Commuter setup

Does anyone have an idea about how difficult it would be to have an aluminum road frame altered for
cantalever brakes? I have set up my old road bike with a moutain stem, bar shifters and brake
handles. I put some campus pedals on it and a rear fender. The trouble is is that it has ultegra on
it and the brakes do not offer enough clearance to get the cross tires that I will want to put on it
next winter. Right now I am running 28's on it; which is fine for the summer. I can switch the front
fork for a cross fork to get clearance up front, but the rear cross member that supports the brake
is too low relative to the drop out for larger tire clearance and there are no cantalever brake
braze ons. I have seen this changed on steel road bikes at local frame builders for cross or
commuter conversions, but I have not seen anyone do it with aluminum. I am guessing this is because
of the additional cost and potential problems of having aluminum rewelded. But I am only guessing.
Does anyone know if what I would like to do is possible? Is the rear triangle going to be strong
enough (it is a specialized M2 from the mid 90's) for cantalevers if I can get it done? And, does
anyone have any idea what it might cost?

Thanks, Matt

 

In article <Kpeua.9715$%[email protected]>, Matthew Reed
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Does anyone have an idea about how difficult it would be to have an aluminum road frame altered for
>cantalever brakes?

Hard enough that it's not worth it.

> I have seen this changed on steel road bikes at local frame builders for cross or commuter
> conversions, but I have not seen anyone do it with aluminum. I am guessing this is because of the
> additional cost and potential problems of having aluminum rewelded.

Heat treating the frame again is the step that will create the most logistical trouble for this
repair. Assuming the stays are stout enough to handle the significant stress of cantilever braking.

--Paul

 

>And, does anyone have any idea what it might cost?
>
>Thanks, Matt

This is a tough way to go and you are only doing it to use an old frame. I think that by the time
you finished you could have purchased the right frame to begin with.

Jon Isaacs

 

Why don't you just put your cross fork on it and run something like a 32 or a 35 up front with
cantis and keep the rear as is with a 28 and the caliper? You could ride some pretty rough terrain
with that setup.

"Matthew Reed" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:Kpeua.9715$%[email protected]...
> Does anyone have an idea about how difficult it would be to have an
aluminum
> road frame altered for cantalever brakes? I have set up my old road bike with a moutain stem, bar
> shifters and brake handles. I put some campus pedals on it and a rear fender. The trouble is is
> that it has ultegra on
it
> and the brakes do not offer enough clearance to get the cross tires that
I
> will want to put on it next winter. Right now I am running 28's on it; which is fine for the
> summer. I can switch the front fork for a cross
fork
> to get clearance up front, but the rear cross member that supports the
brake
> is too low relative to the drop out for larger tire clearance and there
are
> no cantalever brake braze ons. I have seen this changed on steel road
bikes
> at local frame builders for cross or commuter conversions, but I have not seen anyone do it with
> aluminum. I am guessing this is because of the additional cost and potential problems of having
> aluminum rewelded. But I
am
> only guessing. Does anyone know if what I would like to do is possible?
Is
> the rear triangle going to be strong enough (it is a specialized M2 from
the
> mid 90's) for cantalevers if I can get it done? And, does anyone have any idea what it might cost?
>
> Thanks, Matt

 

I may do that, or just stick with the 28's. This project is as much about having fun messing with my
old bike as anything else. I have made it a pretty light commuter at this point and I have only
spent about $100 getting the parts together. It would be nice to put 35's in front and in back, but
I will lose no sleep if I end up keeping it as it sits. Thanks to you and everyone else who has
chimed in form the advice.

Matt "one of the six billion" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Why don't you just put your cross fork on it and run something like a 32
or
> a 35 up front with cantis and keep the rear as is with a 28 and the caliper? You could ride some
> pretty rough terrain with that setup.
>
>
> "Matthew Reed" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:Kpeua.9715$%[email protected]...
> > Does anyone have an idea about how difficult it would be to have an
> aluminum
> > road frame altered for cantalever brakes? I have set up my old road
bike
> > with a moutain stem, bar shifters and brake handles. I put some campus pedals on it and a rear
> > fender. The trouble is is that it has ultegra
on
> it
> > and the brakes do not offer enough clearance to get the cross tires that
> I
> > will want to put on it next winter. Right now I am running 28's on it; which is fine for the
> > summer. I can switch the front fork for a cross
> fork
> > to get clearance up front, but the rear cross member that supports the
> brake
> > is too low relative to the drop out for larger tire clearance and there
> are
> > no cantalever brake braze ons. I have seen this changed on steel road
> bikes
> > at local frame builders for cross or commuter conversions, but I have
not
> > seen anyone do it with aluminum. I am guessing this is because of the additional cost and
> > potential problems of having aluminum rewelded. But
I
> am
> > only guessing. Does anyone know if what I would like to do is possible?
> Is
> > the rear triangle going to be strong enough (it is a specialized M2 from
> the
> > mid 90's) for cantalevers if I can get it done? And, does anyone have
any
> > idea what it might cost?
> >
> > Thanks, Matt
> >
>