PhoenixBiker 

I have two nice road bikes, but would like to get a gravel grinder for use on some of the rail trails we have here in West Virginia. I have an 18-year-old frameset for a Trek 520 touring bike with linear-pull brakes, and was thinking about using that as a base to build up a 'grinder. The 520 frameset has a relaxed geometry, bosses for racks and clearance for larger tires. Is there any reason why it wouldn't work as a 'grinder? Thanks in advance for your advice.

katsup

The older touring bikes work fine as a grinder. My 520 is from 1990 and is set up to match my Vaya with Cowbell bars and Microshift STI shifters. It has commuting tires on right now as that is it's main job.

thehammerdog

Both are excellent but go with the larger tire clearance frame.

grubetown

shoota 

Glad I wasn't the only one confused.

Anyway, the 520 would make a great base for a gravel bike.

Jay.Money

mstateglfr 

my first gravel bike was based on an early 90s Univega hybrid frame. Plenty of room for wider tires and the geometry worked great.
my brother in law's gravel bike is based on a 25yo trek hybrid that has the same true temper tubing and geometry as the 520 from that year.

A 520 frame is an excellent starting point to build something fun for dirt and gravel riding.

PhoenixBiker 

Thanks for the affirmation! It's nice to know I'm on the right track.

thehammerdog

Here is my 2 year project turning a free craiglist bike 1994 Mongoose Rockadile into the Uber GRaveler.New paint, new bars, tires , BB, brakes over $300 into my free bike but I love it rides great.

Caliper

Especially if it was made for 27" tires (more tire clearance), an older road bike works great on gravel. One of my gravel rigs is an old Schwimm Passage I got off Craigslist. No complaints.

Facanh

In my experience buliding bikes is always more expensive.

I'd go for an MTB personally.

Keiffith

Brand new, yes.

But I got a >5 year old bike for $110 with a claris groupset.

If you dig around and your patient, you can certainly build a lot cheaper, just with used components

ksryder

Solid point. When you say "frameset" do you mean frame and fork or are there other parts? If you have most of the original Trek 520, then all you would need to is put on the widest tires that will fit in the frame.

mstateglfr 

in my experience, building a bike ranges from cheaper than new to more expensive, depending on how you buy/when you buy/where you buy.

My touring bike with an excellent frame from 1990 was built cheaper than new comparable options and with better quality components.

my gravel bike was built up for less than comparable options and with better components.
but it was also built up for more than comparable options.
it's both cheaper and more expensive, depending on what its compared to.

I've built road bikes up for way less than what its cost new, using a used frame.

and I just built a bike up from the tubes earlier this year. That was way more expensive than comparables- both production and handbuilt options.


there is hardly a standard.


as for the OP's bike, it could be set up as an excellent drop bar bike for $500-900 depending on drivetrain, wheels, etc.
almost for sure less than new options from standard retailers and almost for sure with similar/better spec.

Facanh

Should have been a bit more clear I guess.

IMO if you start with a used frame, and only use used parts it's still going to come out more expensive than just buying a similar complete used bike. And of course there is always the temptation to buy new stuff.

When talking about new, it's always more expensive. I'm not talking about buliding something half used half new that's "comparable" to a new bike, just as an example try to build up the exact same thing. Pick a bike that's available as a complete and just as a frameset, and from the frameset build the exact same bike as the complete bike using the best prices you can find online. It's going to be more expensive, no question. (Or just pick a complete groupset and add up the components separately, same thing.) Yeah, dumb example, but you get the same result if you build a custom bike from all new and up to date stuff.

Of course building is fun and I just did it with 100% brand new parts including a frameset, a complete financial disaster.

When the main objective is maximum bang for buck I still think a complete used bike wins.

PhoenixBiker 

Exactly what I had in mind. I have most of the components, minus the wheels. I'll need to find a solid 36H wheelset with an 8-speed cassette (I'm a 235-pound Clydesdale). I have the crankset, bars, bar-end shifters, brakes, etc. Heck, I even have fenders and panniers if I decide to go that way.

This is not going to be ridden on singletrack, so I really don't want/need an MTB. I'm under doctor's orders not to ride singletrack (spinal fusion, degenerative discs), so I plan to use this bike on hard-packed gravel roads and rail-trails, both of which we have in abundance here in West Virginia.

noglider 

You're on the right track. My main gravel bike is a 1971 Raleigh Super Course. Really, any old bike will do. I've even ridden on a racing bike with skinny tires. It's just not ideal. But it is possible.

ksryder

I have built several bikes and there has not be one single time where it wasn't about a billion times more costly than if I'd have just bought a complete bike.

I'm not saying it can't be done, it just won't be done by me because I lack patience, skill and efficiency.

I do it anyway because I enjoy it, and I don't expect that I will ever recoup a single red penny on any of my bikes. It's liberating, really.

This has nothing to do with the OP thought. Yes, a Trek 520 can be used on gravel. I have no idea how expensive it will be.

katsup

It is very possible to build a cheap gravel grinder with a used / older bike. When I picked up my 520, it was hybridized with a flat bar and V-Brakes for $135. It still had it's Deore DX components (minus the brakes). After selling off the parts and purchasing what I wanted, I have about $315 into the bike. There are a couple additional items I plan to purchase, but I won't have over $400 after everything. This was more of an experiment which is why I kept track of my expenses.

It is being used for commuting with 700x35 Vittoria Voyager Hyper tires at the moment.

noglider 

Building a bike from the ground up is not cheaper than buying a bike unless you have a significant amount of the bike already on hand. Then it could be the cheapest way.

ph0rk

This depends on rider skill and local conditions. I've seen lots of gravel outside the plains that has sections of rocky singletrack (and some in the plains, too). I'm sure someone could do it on 25mm tires, but someone could do it on a unicycle too. Doesn't make it a good choice.

noglider 

Right, some choices are dumb, for sure, but my point is that many choices are good enough. The new models are a whole lot better than the previous crop of road bikes, but plenty of old bikes fit the bill very well. I mentioned to a mechanic that I'm "converting" my old Raleigh into a gravel bike, and he said, "A 70's Super Course *is* a gravel bike," which is true enough, with its fairly slack angles and generous wheel clearance.

Facanh

Also, even if sometimes it's fun to underbike a bit (or a lot) it gets pretty boring if you do it over and over on long distance rides. Then it turns into torture.

ph0rk

Indeed. I've been glad of my > 2" tires often enough I wouldn't ever suggest someone start out on anything skinnier than 35mm - and I'd push them to 40 or 42mm first.

Tired bodies leads to resting weight on hands which leads to palsy. Not good.

chas58

Go for something wide if you can. 22mm Inner works well for many applications. 40mm tires are great if they fit.