Converting an old Flat bar hybrid to a Gravel eating machine
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- čas přidán 4. 04. 2023
- This Gravel bike conversion was a project I’d been thinking about for a while and having eventually found the perfect bike, I started it late last year.
Life largely got in the way of the build but I finally got it finished last week and I couldn’t be happier with the result!
Stay tuned for my first ride video around the trails of Thetford Forest, coming soon.
Although I love getting my hands dirty with bike maintenance myself, I’m also a huge advocate for supporting your local bike shop, so go and check out Newdales website, as they helped me hugely TWICE while completing this build: www.newdales.co.uk
Check out Alfa Powder coating here: alfa_powder_coa...
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Full list of parts I used for this build below:
Handlebars: www.aliexpress.com/item/40012...
Drop shifters: www.aliexpress.com/item/40005...
Cable housings: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204141297780
Bar tape: www.condorcycles.com/products...
Tyres: amzn.to/3CNThC1
Saddle (no longer available from Merlin Cycles): www.tredz.co.uk/.Charge-Spoon...
Expander plug: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2652469218...
Pedals/cleats: www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/PEJOBSP... - Zábava
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The additional benefit of changing a bike’s appearance this much when you bought it for £60 is that the person from whom it was stolen from won’t steal it back…
As tongue in cheek as I assume your comment is, bike theft is a huge problem when buying second hand bikes. As a responsible member of the cycling community though, I always try to be as sure as I can that any bike or frame I'm buying hasn't been nicked. This particular bike was bought from a lady in my village, who had bought it for her nephew but he'd only ridden it a handful of times before leaving at her house. She finally got fed up of it getting in the way in her garage, so after multiple ignored requests for her nephew to move it, she decided to sell it. She was happy with the price I paid for it, as was I, so everyone's a winner... except her nephew it seems! 😂
@@petertreadway definitely tongue in cheek! A great deal of £60 bikes on marketplace are knicked but you can usual spot an owner from a thief in about 30 seconds of messenger chat or the advert itself!
Tip: when you cut your outer cable / cable housing - put a piece of an old inner cable into it before you make the cut. It will help prevent deformation.
That’s a pro tip right there! Love it, thanks.
I’ll remember that for next time. 👌🏻
Thanks Mr, this a good advice !
Turned out brilliantly, well done! Very nice choice of colour
Thanks very much. Yeh, I’m chuffed with how it turned out!
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. 👌🏻
Another great video Peter. I did the reverse a couple of years ago with a Careera TDF road bike I’d bought to use as a winter beater, I turned it into a flat bar commuter. Like most of us cycle nuts I ended up spending a fortune on new parts and upgrades but It’s still going strong now 3 years on.
Thanks for taking the time to film, edit and upload this mate I really enjoyed watching it 👍 keep up the epic work
Cheers Paddy. Why do we do it to ourselves though, ah? We spend money buying a bike, then dined more converting and then more still upgrading it! We can’t help ourselves! 😂
Good to hear its wheels are still spinning though. You obviously did a great job of converting it. 👌🏻
Thanks again for watching and the kind words.
Nice work. Money spent is always justified if the bike ends up being used.
@@simonbailey2151 Couldn't agree more and thanks very much! 👍
Brilliant vdo. Fun to watch well narrated which is fun too
Thanks so much, Tariq. I really appreciate your kind words. I try really hard to make the videos fun, informative and interesting, so it’s great to get such positive feedback on them.
Really appreciate you taking the time to reach out and also watch the video. 🌟🌟
This video has given me some great ideas on how to breathe new life into my 2016 Trek Dual Sport. Unfortunately I don't have disc brakes on mine, which could be a problem, but since I'm not fast anyway, I'll just upgrade the pads on the Vbrakes and go about swapping the tires for gravel as well. Then the bars and then shifters and all the rest. It has basically the same drivetrain but I wish mine weighed 12.26 kilos, mine is closer to 15. Thanks for sharing, the bike came out killer!
There is definitely a way of repurposing these beautiful old frames.
As for the weight, so long as you have a decent gear range, I’ve found it doesn’t actually make much difference.
Thanks for watching and commenting. 💯
Great job, don't tell anyone this used to be a hybrid, this is a legit gravel bike! This can also end up being a great commuter and light touring bike.
Cheers Bob, it is a beautiful looking and riding bike! It’s a heavy one for sure, but it makes for a good workout! 😂
Thanks so much for watching and commenting. 👌🏻
I found a bike like this in the garbage a few years ago, missing wheels and a seatpost. The conversion was already done! I replaced the missing parts, tuned it up and love it!
Ha ha! Half the work already done for you! Bonus finding it for free too! Nothing better than a free bike.
Cheers for watching and commenting.
🌟
Nicely detail build good job 👍🏻
Thanks Jay. Glad you like it and thanks for watching and commenting. 👌🏻
Thanks for this excellent video. You have inspired me and given me some ideas. Might take your approach to update my ageing main bike and winter bike (garbage recovery, cost me practically nothing to get back on the road). LOL on the weight, guess it's all relative. My ancient bikes weigh in at 37 lbs / 16.8 kg so your new creation at 12.6 kg / 27.8 lbs sounds just fine for regular and trail use.
So glad the video has inspired you, Nigel. I’ve actually got another conversion coming up soon of a 90s, 26” wheel MTB which I got for free. I love taking ‘junk’ bikes apart and seeing what I can do with them.
As for the weight of this one, you could be right. I think I might have just been spoilt by the weight of my 7.9kg/17.4lb carbon fibre road bike! 😂
Thanks so much for watching and commenting though. 🌟
Nicely done. Im really digging the color combo you ended up going with. Would have loved to see more beauty shots of it at the end. Cheers!
Thanks Jon, really appreciate the comment. Yeh, I need to get some shots of it up on Instagram.
That said, I have a full video of me bikepacking on it coming up this Sunday. 👌
Hi, the sealant in the old inner tube might be something like "Green Slime" that used to be popular (in the 1990s) for inner tubes. You could actually buy them pre-slimed.
I remember doing that myself and that stuff was awesome when you just wanted to ride your BMX with your mates all day and not have to worry about punctures!
This was definitely tubeless sealant though and was probably put there for much the same purpose as green slime.
In our DIY Store they are also selling Tubes with sealant in it. Switched to them (on my CC) because i magically attrackt thorns of blackberries all the time. When shaking they sound a lot like yours.
