I’m toying with the idea of monstercrossing the swift.

My list so far includes;

New Wheels (as currently singlespeed)
gears, (prob 1×9 or 10)Drop bars or on one midge/mary type bars.
Thinner tyres

Questions:, do I just use the same brakes, or do folk use road levers on the dropped bars? Can I get away with leaving the sus forks on, or is that wrong..? What else do I need?

Its quite a list, maybe worth getting a specific bike, and leaving the swift in SS sus mode? 😆

I don’t see the need for smaller tyres, that would seem to be taking the ‘monster’ out of the cross? I think rigid forks are more in the spirit of things, and go for some bars that might let you keep hydraulic discs. Bar end shifters for 1x work well with drop/funny bend bars. You can use v-brake specific road-style hooded levers with cable discs. You’ve then turned your 29er into a rigid with funny bars and slightly worse brakes though…!?

What forks are people using for monstercross? Was talking with a friend yesterday who wants to use 2.1″ tyres on a new frame – he’s currently using 40c tyres, but has clearance issues with current bike.

I did wonder about the whole downgrading from what I have. Want to keep brakes, but want something faster on the road/canals. Currently running 2.2″ tyres. Wheels causing probably the biggest cost issue, unless I leave it SS, which defeats the idea of faster..

Suppose you could use midge bars with mtb brakes, and just buy a rear wheel like an mt35 which won’t be too expensive, but not too heavy. 1 x 10 on the cheap with a bar end shifter. A rigid carbon fork from exotic cycles and for not too much you’ll be away…

I’ve tried a couple of “Monstercrossish” builds based around a MTB frame with varying levels of success.

Most recent my Fortitude was used. 42mm tyres, Midge Bars, Tektro levers running the MTN version of the BB7s, Alfine.

Thread on it here.

In principle it should have worked, in practice it didn’t. The drop was far to severe even when riding on the hoods. A high rise stem would have helped but ultimately a new frame is required 😉

but ultimately a new frame is required

expected this.. 😆