1994 Kona Fire Mountain 700c conversion

[jay_d]

quite like this! have you stuck with 26" wheels? if not then how did you fit the large 700c into the frame?

rebuild was for 700c - it spent a long time at a localish bike builder's having the v-brake/cantilever posts moved an inch or so further out - just grind off the originals, and braze on new.

original setup was 26" with ~2" tyres, so theres plenty of room.

the new fork is a surly long haul trucker 700c so theres a lot of room up front too

 

[jay_d]

Nah thats good that. If it ain't being ridden and you can make it something that will be enjoyed! What size 700c tyres you put in? What you reckon it'd take?

i use a cheap schwalbe tyre for my commuters - cx comp - and keep a few pair of 35mm on hand, so thats what it got!

theres still a bit of room down near the bb, but probably wouldnt push it past 41, and besides this will almost certainly never see much real mud in the next few years - its revitalised life will be more hop on/hop off around the neighborhood and the occasional rail trail.

 

[jay_d]

It's a mountain bike with racer wheels and grippier tyres lol

yes. and now i'm eyeing off all the old mtb geometries with intent to put on 28" wheels and maybe even drop bars.

next project is going to be similar treatment for a 2004 norco bush pilot, destined to be my kids' high school commuter, though its an Al frame with disc tabs so no welding for that

 

[BigR1985]

I’ve just bought a ‘94 fire mountain frame purely out of nostalgia as it was my first ‘proper’ bike. I’ve been wondering what I might do with it and whether it could possibly become a gravel/hybrid bike. I don’t think I’ll bother changing wheel size but I might play around with some narrow tyres and drop bars to see how it feels. Thanks for the inspiration!