@@stowiTV I thought I was the only one who had the ability to conjure thorns out of thin air! 😂
Sounds like the sealant filled tube is a bit of a thing that passed me by then.
👌
You still can buy them pre-slimed.
OO l?y?li
Edit: apparently I fell asleep on my phone 😂
New to the channel. This was great. Nice work!
Thanks so much. So glad you liked it and really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment. 👌🏻
Great video, thank you very much.
I love the colours
@@richardhall263 cheers Richard, glad you liked it and hope you found it useful and entertaining.
And yes, I think the colours came out looking incredible. 👌🏻
Great video, fyi you don’t have to remove the star nut to drop the fork out. What’s in the giant Nikon box? 400mm 2.8 from the size of it, if so you could sell that for a pretty decent gravel bike
You’re right but I only realised that while I was editing the video together! 🤦🏻♂️😂. I’m surprised the fork didn’t fall out with me hammering away at the star nut!
Thanks for the comment though and as for the Nikon box, it’s sadly just that… a box. I bought it a while ago as a prop (I’m a photographer by trade!).
Thanks for taking the time to watch. 👌🏻
@@petertreadway bike looks awesome in green / tan!!
Cracking video Peter, really enjoyed that, thank you for posting, might have a go doing same thing myself bud
Thanks Paul, really glad you enjoyed and especially appreciate the comment.
You should definitely give it a go yourself though. Such a great feeling to ride a bike you’ve converted yourself. 👌🏻
Very sweet build though!! Bikes how I like them : custom to one’s usage and highly functionnal
Cheers buddy. I had a lot of fun building this and having even more fun now it’s built. 💯
Not a fan of drop bars. But that’s why I’m a mountain biker and not a gravel biker lol! Beautiful build. I’m looking to rebuild an old bike myself soon and I’m considering a similar color scheme. Going to go for a matte OD green paint scheme with orange accents and a fox 40 fork to match. Love turning hardtails into aggressive builds 🙌🏼 Hope to see some vids of you riding your new bike! Subbed.
Thanks so much for the sub. You won’t be disappointed for long, as I have a video of my first ride of the bike coming out at 2pm tomorrow, so hope you enjoy that.
I must admit though, riding around the trails of Thetford forest on it, watching all the full sus MTB’ers flying over the jumps, did make me a little jealous.
I feel a new build video coming on! 😂
Thanks so much for taking the time to watch and comment too. 👌🏻
scared of roads small guy??
You must be new here. 😂
I pre-tape my gravel handlebars with 3/4" wide 3M Scotch Linerless Rubber Splicing Tape (#130C). It makes the bar just a little fatter, adds good grip for the bar tape, and provides a little more vibration dampening.
I like the sound of that, as the bars could definitely do with an extra bit of padding. I’ll look in to the 3M tape when I replace it next. Cheers for the tip. 👌🏻
Somehow I've ended up with 3 second-hand Lithiums! the first was a £40 replacement for my hybrid after it was nicked. In the end I got another in larger size as I felt the frame was a bit too small, but that turned out to have a slightly bent seat stay which creaked on climbs. So that is now my dedicated commuter for the flat ride to work. The third one is my flat bar gravel steed with Panaracers. So £240 quid for three bikes (local hack, commuter and gravel bike) plus a bit for mods. Not too bad. They are everywhere and make a great cheap base.
I honestly really enjoy riding my original Lithium 3, which has hydraulic brakes (which is why I didn't use that one to convert and ended up coming across this Lithium 2 on FB with mechanical discs). As you say, they're make a great base to convert and I'm genuinely in love with this conversion now. I rode it in London last week and it rode like a dream!
£240 for three very functional bikes is a bargain too!
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Came out amazing, just needs a matte black carbon fork to tie it all up, since the original fork is probably steel you can drill and riv some extra bottle cage mounts and use that fork for bikepacking and throw some 3pack cages on the front
Yeh, it seems that the front fork is steel, despite every version of this bike I researched showed it having an ally fork! I guess I got the cheap, ugly runt of the family! 😂. For £60 though, I can’t really argue.
Will definitely be throwing a CF fork on there soon though but love the idea of swapping it back out to do some hardcore bike packing!
Thanks for watching and commenting. 👌🏻
Brilliant video and a fantastic result. I think you did well to pick up that bike for the money, I'm researching doing something similar and hadn't thought of powder coating the frame. Nice one.
Thanks Lincoln, really appreciate the comment.
And yes, for £60, I think it was an absolute steal! As I alluded to in the video, powder coating is definitely a ‘luxury’ rather than a necessity but it has made the bike look ten times better, so it was well worth it in my opinion.
Good luck with your build too and thanks very much for watching. 👌🏻
@@hawker604 Unfortunately I don't have an exact code for that colour, as the powder coater just had a number of swatches painted up and hanging on the wall, so I just pointed at this colour.
However, taking a photo of the bike in to Photoshop and checking the colour, it gives a hex code of 9d9473, or RGB of 157, 148, 115, if that helps.
Bear in mind that the lighting in the picture I'm using to get that code will affect the colour of the bike though, so it may not be the exact colour, but it won't be far off. 👌
@@petertreadway thx for the extra effort, wow!! I very much appreciate it. Definitely going to subscribe.
Happy to help and really appreciate the sun. 👍🏻
Nice bike and very pleasant duck on the shelf as well.
Hey, writing just to thank you for great content! Keep going, wish you at least 100k subscribers soon
Thanks so much, Vladyslav. I really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment that.
Hopefully I’ll hit 100k one day. 😉💪🏻
Pretty cool build. I did something similar with my Trek Verve, went from flat bar hybrid to a drop bar with Ritchey Beacon 46cm bar, MicroShift R8 shifters, and Zoom calipers (will be replacing those, they do work but the pull ratio isn’t right).
Sounds like an awesome build. I love tinkering with bikes to see what can be done with them.
I’m a big fan of microshift though. I know a lot of people slate them they’ve worked perfectly for me on every bike I’ve had them on. 👌🏻
@@petertreadway I actually like them better than Shimano. They have a very mechanical feel but in a good way.
