alkaiden

Ive got my mountain bike like a year ago. Its a GT aggresor got it at $300+. at that time i thought it looks pretty hot and I thought mtb are cool, so I bought it

but recently, I find that I cycle 99% on the road and I dont go to rough terrains. So I thought I would switch to a road bike but if im going to buy one I would buy a decent one which would cost around $1000+ but I cant afford it since im still schooling and not working yet...

So I thought I would upgrade my mtb to suite the road more...any suggestions?

My bike has a front suspension which is pretty heavy, so I thought I might switch it to a lighter fork or I can change my tires to more road-oriented ones...what do you think?

btw my bike weighs like 35lbs if that matters

mrk

Get slick tires.

LowCel 

If you want to upgrade the fork I would go to a rigid. Can get it cheap and it would be perfect for the road. On top of that get some slick tires like mrk mentioned. Other than that I wouldn't spend a bunch of money on your bike. It will make a great commuter with a couple of small changes.

The Selector

+2 with slicks, specialized armadillos hemisphere ex are good if there is a lot of glass where you are at and like going off road once and a while.

now the fork, maybe get a inexpensive rock shox fork for 200 that is light weight (<4lbs).

MattP.

+3 on the slicks. For my mtb bike, on one of my wheelsets, I run Specialized Nimbis EX's 1.5 in. They're awesome. Also, look at a rigid fork like LowCel reccomended. If you don't want to run rigid, look for a cheap fork w/ lockout.

alcahueteria

I say rigid fork and 1" slicks too. That would be the best option. if it's a cassette rear hub maybe go to a road cassette, maybe some fenders, I mean everything else is kind of icing on top

alkaiden

alrite, so here are my options...

1. I switch my mtb's suspension to a rigin carbon fork, and change the knobbies to slick tires which would add up to around $200

2. I get a decent roadbike for $1000

I cycle mainly on the road, and i dont really have a source of income right now and y parents think that 1000 is too much. But is the upgrade really worth it? Or am I better off saving my money?

LowCel 

I wouldn't go for the carbon fork. I would go with a rigid steel fork.

dutret

3. get a decent used roadbike for under $400.

jalexei

You should be able to get slicks and a rigid fork for closer to $120-$140 - Jenson USA has the On-One rigid fork for $90 - nice and light, under 3 pounds. Also, Jenson and the other web sites often have super deals on closeout tires. Check often for bargains on slick tires. I got Maxxis Larson Oriflamme (semi-slicks) tires to commute with for $12 each!

The Selector

i wouldn't have anything carbon fiber on my bike

LowCel 

Why?

jeff williams

+1, maybe CF handlebars for less vibration? Kinda pricey though.
Then you could still ride around on light trails\hop kerbs!
I don't like the thought of a CF fork going offroad\bunnyhopping.

jeff williams

Hmmm.....maybe with a steel fork (steel is tensile and will soak a little shock), but the frame is AL with skinny tires -and might\will be a little harsh for vibes - A CF seatpost instead?

khuon

For road biking, nothing beats a pure roadbike... with some caveats of course. However, converting a MTB for road use can be done cost-effectively and you can still save up for a roadbike.

A CF seatpost will do very little. My suggestion would be a rigid Tange cro-mo fork for around $30 or a Kona Project 2 for around $45. Make sure you get one that's suspension corrected and roughly matches your current axle-to-crown. For tyres, I'd get some 1" slicks as others have suggested. You can usually find pretty decent ones for around $15 each. If you want a little bit of suspension for your butt, you might consider a saddle with a titanium rail. They can be had for as little as $75-$85. You might also want to get some bar-ends if you don't already have them. They'll help with hand positioning. Also check out Road-Ends from Endless Innovations. They're sold out of the original but someone mentioned that their next generation version should be shipping soon.


Road-Ends

khuon

The cyclocrossers don't seem to have a problem with it. I'm also still alive and well as is my CF fork. However, for purposes of this thread, I would recommend against a CF fork for budgetary reasons.

jeff williams

Are the dampening qualities oversold or only applies really to bars?

I didn't think of CX-CF forks.
I've not seen a 26 inch wheel CF fork, mind you I've never looked.
Must not be common =expen$ive.

The Selector

it's prone to snapping... i prefer bending

LowCel 

A lot of people have been using carbon for quite some time now and a low percentage of them have had problems with it. I use it on all of my bikes and never give it a second thought. It all depends on the intended use of the bike. If for downhill or freeride then I agree, carbon is not the best idea. For xc or all mountain then carbon will be fine.

The Selector

yeah, carbon fiber would most likely fail on the trails I ride. i've bent a couple of AL handle bars already.. not any oversized ones. I saw this guy up in MT Kelso (canada) with a CF seat post and like 2 min into the trail his seat post snapped in half... that could have been a very ugly site, since its nothing but rocks. he had to walk his broken bike back to the car. I wouldn't mind having the XO rear derailleur though.. since there really isn't that much carbon on it. but for me personally I wouldn't want CF handle bars, stem, seat post, cranks, or frame. My old boss weighs like 260 or more and he runs CF handle bars.

LowCel 

Only place I won't run carbon on my mountain bike is on the seatpost. I have seen a few of those break as well. The problem with them is generally at the clamp though.

On my mountain bikes I have carbon bars, brake levers, cranks and rear derailleur. Never had one break on me. This will be my third or forth season with the same cranks and brake levers. I replace my carbon bars every two or three seasons. I do some pretty technical riding with my bikes as well and definately have my share of unintentional contact with mother earth.

sngltrackdufus

I have a carbon mtb frame & various fiber components on it,no problems with them.

The Selector

do you use a torque wrench on the stem?

jeff williams

If thinking Macrame bottle cage, hammock\sling saddle, knitted wool grips, hemp rope cables....

erhan

I have many CF parts as well, but I don't worry too much because of my weight, and the type of riding I do. If I was 260 though, I don't think I would be using anything carbon fiber.