Is it possible to convert the Marin Larkspur 1/2 to a 2x or 3x drivetrain? I know it might sound nuts but, i just prefer that over 1x. I don’t know enough about the mechanics of it so here I am! I was told by one bike shop that I can’t and another that I can.
by Professional-Dot5098
3 Comments
Sure, no reason you can’t. You just need a front derailleur and a way to route the cable/housing. But since the frame doesn’t have braze-ons for the housing, you’ll either need to do full length and run it along the frame with zip ties or get clamps that have integrated cable stops so that you can run the cable from where the housing ends. It won’t look as pretty but it’s doable.
Where you might run into issues is that the top tube may not allow the FD to be adjusted for the optimal height for chainrings of a certain size but it’s hard to say exactly what that range would be.
What’s going on in the second picture? That might be something for internal routing of a front derailleur? I’m not familiar enough with the frame to say. Did the Larkspur have a 2x option for that model year? You can probably run the housing internally and out where that rubber stop is and into a FD.
Look, I’m not a fan of 1x myself for bikes that mostly see pavement use, but what is your specific problem with the 1x setup? There may be other solutions than switching to 2x or 3x.
there is zero mechanical reason why you couldn’t convert this to a double or triple crankset. it would be a big project. you will need all new cranks, derailer, and shifter. as a necessity, you will also need to replace the handlebar grips. you are likely to have to replace the chain (longer), and with it potentially the cassette. so, with operations like this, people will often tell you it’s more economical to buy a bike that’s already set up the way you want it. you can go a long way with sourcing used parts, but if you’re not sure exactly what to look for that may be difficult.
I’ll add, I was already going to be replacing my current drivetrain and shifters sometime in the future, and while I was at it was hoping to change to a 2x or 3x, so the expense of changing that was already planned for the most part