@@StayZero556 completely agree. Such a smooth click feeling/sound to them as they shift.
loved the build and it looks really good, i don't think you needed to swap out the star nut, i get why you did it but as long as it's not buckled in the steerer tube it will be fine to re-use. i've done a few crank replacements recently on shimano cranks and the thread stripper,,,,, i mean crank puller never works for me. the tubes may have been slime tubes they come with sealant already in them.
Yeh, every day’s a school day and I quickly realised while I was editing the video that there was no need to remove the star nut! 😂
As for the crank puller, I can fully relate to it stripping threads. I’ve turned the air blue using it on other bikes!
Really glad you liked the video though and appreciate you taking the time to comment. 👌🏻🌟
Great color choice. Unless you're restoring some sort of rare classic or high-value vintage bike, if you need to respray your frame, powder coating is a great option. This goes double if the bike will be used in bad weather and not always cleaned up immediately. Do be careful with threaded bottom brackets; if memory serves, only English (BSA) BBs are reverse threaded on one side. Italian, French and Swiss BBs are normal threaded on both sides. The trick is knowing which variety you have.
Good points, well made regards the BB. I have a classic 80s Peugeot Carbolite that I’ve been meaning to strip down and refurbish (no sand blasting and repainting for that one, just a sensitive clean and regrease), so it’ll be interesting to see which BB that has and to make that very point.
Thanks for the comment and taking the time to watch. 👌🏻
There are "repair" BBS for stripped threads or threadless shells. They are super.
Correct, only BSA BBs are reverse threaded, fortunately they are among the most common … except maybe for the vintage road bikes from Italy and France :) … At least it's usually printed on the BB shells somewhere.
Powdercoat is chip and deep scratch resistant, but it fades, rusts and flakes at the 5-10 year mark. Where as 2pac bikes will look brand new and can be polished up 50 years later
Good job 🇨🇦🚴♂️👍
Thanks very much. Glad you enjoyed it from across the pond. Thanks for watching. 👌
Im halfway into the video and enjoying it 😊
Watched some videos on conversion as im thinking about converting my 17 yr old nakamura 28" hardtail to a gravel bike as i love the frame geometry and I wouldn't like to see it going to waste...
I still have to upgrade it to disc brakes, 2x11 and drop bar...
As a noob to bike mechanics quite some tasks 😬
Cheers Max, glad you’re enjoying the video. 👌🏻
Regards your hardtail, my attitude is ‘never let an old bike die’, so I say you should definitely convert it! I’ve not yet converted a bike from rim to disc brakes, but I reckon that’d be a cracking project.
As for being a noob mechanic, I count myself very much in that number, so if I can do it, anyone can. 💪🏻😉
@petertreadway
I absolutely will...
I got a bike shop nearby... (well, next city) but they're not as chill as your shop pals seem to be 😅
Guess I'll leave quite some money there 😬
In regards to the disc brake conversion - there are some videos, so it definitely is possible, especially to mechanical disc breaks...
And I think my frame is disc break ready (not sure though).
I'm gonna need new wheels, though... 🫣
I’ve just posted a new video of my cheap Chinese carbon fibre bike, which I built myself from parts bought from AliExpress.
I used Elite wheels on that and they’ve been awesome for the last 3000 miles, so definitely check that video out for the info on those. They only cost £275 for the pair. 👌🏻
@@petertreadway
The video is rolling now.
Like the colour scheme 👌
@maxl.5297 😂😉
Hi Peter, nice build and super pleasure to watch. How about the aliexpress carbon fork upgrade? Which model did you choose? Can you share something about it? Thanks
Hey Marcelo, thanks so much for the kind words. Really glad you liked the video.
So I ended up buying a Toseek carbon fork but I’ve not yet fitted it, as I’m now concerned about the strength of it with such a heavy bike.
I have since bought a cheap suspension fork for the gravel bike, which I’ll hopefully be doing a review of soon. 👌🏻
Great video Peter, I’m going with a similar colour scheme with my Gary Fisher refurb. Really like the green and tan scheme. A sub from me👍
Thanks so much, Jay. Really glad you enjoyed the video and yeh, I have to agree that the green and tan goes really well together.
Best of luck with your build too and thanks so much for the sub. 👌🏻🌟
You Sir are a natural in front of the camera
Wow! Thanks very much. Really appreciate the compliment. 🌟
Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. 👌🏻
Nice bike man! I love to see those conversions. I wonder if that 7x3 is any good. I did never come across any bike(frame) that was nice to rebuild as a gravel. There is always some weird things that will not match. But I did build my own Bike which is not a gravel but I use it for the not-so-technical fast uneaven paths, not for the technical sections: A end-80's so called "Leichtsportrad" Sportive touring bike or Semi sports bike. A Hartje Livorno which came with for the time extremely light components (not one piece was shimano!) and a (light) lugged steel frame and cruiser bars. With mudguards, rear rack and dynamo light system it was approx13 kg. I stripped the lights and the rack, left the mudguards (Bluemels) and mounted SPD pedals. I also changed the gears from 1x6 to 2x6. It runs on 700-35 threaded tyres (whitewall). The only thing I hate are the brakes: Weinmann centerpull rimbrakes. But who wants to brake? ;-) But the steel frame is a pleasure to ride! The fork flexes like a dog's tail but it gives such a smooth ride on gravel, packed dirt or cobblestone and the like.
Thanks so much, Niels. That sounds like a beautiful ride you’ve got yourself there though too. What don’t you like about the centre pull brakes though? Just not strong enough maybe?
As for my build, the shifters and front and rear mechs work seamlessly. Shifting is spot on and hasn’t skipped a beat once. I only wish it were a bit lighter, but I have a plan for that, which I’m hoping will be up on the channel soon. 👌🏻
Thanks for watching and commenting though. 🌟
@@petertreadway yes the Weinmanns are VERY weak and the fitting levers for touring/flatbar are weird and wobbly.
I know that even older/cheaper derailers and front mechs can be in good condition and shift nice, but the 3x7 for me is a pain in the arse if I try to avoid crosschaining. And I do not like the one-piece-steel-tripple-chainring. But it is your bike and I appreciate your work!
My bike is a darker shade of green with the same tires.. love the tires and the look.. your bike looks sick
Thanks man. Yeh, I’m super happy with the colour. I was thinking of painting it a beige/cream colour at first but so glad I chose the green.
Thanks so much for taking the time to watch and comment. 👌🏻
What shade green? I am looking to paint mine a dark olive color. Sounds like you might already have that.
