Hybrid to Gravel bike conversion
 

I have a Diamond Back Insight II. I don't know what to do with it. I am thinking about converting it to a gravel bike. Maybe going with a 1x9 or 10 configuration, and swapping out the touring bars for drop bars. It has mechanical disc brakes, and 36 spoke wheels that are fitted with 38c tires.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...35d3dee29d.jpg

Did you have a question?

maybe try the Gravel forum?

Realize your reach will be further out on the drop bars. So you might need a shorter stem. Hybrids also tend to be heavy.

If that bike was made as a hybrid originally, then the geometry might have too long a top tube on it and you may not be able to get your ideal reach on the drop bars.

I'd just give it to someone you dislike and buy a proper gravel bike in the style you desire.

You could ride gravel on your flat bar bike with the gearing you have. The triple should give you plenty of range. If you want to ride gravel.... And here are your gravel friends https://www.bikeforums.net/cyclocros...-recreational/ Maybe a mod will move this for you:lol:

I doubt that I would get enough to afford a decent gravel bike if I sold it.

I didn't say sell it. I said to give it to someone you dislike.

You can spend money on drop bars and shifters to put on it. But if that bike doesn't currently ride gravel the way you want it to ride gravel, then bars and shifters won't help it.

Congratulations, you already own a gravel bike. Drop bars and 1x gearing doesn't make it any more or less capable for gravel. A gravel bike should have: 1. clearance for wide enough tires to suit your terrain. 2. Gearing to meet your terrain. That's it.

Changing to drops has nothing to do with it. That should be a user preference decision. This will require new bars, tape, maybe a stem, brake levers, cables. Your flat bar shifters and brakes will not fit drop bars. Kind of a big switch to fit a "look" unless that's what you want.

1x gearing: Put it in the middle chain ring, pull off the front derailer, add a wider range rear cassette. Done. Or, buy a whole new 1x drive train if it's worth it. Ask yourself what you will gain besides "looks".

This is my gravel bike. Basically a 700c road bike with a second 650b wheelset, 38mm tires and wider range cassette. The 2x gearing is stock.

http://i.imgur.com/rej1xi7l.jpg

Hybrid is by definition a gravel bike... At least to my understanding. Not quite a road bike, not quite a mountain bike. Something you can comfortably ride on the road and take it off road, but not optimized for either.

But snarkiness aside, I think I know what you're getting at. You want something more like a road bike that can ride off road, yeah? That's an awesome project and you could have a lot of fun doing it probably.

Since this didn't really seem like a request for opinions or advice, and more you just sharing a cool project, I'll withhold my opinions and advice and your obviously misguided quest to build a redundant bike ;)

I too vote for leaving it alone. It is already closer to being a gravel bike than the average 25c-tire road bike is.

Triple cranksets work fine on gravel. Just wrap the drive-side chain stay with a strip of old inner tube and get some gravel tires. Get the fattest tires that will fit.