ambitions2o

So right now I am riding my fixie for the time being...I like it, but with the NYC winter coming up I am looking to get my commuter prepared.

I was given this Canyon Land Full Force (not my picture)


However, I would really like to make it into a better commuter bike (I really do like the bike below's setup with the bars and fenders)


My question is:
- The bike is a grip shift setup - can I convert that to other shifters (brake lever shifters) if I was to also change the bars?
- How hard do you think it would be to modify the bike?
- Right now I believe the bike has 26"s on it, for NYC roads what do you recommend (considering the snow).
- I wanted to run these fenders on it (https://ecom1.planetbike.com/7056_5.html What should I be looking for for mounting points on the bike to know if I can or not?

Appreciate all the feedback, I am still new to this commuting thing so I am not looking to spend an ample amount of money in the beginning. Believe I can make due with what I am at the moment.

Mr IGH

Fenders should fit just fine.
Changing to drop bars can be hard if you want brifters (brake/shifters) esp if its not a 9 speed already. Old 7/8 speed brifters are hard to come by.
I ride studded tires all winter 'cause I'm more chicken than fast.
I'll bet you miss the disc brakes in the winter.

twinquad

Changing from flat bars to drop bars is not trivial (or cheap), to say the least. Those control levers are hundreds of dollars, and you have to make sure the shifting pull matches your cassette. The brake pull will not match your brakes, so you'll definitely need an adapter for that. I'd do this mod last, when you know you really want to - either that or save up for a drop bar bike.

You probably have knobbies on it now, so I'd get some 26x1.5 with minimal tread and good puncture resistance (Schwalbe Marathon, Specialized Armadillo, Vittoria Randonneur, etc.). When the snow comes, you might find that they still work fine. If not you can swap your knobbies back on.

Look at where the rack and fenders attach on the bike in the lower picture. Near the dropouts (where the wheel is attached to the fork and frame), the fork crown, the crossbar between the seatstays in the back, and near the bottom bracket shell. If you don't have all of these, you can usually improvise, maybe using p-clamps on the seatstays and fork.

What is that bike in the lower photo, by the way? Looks like the ideal commuter to me, except for derailleurs instead of IGH.

Happy trails!

ambitions2o

I will look at my commuter closer this weekend for those mounts. Snow is around the corner and I want to get ready!
That looks to be Macdonwald's bike. I pulled the picture from the fenders thread that is going on here.

ambitions2o

Yeah I never had disc brakes before so I do not know what I am missing haha, but it should be interesting either way.

That bike is Macdonwald's. I pulled it from a fender thread here in the commuting. I really really do like that bike a lot.


I will look at my commuter closer this weekend for those mounts. Snow is around the corner and I want to get ready!
That looks to be Macdonwald's bike. I pulled the picture from the fenders thread that is going on here.

Mr IGH

OK, that's a picture of a bike you like, not one you own, LOL, I'm slow. I'd buy the fenders and ride the bike as is, esp if it has knobbies already. Once spring comes you can decide what to do next.

sindlero

Hello Mr. IGH

How are you? I'm writing because it sounds like you use an igh on your bike(s)---

I have a windsor oxford with a shimano nexus 3 speed. I'm looking for a little more gearing and am
thinking of going to a SA 5 speed. I'm using the bike for errands and commuting. What setup do you use?

I'd like to continue riding this winter in Philadelphia. Are you using disc brakes? Significantly
better braking?

Thanks much.
sindlero

ambitions2o

Haha no worries I could see how I could confuse you. Yeah I guess I will outfit it with a few things and then see where I go in the spring with it. Thanks for the tips

Schwinnrider

If you're not determined to have brifters, you can bring the cost of the conversion way down.

You'll need a drop bar. That can be cheap or expensive, depending on which you choose(of course). My personal preference is the Nitto Noodle Bar, so let's start there.

Nitto Noodle-----$48 plus shipping

https://www.modernbike.com/itemgroup....176662&TID=367

Brake levers----$37.80

https://www.modernbike.com/itemgroup.asp?IGPK=2126181579

As far as shifters, your best bet is to go with bar end shifters. I don't know how many speeds your cassette is, so here's the eBay search results for "bar end shifters".

https://www.ebay.com/sch/Outdoor-Spor...p3286.c0.m1538

As for your question about fenders, you need to look for the eyelets on the form and the rear dropout. It will look like a little loop above the fork tab and the rear dropout.

If it was my bike, I'd forgo doing the drop bar swap. Just mount some fenders and go with it.

ambitions2o

Damn those Nittos are nice. Now my mind might have changed again.

I will leave the MTB setup and grab a pair of fenders. Maybe if I feel like it during the winter I can look for some deals.

Daammnn I like those Nittos haha

sindlero

Hello

Thanks for your feedback---didn't know that SA 5 is not a good product. The suggestion to go for a larger freewheel is a good one.
I will be using my 3rd gear more----

I'll take a look at dyno hubs.
I don't have enough posts to reply to your private message

fietsbob

I happen to like hub brakes when the weather gets nasty.
You can retrofit drum brake wheels on a rim brake frame
but disc brakes you will be better off just buying the bike already equipped.

IG hubs can be bought in either configuration..

OP, in NYC has to contend with the need to not have a nice bike stolen.

which creates a balancing act. mundane bike look..
and a very serious lock ing scheme is probably part of the equation.

idc

Sounds similar to my situation. I recently converted my 26" MTB into my winter commuter on a "budget". The frame/fork could accommodate disc brakes already though so what I bought was

- new set of 26" disc or rim brake compatible wheels, wider rims than existing (26mm instead of 20mm I think)
- rotor + brake for front disc brake (used existing v-brake lever). Avid BB7.
- disc brake cable set (enough for 2, still 1 left)
- new brake pads (for rear v-brake)
- nokian 160 studded tire for rear
- nokian 240 studded tire for front
- tubes for 26 x ~2.0
- shambolic fenders. $5 on ebay and broke already but I jerry rigged them up again. may need to upgrade but i'll try them first
- new 7 spd cassette (13-34) + spacer for cassette. the existing rear wheel had a 7 speed freewheel 14-34 with too much spacing at the low gears imo.
- lights/flashlights (TBD - I have various options available)

I think fenders, lights if you're riding in the dark, and perhaps studded tires if you're worried about ice would be the most I'd do to that bike if you're going to get another one next year.

My MTB was 30 lbs before I made the changes so it's a heavy bike but I plan to use it as configured only when I need studded tires.
I did swap out the handlebar, stem and seat with my unused hybrid to be a bit less MTB and more road worthy, and lighten it up a touch. I also switched the bar ends from their normal position to upside down, inside the grips, and reversed (R <=> L) so they act a little like drops. I had bar end extenders laying around that work on my MTB brake levers that lets me brake from these "drops". The total cost of my upgrades was close the cost of the bike, new, but the new wheels + Nokians are an investment for years to come and can easily be moved to another 26" bike. And the disc brake + rotor could be re-used on any bike with a disc compatible fork.

I also plan to get a more tailored commuter sometime (700c with wide clearance, drops + disc brakes, wide gearing, not too heavy), perhaps next year, but this will be a good wet/winter/spare bike in the meantime. I still have the slightly lighter old wheels (rim brake only), 26x1.25 slicks and 26x~2.0 knobbies so I can use it for other purposes.

fucxms

It's a Lynskey Cooper CX:



The frame is $1800.

idc

UGH. My dream bike

tarwheel 

Use bar-end shifters. They are much less expensive and more durable than STIs, and almost as easy to shift.