Dr_hush1417 said:
I've read all over the internet about turning a mountain bike into a roadie, and I've gathered that it's just not going to give you the performance that a roadie does... But what if I was trying to turn it into more like a hybrid/commuter?
Here's the whole story. My Dad just recently got invited to ride with a small team of mostly 50+ year olds just for exercise, slower stuff. Well he's on a mountain bike that didn't really fit into the group. I wonder about the possibility of turning his bike into something that he can still get around on the local gravel dirt streets, but also will perform better, and look better on the road.
He doesn't want an aggressive position, too much strain on the back. And also no gearing changes would be wanted.
I've done a bit of measuring and found out that I could indeed put some larger diameter rims and thinner tires on his bike... Though the one thing that is stumping me is braking systems. I know that if I use a larger rim, the v-brakes on his bike won't be able to contact.
Simple question: Are hybrid frames just made with the v-brake mounts higher on the frame for the bigger rims?
I agree with the limited consensus (so far) which suggests "road" slicks for the type of riding your father is engaging in ...
If your father's MTB frame has a suspension front fork, then I agree that a solid fork would probably be a better option ...
You are correct in noting that you can fit a larger wheel & tire in the MTB frame ...
You are also correct in observing that a Hybrid FRAME is similar to a MTB Hardtail frame, but you should also note that the BB "drop" on a Hybrid is greater (say, 60mm) than on a MTB Hardtail (closer to zero) because of the 700c wheels/tires on most Hybrids.
A few years ago, I performed an
extreme makeover on an "extra" Hardtail frame that I had (see attachement) -- the fork is a ROAD fork & the wheels are 700c. Except for the top pull front derailleur, all the other components are road components.
The rear seat stay bridge was 'close' enough that I was able to use the a Tektro "long reach" brake caliper -- I had to enlarge the forward side of the hole in the bridge to allow it to accept the brake's recessed nut. There are brake calipers which have a LONGER reach than the particular brakes I used & you need to measure the actual distance for the particular frame & wheel combination.
Because I used a road fork, I used a road brake caliper on the front, too -- the reach on the particular Tektro caliper was suitable for the front fork, too, so I didn't have to mix-and-match calipers.
Installing a road fork changed the frame's geometry -- the BB drop (without actually measuring it) is now probably about 40mm & the head tube angle is now probably about 73º/("standard" road geometry). The combined changes to the geometry were "
a good thing" for the intended riding (i.e., on the road ... mountain roads).
N.B. Because the particular Hardtail frame is alloy, I had to lace the 700c rim on a
135mm rear hub ... another Hardtail frame which I am in the process of converting is steel, and I respaced the frame to 130mm so I can use any of my regular road/(
130mm) wheels in it.
The spacing on Shimano hubs can be changed by simply replacing the axle & adding/removing spacers.
AFAIK, most Hybrid rear wheels have 135mm spacing.
Please note, IMO, a person should NOT choose a Hybrid with a suspension fork because the larger tires should provide the necessary cushioning which most people may want to have ...
If a person wants a front suspension fork for 700c wheels, then s/he should buy a 29er (at least, a 29er fork).
IMO, a reputable bike shop would not sell a Hybrid which has a suspension fork because it is an unnecessary added cost + unnecessary additional weight AND probably the reason that
akdadat finds his Hybrid to be no faster than his Hardtail(s) -- the exception would be "chain" bike shops (e.g., Performance) which may have to stock "stuff" that some corporate bean counter selects for the shops.
That's 'my' opinion regarding suspension forks on Hybrids ... for whatever it may be worth.
BTW. Even though you indicated that you don't want to change the gearing, an unplanned future change may be to replace the MTB crankset with a ROAD crankset because your father will probably find that he can pedal much more aggressively after you change the tires & the gearing may eventually be too low to suit the riding conditions.
A 48t chainring is the largest commonly available (i.e., you can translate that as "affordable") chainring size for a 104BCD 4-arm crankset. That may be a large enough (future) change.
So, when that day comes, you need to know that a ROAD "double" will often NOT fit unless you choose a BB spindle intended for a "triple" because the crank arms & chainrings need the additional width to clear the chainstays. You cannot, therefore, install a Shimano Hollowtech II or FSA MegaExo or Campagnolo Ultra Torque "double" (especially, "compact") crankset on a MTB frame.