Touring - Mtb Conversion!

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roadfix
10-18-03, 01:48 PM
I finally built a 26" wheel tourer using old but in fairly new condition Mtb parts I yanked off of my wife's 10 yr old bike. It's a 7 speed mix of LX & XT components. I found a NOS steel Mtb frame on Ebay to put this thing all together. Bars, saddle, lever, etc....were parts just laying around in my garage. I am still deciding whether to go with panniers or pull a BOB. Low gear combo is a decent 26/32 but I don't have any top end at only 46/14. Cassette is a 14-32, 7-spd. Any suggestions on increasing my top end? Anyway, here's a photo of my new ride....

George

Kev
10-18-03, 02:24 PM
How about just installing a larger front chainring? 46x14 you might want to test it out it actualy might not be bad for the high end, considering you are not racing and will be pulling a trailer or fully loaded.
Buddha Knuckle
10-18-03, 05:12 PM
Nice machine, Fixer

It looks a lot like my own 26"er with that tall technomic stem. Are going to throw on some fenders?

I wonder if you can fit a 12 tooth cog on a 7 speed hub? If so, and you had an unused 8spd 12-32 cogset, you could assemble your own 7spd cassette with a 12 tooth cog. Going from a 14 to a 12 tooth cog will be roughly equivalent to going from a 46t to a 52t chainring. The SRAM 8spd cassettes come apart very easily, and they are cheap enough for experimentation.

Peace,
BK

edlfrey
10-18-03, 05:16 PM
How about just installing a larger front chainring? 46x14 you might want to test it out it actualy might not be bad for the high end, considering you are not racing and will be pulling a trailer or fully loaded.

I agree with Kev on this. Do your first tour with the 46x14 then make your decision about a higher top end. I have rarely talked to anyone that has been on tour that conmplained about not having a large enough top end.
Kev
10-18-03, 09:56 PM
I know biketoolsetc carries a 8sp cassette for 12-32, I'm assuming you are running those bar ends in friction mode so should be able to work with 8sp, if so they cassette is only $22.
Louis
10-18-03, 10:21 PM
Nice bike Fixer.
I agree with edlfrey about the top end gear, unless you ride bare bones with the club, it should be enough. For plain ol' loaded touring it's perfect.
roadfix
10-18-03, 11:27 PM
I know biketoolsetc carries a 8sp cassette for 12-32, I'm assuming you are running those bar ends in friction mode so should be able to work with 8sp, if so they cassette is only $22.The hub is a LX 7 spd cassette hub. I don't know if an 8 spd cassette is compatible with this hub. The barend shifters are 8 spd Ultegra shifters and it indexes my current 7 spd cassette perfectly. I wish I can simply slip on an 8 spd cassette. If not, I can always rebuild the wheel with an 8 spd hub.

George