Commuting - North road bars on road bike = cruiser ?

OK, appart from the skinnier tires anyway. Let's say I put North Road bars on an old 10-speed and swapped the saddle for a wider one. Would I end up with a usefull bike? The goal here is a more upright position. The bike would be for my wife. I was also thinking the skinny tires would help her keep a faster pace than her current MTB.

Edit: The bike I have in mind is a 1980's sport touring bike with 27 x 1 1/4 tires. I'd probably ditch the front derailler and make it a 1x5.

My ride is an 80's gas pipe Raleigh Capri that I've lightened up with alloy, gone to 3x7 and I run inverted North Road style bars with a Brooks saddle. I find it to be very practicle and comfortable.

Go for it!

Sure it would be kinda of a crusier,mate. I'd change the tires to
27 x 1 3/8 to get a fatter tire on the ground for that cushy cruiser
ride but overall it'll work OK.

There is one point to be clear on here......
Skinny tires don't do well in loose gravel so be mindful of the roads you ride on.

I'm thinking of this bike for my wife. Kind of cheating by posting in the commuter forum since she is pretty much only a weekend bike trail person. Her existing bike is an old rigid steel MTB which I say is too big for her. For her typical riding day on the bike path, I was thinking skinnier tires would be more appropriate. Besides, one of my kids seems to have taken over her MTB.

Edit: I should point out that she doesn't agree with me about her MTB being too big. I think the thing she likes about the large frame is that it gets the handlebars up above the seat level.

I put Specialized Armadillo tires on my wife's MTB (a 2002 Giant Boulder), a stem riser to raise her bars, extra padding & gel to reduce vibration discomfort. We don't ride trails much any more and the Armadillos (16 x 1.25's or slightly narrower?) really increased her speed on the country roads & lanes.

For her typical riding day on the bike path, I was thinking skinnier tires would be more appropriate.


If the bike path is gravel or crushed limestone take care when putting 27 x 1 1/4 ROAD tires on her
bike. The bike will be skittish at best. Suggest you try a set of CLUB ROOST CROSS TERRA tires
for her bike. These will give her street tread & gravel tread in the 27 x 1 3/8 size. I run them on
my converted road bike for trails and like'em a lot. They are nice and steady on the limestone trails
with little buzz on the paved road.

http://www.clubroost.com/TractionProducts.htm

I'm putting one of These Mary Bars (http://www.on-one.co.uk/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=6&MMN_position=5:5) on a Salsa La Raza, they have a bit of rise as well. They are a bit more aggressive looking than North Roads. I would use drop bars, but I have a titanium armor plated neck as a souvenir from a car wreck. It limits how high I can raise my chin, and I can't get comfortable in "the drops".

Wider is less important than springed in the saddle department. The springs are especially important if you're sitting upright because the shocks go all though your butt instead of partially through your wrists in a road posture.

I agree on the tire thing, but you can get fat 700 tires if they'll fit in the bike, so it's less important to get new rims. You'll likely have problems fitting 27inch wheels into a bike designed for 700.

That'll be a comfortable ride, but to me a true utility bike needs internal gearing, fenders, racks, and a drum or coaster or two.

Sounds like an old English "Racer" or 3-speed to me.
Personally I find these to be great casual around town bikes. Quick and light compared to a cruiser but comfortable and easy to ride. The skinny tires don't do well on gravel but are great on roads and bike paths.
My wife's bike is a Myiata mixte from the 80's that was built just about like you described. I actually came from the factory with the upright bars, though the seat was narrow. I upgraded the seat and put new tires on it and she is very happy with the ride.

Craig