I've been looking for a steel touring bike, but the only readily available options seem to be the Surly models. While researching alternatives, I came across the idea of converting a 1990s mountain bike into a touring bike, so that's what I've done with my Giant Iguana.
I've made just about every upgrade and adjustment I can think of:
- New brake pads
- New semi-slick tires
- New 11-34T cassette
- Swept-back handlebars
- New bottom bracket
- Lubed cables
- Adjusted front and rear derailleurs
- Overhauled and greased both wheel hubs
- Set hub bearing preload correctly
- Verified there's no brake rub
- Checked that the freehub spins freely
- Adjusted saddle height, angle, and position
The bike is now very comfortable, but it still feels slow. When I stop pedaling, it doesn't coast nearly as well as my hybrid bike. It doesn't come to an abrupt stop, but it definitely loses speed faster than I would expect.
While servicing the hubs, I noticed that the wheels seem quite heavy. Has anyone run into a similar issue with an older MTB conversion? If so, what made the biggest difference? Were lighter wheels the solution, or was something else holding the bike back?
Giant Iguana Question ….
byu/Aardvark_Cultural inbicycletouring
by Aardvark_Cultural
4 Comments
I watched that whole video waiting on a large lizard to appear.
It’s a perfectly great idea to convert a 90’s era steel bike into a tourer. I wouldn’t be concerned with heavy wheels, and I would be more concerned with light ones – remember, they will be carrying you, your bike, AND a bunch of other stuff. You want robust and sturdy wheels – go check out the Surly and spin it’s wheels and you will see that they are not the lightest things, either. When you get your bike all loaded up and start pedaling, you will find that momentum does a lot of the work, and a few ounces here or there make no difference at all in light of the whole system’s weight.
And yeah, where is the iguana?
Riding on the pavement/sidewalk and without signalling.
I think you should ditch your project and go for one of these:
https://image.invaluable.com/housePhotos/kraft/60/746360/H4371-L329324429.jpg
Basically you’ve made yourself a surly. The tyres are what makes the difference when it comes to rolling resistance. Strong puncture resistant touring tyres roll like bricks.