@@hawker604 my bike is a forest green.. flat metallic
@@pisto_run_cycling ty much! Sounds unique vs what I typically see.
I love a build video. I’m mechanically inept. Such videos are how I learned to work on bikes.
The outcome is beautiful. I hope it rides well. The question becomes one of cost/benefit. Does it make more sense to spend > $500 for such a conversion OR to buy something like a Poseidon X for $700? That comes with a 1x10, carbon fork, internal cable routing, etc.?
Of course, I have done much the same thing. I built up a gravel bike from a beautiful old Cannondale frame. I spent about $800 on the project.
The cost/benefit is a good question. Would I have considered just buying a gravel bike of better quality for similar cost? Strangely, probably not, as I think I’m inherently a ‘tinkerer’ and just enjoy taking things apart to see how they work (and then hopefully being able to get them back together! 😂)
However, if I wasn’t so minded, then I think the argument to buy instead of build is much stronger.
Also, I think part of being a cyclist (for some at least) is knowing every moving part of your bike. That’s certainly not necessary but I think most of us just naturally enjoy knowing what to do when we suffer a mechanical.
Definitely an interesting debate though. Thanks for the questions and taking the time to watch. 👌🏻
The CGR1 genesis fork might be a good upgrade if you keep your eyes on eBay. Straight steerer, triple mounts, internal routing, super light, 45-50mm clearance if i remember correctly.
I want one quite dearly but carbon forks aren't compatible with front racks and that's a deal breaker to me.
@@Jalfred92 I’ve recently bought a Toseek CF fork, so will see how that goes and post a video of the swap out shortly after I’ve done it.
I agree with you about front racks on a carbon fork though, so if I ever do any bike packing, I’ll definitely swap the carbon out for the original steel one. 👌🏻
I must say that CGR1 looks lovely though.
nice colour, reminds me of my old Kona Dr Dew I want to do similar thig with (drop bars!)
I’ve just looked that Kona up and I reckon it would make an awesome gravel bike!
Would love to see it when you do convert it, so feel free to tag me on IG. 👌🏻
Thanks for watching and commenting. ⭐️
@Lloyd Randall I had this dilemma at first too. I already had a Pinnacle Lithium 3 with hydraulic brakes, so was struggling to find budget hydraulic drop shifters to convert to. Shortly after though, I found the Lithium 2 on FB for £60 and snapped it up when I saw it had mechanical brakes. Problem solved!
Since building my bike though, a Chinese brand call L-TWOO have brought out a 1x12 speed, gravel specific hydraulic groupset. It would mean changing out your rear hub to accommodate the 3 extra cassette sprockets at the back and losing the front derailleur altogether, but if you're dead set on keeping hydraulics (which I would be, TBH), then it might be your best option.
Luke from the TraceVelo channel did a review of the L-TWOO RX series a few months ago, which might be worth checking out, if you haven't already.
czcams.com/video/jMu7nIURiVo/video.html
@@petertreadway Have been watching him and trying to work out my plans, I'm tempted by a giant conduct and then some microshifts, including new rear cassette.
@@LloydRandall I'm not fully au fait with the conduct unit, although I recall a friend having one on their bars and he seems happy enough with it. That's what I love most about bikes though, just tinkering around with them to see what works and what doesn't... so long as you don't end up spending mega bucks on kit that doesn't;t do the job!
Overall nice conversion. Just a question though, why was you bothered about the star nut? It was already installed and does the same job as a compression plug so not sure why it was an issue or replaced. If anything, I thought they were better for aluminum steerers
Good point, well made. I had initially thought that the star nut needed to come out in order to slide the fork out but ‘every day is a school day’, so the saying goes! 😂
Thanks very much for watching and commenting though. 👌🏻
I have giant escape 3 with bike packing decathlon gravel bar. You should check out with the ahead too. Did not changed the brake shifter but I can manage it. Just extend the lever with the screw.
So you have drop handlebars with flat bar brakes levers?
@@petertreadway Shimano ST-EF41, 3x7. With my small hands it is barely enough and a lil' lazy. I can pull 1cm before any braking effect. The lever is adjustable.
Bikepacking / Gravel 31,8 mm, hossz 52,6 mm, kihajlás 24°, hajlásszög 4°.
Triban 1"1/8 Ahead 31,8 110mm.
You need to switch bowden in addition around 10cm for the back brake.
A lil' re route for the front one.
And it is cheap. You can have integrated lamp with accumulator and locking key.
It became a poor man's "gravel" street bike not afraid of a countryside road.
@@petertreadway ... and you actually read and answer comments which is sub and like worthy instantly. :D
@@hokiturmix sounds like a decent setup you’ve got. Plus I love a cheap hack. 😉
@@hokiturmix thanks very much. I really appreciate anyone who takes the time to watch my videos and especially those who comment, so I make a point of trying to read and respond to everyone.
Really appreciate your comments then. 👌🏻
Great video! I bought a trek fx3 a while ago and have wanted a road bike or gravel bike. I tried selling it but got hit with many lowball offers. I decided that converting it is the way to go! It's a 10-speed, 1-by with hydraulic disc brakes as it stands. Any recommendation on how to look for shifters/brake levers? I thought of getting a secondhand group set to bring it up to an 11-speed there were additional costs like sourcing new cassettes and hub since these are not normally sold with the groupset at least the used ones. So far, I have priced it out and it would be about 1k for upgrading to a used Ultegra group set and lower with lower-tier components. New bikes with similar specs are way more with lower-tier components.
Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed it.
It’s definitely worth converting a bike yourself if you’re getting low offers on trying to sell it though.
In terms of a new groupset, it would mean a bit of a change up of your current setup but take a look at the LTWOO RX series. It’s a 2x12 but it’s fully hydraulic and sells new for £274 ($341) on AliExpress. For that you get the shifters, front and rear mechs and brake disc callipers and hoses.
Luke on the TraceVelo channel did a review of it a few months ago (czcams.com/video/jMu7nIURiVo/video.html) and it looks like a great cheaper option for those who need hydraulic lines.
Well done. I support the upcycle spirit this video has and am rebuilding two bikes at the moment (one very old commuter that is worth less than 2 new tyres) and a 15 year old decathlon MTB that I'm turning into a bikepacking/trekking bike.
