MTB to Touring bike

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Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
My first 'tourer' was an old MTB. A bit too big but lovely. Keep all the bits as when you come to selling it, you will have more of a buying audience if it is a MTB rather than a bespoke tourer. Apart from people on here, the general public won't get it.
Do this right, and you won't have to sell it. Only reason I sold my old first tourer was it got too noodly.
 

Heltor Chasca

Out-riding the Black Dog
Do this right, and you won't have to sell it. Only reason I sold my old first tourer was it got too noodly.

I would still have it but some thieving basket nicked the wheels when I was in a karaoke pub on a Sunday night. Do not ask.

THEN I got nicked for walking home with a bike frame on my shoulder at 2 o'clock in the morning. How I loved Clacton on Sea.
 

MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
My old MTB (fully rigid) has been gradually modified away from the off-road style over the years; a shorter more upright stem, no more nobbly tyres, front and back racks... I wouldn't swap it for the world as i find it fits me perfectly and i feel so comfortable on it. As others have stated, you've got the makings of a decent tourer so stick with it :okay:
 

Salar

A fish out of water
Location
Gorllewin Cymru
One day this 1988 Rockhopper Comp will be tidied up for day tours.

rockhopper.jpg


Probably just add a rack, change of pedals and tyres as I want to keep it original.
 

KneesUp

Guru
One day this 1988 Rockhopper Comp will be tidied up for day tours.

View attachment 347023

Probably just add a rack, change of pedals and tyres as I want to keep it original.
Nice. Continuing the 'pub' theme, I fell off one of those on the way back from the pub in about 1992. It was my brother's bike, and as it was icy I thought I'd 'borrow' it rather than ride my road bike because the tyres looked grippy. They didn't grip on ice, it turned out, and my brother noticed the scratches.
 

Salar

A fish out of water
Location
Gorllewin Cymru
That's really nice.

I built this just last week,a specialized hardrock View attachment 347025
 

iandg

Legendary Member
I did my first tour on an old Saracen Tufftrax MTB. The only thing I didn't like was the straight bars otherwise the bike made for a great touring bike. I tried to convert it to dropped bars but never managed to get the position right. In the end the rear hanger broke and I binned the frame.
 

NeilM

Well-Known Member
Location
North Somerset
I bought my Trek a few months ago for £16.50 with a view to converting it for touring duty.

I did 60 miles and 2,850 ft of climbing yesterday to see how we would get on proper touring, short answer, I need a new saddle.

DSCN1553_zpstzzvc4sg.jpg


DSCN1562_zpso6kduqjh.jpg


I have a set of rear panniers for it, but wanted to see how it went with the fronts part loaded, the answer is very well.

The things I've changed from original spec are the bars, BB, cranks, chain, cassette, some cables, headset, tyres and saddle, although I may put the armchair it came with back on, as so far I have has an ar$e comfort failure with a Wrights leather and now a Charge Spoon (yes I know, but I've done hundreds of miles on my mtb's in comfort). I've added the racks and mudguards. It is heavy, but it rides very well and climbs well too thanks to the mtb gearing, total cost something like £150 to £200 if that.
 
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