buffaloborn85

Hey Guys,

Has anyone on here ever converted an old road bike into a functioning cross bike? I have an old 79-81?Raleigh Super Record that I'm putting some new alloy wheels, mustache bars, and Club Roost 27 in Cross Terra tires on. I'm keeping the stock Weinman Center pull brakes, due to the bike not having traditional canti posts, and putting on some Salmon Kool Stop pads. I am not yet sure what I want to do with regards to shifters, but I do know that I HAVE to get rid of the stem shifting system it currently has.

Has anyone ever had any experience with doing this? I'm not looking to compete or anything, and am more interested in having this as my beater/bad weather bike. If you have converted an old bike or have seen any old bike conversions, please post pictures so I can have some inspiration.

Thanks!

Charlie

old and new

Only thing I have to say is .. reconsider the Must. bar, you'll lose more hand possitions than you'll gain.

caloso

It seems to me that if you're going to get a new wheelset anyway, get 700c wheels rather than 27inchers. You'll gain room to fit fatter, knobbier tires if you choose, and you'll have more tires to choose from. The one possibly troublesome issue is whether your old centerpulls have enough adjustment to scoot the brake pads down.

justinb

This^^

Also, I concur that the mustaches are a reasonable choice for general riding, but haven't yet found a situation where I'd prefer them over drops, least of all actual cross racing.

Bar-ends are your shifter of choice regardless of the bar you choose.

bluenote157

I sort of did what you are looking to do. I've taken a univega nuovo sport with 27inch wheels and put on some 700c. Gives me enough clearance to run 700x30 ritchey speedmax with full fenders. I too used a centerpull brake and moustache bars. I'm in the process of putting on a derailleur and a bar end. This is a pic when it had big ugly bars and slicks.

buffaloborn85

I would have sprung for the 700c's but ran into a brand new pair of 27's for cheap, as well as a decent deal on those cross terra tires.

Cynikal 

I currently use a Bridgestone 400 as a SS CX bike. Originally build for 27's there is tons of room for 700's with cx tires. The brakes are centerpulls.

plodderslusk

Old Weinmann centerpulls with modern aero levers and Koolstop Mountain pads (for V-brakes) works surprisingly well. Had that combo on a 73 roadframe set up as a winterfixie with studded tires.

buffaloborn85

do you have any pics of the bridgestone?

Cynikal 

Not handy and it's too dark to take them now. If I can, I'll get some tomorrow.

buffaloborn85

anybody? anybody? bueller?

jtgotsjets

anybody what?

just do the conversion—we'll be a lot more interested when you have shiny new pictures to show us.

TimJ

If you want a powerful brake I'm gonna be selling an odyssey pitbull II on ebay pretty soon. This is an example: https://www.flickr.com/photos/25373440@N00/266957426/

I've been hanging on to it because I thought I'd end up doing something like what you're doing someday but I ended up with a cx bike so I don't have any need for it any more.