Sd12345

So I have a couple bikes that both need some maintenance and new parts but I’m not entirely sure which one if at all I should work on first.

Bike 1: 2009 Motobecane Vent Noir. I needed a new road bike and was able to pick it up used for $185. Overall it’s an okay bike. It has the traditional road bike geometry which makes it a little too long (it’s also def due to my lack of flexibility and core). The carbon fiber fork broke a year ago and I had an extra steel fork laying around that I put on it. It def doesn’t ride the same anymore.

I have found an exact replacement carbon fork online for $60 that I’m tempted to get. It also just needs a basic tuneup and a front tire.

Bike 2: 2011 Trek fix 7.4. I bought this bike for $150 mostly to be able to take my kid riding on the back. I actually really enjoy riding this bike but it needs more parts.

Needs: new chain, front derailleur and shifter, new tubes, possibly new tires, new bottom bracket. The original chain snapped last year which broke the front derailleur. The bottom bracket is just worn out.

It’s currently running a 1x9 on it which is fine for cruising, but if I wanted to adapt it for longer rides I would want more than that.

My issue is that I’m not sure the road bike is work putting any money into as I know I can find a good used roadie for $400-1000 if I’m patient.

The other option someone has brought up is taking parts from the road bike and putting them onto the trek I would have to buy cantilever brakes for this.

The wife will not allow me a new bike so I’m trying to make due with what I have. In my ideal world my trek would have drop bars to be an all a rounder but it is v brakes but parts aren’t worth buying I don’t think.

What would you do ?

BoraxKid

If you're looking to do primarily road riding, then focus on the road bike you have. It seems like it has fewer issues, according to your description. Maybe look for a new stem to help your fit issues, and/or start doing some flexibility and core strengthening exercises. Here's a tool you can use to see what size stem you might want to buy:

Stem Comparison Tool | yojimg.net

You'll need to do some simple math to figure out how much you want to shorten the reach of the bike, and then decide if you need the handlebars to move up, too. You can then use the angle and extension numbers when you shop for a new stem and get the exact part you need.

OTOH, if you want to primarily ride on mixed terrain (pavement and maybe gravel), the hybrid might be better to focus on, because it probably has better clearance for wider tires. If you want to put drop bars on your hybrid, you'll probably need new brifters and maybe an adapter to get the correct cable pull for your derailleur (it depends on the derailleur you have and the brifters you want to use). I'm not sure why you think you'll need cantilever brakes, since plenty of people run V-brakes and drop bars (or at least they used to before discs took over).

To me, changing handlebars, brifters, and all the other stuff you mentioned about the hybrid sounds like a lot more work than a basic tune-up + new fork. You're basically describing the difference between a couple hours work for the road bike versus probably a weekend of futzing to convert your hybrid into something it wasn't designed to be. That said, if you think the road bike is not worth working on, then maybe you should try another option: tune it up, flip it, and buy that $400-1000 road bike that you think is out there.

Phil_gretz

Let me get this straight: (1) you broke a carbon fork on the road bike, (2) you snapped a chain on the hybrid, and (3) your wife limits your cost-effective choices to roughly $1000. Okay. We're starting from there then.

Only you know what type of riding interests you most. The Vent Noir is well enough equipped, and that Tiagra 9-speed stuff worked quite well and will be durable.. What was the failure mode of the fork? So, you have to identify a replacement fork that is a correct fit in all dimensions (not too tough); remove and transfer over the crown race, re-build the headset and fork, measure steerer tube length, remove the fork again, cut steerer to length, then install a star nut and re-assemble. Tools: 1 3/4" pipe cutter, metric measuring tape, wood block, flat head screwdriver and hammer, length of PVC pipe for reseating crown race, metric hex wrenches, star nut tool or make your own with a metric bolt, two washers and a long socket, tire levers, pump. Can you do that? Buy a decent tire and you're on your way. No question that I'd do this regardless of the choice before me. Get the bike up and running.

The hybrid needs more touch labor. Do you have the tool for the bottom bracket? Can you cut and replace cables and housings? Chain breaker tool? Not difficult, but likely more expensive.

How do you prefer to ride? For me, hybrids are uninspiring and wearisome. Road bikes are more fun. But that's me.

Sd12345

So I pretty much have all the tools needed to build a bike. When I replaced the fork on the Moto I basically it stripped it down to rebuild and refresh it.

I love road riding however I guess I’m just not totally in love with this bike anymore. I also love gravel and mountain bike riding too ha. If I could just have 3 bikes that would work.

I am currently leaning on possibly selling the road bike or stripping all of the drive train related parts and putting drops on the trek which I know does actually fit me (tested it once for giggles). If I did this I’d probably buy some sort of mountain bike maybe? This obviously is a lot of labor though and I’d have to buy canti brakes.

I basically feel plagued with indecision.

Nyah

The road bicycle sounds better to have, to me. As for putting drop-bars on the hybrid, you don't need brifters. Brake levers such as DiaCompe 287v, Tektro RL520 and Cane Creek Drop-V allow drop-bars to work w/V-brakes. Bar-end shift levers then handle the gearing. Microshift makes good ones. Also Gevenalle offers a solution, if you must have the shift levers attached to the brake levers.

dedhed

https://problemsolversbike.com/produ..._agents_-_6416

Nyah

Oh, I just saw where you posted that you're confident in the fit after installing drop-bars on the hybrid. In that case, I would still fix up the road bicycle but, also drop-i-fy the hybrid with those solutions that I mentioned in my previous post. A good road bicycle for outright speed and a fun, useful sport-utility bicycle for everything else.

icemilkcoffee 

This is your real problem. I suggest you fix those two bikes post haste and sell them on Craigslist. I guarantee you you will sell them for quite a bit more than what you paid for (you got good deals on both of them). And then you can go about buying something that you really like and fits you well.