Cyclocross - convert GT Legato to CX?

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mack_turtle
09-15-08, 11:35 AM
i come from the world of bmx freestyle, so i am a n00b when it comes to big bikes. bear with me.

i might buy a 2007 GT Legato 3.0 from a friend mostly as a commuter bike but i would like to use this bike for some recreational off-road riding as well. some companies make 700-size knobbies, so what kind of riding could i do with this bike off-road? how aggressive of trails could i tackle with this bike? if it can't handle a little trails, i don't want to break it.

i won't be getting into racing any time soon, but i want to be able to ride it on some mellow trails in the park. if i put knobbies on this bike, what would separate it from any other CX bike, other than the flat (non-drop) bars?

it's the 2007 version of this bike- http://www.gtbicycles.com/usa/eng/Products/Road/Sport/?s_archived=t#5612

mack_turtle
09-15-08, 01:30 PM
apologies for the redundant thread. i did some searching and found dozens of "how do i convert my road bike into a CX?" threads. obviously, it CAN be done. the Legato has v-brakes, so i should be able to fit a pretty fat tire in there.

can anyone tell me any reason why this conversion might be an exceptionally BAD idea? should i look for a steel-framed roadie to convert instead?
justinb
09-15-08, 01:44 PM
It's absolutely a feasible conversion. The major difference I note is the lower bottom bracket, which will be helped by running fatter tires.

M_S
09-15-08, 09:47 PM
Just slap some knobbies on there and go. the Legato doesn't have huge clearances, but a 32 or 35 should be no sweat.