One question: what colour-code was used for the frame? It reminds me of the colour decathlon uses on the Riverside 900 (or 920).
Thanks Thomas. Yeh, I love saving old bikes from oblivion! I actually converted an even older, 90s MTB to a gravel bike for my buddy after this one. That video is on my channel too. That one was a real budget conversion!
Well done for saving a couple of old bikes yourself. If you post them on IG when they're done, then tag me in the comments, as I'd love to see them.
As for the colour of this one, I don't have the exact code, as I just picked this from a swatch that the powder coating place had. However, I would say it's not too dissimilar to #7ebd6a.
very nice looks the business
Cheers Roy. Appreciate you commenting and taking the time to watch. ⭐️
Lovely video. One thing though, that fork is almost certainly steel. Take a magnet to it, that should confirm it and also explain the near parity in weight with the frame.
Yep, you’re right, it is steel. However, every website I checked for the specs of this bike listed it as an ally! 🤷🏻♂️. Very strange.
Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment though. 👌🏻
@@petertreadway Yeah that is strange. Perhaps they meant steel alloy like CroMoly but that's super misleading since, at least in the bike world, alloy typically refers to aluminum. Anyway, doesn't matter. You built a really sweet bike and I really enjoyed your video!
The benefit of a heavy winter bike is your summer bike feels even lighter when you ride it!
Very true. 😉
Excellent video, really. Thanks. I have 2 comments (🫣). 1 - you were puzzled by the inner tubes containing sealant. It has been (my) standard practice to run tubes with sealant to protect and reduce punctures... There same as having sealant in tubeless set ups (which I also run). 2 - if this helps, I found this phrase online about pedals and bottom brackets (which I find useful), when facing - Pedals - thghten to the front
BB - tighten to the rear. You have more talent than me, I write only as you have stimulated me enough! Excellent and thanks again.
Thanks Felix, that’s a great way to remember which way to tighten the pedals and BB. 👌🏻
As for the sealant, I did wonder afterwards if they had done it intentionally as a method to seal punctures in the inner tube, so thanks for confirming that that’s a thing.
Really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment. 💯⭐️
You can actually get a tapered fork if you install a tapered lower headset cup conversation kit.
Wasn’t aware of that, so thanks for the useful info. May need to use that on a build I’m about to embark upon. 👌🏻
@@petertreadway yup. Many Trek Marlin owners switch their headsets for the conversion kit so that they can run tapered forks.
Good vid. One comment from random internet guy: Nothing wrong with going for what you like, but I liked the look of the original grey/yellow combo...and would have just touched up the paint chips and any rusting. Then again, the new paint job you came out pretty damn sweet.
Yeh, could absolutely have left the colour as was and saved some money but as my first proper conversion, I definitely wanted to put my own stamp on it.
I’m about to start another conversion of a 90s MTB to gravel for my buddy, and will leave the original paintwork and decals as they are, as they look great.
Thanks for the comment though and for taking the time to watch. 👌🏻
@@petertreadway Yeah, you got to make it your own, especially the *first* one. Anyway, seems to me you nailed it.
I'm working on my first build project, but of a new frame (ritchey road logic). No need to repaint, but despite 30 years of riding, I'm pretty *unmechanically inclined* lol and so there's a pretty big learning curve.
@@ashurany honestly, building a bike really isn’t as difficult as it seems. It’s just a bunch of small jobs, none of which are actually that taxing.
And if you do get stuck, well there’s always RJ the Bike guy! 😂. That dude literally has a video for everything! 👌🏻
i just did this build!
Oh wow! There are two super awesome, Pinnacle Lithium rebuilds out there in the wild then. 😉
I’d love to see yours though. Have you posted it on IG? Tag me @petertreadwaycycling if so. 👌🏻
Is the fork in backwards at about the 31min area? Looks odd. Cool project though dude. Liking the idea.
🤣Yes! I was hoping no one would notice that! I think what happened was that the steerer spun round whilst I was concentrating on doing the expander plug up and then I just did the stem bolts up without realising. It confused me too when I noticed it later on!
You get ten extra points for watching so closely though. 😉
Thanks for the comment too. 👌
LOL I clamp my bikes by the top tube often depending on what I am doing. Amazing that people beat you up on stuff like that. Love the build. Also may I ask where you purchased your t-shirt?
The internet is a strange place! 😂 It’s all good though, as it’s all engagement. 😉
As for the t shirt, I actually design and make them myself with heat transfer vinyl and a Cricut vinyl cutting machine.
I may have to start a clothing line!
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Get a Specialized decal and cut off the “ed” at the end. Then your bike will be a Special!!!
It is an steel fork. That's´s the reason why it is so heavy. You can see it on the welding lines.
You’re right. Every website (including Evans) I checked for this model kept telling me it was an ally for though! 🤷🏻♂️
I’ve got a carbon fork coming now though, for when I’m using it on the road and will swap it out for the old steel one when I’m bike packing or going gravel riding. 👌🏻
Thanks for watching and commenting. ⭐️
I have a 2018 Giant Toughroad SLR2 "Adventure" bike which Is a decent beginner flatbar Gravel bike.. it's pretty.. but I kinda want to upgrade it a bit. I want to make it a Dropbox & I want to upgrade the gearset. It's a 3X right now with a 9 gear cassette.. I'd like to turn it to a 2X because I'd still like some versatility in it. I want a 48 tooth & a 38 tooth. The 38 tooth I'd use more on Gravel and the 48 tooth would be to get a decent top end on Asphalt. I'd like to go from a 9 gear to 10 gear cassette.
I don’t see an issue changing from 3x to 2x and your 9 speed hub should be able to fit a 10 or 11 speed cassette, so no issue there though.
However, dependant on what sort of gravel routes you’re planning on doing, the 38T small ring might see you struggling up some hills. Gravel riding (I’ve discovered through experience in the last few months) is much more physical and on my 3x I’ve often found myself dropping in to the 22T small ring. The middle ring is 32T, so that’s probably the largest I’d want to go if it was a 2x.
Good luck with the build though. You’ll have a blast putting your own stamp on the bike.
