I would LOVE to see photos of your MTB conversion
#55
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
From: Cambridge UK
Hah! The 'Comp' version of this bike (purple instead of red) is decomposing in my garden. It was my faithful companion for more than 20yrs, until I tried to improve it by changing the front brakes but only managed to wrench one of the braze-ons right off the fork. I was gutted.
#56
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
From: Cambridge UK
#57
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: maryland USA
Bikes: S&S coupled Specialized Hardrock
1996 Specialized Hardrock, S&S coupled, Spiderflex knockoff seat, XTR hubs 36 hole, Velocity Cliffhanger rims, Schwalbe Marathon plus tires, TW Bents trailer.
I crossed Mexico with this rig, the picture was taken somewhere in Tamaulipas
I crossed Mexico with this rig, the picture was taken somewhere in Tamaulipas
#58
Aside from the wheels everything on the bike was built from recycled / salvaged parts... this is a theme that all my bikes share.
#59
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Countrydirt,
I'm sooo happy to see a Trek 4300 being use as a touring bike!! I had a Trek 4500 (2000) when I was still a uni student. It was my first MTB so I wasn't expecting much from it, but I slowly started to appreciate it a lot over the years, never had it failed on me. However, I sold it when I had to move back to Canada after my study.
Now, I'm planning a trip in Australia. Seeing you able to put a front and rear rack on it has made me thinking about getting a 4300 for the tour. Was it easy putting the front rack on the fork (did you have to modify anything for the bike to take the front rack)?
I'm sooo happy to see a Trek 4300 being use as a touring bike!! I had a Trek 4500 (2000) when I was still a uni student. It was my first MTB so I wasn't expecting much from it, but I slowly started to appreciate it a lot over the years, never had it failed on me. However, I sold it when I had to move back to Canada after my study.
Now, I'm planning a trip in Australia. Seeing you able to put a front and rear rack on it has made me thinking about getting a 4300 for the tour. Was it easy putting the front rack on the fork (did you have to modify anything for the bike to take the front rack)?
#60
Senior Moment
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 279
Likes: 4
From: Middle Maine
Bikes: 2014 Surly LHT, 2003 Giant NRS 3, 1991 Trek 7000, 2022 Surly Bridge Club, 1985 Miyata 210, 1999 Schwinn Moab 2
Here's a before and after of my '88 KHS. I am calling it my poor man's Atlantis. I've since added a rear rack.


#62
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 5,303
Likes: 117
that's as good as benjeboy. It's this kind of stuff that made me get a custom 26" wheeled touring bike 14yrs ago after mtn. bikes were in peak production and touring bikes were rare. I fixed up a friends rockhopper like that with drop bars and bar ends with front/rear blackburn racks.
#64
Senior Moment
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 279
Likes: 4
From: Middle Maine
Bikes: 2014 Surly LHT, 2003 Giant NRS 3, 1991 Trek 7000, 2022 Surly Bridge Club, 1985 Miyata 210, 1999 Schwinn Moab 2
Hey, rodar, yes it's fully lugged double butted cromo. My photos aren't very good, but here's a closer shot of the head tube that shows the lugs a little better. It's really a great looking frame, and the color scheme is original.
I have recently installed a rear rack, and as soon as the weather allows, I plan to start commuting on this bike.
I have recently installed a rear rack, and as soon as the weather allows, I plan to start commuting on this bike.
#66
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,798
Likes: 1
From: Highland Park, NJ, USA
Bikes: "Hildy", a Novara Randonee touring bike; a 16-speed Bike Friday Tikit; and a Specialized Stumpjumper frame-based built-up MTB, now serving as the kid-carrier, grocery-getter.

