I’ve an Arkose 2 which i’ve had for a few years and upgraded a lot of the bits and now thinking about possibly swapping out the frame.

Any reason why i can’t just stick all my bits, including carbon fork, on a steel 29r frame (with tapered headset) with more xc style geometry? Is hub spacing the same as long as its non boost?

I can’t see a reason why not but i always have very little faith in my own judgement.

Assuming hub spacing is supposed to be the same from one frame to the next* Only thing you need to worry about beyond the ride might not be what you expect that might not be obvious is road cranks don’t fit 73mm bottom brackets…

Not that I’ve found out the expensive way. No siree.

(having said that I’ve a suspicion the akrose forks have an integrated crown race or similar nonsense and won’t play nice with a standard headset)

*if it’s qr you’ll need to check if it’s 130mm or 135mm, I imagine it’ll be 135mm on a disc hybridy thing, anything else the standard is known by its size so its a giveaway.

As long as the reach, stack and head tube angle is the same it could work. Doubt if all 3 would be the same though

Why would the geometry change if it can or can’t be done? It’ll change the ride obviously but I assume that’s the point. (maybe not for the better obviously)

Ht length will be an issue though

Axle-to-crown for arkose fork is around 400mm, for a 100mm 29er fork, probably 470-480mm

Thats a big difference.

Yeah, you’re going to need a new fork and headset.

Frame will need to match the rear wheel (135mm QR I assume); seat post diameter needs to match; BB shell width; seat tube outer diameter if you have a front mech…

Also, for my money slack head angles and drop bars go together like custard and drawing pins, but YMMV—maybe less of an issue with a short stem, I dunno.

Axle-to-crown for arkose fork is around 400mm, for a 100mm 29er fork, probably 470-480mm

Thats a big difference.

This

slack head angles and drop bars go together like custard and drawing pins

and this (imho/ime).

But

As long as the reach, stack and head tube angle is the same it could work.

not this really, beyond the fork length bit. R+S and HTA can vary a fair bit and be compensated for. Might work out well.

They can be compensated for but that affects the handling. i.e reach too long so get much shorter stem but head angle/fork rake not suited as much to a really short stem.

I would just get another similar frame rather than mess around with an MTB frame as they always look crap with drop bars anyway.

I’ve done this. The 29er frame I use is slightly smaller than I’d usually go for a 29er XC bike and the stem slightly shorter than I’d ideally have as a ‘gravel’ bike but it works a treat and only cost me £100 🙂

I have an old on one lurcher frame that I keep meaning to turn into a gravel bike. I think it would work fine, 71 degree head angle, mud clearance would be generous though!

Lurcher would make an awesome gravel bike. Mine is an old inbred with surly krampus fork. Crazy heavy and loadsa clearance 🙂 guess it’s more of a monster cross really…

So as a minimum I’d need a new fork? That’s pretty much killed the idea off and stopped me making a costly mistake.

This is exactly why I asked on here. Told you my own judgement was shit. Cheers kids x

Yes, I imagine the axle to crown on your fork is a lot lower than a 100mm suspension corrected fork the the 29er frame is made for?

I’ve spent a lot of time fiddling and a lot of money on cheap stems and bars trying to make my Trek Superfly more ‘gravel’ but it has never really worked.

The closest I got involved some flattened out Nitto drop/commuter bars withva ludicrous 45deg stem. Looked awful and wasn’t really all that comfortable.

Best solution is probably just getting used to flat bars again and fitting some decent ergonomic bar ends..

Watch the top tube & head tube lengths, I tried it a few years ago, with an old Inbred, but the top tube was way too long. Ended up with a very stretched out ride…….. 🙂

Of late I’ve been looking at my SIR.9 with the same idea. The older (& more decrepit) I become the more I look at the upright position of a Fargo or Gryphon, so I sketched it out in CAD.
I’d need something like a 100mm x 80 degree stem.!!!
It could possibly work with a smaller size MTB frame but you’d need a longer seatbtube.

13thfloormonk came to the same conclusion, with a flat bar & some Ergons with the built in bar ends.

What’s wrong with your current frame?

Too heavy? Not enough mud clearance or just a bit old and you want something new and shiny?

If you just want a new frame the easiest option is a new akrose with new updated features and geometry etc. The akrose is highly rated on stw.

If you want better tyre clearance or a lighter frame then look at different gravel bikes. 2nd hand frames or try planet x, ribble or merlin for the cheaper frames.

If you go for wider tyres you might need new rims?

The other option is sell your current bike and just buy the bike you want.

My “gravel bike” is a rigid 29er with flat bars. I just change the wheels and tyres from 29er plus tyres to 2.3s to cx or slicks. It does everything I need. It’s comfier off road but slower on road.