Thanks for commenting and watching too. 🌟👌🏻
Hi, how well do the brakes work as I thought road disc and flat bar disc had different pull ratios? Got my eye on a fb marketplace flat bar at the moment. Thx
Hey Andrew, the brakes work flawlessly… for mechanical discs. Obviously not a patch on full hydro but I didn’t have a problem with pull ratio or modulation whatsoever. 👌🏻
On the point of full hydro, if you want to go down that route, have a look at the L- TWOO erx system. They now do a budget 12 speed groupset with hydro brakes. 😉
Did you have to get brake calipers with a different pull ratio for the road /levers?
No, the pull ratios ended up being the same for the existing callipers and new drop shifters. 👌🏻
Did your brake levers pull enough cable for the flat bar calipers?
Yeh, it worked no problem actually. Funnily enough, since making this bike, I’ve discovered (while researching another build) that brake pull ratios can also be affected by changing to drop shifters, the same as shifter cables. That may be just for linear pull/v brakes and not discs though. In any case, these worked perfectly.
my converted Hydrid - GT Legato 2.0 (2008) is 10.6kg with pedals and cages.
That's a little lighter than this then and actually I have recently installed a suspension stem on it too, which has only added to the weight! 🤦🏻♂️
My next project will be building a lightweight gravel bike using a cheap Chinese carbon Fibre frame. 👌🏻
It s beautiful.
Cheers, Ed. I’m certainly very happy with it.
Thanks for watching. 👌🏻
Which shifter/brake lever you are using? Rarely these work with 3x7 drivetrain.
The shifters are microNew (cheap Chinese version of microShift) and they work really well. 👌🏻
How did you match the carbon fork colour... can you powder coat them too?
Hey, no the fork is steel, not carbon fibre. I'm no expert (and I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong) but I'd imagine it would be difficult to powder coat CF, due to the high temperature powder coating needs to melt the paint particles. I would imagine that the temperature required would degrade, if not completely destroy, the resin used to layer the sheets of CF up.
Hi, bike mechanic here. You won’t be able to take the right side cup of the BB without taking out the left side (or not without lots of... determination), as it acts as a locknut. You really do need the right tool. It’s a good investment though, because nearly every square taper BB uses the same tool fitting
Now that makes perfect sense, cheers. Although I still think I'd have struggled to get the non drive side off with a pair of adjustable grips! Definitely agree that the right tool is the best tool for the job though and thankfully I now have one.
Thanks for watching and teaching me something new. 👌
I did the same, but i stuck to my 60mm susp fork. I tired the ali-express carbon fork (toseek) but the told me the max weight allowance is 90kg.
Funnily enough, I bought the Toseek carbon fork shortly after finishing this build but have been scared to put it on due to weight concerns!
A sus fork would be a great upgrade though, so I’ll give that a look. Was that an AliExpress one or a more mainstream brand?
£400 for what is essentially a brand new bike after all this work is pretty good going. Be interesting to see how low this could be with a few second hand parts and keeping the paint job original.
Cheers Karl, yeh, I’m really pleased with how it came out and the price.
As for doing this as ‘budget’ as possible, shortly after I built this, I converted an old 90s MTB to a modern gravel bike for my buddy for £160.
If you haven’t already seen that one, you can take a look here: czcams.com/video/Qy66tjpyPso/video.htmlsi=hvn9XHv1SXwg3hgm
Thanks so much for watching and commenting too. 👌🏻⭐️
Cheers Karl, yeh, I’m really pleased with how it came out and the price.
As for doing this as ‘budget’ as possible, shortly after I built this, I converted an old 90s MTB to a modern gravel bike for my buddy for £160.
If you haven’t already seen that one, you can take a look here: czcams.com/video/Qy66tjpyPso/video.htmlsi=hvn9XHv1SXwg3hgm
Thanks so much for watching and commenting too. 👌🏻⭐️
about doing the same for a long time. will you put the link on the fork and the bar
Hey, so the fork came with the bike and is just a standard steel one.
The rest of the items I've linked in the video description. Hope it helps.
Been using Microshift for years, never an issue. Started using Micronew because Microshift is hard to get in Canada. No issues with Micronew either.
Yep, really pleased with Micronew. Works just as well as the more expensive offering. 👍🏻
Awesome build!
Can you put up links to the items you bought for the conversion please Peter?
Cheers Anthony, really glad you like it. I'll try to add a full parts list to the description now but as is the nature of AliExpress, some of the parts may no longer be sold by the particular stores I got the from, if at all. I'll try to get as comprehensive a list together as possible though.
Really appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment though.
🌟
@@petertreadway or, if you fancy it, converting my Trek FX2 to a gravel bike please?
I would genuinely be happy to, as I love tinkering with bikes. However, I’m literally converting a 90s MTB to a gravel for my buddy as I type this and then another friend wants me to strip his bike and add the GRX di2 groupset he’s just bought to it. Add that with being a Dad with a full time job and time is at a premium for me currently! 🤦🏻♂️😬
@@petertreadway if it means waiting a bit, that's ok.
But if it's a no no, I understand... "family first" & all that.
@@anthonylloyd6094 where are you based, buddy?
You seem to be mechanically inclined but have little knowledge about how some bike technologies work.
Nice score on the bike. I wish I could get that powder coating thing done here.
Was it expensive?
Yeh, I’d say that’s a fair comment. I just love taking things apart and seeing how they work.
The repaint cost £100 in total but that included the sand blasting and powder costing. 👌🏻
thetford!
Such a great place and was the first place I took this bike for its test ride. 👌🏻
Thanks - So the total price f rebuilding a bike and making it new is about $500. That's a good deal to obtain a nice bike like was built in the video.
Thanks Daniel, yeh, it’s a great price for what I think is a great looking bike.
It could be done even cheaper though and I actually converted an old 90s MTB in to a drop bar gravel for my buddy which only cost £160 ($195). I made a video of that conversion too, if you’d be interested in watching it: czcams.com/video/Qy66tjpyPso/video.html
Really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment though. 🌟👌🏻
What gearing set-up is on it Pete?
Yeh, completely forgot to mention that in the build video but it’s in next weeks video of me taking it out for a spin.
It’s a triple 22/32/42 at the front and a 7 speed 11-32 at the back. As such, in the lowest gear ratio of 22/32 I reckon I could climb a cliff face! 😂
Nice
Thanks. 👌🏻
BSA (english threaded) bottom brackets has the right and left threaded cups (the width is 68, 73mm usually .... 83mm for DH), BUT ITA (italian) threaded bottom brackets have RIGHT! threaded cups only and the width is 70mm. You can f**k up an ITA type bottom bracket with the way you said :D
Correct, BUT.... Italian BBs also have a larger diameter than BSA ones, so it would be immediately obvious that something wasn't right if you tried to screw one in to the other.
