Post your commuter!
- Thread starter wicksey
- Start date
mitchy_
Llama calmer
pretty much! depending on how you go, you may need a simple guide to stop the chain coming off, otherwise you can go the narrow-wide ring and clutched derailleur route.
I am looking for a nice steel frame to turn into a commuter bike - have a penchant for a mixte (for the standover height) but anything that fits will do. I have been commuting on my ill-fitting road bike and whilst it is nimble and speedy, it makes my shoulders and back curse and that makes me not want to ride.
So I am wondering - how much luck would I have in swapping out the majority of components on my roady onto an older steel frame, like a mixte? In particular the groupset and wheels.
Or am I better off just splashing out and building a rigid steel 29er that I can use on and off road? (I dont have a hardtail... so its looking like a tempting option) I have thought about putting slicks on my xc bike but commuting on a dually is really a bit overkill... there aren't any stairs or anything even remotely fun on my commute
sorry if this has been discussed before - I have not read through all 21 pages yet.
Cheers!!
So I am wondering - how much luck would I have in swapping out the majority of components on my roady onto an older steel frame, like a mixte? In particular the groupset and wheels.
Or am I better off just splashing out and building a rigid steel 29er that I can use on and off road? (I dont have a hardtail... so its looking like a tempting option) I have thought about putting slicks on my xc bike but commuting on a dually is really a bit overkill... there aren't any stairs or anything even remotely fun on my commute
sorry if this has been discussed before - I have not read through all 21 pages yet.
Cheers!!
silentbutdeadly
has some good things to say
Most of the roadie cockpit probably won't fit an older steel frame with its narrow seat tube and headtube. And many older mixte frames aren't 700C (unless you get lucky) so your wheels may not fit properly. Groupset 'should' be able to make the journey but the brakes may not and the FD might also be a poor fit. Final chainline may be compromised depending on the type of crankset too.I am looking for a nice steel frame to turn into a commuter bike - have a penchant for a mixte (for the standover height) but anything that fits will do. I have been commuting on my ill-fitting road bike and whilst it is nimble and speedy, it makes my shoulders and back curse and that makes me not want to ride.
So I am wondering - how much luck would I have in swapping out the majority of components on my roady onto an older steel frame, like a mixte? In particular the groupset and wheels.
Or am I better off just splashing out and building a rigid steel 29er that I can use on and off road? (I dont have a hardtail... so its looking like a tempting option) I have thought about putting slicks on my xc bike but commuting on a dually is really a bit overkill... there aren't any stairs or anything even remotely fun on my commute
sorry if this has been discussed before - I have not read through all 21 pages yet.
Cheers!!
I have two suggestions for you.
One is pre-built: Norco Threshold - not a mixte but it is steel and a great price for a do most of it disc cross commuter bike. There's others like it but this is a nicely set up bike for the money.
The other is a DIY: Singular Gryphon - steel, drop bar 29er gravel grinder. Larry's Custom Cycles in Melbourne might have a frameset your size?
Thanks for your reply SBD
I thought it would be a pain to swap out modern to oldschool... probably end up costing close to building or buying something new straight up.I'll go check out the norco if they have any smalls in stock at 99bikes in brissy, the singular gryphon is sweet but far too big for me though
geoff_tewierik
Likes Dirt
Website says Alloy for current model.
Frame Threshold Cross Double Butted Alloy - Disc
Fork Carbon Bladed w/Tapered Alloy Steer - Disc
Was older model Steel?
c3024446
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Thought I would share this interesting piece, made up from bits and pieces I had lying around (well plus other stuff from the trading section). My commuter:
Giant XTC Hardtail Frame, Aluxx, for 26" Wheels.
Mosso Rigid Disc Fork (Ebay, $70)
Shimano M475? brakes - from the XTC - super reliable.
Ultegra Compact crank
Currently 9 speed 12-23 with gripshift, but soon to be 12-27 10 spd with new shimano shifters and keeping the 9 spd X9 derailleur (since this works with 10spd Shimano)
29er MTB wheels with Roadie 28mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres.
560mm flat bars, soon to have some ESI chunkys on there.
Things of note:
-The Ultegra crank arms clear the chainstays by 3mm
-The 50T clears the chainstay by 3mm
-Rear tyre clears the chainstay brace by 5mm, front tyre clears the fork easy.
-Getting a MTB FD to work with an ultegra crank was a massive pain, but I got it to not rub in all but small cog - small ring. It changes rings quite well actually.
