Anyone made their MTB into a commuter?

[2wheelsgeth]

[QUOTE 1924536, member: 45"]I did. Swapped the front fork for a rigid one. The biggest improvement.[/quote]

Very much this - On Ones for me, thanks to some good advice on this board...

 

[Rykard]

If I was looking for an older MTB to turn into a commuter bike, what sort of thing should I be looking for?

 

[fossyant]

I've done the same to my MTB in the past. - Converted it to 'very fast 1.2" slicks' and had guards on. It was as quick as a road bike. Added a close ratio (road) block.

It is, however, back to off road duty now having got myself a commute specific bike.

 

[fossyant]

If I was looking for an older MTB to turn into a commuter bike, what sort of thing should I be looking for?

No suspension if you can help it. Slick tyres, guards, rack if you feel like it, and a close ratio block. - Simple.

 

[fossyant]

This is what I did to my MTB

 

[DCLane]

Mine does both (it's a Python Impact DD which weighs a ton - well 14.8kg). All I've done is fit Crud's front and rear plus change the knobbly cheap Kenda tyres for Land Cruiser 1.9" tyres.

It's fine on my 10+ mile commute and keeps up with the roadies, except when going uphill.

 

[Rykard]

do you know where I can get a bigger triple? mine is 42/32/22 i think..

 

[Boris Bajic]

If I was looking for an older MTB to turn into a commuter bike, what sort of thing should I be looking for?

I'd look for a rigid-fork MTB from the early 90s, when some of the really good names were still making top-quality off-road bikes with rigid forks.

Kona and similar. Lovely frame geometry, nice ride and you may be able to pick one up for chip money.

Unfortunately, cantilever brakes were in vogue at that time, so you get a six-dimensional chess game you can't win instead of a stopping system... but everything else is good news.

If you don't p[lan to use it off-road, you may want to dump the front mech, or at least lose the granny gear. Also, put some nice, sticky road tyres on it.

Even if you have to replace a lot of the gubbins, you'll still have a great frame.

I'm getting envious just typing this.

 

[2wheelsgeth]

I'd look for a rigid-fork MTB from the early 90s, when some of the really good names were still making top-quality off-road bikes with rigid forks.

Kona and similar. Lovely frame geometry, nice ride and you may be able to pick one up for chip money.

Unfortunately, cantilever brakes were in vogue at that time, so you get a six-dimensional chess game you can't win instead of a stopping system... but everything else is good news.

If you don't p[lan to use it off-road, you may want to dump the front mech, or at least lose the granny gear. Also, put some nice, sticky road tyres on it.

Even if you have to replace a lot of the gubbins, you'll still have a great frame.

I'm getting envious just typing this.

I got rid of my front mech about six months ago, and haven't missed it once. Mind you, it's not as though I encounter too many steep climbs on my commute, so perhaps I'm not the best judge...

 

[fossyant]

I used about 3 or 4 gears on my commute. Hence going Fixed.

 

[RobF]

Currently back riding my commuter 'modified' MTB while I wait on my new hybrid. It’s an old, 10yr+ cheap Townsend (frame stickers long gone), aluminium frame fitted with dragline rims, Maxi Worms (less knobbly) tyres with some mudguards fitted (cable tied to the front suspension forks).
This is my 'back-up' bike & I have run it cheaply for years, mostly inner tubes & brake blocks but I replaced the bottom bracket last year – don't think I would be parted from it now.