Drop bar mtb conversion opinions needed

[sparky33]

Recent chatter has me wondering, are drop bar mtb conversions worthwhile? Opinions please.

Most of my Highball 27.5 xc hardtail is getting cannibalized to build my wife a hardtail. The frame and some donor drop bar parts might add up to a cool monster gravel machine. Sample mock-up picture coming...

Pros:
Fits 27.5x2.35, ideal for rides featuring sandy gravel.
A bit small as a mtb makes the reach ideal with drop bars.
Fits narrow Q-factor mtb cranks.
Not much resale value on xc 27.5 frames.

Cons:
My Lauf True Grit and 29er hardtail have most of this space covered, functionally.
Trying not to have more bikes.
A many-years-ago dirt drop 26” rigid Salsa Ala Carte conversion was awkward.

[sparky33]

quick mock up

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191128/357bd22adfa6beb98e78ba658638df84.jpg

[Jaybee]

Just looking at the pic, it seems like maybe the reach is still out there for techy situations, but a shorther stem and a shorter reach drop bar would get you there. It looks like it would be a blast to ride.

[NHAero]

I love my Litespeed softtail 26er with Whisky #7 12 degree flare bars. And that's with a twenty year old SID fork. I run Conti 26x2.2 Speedking RaceSport tires, which roll fine on the road, but handle the sandy bits you find on trails all over Martha's Vineyard. You're welcome to take it for a spin when you're on the Island next.

[choke]

It looks to me like it needs a shorter, more upright stem and different bars. Typically you want the drops to be the primary position so they need to be higher than on a road bike.

[geeter]

Grab a VO Cigne Stem and go ride.

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

[sparky33]

There is an 80mm x-6 stem and a 80mm reach handlebar in that picture. Definitely thinking of a shorter stem and handlebar.

What about a fork?
This Fox 32 is going to the wife’s bike. What options are there?

[Hindmost]

Are the conversions worthwhile? Interesting question. They are certainly cool.

If you're going to do considerable amount of road and/or gravel at speed then maybe an aero position is worthwhile. Tire choice becomes a factor. If you're not into downhill rad then probably okay too.

I appreciate the various hand positions on a drop bar setup.

[parris]

I did this with my old non suspended Aquila. I was able to pretty much duplicate my road fit by using a very upright stem and short reach bars. It has 26 inch wheels and fairly typical early 90s geometry. I dont ride it a ton but it does work.

[fogrider]

That SC was meant for dirt...but if want to ride it on the road too, maybe a rigid fork is in order.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[p nut]

I’ve done two so far. In short, not worth it.

TT is too long for proper drop bars. If I shorten the stem, the handling becomes way too twitchy. Stack height becomes an issue as well—usually too high. If I size down, handling becomes even more twitchy.

Depends on your body proportions though. Doesn’t work for my body.

[spoonrobot]

I've done two so far as well and both have been a blast. If I had to only have one bike I'd have a drop-bar hardtail. It's just fun to ride on dirt/singltrack and pavement too.

I started with a 60mm stem and 46cm bars and it was OK but definitely giving something up on tech sections and high speed cornerning. Was good enough to do some of the big MTB events here in the SE - Southern Cross, Fools Gold, Big Frog 65, Cohutta Death March, etc. Bike was about 80% of my flatbar MTB.

The next season I went to 35mm stem and 52cm bars and it was night and day. Handling was a ton better and I was able to ride about 95% of the same as my MTB. I live next to about 12 miles of singletrack so I ride it a ton and have really had a chance to become accustomed to the position and tweak the fit. Don't be discouraged if you have to spend some time on getting comfortable.

This is a 26" breezer thunder comp. I rode it for about a year but never got quite settled. It was fine but not the best.
https://drandalls.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/img_0345.jpg?w=1200

I swapped the controls over to this charge hi29er and that did the trick. Conversion was a snap (9s shimano) and with the right stem and bars it rides great. Pic is w/60mm but I found I could go shorter to 35mm with wider bars.
https://drandalls.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/img_0013.jpg?w=1200

I almost didn't do the first conversion. Most opinions online were lukewarm or negative so I thought it would kinda suck. Man was I wrong, so glad I went ahead with it. It's such a blast to ride and race, I hardly ride my flatbar mtb now because riding with drops is so fun.

Go for it, you might really like it.

[HenryA]

Bar ends might be a better answer. Not as hip, but maybe better.

[pinkshogun]

my 1990 Trek 930 was cheap to build and works out nice for gravel and less than true mountain bike terrain

[choke]

Are the conversions worthwhile? Interesting question. They are certainly cool.Mine is certainly fun to ride. And the cool factor definitely figures in....

All Campy Euclid except for the levers/shifters that I swapped out.

http://scapin.ciocctoo.com/071515a.jpg

[geordanh]

Yes I think it’s awesome.

Did a bunch of old rigid stump jumper conversions ages ago. Had started pursuing a modern project around a Scott scale frame but now going custom for a monster cross/drop bar 29er but built around a 400mm long fork so no front sus option.

