CountryBiking

Hello. My wife has a road bike and a Raleigh mountain bike. She does not like riding the road bike because of the riding position (with drop bars) and the DT friction shifters. Her road bike is a '86 Novara Corsa ST that has a decent frame and components (not high end). I would like to put on straight or slight rise bars, index shifters on the bars, and a seven-speed freewheel. It has five gears now (13-28). I would also like to put on wider tires, it now has 27 X 1-1/8, I would like to put on some 27 X 1-1/2 inch tires if I can find them. Thoughts? Is this feasible? Pictures below:


Thank you!

clubman 

Find a Shimano 7 speed 700c wheelset (not Suntour) and research spreading the frame to accommodate the rear, it's not hard. Replace the band clamp shifters with a band cable stop. There's lots of inexpensive Shimano 7 speed thumbies out there. Find a short rise 1 inch quill riser stem and bars to fit. You may have to swap out the brakes (Tektro) for longer reach but your tire selection increases dramatically and you'll have room for fenders and racks if so desired. You probably can and should keep the gears and crank. It will make a great hybrid.

Cyclist0108

Before proceeding, you need to decide if doing this would be cost-effective, and to consider other, potentially less traumatic and costly options, including:

(a) Replacing your wife. Have you considered getting a newer model with more modern and up-to-date components? They can be more fun to ride, and less high-maintenance.

(b) Replacing your wife's bike. Have you considered getting a newer model with more modern and up-to-date components? They can be more fun to ride, and less high-maintenance.

CountryBiking

I appreciate the two options, (A) is definitely not an option, I have considered (B), and will keep it in mind.

ryansu

Before you replace the wheels and spend a bunch of money on new wheels tires brakes etc give a try to 27 x 1 3/8 tires which work out to be about 35c see here I also like north road bars, like wald the #8095 here of course you will need a new stem to get the bars up higher and closer.

And I have used the sunrace thumb shifters on a few builds like these
the beauty is your not out a pile of money and if she loves it you can always upgrade the bits and if she doesn't your not out much. Oh and perhaps some nice wide platforms like some MKS Sneaker pedals to replace the clips and straps

fender1

I would sell that bike and buy a used hybrid. Have her involved in the purchase. That way she gets what makes her happy.

Roll-Monroe-Co

You can do most of those things. Is it worth it? At my co-op, you could have the equivalent hybrid bike with all the features you want for $150, which is easily less than you will spend for this adventure, unless you are are very thrifty and crafty. Now, someone like me, I would do that conversion for fun. Will you enjoy it? That's a consideration. Cuz it's not going to be economic.

BTW, I've only ever seen 27" tires in 1, 1-1/8, and 1-1/4. I don't think they don't make wider ones. You have to go to a 700c wheel, whereupon your tire choices become more or less infinite. You can get this wheelset, as @clubman suggests. You might need new brakes (maybe you can get away with the ones you have--it does happen), as 700 is a wee bit smaller, and pads will need to move 4mm toward the axle.

I would question the desire to move to 7 speeds, but whatever. Pfft. Kids today.

An intermediate solution would be to keep the wheels and gearing, swap out the bars and controls with inexpensive friction shifters and see how the rider likes the new position before committing to wheels and spreading the frame. Food for thought.

Roll-Monroe-Co

What is this black magic?

bargainguy

I second fender1's advice. Before you commit to any major revamping of the Novara, take your wife bike shopping (new or used) and have her ride a hybrid or two. That will give both of you a much better idea of what she wants and needs out of a hybrid. Once that's been determined, it'll be easier to go out and find a hybrid that would meet her needs rather than trying to make a hybrid out of a road bike.

ryansu

Once ya go Phat you never go back

Murray Missile 

I converted a couple road bikes several years ago. Just buy her a hybrid or get her another MTB and put street tires on it, it's a lot cheaper and easier. Did that to my wife's TREK 820 and she loves it, also built her a real nice hybrid but she keeps riding the old TREK.

Cyclist0108

In all seriousness, buy her a new bike. She will appreciate it, and your life will be easier.

The Golden Boy 

Don't forget these- SwiftTire 27? x 1 3/8? Tire ? Made by Panaracer ? SWIFTTIRE

I've got a set and really dig them.

oddjob2

Virtually all the parts you need can be bought at velo-orange.com for a reasonable sum. You might just look for a 5 or 6 speed freewheel with a larger cog like a 34.

