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Cruiser for trails?

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Cruiser for trails?

Old 07-12-21, 02:35 PM
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Donuts
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Cruiser for trails?

Hi Everybody,
If this has been discussed somewhere else I apologize, I'm new here. I'm possibly in the market for a new bike and have a dilemma. At the moment I have a steel cruiser and I absolutely love the upright seating position - straight back, head up, open to the world awesomeness. But I live where there are some dirt/gravel/woodsy trails/paths and I'd like to get out on them. I love riding around the neighborhood, but I want to do both.
I'm considering a mountain bike so that I can go just about wherever without having to worry about whether the bike can take it (with the tires on my cruiser, it absolutely can't do anything but sidewalks around the neighborhood). Buttt I don't want to lose that awesome upright posture. I've seen lots of mods where people took their old mountain bike, swapped the handlebars and bam! Cruiserish sitting style.
Has anyone ever done the opposite? Taken a (steel) cruiser and swapped out the slick tires for more knobby trail tires, and hit the offroad paths? Is it possible, or insane?
Basically, would it be more prudent to buy a mountain bike and alter it with swept back handlebars for the comfier posture, OR keep my cruiser and ruggedize it with slightly more dirt-friendly tires and attempt offroading? (I sadly can't have 2 bikes b/c of a space issue)
Any advice/opinions/thoughts appreciated!!
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Old 07-12-21, 04:37 PM
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Yes. You can put knobby tires on beach cruisers. I would not mess with it if the bottom bracket is way in front of the seat post, but that’s me.

Maybe even gear it shorter and put on more aggressive pedals.
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Old 07-12-21, 07:53 PM
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A old style steel cruiser frame would work for a trails bike , but any of the newer bikes with pedal forward geometry would be tougher to stand and pedal .
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Old 07-13-21, 04:58 AM
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I have an older steel electra cruiser, 7 speed IGH, used mainly on trails in the winter. 2.5 tires fit easily and frame design allows for the different body positions needed for uphill, downhill and off camber riding.
I rarely exceed 15 mph, but if your going to be fast, you may want at least front suspension.

Last edited by hevysrf; 07-13-21 at 09:21 AM.
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Old 07-13-21, 07:57 AM
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Woohoo!

This is all great feedback, thanks guys!!
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Old 07-13-21, 07:57 AM
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About 4 years ago I purchased a Nirve Beach Cruiser 7 and made it more off road capable. Knobby tires, MTB handlebars, MTB seat, better gearing for offroad with a 3 piece crankset conversion set and swapped the rims from an older MTB (cassette). More useful gearing on the rear sprocket, as the stock Shimano "MegaRange" freewheel has about a 10 tooth difference on the lowest gears which can get quite annoying offroad or on any hills for that matter.

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Old 07-13-21, 08:06 AM
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Ooh i love it! I've been looking at maxxis tires
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Old 07-13-21, 10:39 PM
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This thread encouraged me to look for fully rigid cheaper bikes.

Not as common as bikes with fake suspension front forks.

So a beach cruiser to klunker conversion might be your most cost effective low end mountain bike.

Not saying I’ve done all the research to hash this out. Just an idea.
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Old 07-14-21, 09:02 AM
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At the moment I'm leaning that way. Even if I bought a brand new mtn bike, I'd still have to make changes to it to get it the way I'd really like it to be. So maybe I'll just be that goofy, not-sure-what-she's-riding person works for me. Thanks!!
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Old 07-14-21, 10:15 AM
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I have new bikes , but prefer to ride my old bikes I’ve built the way I want them . I especially like mountain bikes and hybrids made in the early 90’s .





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Old 07-15-21, 08:40 AM
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Nice! I've seen a TON of 90s bikes with mods while I've been looking around, it's awesome how many have been revived. What handlebars did you put on your Specialized?
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Old 07-15-21, 03:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Donuts
Nice! I've seen a TON of 90s bikes with mods while I've been looking around, it's awesome how many have been revived. What handlebars did you put on your Specialized?
They are mustache bars I bought off Amazon.

Last edited by OldCruiser; 07-18-21 at 05:19 AM.
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Old 07-17-21, 11:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Donuts
Has anyone ever ... Taken a (steel) cruiser and swapped out the slick tires for more knobby trail tires, and hit the offroad paths??
That's exactly how Gary Fisher, Tom Ritchey, Otis Guy, et al invented the mountain bike.

Keep in mind that beach cruisers tend to have hi-tensile steel frames and forks, so there's a limit to the abuse they'll take. A chromoly BMX cruiser, on the other hand, is intended for much more punishment, and companies like Transition and We The People are offering offroad klunker-style bikes that retain the look of a three-bar cruiser while offering a more robust build -- with and without a coaster brake.

Video here

Last edited by Rolla; 07-17-21 at 11:11 PM.
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Old 07-18-21, 07:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Rolla
That's exactly how Gary Fisher, Tom Ritchey, Otis Guy, et al invented the mountain bike.

Keep in mind that beach cruisers tend to have hi-tensile steel frames and forks, so there's a limit to the abuse they'll take. A chromoly BMX cruiser, on the other hand, is intended for much more punishment, and companies like Transition and We The People are offering offroad klunker-style bikes that retain the look of a three-bar cruiser while offering a more robust build -- with and without a coaster brake.

Video here
Fun video.
The video also reveals the downside of coaster brakes.
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Old 07-18-21, 07:47 PM
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Old 07-18-21, 08:13 PM
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These are great videos! I would be wayyy too terrified to ride down a mountain with just a coaster brake 😂
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