Tubus racks, Ortlieb panniers on the back, Banjo Brothers on the front. I toured over 500 miles on this rig (over several tours) before it got hit by a car.
__________________
Tour Journals, Blog, ride pix
My bands:
Tour Journals, Blog, ride pix
My bands:
- Uke On! - ukulele duo - Videos
- Ukulele Abyss - ukulele cover videos - Videos
- Baroque and Hungry's (Celtic fusion) full-length studio album Mended.
- Artistic Differences - 8-track EP Dreams of Bile and Blood.
#68
[IMG]
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The one on the right is mine and its more of a Hybrid conversion (Giant FCR3).
The one on the left is my buddies mountain bike that originally had a suspension fork and such (Giant Rincon).
This is in Washington on our Vancouver to Tijuana tour!
[/IMG]The one on the right is mine and its more of a Hybrid conversion (Giant FCR3).
The one on the left is my buddies mountain bike that originally had a suspension fork and such (Giant Rincon).
This is in Washington on our Vancouver to Tijuana tour!
#69
Old Fogy
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,225
Likes: 1
From: Murray, Utah
Hardrock
This is my 1991 Specialized Hardrock. I just finished modifying it. Installed cartridge type bottom bracket, semi-slick tires, Avenir rack, Avid V-brakes and levers, cyclocomputer, 100mm riser bars, Bontager saddle from my Trek road bike, (I may swap it for my Brooks B17), hitch skewer for my Nashbar BOB wannabe trailer, new cables and housings. I already had the fenders, the front brace was trashed, cut down to fit another bike, so I used one from an old Schwinn. I had the kickstand on the shelf already. Makes it much easier to park, and its weight is nothing compared to the other junk I carry.
I've only put about 65 miles on it, lightly loaded, but it's working fine so far, although I have to be careful to mount the panniers as far to the back as possible, for heel clearance.
I'd never ridden the Biopace chainrings before, and wondered how I'd like them. I really can't tell the difference. I think the 48 tooth front and the 11 tooth rear sprockets are going to be great on the downhills.
I've only put about 65 miles on it, lightly loaded, but it's working fine so far, although I have to be careful to mount the panniers as far to the back as possible, for heel clearance.
I'd never ridden the Biopace chainrings before, and wondered how I'd like them. I really can't tell the difference. I think the 48 tooth front and the 11 tooth rear sprockets are going to be great on the downhills.
Last edited by waldowales; 02-07-09 at 10:11 PM.
#70
Thread Starter
Thawing Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 351
Likes: 1
From: Tampa
Bikes: Surly Long Haul Trucker, Soma ES, Vintage Bob Jackson Audax, Raleigh Frankenbike., Bianchi Eros, Bianchi Alloro.
Haha, so, Waldo, you finally drank the Brooks Kool Aid, eh? What finally convinced you to change and give it a shot? I have a champion flyer on my old Univega and love it.
New touring bike is on the way for me.
New touring bike is on the way for me.
Last edited by Aloyzius; 02-10-09 at 07:33 PM.
#71
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Seattle, WA
Bikes: S&S coupled Mercian King, 1970 Gitane Tandem, Yuba Mundo, Surly LHT based 3-speed citybike
I'm building up a Bridgestone MB-4 for a Pan-Asian Silk Road tour. I just found a massive lugged crown touring fork with mid-fork eyelets, and my next step is to figure out handlebar setup. Drop bar? Trekking bar? Mountain drop (midge/dirtdrop)? H-bar? and then figure out if I want to go for a carrier rack or lowriders and a handlebar bag mounted on a second stem+chopped bar decaleur.
#72
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
From: Christchurch, New Zealand
Bikes: Fuji Sunfire 1995, modified for touring
Hi.
I've just finished my Winter build. I believe this is a 1997 Fuji Sunfire.
Before:

After:

I've gone with a 24 speed setup, because I wanted the stronger chain. I painted it the olive colour suggested by Boondock. I'm extremely happy with it so far. Shakedown tour next weekend.
I've just finished my Winter build. I believe this is a 1997 Fuji Sunfire.
Before:

After:

I've gone with a 24 speed setup, because I wanted the stronger chain. I painted it the olive colour suggested by Boondock. I'm extremely happy with it so far. Shakedown tour next weekend.
Last edited by ScruffyChimp; 03-22-09 at 03:20 PM.
#74
weirdo
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,962
Likes: 5
From: Reno, NV
Dang it! I`ve been working on one for a while now too, and I wanted to wait until I had some pics from its first tour before posting here for show and tell, but I`m antsy. May as well put it up now.
Early 90s (I think) Schwinn Impact that I inherited after my uncle passed away. I kept the derailers, brake calipers, seatpost and BB. All the rest is boxed up in case, for whatever reason, I ever decide to restore it to how my uncle had it. The stuff I put on it is a combination of parts I bought new for the project and parts I had hanging around. I fabricated the rack, the adjustable stem, and some miscelaneous hardware myself. I want to build a nice set of touring racks for it, but that`s going to take time. So I can try it out on a few tours this summer, I ordered a generic rear rack that should be here any day now. Most of its use will probably be 20 to 50 mile day rides with four or five weekend tours per year and maybe a week long tour one of these summers.
Here are some pics of the progress. I have a full writeup on rbr:
https://forums.roadbikereview.com/sho...d.php?t=165377
Early 90s (I think) Schwinn Impact that I inherited after my uncle passed away. I kept the derailers, brake calipers, seatpost and BB. All the rest is boxed up in case, for whatever reason, I ever decide to restore it to how my uncle had it. The stuff I put on it is a combination of parts I bought new for the project and parts I had hanging around. I fabricated the rack, the adjustable stem, and some miscelaneous hardware myself. I want to build a nice set of touring racks for it, but that`s going to take time. So I can try it out on a few tours this summer, I ordered a generic rear rack that should be here any day now. Most of its use will probably be 20 to 50 mile day rides with four or five weekend tours per year and maybe a week long tour one of these summers.
Here are some pics of the progress. I have a full writeup on rbr:
https://forums.roadbikereview.com/sho...d.php?t=165377
Last edited by rodar y rodar; 03-22-09 at 05:43 PM.








