jimx200

I am having fun riding single speed, but need more speed and gears for the hills. Does it make sense to convert my Schwinn Madison (track frame) to a road bike? I have done 25-30 miles on it and it's a very comfortable ride due to the steel frame, but the geometry is probably not ideal for a 50-100 miler? I was thinking about riding with mustache style bars with trigger shifters (or SRAM twists)and flat bar style brakes ( I have sets of these now). Another issue is the single speed rear dropout...is it possible to go with a 9 spd. rear cassette as there is not a traditional road frame rear der. mount?
I just finished a nice hard tail build and don't have the money for a road bike. Maybe I should just check out Craigslist and hope to find a good used road bike in my size. Input most welcome. Here is a link with photo of my Schwinn: https://reviews.roadbikereview.com/bl...on-pro-review/
Thanks BF posters!

queerpunk

you guessed it, the problem is not having a rear derailleur mount. additionally, the Madison's track ends are probably spaced 120mm, whereas a 9 speed rear wheel is spaced at 130mm - however, a steel frame can be safely "cold set" (bent). see sheldon brown for more information.

but, you still won't have a derailleur mount. i don't know what options there are for derailleurs that attach to the axle, but i'd guess that they're low-end, 70s bike boom era derailleurs (i could be wrong).

you could, however, put an internally-geared hub on the bike. you'd maintain the single-speed-esque chainline and look but you'd have a variety of gears. internally-geared hubs range from affordable to holy-****-i-didn't-know-things-were-that-expensive.

dmotoguy

Picking up a used bike is the best way to go...

zatopek

Ditto. Rear spacing will be too narrow for a hub and cassette and there ain't no way to hang a derailleur without a derailleur hanger. Other than that, no prob. I'd find a decent used road frame and build it up from there. Good luck. Oh yeah, sweet looking Madison.

droobieinop

ya, pretty much what they said...

axle mount hangers are likely low end and made for horizontal drop outs, not track forked ends...
internal can be expensive, or you could diy with a junked or cl find...
just find a geared bike.

kergin

you can go with an internally geared hub. 120mm ones exist.