitable to
winter road riding (suggestions?)

_ I use Avocet Cross II's on mine, but those are hard to find and
relatively expensive. Any 1.5 or smaller slick 26" tire would be
fine.

Bars/stem - I'm assuming I can set this up top get myself into the right
position with road bars, can't I? The bike is sized for me as a
mtn. bike.

_ Recent MTB's are sized with pretty long top tube lengths. It
could work but I would double check this first before doing
anything. You can compensate for a short top tube with a
longer stem, but you don't have many options to make a long
top tube shorter.

Brakeset - To be able to use the Ultegra brifters, I'd install a set of
cantis (assuming it has v-brakes on it now ... I have to check). Comments
on this?

_ You can get a device to allow you to use V-brakes with those
levers. I have no idea how well it works in practice. You'll also
likely have to mess around with the front derailler since the
Ultegra brifter has the wrong indexing for an MTB derailler. The
rear should work fine.


Any other issues/pitfalls? I know it's not the most elegant solution, but
it'd be cheap.

_ Converting a bike is never cheap. If you look around you can
probably get a usable cross or touring bike for around $500.
You are already looking at nearly that or more. I'm not saying
don't do it, a road bike with really fat slick tires is
a lot of fun. Just don't kid yourself about the cost...

and probably good enough to get me outside in the Wisconsin
winter. I don't really care for riding a mtn. bike set-up on the road,
plus, I think it's be fun to screw around with this project (something to
do).

Any comments/suggestions, or is this a stupid/unworkable idea?


_ If it were me. I'd take a long look at the Surly Long Haul
trucker in the smaller sizes that use 26" wheels. Between the MTB
and the Ultegra group you should have nearly all the components
you need.

_ Another option would be to swap out the flat bar for
some "trekking" or butterfly bars. Nashbar sells these
pretty cheap and you don't need new shifters or brake levers.
That and some light 26" slicks would get you going.
You'd only be out a few $$ and some time. If you like
it you could then get the solid fork.

_ Booker C. Bense


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On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 20:43:54 +0000, tlarwa wrote:

Any comments/suggestions, or is this a stupid/unworkable idea?

Fork: Nashbar rigid cromo mtb fork $65
Bars: Whatever's on sale: 25
Stem: Whatever's on sale: 25
Brake levers: Tektro: 15
Tape: 10
Tires: 30


So it starts to add up little by little...

Easy enough to do--but are you wanting to retain your derailleurs? Then we
have to figure out a way to shift--as the mtb shifters won't be compatible
with road bars.

I have bars and several stems to play with. I planned on using the Ultegra
8-speed derailleurs (F and R) and brifters that I have laying around. I
figured I's have to buy canti's though, correct? Tektro's seem to be a
good, cheap way to go.
"maxo" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 20:43:54 +0000, tlarwa wrote:

Any comments/suggestions, or is this a stupid/unworkable idea?

Fork: Nashbar rigid cromo mtb fork $65
Bars: Whatever's on sale: 25
Stem: Whatever's on sale: 25
Brake levers: Tektro: 15
Tape: 10
Tires: 30


So it starts to add up little by little...

Easy enough to do--but are you wanting to retain your derailleurs? Then we
have to figure out a way to shift--as the mtb shifters won't be compatible
with road bars.

viscosities tend to be an issue

On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 22:18:16 +0000, tlarwa wrote:

I figured I's have to buy canti's though, correct? Tektro's seem
to be a good, cheap way to go.

Think it was mentioned in a recent thread that the mini-v brakes by Tektro
will handle road levers just fine--might be worth a look. The price is
right.

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In article ,
tlarwa wrote:
I have bars and several stems to play with. I planned on using the Ultegra
8-speed derailleurs (F and R) and brifters that I have laying around. I
figured I's have to buy canti's though, correct? Tektro's seem to be a
good, cheap way to go.

_ Check the heal clearance before you buy the canti's. V-brakes
were largely invented to allow "compact" style frame building on
MTB's.

_ Booker C. Bense

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the coldness is to be assumed. dry lubes. no lube plastics in
housings/cables, plastic bushings
in derays no lube or inexpensive metal to metal models with dry lubes
zero weight grease in the hubs-search google-there are companies to
provide such-mil spec antartica
and a nice set of bar pogies.
see campmor.com for pre winter clothing buys-try the manzella sop
stickup balclava-they send the email announcements
campmor was giving gloves away in june

tlarwa wrote:
I have a complete Ultegra group that I can put on it, so that's not
an issue.


I'm assuming that you only want to replace as few of the MTB parts as
you must, and that you are looking for a rugged bike with drop bars and
brifters. If you really want to use all the Ultegra parts, there will
be more problems...

Fork - I'd replace the front shock with a steel or carbon cyclocross fork
with canti bosses

Won't work if you are using 26 inch MTB wheels.

Tange suspension corrected steel MTB fork, about $50. It will still be
shorter than the suspension fork, but close if your previous fork was
in the under 75mm travel range. I put one on a 100mm travel bike, and
the angles steepened by 2+ degrees, and with narrow slicks the pedals
were too close to the ground.

Bars/stem - I'm assuming I can set this up top get myself into the right
position with road bars, can't I?

You'll probably want a short stem because of the long TT on most MTB's,
but it shouldn't be a problem.

Brakeset - To be able to use the Ultegra brifters, I'd install a set of
cantis (assuming it has v-brakes on it now ... I have to check). Comments
on this?


I recall seeing doodads available that allow you to use brifters and
v-brakes... but I don't remember the name.

Any comments/suggestions, or is this a stupid/unworkable idea?

A closer ratio rear cluster (maybe from your Ultegra?) would be nice.

Is your Ultegra shifter a triple? If not I guess you could remove the
granny ring, and get a narrower bottom bracket spindle if you want a
good chainline, *if* there is plenty of clearance between the rings and
chainstay. Now that I think about it, I don't know if the geometry of a
MTB front der. is similar enough to a road one for them to be
compatible, though.

Or, you could use the Ultegra cranks, BB, and and front der. if you
want taller gears. Clearance with the chainstay, chainline, and der.
clamp size are potential issues.

Good luck!

-Ron

Consider a minimal approach, just changing the fork (to susp-corrected
rigid), probably the stem (to something w/o much rise) and definitely the
tires (to a slick or semi-slick).

Tires are the biggest deal - check out Michelin XCR for a total 26" slick,
of XC-Hard Terrain for more off-road/bad road capability.

Save yourself a lot of grief and stick with flat bars. You can get a
decent riding position with the right stem. You may want to shorten the
bars for road use (lop an inch off each end).

Perhaps you'll want closer gearing on the cassette, say a 12-25 Ultegra
(in which case you can shorten the chain by a couple of links).

Lots of messengers ride around on bikes like this. They seem plenty fast.