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  • 26" mtb mutated into a gravel/cx bike, will I die?
  • masterwatson2000
    Free Member

    So I’ve got most of the parts together to rebuild my On One 456 hardtail, but I’m intrigued by gravel/cx bikes and wonder whether I can bastardise my owd hardtail to create a cx bike of sorts. I’ve checked and my roadie wheel (700c) fits in the stays with decent clearance, some slightly bigger nobbly cx tyres should fit too. Thinking of adding a set of drop bars, and some disc brakes (mounts obvs present on my hardtail frame), and a rigid fork with brake mounts also, and I should be away. Can anyone see why this wouldn’t work? Any chance of death?

    Posted 7 years ago
    wzzzz
    Free Member

    Unless it is 2 sizes too small for you as a mountain bike, you are going to have too much top tube!

    Posted 7 years ago
    benp1
    Full Member

    You’ll be fine as a gravel grinder type bike. You can try something like Jones Loops rather than drops if you want more positions

    A rigid bike is ideal, and very comfy, for lots of tame tracks/paths

    Posted 7 years ago
    philjunior
    Free Member

    You should be fine, you might want a shorter TT for drop bars, but then again you might have a shorter TT as it was a mountain bike not a road bike…

    Posted 7 years ago
    FOG
    Full Member

    I have done pretty much the same with my 26″ Soul. All that was needed was a spacer to use my 9 speed block on an 11 speed freehub to enable me to use my spare road wheels. I have not gone the whole hog and fitted drops because I think the tt would be too short and I didn’t want to buy drops compatible shifters and brake levers. I am still using 25mm road tyres but the next step is to get some cx tyres . It makes a great gravel bike and is ideal for a bit of bike packing

    Posted 7 years ago
    ampthill
    Full Member

    Just depends on how much reach you want or are happy with

    I nearly did this rather than buying a bike. he top tub on my Orange Gringo would have been fine for me as it is old enough to date back to long stems

    Posted 7 years ago
    chilled76
    Free Member

    Do the axles fit?

    I’d considered doing this once nd thought that road bikes ran 130mm not 135mm on the rear and assumed the front was also different width?

    Posted 7 years ago
    PJay
    Free Member

    I’ve ridden 26″ hardtails (with 26″ wheels in place) as ‘gravel’ bikes long before the term seemed to come into use. I’m toying with one day buying a ‘proper’ gravel bike but absolutely love the hardtail I have.

    Posted 7 years ago
    masterwatson2000
    Free Member

    Excellent, thanks all so far. FOG I’m glad I’m not the only one to have considered it, and bikepacking is the eventual aim. Flat bars sound like the general concensus, but being a lanky bugger, I might get away with it. I’m 6’4″ and my 456 is a 19″ frame. I’ve got both in the spares pot so I’ll see what works, but I do like the idea of a hassle free flat bar, less new parts to buy, and I guess better braking modulation with hydraulic disc brakes vs mechanical cx disc brakes?

    Posted 7 years ago
    onandon
    Free Member

    I built this last year. I just kept the 26 wheels with 1.75 tyres.
    She flew 🙂

    Posted 7 years ago
    mattsccm
    Free Member

    I always find the TT too long but did use one with narrow straight bars and Cinellu Spinacis.

    Posted 7 years ago
    vdubber67
    Free Member

    You could even stay 26 and get some suitable tyres….?

    http://www.islabikes.co.uk/products/accessories/tyres/item/26-islabikes-greim-cyclocross-tyre-price-per-tyre

    Posted 7 years ago
    ibnchris
    Full Member

    Short stubby stem is all you need…my swift is now on drops and I love it

    Posted 7 years ago
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