dcbrewer

So, I have an old (early 90's) Specialized Epic Pro Carbon road bike hanging in my garage with everything but the wheels and i am wondering what I should do with it. I used this bike for about 5 months when I first started bike commuting and it is okay, but has never been a bike I really liked. Initially, the stem was a bit too long, so I got a new, shorter stem, and that helped a bit. It still has the original aluminum fork, so I know that is one thing I need to change to either a cheap CF or chro-moly fork. The frame is really designed with racing in mind (aggressive head tube angle, no clearance for wider tires, no braze-ons at all for fenders/racks, etc), which makes me wonder if it is worth trying to use as a commuter or not. I considered converting it over to a 650 size wheel, which would probably allow me to mount up to 35mm, (or at least 32mm) tires and likely some permanent fenders, but I am not sure if it would be worth it, since I would have to buy the wheels, tires and new brakes for the conversion. I already have a nice lugged steel road bike that I ride most days, so even if it turns out pretty well, I think it will likely just end up being a slightly lighter, but less comfortable ride than my regular commuter. I figure that my other options are to get some new 700c wheels and new fork and set it up as a fair weather commuter (I already have an Axiom rack that mounts to the QR quill) or strip the parts and sell the frame. Anybody have any other ideas?

anaheim flash

uh.....send it to me?

exile

No, send it to me.

Seriously if it is just sitting around you have two or three options I can think of. You can sell it if you have a good idea of how much you want for it. If all the parts are in pretty good condition you can part it out to other bikes. You can slowly start building it up to how you want it and in the process learn how to wrench (if you don't know how to).

buck65

That carbon bike is going to be a money pit if you try and turn it into a commuter. From the sound of it, you've already got an awesome bike that you commute on. Why not be content with only your current bike as a commuter?

fuzz2050

Use it for weekend rides. Or sell it and buy a new bike.

tjspiel

A couple of important questions jump to mind. Would a project like this be fun for you and do you mind spending a few hundred to get this bike going again?

The other important question is whether or not this bike could ever be one you enjoy riding.

It sounds like the original wheels are gone. Before getting new fork, I'd personally like to see what a widish (say 28mm) set of nice, high tpi tires would get me in terms of a comfortable ride. So I guess I'd get some nice tires, borrow the wheels from my other bike and take the carbon bike for a ride. Do you still have the original cassette? You'd probably need a spacer if your wheels are more modern, but otherwise I think it would work OK, unless the rear spacing is different.

If the ride still isn't what you'd like then it opens up a small can of worms because a new carbon fork is going to be threadless and I'm assuming your current fork isn't. You could go the chromo fork route but that just seems wrong on a carbon frame.

BTW Performance is having a sale on a couple of wheelsets. Askiums are $179 for silver. Forte Titans are $139.

It wouldn't be hard to spend $350 or more on this bike between the wheelset, fork, nice tires, and misc parts so that's something to consider.

This would make one light fixie if you've ever been tempted to give that a try.

dcbrewer

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I did think about trying to turn it into a SS/FG, but the frame has vertical dropouts, so that adds a bit of complication to the conversion. It might be worth considering, though, since it would give me a different sort of bike than the others I already have (Lugged steel road bike, Dahon folding bike, and Breezer Uptown 8 city bike).

clasher

I'd go the SS/FG route for it... vertical dropouts be damned You can get pretty close using magic ratio (google for a calculator) and a half-link. A chain tensioner isn't really that bad either.

If you don't dig it as a SS/FG you can sell it as a whole bike and get more cash for it if you live in an area with lots of hip kids that would pay for a fixie that is a bit unique. If you go that route you can also sell the shifters/brakes/etc. and get some coin for that to boot.

shabbasuraj

Sell it and buy a Ti frame for a DEDICATED commuter project.

nashcommguy

+1 I've got an old Fuji steelframe w/vertical dropouts as an ss and it's fine. Didn't bother w/t Harris Cyclery recommended inserts. Just tightened the nut/lock washer combo to specs and they've held up fine. CF may be a different story, though.

Tapeworm21

Hang it on the wall. If it's the carbon lugged frame, Specialized apologized for making that bike.

Schnayke

I would just ride it like any other bike. If it fell apart then I would remove all the parts and throw away the scrap.

bokes

For me, any bike that is not loved, gets sold.

X-LinkedRider

I love all my bikes, or they all serve a purpose that is just theirs. If I don't ride it simply because I have a better bike then I usually give it away to somebody I know who has been eying it up. (There is always someone)

mustang1

yeah that's the key Q here. You could add parts to it, take parts off, do stuff to it, spend money on it and it still might not be the bike you feel comfortable with. IF it was me, I'd sell it, or sel the parts separately if that gets you more money.