Some other cool conversions for inspiration:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191129/bc1fabbcbd0815ef463d775ebff2535d.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191129/238bf1db367cbd66d1d45ab41cce41dd.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kingpin75s]

Mine is certainly fun to ride. And the cool factor definitely figures in....

All Campy Euclid except for the levers/shifters that I swapped out.

http://scapin.ciocctoo.com/071515a.jpg

This is actually a proper dirt drop setup as opposed to just a drop bar mountain bike, which is mostly reflected here. Key difference being a true dirt drop setup has the height to have primary position in the drops.

Drop bar conversions can be great for gravel and light trail use. That seems to be what the OP is shooting for, so go for it. Sounds like a good setup for conversion based on reach considerations.

Does not seem to matter in this case but they do not do very well on technical mountain biking trails. Really tough on the wrists. A dirt drop setup with primary in the drops and a bar like the Salsa Woodchipper is the way to go for technical riding and is a joy for the wrists and generating leverage in a narrow cockpit.

[sparky33]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191129/238bf1db367cbd66d1d45ab41cce41dd.jpg



Is that an Open One+?
I looked at the Enve mtb fork. The a-c seems kind of short for a 29er at 470.... might work well for a 27.5. Thoughts on the Enve vs Whisky mtb fork?

[sparky33]

This is actually a proper dirt drop setup as opposed to just a drop bar mountain bike, which is mostly reflected here. Key difference being a true dirt drop setup has the height to have primary position in the drops.



Drop bar conversions can be great for gravel and light trail use. That seems to be what the OP is shooting for, so go for it. Sounds like a good setup for conversion based on reach considerations.



Does not seem to matter in this case but they do not do very well on technical mountain biking trails. Really tough on the wrists. A dirt drop setup with primary in the drops and a bar like the Salsa Woodchipper is the way to go for technical riding and is a joy for the wrists and generating leverage in a narrow cockpit.

Excellent distinction there^

Yeah my 27.5 Highball conversion is mainly motivated by bigger tire volume on loose sandy gravel and mellow trail, lots of pedaling....in contrast to the dirt drop technical trail riding. I don’t get along with Midge style dirt drops and would rather a flat handlebars than dirt drop for that sort of riding.

That said I would still slightly shorten reach and raise stack on a drop bar conversion relative to my normal gravel set up. Thinking wide cowchipper or similar gravel bar.

[sparky33]

Bar ends might be a better answer. Not as hip, but maybe better.


do they still make purple anodized bar ends?

[j102]

You have that space covered. Why not go singlespeed instead?

[Hilltopperny]

This looks like pretty fun idea. Interested to see it once you get the rigid fork and such set up.

I have a single speed DeSalvo 26er with 80mm-100mm travel fork and it is quite fun for the rail trail pulling the kiddo and some of the nearby seasonal/sandy roads with the set of rat trap pass tires on it. I am going to try out a shorter stem soon to see how it effects the handling. The reach is a bit long for me as it sits.

Drop bar mountain bikes can be quite a bit of fun as long as the expectation isn’t set too high. I would like to check out a purpose built drop bar mountain bike one of these days. Something like a Baxter may be my next bike purchase?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[p nut]

470mm is correct for 29er frames designed for 100mm suspension fork.

Niner Boost is one of the few (only?) option for longer fork at 483mm. But it’s boost 110.

[559Rando]

I have done drop bars on MTBs twice. First with a vintage 80s MTB and that was sketchy. A few years later, I did it on a Soma B Side with bar end shifters and 3x8 and it was sweet! I would ride you're proof of concept as is! [emoji13]

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

[weaponsgrade]

I experimented with a drop bar conversion on an old hard tail once. It didn't last long. Tomac didn't seem to have a problem, but I personally felt a big loss of control when threading through techy sections. It was a lot more difficult to pop or unweight the front wheel as compared to mtn bars. A proper dirt drop style stem that got the drops higher would probably have worked better. I think it just comes down to what kind of terrain you'll be riding. If the terrain is relatively smooth and not too twisty then I think the drop bar mtb would work great. Drops are great for hauling along big straight sections.

[NHAero]

I don't use my Litespeed as a MTB. Where I live, the optimum (or more fun) route to get somewhere is often a mix of pavement, dirt road, Class 6 road, and tame singletrack. The drop bar MTB with non-knobby 2+” tires is the best bike in my collection for this service. I ride it to work, to board meetings, to summer baseball games, to events at the local school, to the film center. If I am going on a recreational MTB ride, I take the FS 29er.

That said - I could see swapping the 26er for a 27.5 or 29er, even better on the off road stuff.

[Etienne]

1st gen Surly Karate Monkey ... my bike of choice for muddy winter rides, very stable on slippery trails, sturdy and reliable :cool:

https://i.servimg.com/u/f52/16/03/98/00/surly_10.jpg (https://servimg.com/view/16039800/2746)

[Hilltopperny]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191201/913de020962e9ec5acadadab1b45b0d9.jpg Took mine out today and it was a blast! As long as you set it up for the kind of riding you plan for it then it can be lots of fun.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Wayne77]

If having a drop bar for the sake of having a drop bar is the primary objective there’s nothing I can add beyond what’s been said already. On the other hand if you’re open to other bar set ups - Jones H-bar.