-When in the big ring the crank arms clear the FD cage by about 2mm
-I modified a MTB BB to fit the ultegra crank (i.e. I'm running it without the plastic spacer thing in the middle and only one BB spacer (since the spindle is shorter than a MTB one)
Giant XTC Hardtail Frame, Aluxx, for 26" Wheels.
Mosso Rigid Disc Fork (Ebay, $70)
Shimano M475? brakes - from the XTC - super reliable.
Ultegra Compact crank
Currently 9 speed 12-23 with gripshift, but soon to be 12-27 10 spd with new shimano shifters and keeping the 9 spd X9 derailleur (since this works with 10spd Shimano)
29er MTB wheels with Roadie 28mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres.
560mm flat bars, soon to have some ESI chunkys on there.
Things of note:
-The Ultegra crank arms clear the chainstays by 3mm
-The 50T clears the chainstay by 3mm
-Rear tyre clears the chainstay brace by 5mm, front tyre clears the fork easy.
-Getting a MTB FD to work with an ultegra crank was a massive pain, but I got it to not rub in all but small cog - small ring. It changes rings quite well actually.
-When in the big ring the crank arms clear the FD cage by about 2mm
-I modified a MTB BB to fit the ultegra crank (i.e. I'm running it without the plastic spacer thing in the middle and only one BB spacer (since the spindle is shorter than a MTB one)
Last edited:
Struth! Better hope the frame doesn't flex at the BB or you're going to get a whole bunch of rubbing in a whole bunch of places you don't want it to.
silentbutdeadly
has some good things to say
Here's my effort. It's a Giant Cypress 700C frame set from the early noughties with a basic Novatec/Alex 36h wheelset from the cross bike wearing 700x42 Maxxis Wormdrive tyres.
Drivetrain is a square taper with the rings drilled off and replaced with a Hope 40t ring, 11-32 XT cassette and X9 type2 RD are from the mtb. Bars are Salsa Woodchipper 2 with TRP levers and X7 shifter tucked close to the stem using a FD mount and some electrical tape. I had to replace the one bolt Giant post with a USE Shokpost as it failed and am now even more comfy
Drivetrain is a square taper with the rings drilled off and replaced with a Hope 40t ring, 11-32 XT cassette and X9 type2 RD are from the mtb. Bars are Salsa Woodchipper 2 with TRP levers and X7 shifter tucked close to the stem using a FD mount and some electrical tape. I had to replace the one bolt Giant post with a USE Shokpost as it failed and am now even more comfy
Its a fixie. Double functions as my pub bike.
Despite the somewhat reasonable spec (most notable points are Thomson seatpost and CK headset) I really don't care about it.
If it is stolen I've already saved more money riding it than I paid for it, and its pretty identifiable.
When it dies/is stolen the world will be a better place anyway - one less fixie.
Despite the somewhat reasonable spec (most notable points are Thomson seatpost and CK headset) I really don't care about it.
If it is stolen I've already saved more money riding it than I paid for it, and its pretty identifiable.
When it dies/is stolen the world will be a better place anyway - one less fixie.
Attachments
If your offensive comment is referring to my commuter shitter then it's that way so it stands out in traffic. I can't believe I was originally thinking of spray painting the whole thing black.
Anyway, the trick is haggling. I got mine half of what its worth. If that.
mitchy_
Llama calmer
yep! in a jestful way.
Hools
Likes Dirt
There's a couple of cheap frames on clickbike if you wanted to build something up.
http://www.clickbike.com.au
camoshop
Banned
Haha think it's about 6 bikes that were laying around just used the bits that still worked" it's alive " haha
Here's my ironic hipster super commuter. I ride 20km each way to work. Its a really columbus steel roadie I used to race 15 years ago. Old shimano spds. ODI lockons. Massive shimano exage front brake lever. Originally an 8 speed cassette with 6 speed Dura ace downtube shifters, but the miss-shifts really were a bit much. Now has an LX 9speed shifter from a giant ATX2 and a new tiagra cassette. I'm looking to get a wolf tooth 42T CX narrow wide chainring and going 1x9.
And a set of gold pro tapers from the late 90s early 2000s.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/oliosky/d9fc56c0a3e311e3b7d512b0a3aaf2c4_8.jpg
And a set of gold pro tapers from the late 90s early 2000s.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/oliosky/d9fc56c0a3e311e3b7d512b0a3aaf2c4_8.jpg
Last edited: