My "New" Commuter - "The Beast"

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Well, while I await my bike being replaced I figured I'd commuterise the MTB. It started with some 1.5 slicks last week, but I still wasn't content, with the low off-road gearing etc.


Then it kind of got out of hand. Looking forward to giving it a go

700x35's just fit, a stubby stem makes the reach just right - shame the forks are only Suntour cheapies and don't have a lock-out. Most parts pulled from the Country Explorer that was crashed, including swapping the chainset for the higher road gears

Heath Robinson would be proud!

Just need some P-clips for the mudguards now!


Not totally sure how it rides yet - too rainy for a test ride and fine-tuning so can't use it tomorrow as it was all done in a cramped shed out of the torrential rain - I need some kind of inline barrel adjuster for the front mech too, being an MTB frame the downtube cable stops are just that - no screw thread for an adjusterr

 

[fossyant]

Some good fettling there !!!

 

[rugbyluke]

Hahahahahhaha thats awesome, well done mate

 

[Tynan]

dear god

drops with front sus

I#'m pleased you're up there and nowhere near me tomorrow morning

 

[Jezston]

Flip the stem!

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

dear god

drops with front sus

I#'m pleased you're up there and nowhere near me tomorrow morning

If I find some rigid forks cheap I may well get rid of the suspension, but as it is, they are the only non-bent pair of forks that I own

I'm wondering if 29'er forks would work better as I don't want to drop the front end too much

 

[Jezston]

dear god

drops with front sus

I#'m pleased you're up there and nowhere near me tomorrow morning

Why?

 

[Melonfish]

first time you lean into that drop and you'll sink into the road! shame there's no lockout.
nice job tho hehe

 

[Tynan]

Why?

I don't want to have an accident while staring in disbeleif

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

I'm hoping because there isn't that much travel on the forks, that the front end isn't going to drop too much under braking (also why I'm not going to flip the stem and keep the bars at a resonable height!)

Only one way to find out, and that's give it a try!

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

The only time the Suspension is going to dip much is when your out the saddle climbing, if you stay seated then I can't see it being much of a problem, sometimes I wish my road bike had front suspension with the state of the roads round ere.

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

The only time the Suspension is going to dip much is when your out the saddle climbing, if you stay seated then I can't see it being much of a problem, sometimes I wish my road bike had front suspension with the state of the roads round ere.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

I don't want to have an accident while staring in disbeleif

What do you mean staring in disbelief? Why would anyone....

..oh...

...I understand .. lol


(No, this is not my first choice, it's just borne of a raiding of the parts drawer - I thought I could maybe try to get the road shifters to work with the MTB mech if I tried a few tricks and could tolerate a little chain rub on extreme gears, but it *just* wouldn't shift up to the top ring. But I managed to make the 3 speed levers shift a road double acceptably (for my needs) - and the only double c/set was an old egg shaped one

This WON'T be permanent, it's basically because (1) my main bike was bent and I am waiting for replacement (2) I'm skint so not spending lots on replacing mechs or shifters

Well, I did say I wanted the gearing a tad higher...

And after a test ride, it rides well, and the forks only drop a little even on braking so no worries there

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Well, I thought this worth a follow-up

The forks on their tightest setting only dip about 1.5" so it's not a REAL problem. You know what? It rides really well. If I swap for a road front mech then I woun't have to "double shift" the lever to move between rings (soon got used to it, I figure two pulls of the lever is still quicker than the old reach to the downtube)

I'm even getting along with the biopace rings - not that I would "swear by" them - I'm just liking the option of higher gearing

I may well end up keeping this setup as my commuter and replace the damaged bike with a road bike, rather than a tourer, as I was thinking of upgrading my MTB anyway. It ticks the boxes as a "most weather" commuter - or it will do when I've homebrewed some mudguard attachments for the front

Oh, and I homebrewed an attachment for the trailer too - I just need an M6 quick-release to make it quicker, as attaching the mule does involve an allen key right now

Guess cycle parking is lower priority than marigolds at B&Q. Plenty of space to park a car even if you're popping in for one hinge, but no, not going to make it easy if you're on a bike wanting 100 litres of potting compost!

 

[perplexed]

Just gonna say, the flowers don't half make an excellent screen for your average bike thief!