A BSA BB in an Italian shell would be too loose and not engage the threads properly and an Italian BB in a BSA shell wouldn't fit at all.
On the off chance you did try to screw an Italian BB the wrong way in to an Italian shell though, it wouldn't damage anything, it would just fail to engage the threads and you'd be turning it forever. You'd quickly realise it wasn't the right way.
Appreciate your input though. 👌
@@petertreadway these were just silly examples .... there are also swiss and french standards (not as well know thou...... but existing), which are close to the BSA in size (1.37" compared to 35mm) ... and french has 2 right threaded cups. These are in vintage road bikes mostly.
shifters micronew são muito bons, o único defeito talvez é que os cabos são expostos
sim, os cabos estão expostos, mas não me importo porque facilita muito a manutenção.
muito obrigado por assistir e escrever um comentário. 👌🏻🌟
Also why did you torque down your headset? Headset adjustment doesn’t go by torque but by feel.
And no, you don’t have to worry about squeezing your brakes because you have mechanical calipers. They havé a spring inside that lets the movable arm retract fully. Hydraulic calipers don’t have that spring (they do but let’s say it only works on small distances)
About that rim width - tire width relationship : don’t overthink it, you can do pretty much what you want as long as you don’t go in the extremes
Do you fancy being a consultant on my next conversion video? 😂
All good points though, thanks. The only answer I can give to all of your questions is ‘that’s what I’d seen/read about how to deal with those individual parts previously’ but the only time you stop learning is when you’re in the ground, so appreciate you commenting.
I’m clearly no bike mechanic, but I love tinkering and picking up new bits of info. 👌🏻
@@petertreadway tinkering is the best way to learn!
And sure, if you have any question don't hesitate ! Also, Reddit is a great place to ask questions. My favorite subs are r/bikewrench and r/bicycling
I see you clamped by the top tube....tsk tsk hahaha
I’m a rebel! 😂
😂😂😂 ya got to do what you got to do my friend! Great video 🤙🏻
You did not put fiber grip on the brakes ? Was it not needed ?
Sorry, not sure what you mean?
@@petertreadway Just realized it's not a carbon handlebar so there is no need to put grip paste on it. Sorry !
@@BubuGagaGugu ahhh, I see. Yeh, this has an aluminium handlebar.
That said, I didn’t use carbon paste on the shifters from my carbon fibre road bike either and haven’t had any issues with those moving over the last 2-3 years. 👌🏻
@@petertreadwayAlright, good to know. I am currently building my own gravel by renovating a 2010s MTB and found your channel through my searches. It was a blast to watch !
Thanks so much, I'm so glad you found the video so helpful. Best of luck with your build. Sounds like it's going to be a great one! 👌
what was the point of removing the starnut?
Good question, we’ll asked. I thought I had to remove it but have since learnt I could have left it!
Every day is a school day. 😂
Thanks for watching and taking the time comment. 👌🏻
Very humble of you Peter. It was a complete waste of time but that's how you learn about bike repairs and mods. 20 years as a bike mechanic. Love the bike by the way. 🤝
Nice build. I own lots of bikes, none is carbon, so the weight of your build, when compared to my steel, aluminum, and titanium bikes, is on the lighter side for me.
I didn’t realise how much difference a light, carbon frame would make until I took this up a few hills. Even compared to my aluminium bike!
What Ti bike do you have though?
Lynsky @@petertreadway
Lynskey GR270.
@@waterboxer87 beautiful bike! 💪🏻
use golf griptape instead, super smooth and easy install
Nice hack! I’ll try that next time. 👌🏻
Thanks for the comment and taking the time to watch.
Road shifters with mtb derailleurs ?
Yep, work's perfectly. microNew (as well as the genuine microShift) shifters have the same pull ratio as Shimano ones and Shimano Road and MTB derailleurs have the same actuation ratio, so it all indexes beautifully. 👌
Few and rare are elite UCI gravel eating unicyclists.
Pardon? 🤔
"When you pay sixty quid on-line.." means that that byke is stolen. One day someone else will sell you carbon byke for "sixty quid on line". BTW, I like your approach to the video, and also the bike. Thanks.
Hey Paolo, I appreciate what you're saying about stolen bikes being sold cheaply online, however, I bought this one from a lady in her sixties who lives locally to me. She had bought it as a gift for her nephew a year or so previously and he'd only ridden it a couple of times before dumping it in her garage. She'd just had enough of it getting in the way and wanted rid of it.
I always go to great lengths when buying newer 2nd hand bikes online, as I abhor theft of any kind.
Appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment though. Thanks very much.
@@petertreadway
Hi Peter, thanks for the answer. And sorry for my comment; About that bike, it looks really nice, compliments. Have a nice ride!
@paolopetrozzi2213 no worries, mate. It’s all good. Ride well, dude. 🚴🏼♂️👌🏻
Spent about 500 miles on it and so far so good. czcams.com/users/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA Pros:1. Very light2. Solid quality build3. Fast delivery: It arrived 5 weeks earlier than expected.4. Easy assemblyJust a few cons but nothing major:1. Cheap tin tubes and had flat on first day... but not a big deal. I replaced the tubes.2. Seat is a bit uncomfortable but that's pretty much the same situation with most bikes.3. Seat post is a bit long/high for a smaller size 48 bike - had to saw 2 inch off to fit properly. The lowest setting is too high. The post locking system does not seem to hold well (perhaps because I saw 2 inch off).4. wheels are not tubeless compatible (from what I can tell)
Thanks very much. I appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment. 👌🏻🌟
Lots of folks run sealant in their tubes.
You’re right. I’ve discovered that since reading a few of the comments on this vid. 😂
Might adopt the practice myself. 😉👌🏻
Sure the fork is aluminum?
