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ok so like many of you i have a fleet of bikes, i love having my retro stuff but to be honest i don't ride them much, i keep a few at the shop as talking points and that will expand with what i'm doing in the shop over the next couple of months. but anyway i started seeing stuff on instagram etc and youtube where people have got older MTB frames and converted them for gravel use, i find this a little interesting as i have not been particularly enamoured with any of the recent gravel bikes i have built for myself, the Kona Sutra was nice but i was recommended the wrong size from the rep, so i sold it, then got a Kona Rove, built it with GRX, it road fine but a little harsh at the front with an alloy fork, so i put it back to standard and sold it, i then put the GRX group on a Rocky Mountain Solo, it's nice enough but a little dull and then i started seeing the videos.
example:-
so here i am looking at my Rocky thinking about what frame could i get to convert to a gravel bike instead. now as i have loads of bikes i realised i don't have to buy anything because i already have something! yes! my unused in years but mint 2007 Orange Clockwork, it's 26" wheel, quick release, it's got a rigid carbon fork in it, it's disc only.
it just seems to be it'll do the job, i couldn't find the exact geometry on line but i did find the geometry of another orange frame, the 2009 Evo8, and compared it to the modern RX9, both in a medium size
RX9 head angle is 70 degree, the evo8 is 71
RX9 seat angle is 74 degree, the Evo8 is 73
RX9 top tube is 527mm with a 90mm stem =617, the Evo8 is 566mm and i think has a 100mm stem =666
now i always found the top tube of my clockwork a little short so i ran i think ayt one point a 110 stem, so i'm thinking that if i run a gravel bar in it i could use maybe a 50mm stem and the bar position should be about right.
having looked at a few videos, the 26" bikes can fit 700c wheels if the tyres aren't too wide and therefore tall, but should fit 650x45 without too much trouble. i'll have to run an mtb chainset and front mech but it already has that but i might need to change the ring sizes.
so have any of you motley crew done it? do threy ride ok? any pitfalls?
example:-
so here i am looking at my Rocky thinking about what frame could i get to convert to a gravel bike instead. now as i have loads of bikes i realised i don't have to buy anything because i already have something! yes! my unused in years but mint 2007 Orange Clockwork, it's 26" wheel, quick release, it's got a rigid carbon fork in it, it's disc only.
it just seems to be it'll do the job, i couldn't find the exact geometry on line but i did find the geometry of another orange frame, the 2009 Evo8, and compared it to the modern RX9, both in a medium size
RX9 head angle is 70 degree, the evo8 is 71
RX9 seat angle is 74 degree, the Evo8 is 73
RX9 top tube is 527mm with a 90mm stem =617, the Evo8 is 566mm and i think has a 100mm stem =666
now i always found the top tube of my clockwork a little short so i ran i think ayt one point a 110 stem, so i'm thinking that if i run a gravel bar in it i could use maybe a 50mm stem and the bar position should be about right.
having looked at a few videos, the 26" bikes can fit 700c wheels if the tyres aren't too wide and therefore tall, but should fit 650x45 without too much trouble. i'll have to run an mtb chainset and front mech but it already has that but i might need to change the ring sizes.
so have any of you motley crew done it? do threy ride ok? any pitfalls?
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