Mountain Biking - Road to MTB conversion.

Not really sure where this thread belongs, but, I'll start out here.

Last year I bought a trek 520 from a guy at work. I used it mostly for commuting with some weekend rides, but, unfortunately, I'm just a tad too big for it, so, when I came across an opportunity to buy a trek 1200 from a different guy at work who is just about my size, I jumped on it.

So now the old 520 is sitting, mostly collecting dust. I am trying to ignite the cycling spark in the OL as the 520 should fit her nicely, but, unfortunately she would rather play human gerbil on her treadmill as she watches QVC so she can buy more crap!!

Last week, I noticed a trek 720 on craigslist. It was listed (I think) as a mtb or hybrid.

I am fairly sure that the 720 model designation means it's a roadie. I just figure someone threw a set of straight bars on it and called it a mtb/hybrid.

This got me to thinking that maybe I ought to consider doing the same thing. I'm not looking to go single tracking or downhill crazy $hit. I would just like something to ride along the gravel rails to trails with my kids.

I would think that a longer steering tube and a set of straight bars, shifters and brake levers ought to do the trick. I even have a couple of tag sale junk bikes that might serve as donors for such parts.

The 720 is a hybrid. If you look closely, all the Treks with three digit model numbers are sttel bikes. The four digit 1000, 1500, 4300...are aluminum bikes of some sort; and the 1.2, 2.?....are carbon.
Your 520 should have room for some cyclocross tires and do just fine on rail trails or tame singletrack. I would keep the drop bars.

thanks for the clarification. I figured all 3 number bikes were road bikes. I was thinking that the drops wouldn't provide enough stability for anything off pavement. Maybe not. The current tires are 27 x 1.25 and they look like ballons next to the 1200's tires. They will probably be fine for the bike trails.

thanks.

The 720 is a hybrid. If you look closely, all the Treks with three digit model numbers are sttel bikes. The four digit 1000, 1500, 4300...are aluminum bikes of some sort; and the 1.2, 2.?....are carbon.
Your 520 should have room for some cyclocross tires and do just fine on rail trails or tame singletrack. I would keep the drop bars.

False.


The 820 (only "three digit" bike Trek makes at the moment besides the 520) is steel. That's right however, the four digit bikes are either carbon on aluminum. These designations include this year's and last year's MTBs and hybrids, plus last years road bikes. The 1.2, etc. bikes are all road bikes and are carbon or aluminum.

If the 520 is a touring bike, then it will have room for thin 'cross tires but will have crap geometry for off roading. Just saying....

i'm just looking for something on dirt/gravel roads/ trails. No really steep hills or single track.

I guess I just need to hop on the thing and hit the "rails to trails" trail and see what happens.