Converting my Mountain bike to a Gravel bike

[cadenceblur]

17 minutes ago, Dappere said:

+1 for adding a dropper. Good looking bike - how does she ride?

Great ride, super responsive, whilst being very comfortable as well. I have found the 40t to be suitable as an option on the road as well.

[Frosty]

7 hours ago, NotSoBigBen said:

Ai ai ai .... 'monstercross' bikes are like single speed bikes ..... you don't BUY one, you BUILD one 😜

Luckily I didn’t buy a monster cross bike. 

[Dappere]

1 hour ago, cadenceblur said:

Great ride, super responsive, whilst being very comfortable as well. I have found the 40t to be suitable as an option on the road as well.

Completely, when riding a 1x on my gravel bike I ran a 44. Some of the gravel event climbs became rather ambitious, to say the least! 😅 I swopped back to a 2x chainring of 46/30 to have lower bailout gears for when I'm completely knackered. 😆

[JohanMalan]

I also prefer flat mtb bars, more confident in  tech terrain and much simpler/cheaper. Carbon fork drops a good kg off the weight.

Edited September 1, 2023 by JohanMalan

[Mook]

More Franken-monster than this you will not get.

1994 Gary Fisher 26" HT (CroMo Steel); 3x8 with Cantilever Rim brakes; TL 2.2 front & 2.35 rear.

Building one of these from scratch gives gravel biking a whole new meaning. Did some rivnut implants in the fork and downtube to fit panniers racks and cargo cages for touring. The 3x configuration gives me plenty gearing options for gravel and/or touring. 

A brand new cassette and chain costs less than 500 bucks. Chainrings probably R600. This thing is indestructible and the most fun to ride you'll ever find. 

Why share this you might wonder 😏 ...........  There are indeed other options if your budget is as challenging as mine, PLUS you do not have to sacrifice the fun factor due to limited funds.

 

Old's Cool I say

[Dexter-morgan]

I know not a nice photo, but here is pic of Mine, I ma not going to call it Gravel bike, lets call it a Hybrid, 1x10 set-up with a 42(Rapide oval) Upfront and 11-36 back, more than enough for the Flat east rand, 

[RustyHWR]

Merida Big 9

[dasilvarsa]

On 9/1/2023 at 8:57 AM, Dexter-morgan said:

I know not a nice photo, but here is pic of Mine, I ma not going to call it Gravel bike, lets call it a Hybrid, 1x10 set-up with a 42(Rapide oval) Upfront and 11-36 back, more than enough for the Flat east rand, 

You are Absolutely Right - You cannot convert a MTB to a Grave Bike because Gravel Frames are Specially designed to be Gravel Bikes. A Gravel Capable Hybrid MTB is what you have. And a Beautifully built one at That.

[guidodg]

forget the drop bars, totally unnecessary and you need lots more parts for the conversion...just get a carbon fork for now and some Pirelli Cinturato M in 45s

 

 

[guidodg]

[nick_the_wheelbuilder]

One of the coolest bikes I've ever cobbled together was a GT 26er HT frame, cheap rigid fork, 29er wheels and gravel tyres. (SS in this instance)

Again, not a true gravel bike because of the flat bars, but a blast to ride through mixed terrain.

Faster than a MTB, more versatile than a road bike.

I got rid of this one back in 2019 I think...

[Frosty]

2 minutes ago, nick_the_wheelbuilder said:

Faster than a MTB, more versatile than a road bike.

and it has the ability to slip a belt-drive system because of the frame design.

[nick_the_wheelbuilder]

29 minutes ago, Frosty said:

and it has the ability to slip a belt-drive system because of the frame design.

No, unfortunately not - that would have been too cool!

[Frosty]

5 minutes ago, nick_the_wheelbuilder said:

No, unfortunately not - that would have been too cool!

I thought the GT bikes had the bolted chain and seat stays

[nick_the_wheelbuilder]

1 minute ago, Frosty said:

I thought the GT bikes had the bolted chain and seat stays

Not sure about other models, but not this one....

[TyronLab]

On 9/1/2023 at 8:57 AM, Dexter-morgan said:

I know not a nice photo, but here is pic of Mine, I ma not going to call it Gravel bike, lets call it a Hybrid, 1x10 set-up with a 42(Rapide oval) Upfront and 11-36 back, more than enough for the Flat east rand, 

Can confirm this bike is badass IRL, saw it yesterday morning at the Bicycle Line group ride.

BTW, not sure how the 27kph group ended up, but I was very, very, VERY ambitious to tackle the 32kph group (which, by the time we got to Sunward, was averaging 38+) on my current steed... I should have stuck with you guys.