So this has been in the back of my head for a long time now, and I need you guys to tell me whether it’s a good idea or not.
Right now I’ve got two bikes. One is a 1986 Trek 520 with a mishmash 9 speed Shimano group and 28’s with fenders. The other is a Cross Check with a front rack, bags, and 40c MSO’s on it. I don’t really ride either very often because that’s just what my life has become. Whatever.
I’ve been thinking about getting rid of the Cross Check and doing a 650b conversion on the Trek. It’ll clear a 32 without fenders, so I’d imagine that it’ll clear a 650x38 or maybe a 42 if I’m lucky. I’d also like to throw a front rack on 'er if I go through with this.
My only real concerns would be flaking out halfway into it and ending up with no functional bikes, or spending a bunch of money converting the Trek (wheels, tires, brakes mostly) and never selling the Surly.
I can’t really think of a reason why I shouldn’t do this, but I figured that you guys could help talk me into/out of it.
I’ve thought about adding bosses for centerpulls, but I’m afraid of going too far down this rabbit hole for a bike that might see a ride a month if it’s lucky.
If I didn’t get rid of a bike, there wouldn’t be a point in spending money on the project.
The only type of 650b conversion that gets me hot and bothered is what ergott and Braden are doing with their Coffee Grinders. I would sell it all starting with the Trek and do the poor man’s version with something like this.
Kind of toying with the idea of turning my singlespeed mtb winter commuter into a fixed gear with one of those 6bolt fixed cog dealies, but can’t find a 6 bolt rear wheel for cheap, and can’t in good conscience spend any real money on a fixie mtb to ride in the snow to work.
TC considering one of the VO poly frames for on sale price ($400!) but I don’t even have enough time for dicking around with bike shit to really seriously do it. It would be a super commuter though.
[quote=ckd]So this has been in the back of my head for a long time now, and I need you guys to tell me whether it’s a good idea or not.
Right now I’ve got two bikes. One is a 1986 Trek 520 with a mishmash 9 speed Shimano group and 28’s with fenders. The other is a Cross Check with a front rack, bags, and 40c MSO’s on it. I don’t really ride either very often because that’s just what my life has become. Whatever.
I’ve been thinking about getting rid of the Cross Check and doing a 650b conversion on the Trek. It’ll clear a 32 without fenders, so I’d imagine that it’ll clear a 650x38 or maybe a 42 if I’m lucky. I’d also like to throw a front rack on 'er if I go through with this.
My only real concerns would be flaking out halfway into it and ending up with no functional bikes, or spending a bunch of money converting the Trek (wheels, tires, brakes mostly) and never selling the Surly.
I can’t really think of a reason why I shouldn’t do this, but I figured that you guys could help talk me into/out of it.[/quote]
Supwief has a '87 Trek 400 Elance that fits 650bx42 + fenders. You should bring the 520 over and we can test fit her wheelset to see if they fit.
I think your plan is mostly solid. The 2 bikes I ride pretty much all the time are my drop-bar,fendered, 42mm tired “road” bike, and my rigid MTB city bike conversion.
Therefore, you should sell the xcheck and:
1)650b-ize the Trek, with fenders and front rack. This will be the main “road” rider suitable for 99% of what you want to do, and will look sexy doing it.
2)Get the Klein back from me and add fenders and wald basket to it. I’ve already started this process.
Finish Nishiki Colorado city bike build. Keep and enjoy.
Sell Rockhopper city bike.
Possibly sell Mini Velo. I love this funny little thing, but don’t ride it nearly enough.
Fix/re-assemble mountain bike. Use monies from Rockhopper sale to fund new drivetrain bits and maybe brakes if I can swing it. Set up tires tubeless. Shred gnar.
Sell other parts and bits and generally clear things out.
Trying to decide whether or not I should sell sups gazelle as a complete or just the frame. Its got a full 600 group on it and I’m thinking about putting all that stuff on my Klein to have a road bike again which would be sweet. Should get close to enough money for just the frame to buy her a new hybrid basket bike.
Also want to do some bikepacking on the rigid SS cuz I’m a dumb-fuck
[quote=Goddamnit Gunther]Trying to decide whether or not I should sell sups gazelle as a complete or just the frame. Its got a full 600 group on it and I’m thinking about putting all that stuff on my Klein to have a road bike again which would be sweet. Should get close to enough money for just the frame to buy her a new hybrid basket bike.
Also want to do some bikepacking on the rigid SS cuz I’m a dumb-fuck[/quote]
600 brifters? Sell the whole thing shartmo and buy a 5800 groupset from England or Germany. I had 600 brifters on my Klein that were starting to miss a bunch of shifts and there’s one cantkerous old fred out there that services them, so I sold everything along with the bike to be rid of it. Selling a road bike frame by itself restricts you to nerds, selling a whole road bike opens you up to a whole 'nother world of buyers anyway.
[quote=yummygooey]custom hambiek should be here this month though i’m sure it won’t
dropper post and tubeless tires for the ritchey. experiment with a rigid fork for a bikepacking setup. 2 bikes in 1?
[/quote]
Is custom ham rigid? do WTB Scrapers and 27.5 x 3.0 wheelset + bikepack on that.