I was at the time of recording but have since discovered it’s steel! Every website I checked for the bike stated it had an ally fork though. 🤷🏻♂️😂
I've been "under biking" all my life lol. feel free to fly pass me anytime, I'll still be having fun.😂
😉
is funny that often when you get a old frame sand blasted and paint cost more that buy a new frame .
for my gravel i when other route , buy frame , fork bars sadle new , wheels crank shifter pedals used , and got some dt suiss mtb 29 wheels , xt holoteck cranks , and sora 2x8 shifters , bike cost me around 400 ,
@@darkphotographer yeh, sand blasting and re coating can seem prohibitively expensive at times! It definitely gives an old frame a new lease of life but at quite a cost!
As for alternatively building a bike up from parts, that’s effectively what I did with my carbon fibre bike using parts almost exclusively from AliExpress. It cost £1200 in total, but buying an equivalent spec’d bike from one of the big brands would have easily been 3-4 times that cost. Self build is a great way to save money. 👌🏻
i have re splay few frames my self , i find that alu dose not take spay can paint well , if flake off after bit , but steel is ok with it , and if you clear coat it with spray gun it work well ,or use 2 full spay of clear but cool thing with alu is you can leave it raw and polish it and spray some clear or candy coat , to protect it , ,@@petertreadway
@@darkphotographer So I actually got hold of an old aluminium Raleigh a little while ago with the sole purpose of strips it bare and giving it a high polish look with a clear coat!
Interesting info about the spray paint though. I've only ever powder coated a bike, so will bear that in ind if rattle canning a bike.
👌
you must know that some tipe of alu don t polish well , when some other you can get them looking chrome , and i never try to paint carbon but my guess will be is like plastic and spray paint don t stick well on it @@petertreadway
Why do people always say FRONT fork? Is there a back fork?
😂. Good point but I guess it’s just a pleasing sounding alliteration. 😉
nice fish products
and the original fork on that bike it is made out of steel just get a magnet and put it right next to it
Thanks and yeh, turns out it’s steel. Every spec list I could find for this bike showed it having an ally fork though. 🤷🏻♂️
I've just pulled a Carrera gryphon out of a skip to make a gravel bike out of it...
Awesome! Nothing better than a free bike to tinker with! Best of luck with the conversion. 👌🏻
7:08 time to consider, wear some safety glasses
Yeh, you’re probably right! 😬
"bar the bar tape" 😁 Simply use self adhesive bar tape and all your problems disappear...
I’m that bad at doing bar tape that my problems exist EVEN WHEN I use self adhesive bar tape (which is what the Condor tape is too!) 🤦🏻♂️😂
I’ve ridden the bike a few times now though and the tape hasn’t budged, so I reckon I’ve cracked it. 😉
Cheers for watching and commenting. ⭐️
@@petertreadway 😁😁
32:50 -- hey, your front wheel (with fork) is backwards!!!
%-|
😂. I was hoping no one would notice! It clearly spun around without my noticing as I was tightening up the expander plug! It definitely confused me a few minutes later though.
Thanks for watching so closely. 👌🏻
@@petertreadway ^-)
Helicopter tape will ward off nicks and chips!
Funnily enough, I have bought some 3M tape to go on the underside of the down tube and the back of the forks (note I didn’t say front forks. 😉) but just haven’t had the chance to put it on yet.
£60 on line.
Were you satisfied that it was legit, not stolen?
Absolutely. The very well spoken lady selling it was in her late 60s and explained that she’d bought it for her nephew but he’d only ridden it a handful of times and then he left it in her garage.
She’d just had enough of having to move it around to get to things. She’d apparently told him she was going to sell it, but he still didn’t come to collect, so she made good on her threat to him.
I went to pick it up from her house, which was a lovely old cottage, in a quiet little village. She definitely didn’t fit your standard criminal profile. 😂
Nope at the end of the video it definitely looks right
Lots of aliexpress parts, do you genuinely trust them underneath you? I've not bought anything from there beefsteak I've always assumed it's cheap knockoff gear that they don't care if you end up dead as long as they got your money
I agree that there are some ‘fly by night’ sellers on there, but as long as you do your research, there are plenty of reputable Chinese companies on AliExpress, who are happy to stand behind their products and offer great after sales service. Trifox, Elves, Ican, Winspace, Farsports, to name just a few.
I built my entire carbon fibre bike (including the frame) from parts bought from AliExpress and having now ridden it well over 2500 miles, it’s still working faultlessly. The only difference is that I paid about a third of the price it would have cost if I’d bought an equivalent bike from a big brand.
You largely have to avoid the no name brands and those clearly playing themselves off as genuine mainstream brands (which are obviously just fakes) but people tend not to realise (or prefer not to think) that 90% of big mainstream brands have their frames and psrts made in the far east. For all intents and purposes, my £400 carbon fibre frame could have come out of the same factory as someone else’s £2000 Giant/Trek/Cervelo, etc frame.
So as I say, do your research, check out reviews and you can get some incredible bargains from China.
Production hint - TURN ON SOME LIGHTS! HTF can you see what you're doing? Viewers certainly can't!
Thanks for the constructive criticism, Larry. This was one of my first studio videos and so hadn’t quite got the lighting settings fully dialled in for this one.
Hopefully you were still able to glean some useful info from the video though.
You should need a shorter stem as well.
That’s definitely a consideration when converting a bike but the geometry all seems pretty good for me. It’s a nice comfortable ride. 👌🏻
Thanks for watching and commenting.
@@petertreadway Just made the conversion back to gravel bars from flat and had to change the stem, just felt a bit off and steering was kinda tipping, now locked in. I have to say I have t-rex arms.
@@panganaranga yeh, your fit will massively friend on body size but guar you’ve got it all dialled in now! 👌🏻
Ride on. 👊🏻
@@petertreadway Not sure, maybe I feel it more because I donˋt have long arms, but if you convert from riser to drop you will need a shorter stem, or you land is a road bike position.
Star spangled nut, that's Trump isn't it?
😂. I should have coloured it orange and given it a wig!
Senile old fool… that’s Biden.
Is it just me or does it look like the front fork is on backwards
😂. Sadly you’re not the only person to pick up on that. I’ve no idea how it happened but assumed it spun round without me noticing as I tightened the expander plug. It definitely confused me a few minutes later when I finally noticed! 🤦🏻♂️😂
@@petertreadway it happens🤣
Great to see people proving that you don't have to spend 1000s of £ to get a good bike😅
Yep, I’m all about cycling on a budget. Not only is it better for my wallet 😉 but it also encourages more people to get in to cycling when they see you don’t have to spend mega bucks to start.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting. ⭐️