Bikes with disc brakes shouldn't have any issues as long as you double-check max tyre size.Īs steep offroad ascents are a common occurrence in mountain biking, the gearing on your existing mountain bike that you're converting is likely to have plenty of range to tackle even the meanest gravel climb. As the 700c is 31.5mm larger in radius, you will need a good amount of pad adjustment on rim brakes. Gravel tyre options for older 26in wheels will be limited so it may be worth fitting some 700c or 650b wheels to increase tyre choice. A smoother tread pattern will reduce rolling resistance and thinner casings will save some weight as well. Mountain bike tyres are going to be more than tough enough for gravel riding although on a long ride you will probably find yourself wishing for something a bit faster. Here are the most important considerations to turn your old singletrack shredder into a mile-munching gravel bike. Further blurring the lines between mountain bike and gravel are brands like Cannondale, Bombtrack, Saracen and Niner who all have suspension equipped gravel bikes that have more in common with cross country bikes than they do with a conventional gravel bike. Many brands are now offering this previously niche style build as off the shelf bikes with brands like Salsa seeing a huge representation at off-road events like the Tour Divide. The term monstercross has been around for years, the act of modifying a mountain bike with drop bars and fast-rolling tyres to offer a rugged endurance off-road bike. Converting mountain bikes to gravel bikes is nothing new. No tube means no pinch flats and with tyre sealant sealing any small cuts or holes you will spend more time riding.Ī mountain bike is going to be a bit easier to convert as they are already equipped with big tyre clearance, wide gear ranges and stable offroad geometry. Supple tyres deform to the trail and offer a smoother ride and more confident cornering. Tubeless may require some additional setup time but the rewards are well worth it. Opting for a set of wheels that are tubeless will help with comfort and grip. This is obviously frame-dependent so it is worth testing before committing to a new set of wheels. We have seen some bikes that would normally max out at 28mm manage to squeeze tyres up to 38mm in 650b format. If tyre clearance is tight on a disc brake-equipped bike, swapping to a 650b wheel could increase the tyre size potential. That said, all tyres and wheels are different and going beyond the recommended manufacturer widths runs the risk of injury, tyre failure, a voided warranty and is at your own risk. These charts are generally pretty conservative and we have had no problems running 35mm tyres on rims as small as 14mm. Many rim tyre compatibility charts will not recommend a 35mm tyre on a rim smaller than 17mm. The problem with a narrow rim is that it makes a larger tyre form a light bulb shape and reduce ride quality and grip. It is worth checking your inner rim diameter (IRD) as older rims are a lot narrower than modern road rims and tiny compared to the huge IRDs of the gravel bike rims that are now available. If you are using rim brakes, the clearance between the calipers must also be considered. Measuring around the seat stays, chainstays and fork should indicate how much clearance you have, remember to account for mud clearance and variables in tyre sizes between brands. Touring bikes and cyclocross bikes may not even require a tyre change although modern gravel tyres will be better suited for the task in hand. This will exclude racy frames that were designed around 23mm tyres however endurance, touring and cyclocross frames generally have girthier spacing to fit bigger rubber. Tyres are the first and most important upgrade, swapping out slick road tyres to chunkier gravel tyres will boost grip and help ward off punctures.
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