Originally Posted by
clarkbre
Well...I am one week ahead of you and in exactly the same boat...almost. Here's my $.02:
1. Stiffening the front end...requires changing the fork to a rigid fork for probably $75
2. Putting 700C's on will most likely misalign your brakes...sure it's possible but very costly. Even a new set of tubes and tires for your 26" rims will be about $80.
3. I've looked into putting a bigger crankset up front on my bike. I currently have a 42/34/24 and would like a 48/38/28. The LBS quoted me at a minimum $150 for this.
So, for me, I did change the tires but that still leaves the fork and gearing for an MTB. I'm starting to get some good use out of my MTB...I've put 40 miles on it this week. That's 40 more than I have ridden in the last 10 years.
Instead of pouring money into a bike that won't be exactly what I need, I'm taking the other $150 and $75 and putting it away for a new hybrid. I figure with about a $600-$700 budget, I'm 1/3 there with the money!
I also considered swapping out the front chain rings shortly after getting my bike. I was also quoted about the same price. I couldn't justify the expense, so I passed. I wanted to go faster, but resigned myself to plod along. Then I discovered online gear calculators like Sheldon has- swapping out the cranks would've been a waste of money. Seems that my bike and the way it is configured can potentially hit speeds of over 33 mph... if I could sustain like 120 rpms. Ain't happening.