Is my LBS telling the truth!
 

Hello everyone,Well I just recently got back into biking never did know much about the mechanics but I'm willing to learn.Recently I stopped by one of my LBS and asked the salesman if it would be possible to add disc brakes to my bike in which he asked to see my bike which is a mongoose alta sx 7 MTB I purchased back in I say 1997-1999 he proceeded to tell me that it was not worth it and can not be done due to the fact that it lacked a certain bracket of some sort in the rear part of the frame that newer bikes now have so it is why I ask the members here for some truth can anyone let me know if this is so thx in advance.;)

P.S. Also would I be able to put better forks and or bigger tires?

You would have to have the caliper mounting tabs welded on followed by repaintinf the frame and fork and new wheels. That assumes the stays are rigid enough to take the loads. Your fork probably isn't rigid enough to take the different brake loads even if you were willing to pay for the mounting tab addition and repaint.

Your LBS was right. The cost would be prohibitive even in the unlikely event the frame and fork were structurally up to it.

Your LBS was right on.

Yeah, I came to the same conclusion about my mid 80's mountainbike/commuter - horizontal dropouts with cantilever brakes.
Would have needed vertical dropouts and brazed on tabs installed in the rear + likely a new fork with "lawyer lips" and tabs, plus new wheels and new brakes.

Your LBS is lying, because they all do.:rolleyes:

If anything, he would've lied to MAKE the sale, not kill the sale. He could've sold you a lot of stuff.

Your LBS is correct. But if you have cantilever brakes and you want to improve your braking, try converting to V-brakes, preferably Shimano XT brakes. You will have to change the levers to go to V-brakes.
Another option is hydraulic brakes. My point is, you can improve the braking of that bike without going to discs.

Ditto!

... Brad

Or switch to the BR-550. Minimum fuss and just as good as V-brakes.

Hey thank you all for your input;)

Actually, cantis can be as good as V-brakes. At least, comparable or very close, as long as you chose good brakepads.

You could swap out the front fork for one with disk brake caliper mounts and get a new front wheel with a disk compatible hub and install a disk brake on the front. That would give you 90% of the benefit, though it wouldn't be cheap.

Yes that's what I thought I don't see why I would not be able to atleast change the front end of the bike but when you say it won't be cheap I guess I might as well save up for one of the newer baby's I've been looking at eh. thx

You would be better off with a new bike. By the time you pour all the money into the one you have, you could have a new one.

Financially, it would make sense to buy a new bike. Just recently, I was in my lbs when someone was thinking about buying a bike. He couldn't decide between a disk brake and v-brakes. The lbs told him the v-brake bike was good enough for his needs. The guy then said, "Good, I could always add disk brakes later". The lbs said no, if you really want disk brakes, then buy them now. The price would be too great to add on later.

So, the lbs was telling the guy to buy the cheaper bike, because it fulfilled his needs, but not to think that he can add disk brakes later. They were not trying to upsell, they were telling the truth.