+1 on golden boy's tire recommendation, otherwise Panaracer 27 X 1 1/4.

vonfilm 

You might consider a Nitto Technomic stem to raise the bars up and bar end shifters which are more convenient to use. The drop bars provide more hand positions which are more comfortable in the long run. I think bar end shifters would provide more leverage for your wife to shift while keeping her hands safely on the bars. My wife finds her friction thumbies difficult to shift. I am planning a move back to drops, technomic, and bar ends on my wife's Super Course when I get around to it. She has North Road handlebars now.

Vintage Raleigh

The simplest change would be upright bars with levers, grips and cables to suit. You have 15 gears on this already. Most of my riding I use two of my 10 gears. I do live at sea level though.

canklecat

Ditto the advice to buy something like a good used rigid frame mountain bike or hybrid. It'll be closer to what you have in mind. Keep the drop bar bike as-is in case she still wants to ride it once in awhile.

I've had a new-to-me road bike for a month and while I enjoy it once in awhile I still prefer the '92 Univega that I've hybridized for comfort with riser bars and fatter, softer tires. Rode it about 40 miles Saturday and felt great afterward. Rode the road bike 15 miles Sunday and was tired from the less comfortable riding position.

Yeah, I'm a bit faster on the road bike. But not enough to justify the discomfort compared with the old '92 Univega that I've set up to suit myself as a compromise between comfort and efficiency.

Insidious C. 

Yes it is feasible. But if you modified the 86 Novara Corsa to be more of a Hybrid, the result would be something akin to an old school 700C hybrid. In the used bike market this kind of bike generally does not sell for as much as a similar vintage road bike. For this reason and those already mentioned I also recommend the replace-the-bike route.

corrado33

Feasible? Sure...

Reasonable? Not really.

You're essentially wanting to replace everything on that bike. Here's a list of things you'd need if you did all of the conversions you wanted.

1. 700c wheelset
2. Front and rear brakes to accommodate the 700c wheelset
3. New tires
4. New freewheel
5. DT clamp for cable stops
6. DT cable stops
7. Flat handlebar
8. Brake levers for flat handlebars
9. Shifters for flat handlebars
10. Flat handlebar grips
11. Likely a shorter stem with more of a rise
12. New cables and housings
13. Chain

Here's a list of things you wouldn't be replacing.

1. Frame
2. Saddle
3. Crankset
4. Pedals
5. Possibly stem

When the list of things you'd need to change outnumbers the list of things you wouldn't change, it's probably better just to find a different bike unless the bike has sentimental value to you.

Murray Missile 

Actually, you're probably going to want to change the saddle due to the different riding position. I didn't change saddles right away on my first conversion but it didn't take me very many miles to decide I needed a different saddle. Put a good hybrid saddle on it and it made all the difference in the world.

tiredhands 

If you have access to a bicycle co-op where you can source used parts and the odd cable stop or have an LBS that you're friendly with and will appreciate what you want to do, I think a flatbar conversion is a very worthwhile project. These conversions are fun to do, and you end up with something so much more classy and refined than a run-of-the-mill hybrid (not that there's anything wrong with a good hybrid, of course! whatever keeps you on the road).


If you do talk to an LBS, you should refer to this project as a "townie conversion," not a hybrid. Hybrids conjure images of knobby tires and cantilever brakes, whereas a townie conversion brings to mind something more European. In Baltimore, there are several bike shops that are offering a package service for townie conversions in an effort to get more people to re-use their old 10 speeds instead of feeling obligated to buy a new bike if they just want to ride for fun. Maybe your LBS is in on this trend and will be able to point you to some choice components.


As The Golden Boy said, the Swifttire Sand Canyons are a great option for keeping your 27" tires and running bigger rubber, so no need for 700c wheels.
It looks like the saddle you have on there now is pretty plush, and probably suitable for an upright position.
Good luck!

tiredhands 

Some pictures of my flatbar conversions. I'm a big fan of putting flats where there were drops, and vice-versa:

CountryBiking

Thank you all for the great advice. We just looked at REI and they have a Hybrid on sale for $750 from $1000, the GHOST Square Urban 2 Bike. We will stop by and take it for a spin if they have one at the local REI...

ramzilla

It's a great idea converting an old road bike to an upright cruiser. Here's one I just finished building:

ryansu

Wider tires do in fact exist for 27 inch wheels, ISO 37-630 the Kenda K40 is one example and is readily available on Amazon, Sunlite also makes the Hybrid V-Track