Have you ever converted a mountain bike?

These days there are countless options for converting your mountain bike from one type of bike to another.

By Jeff Barber
August 11, 2024

20 comments

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A linkage swap can potentially increase a bike’s rear travel and change its kinematics. File photo: Daniel Palma.

Some old mountain bikes don’t die, they just get converted. For example, you could turn your short-travel XC bike into a long-travel enduro ripper (risky) or use a built-in flip chip to turn your 29er into a mixed-wheel bike. To be clear, converting a bike is more involved (and more transformative!) than making upgrades like swapping tires or adding gears, and this survey is focused on the former.

Tell us why you decided to convert your bike — and why, and how — in the comments below.

Mountain Bikes and Gear

I Increased the Rear Travel and Progression on my Orbea Rise with a Linkage Swap [Review]

Trail Bikes

The Thomson Hooch Hardtail Wants to be Mulleted

Mountain Bikes and Gear

Do You Own a Mixed-Wheel MTB?

Mountain Bikes and Gear

Have you ever had to walk your bike back to the trailhead due to a mechanical failure?

20 Comments

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Hoef89 Pennsylvania // 2024
Aug 12, 2024

My old komodo had a couple conversions, it started as a 3x9, quickly converted that to 1x9 (back before anyone was really making stuff to do this, had a machined inner chain guide made by a machine shop in Stowe VT that was sold at their local bike shop, single speed ring, and outer bash guard). In the winter this bike ran with a rigid fork, studded tires, and SS rear wheel. This bike was a swiss army trail hardtail back when the trail/aggressive hardtail category was basically "what if we built up one of the dirt jump frames to ride in the trails?"

3 reply

jsrides Utah // 2018
Aug 11, 2024

I need the option for No. 😂

2 reply

sutai South Carolina // 2009
Aug 12, 2024

I STARTED the process of converting an early 2000's Cannondale mountain bike into a mixed-wheel gravel bike. However, I stopped when I realized that to complete the job, I'd need to spend close to $700 or more (with budget parts) to do it properly. I could just buy a more modern used bike for similar money that would be just as useful, if not more useful for my purposes. The build remains half-completed, taking up precious space in my garage. Sigh.

1 reply

S_g_xxx_82 Wisconsin // 2012
Aug 12, 2024

I converted a "hardcore hardtail" into a half fat snow bike. The geometry was hardcore for 2014, not so much today

Shad Holland 2019
Aug 12, 2024

I generally stick within the limits of what the bike was designed for. I can see converting and older MTB into a gravel bike or things like that. But longer travel forks, especially outside of the manufacturers recommendations doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

I tried mixed wheels on a hardtail that has a 66 degree head angle and it made the bike a lot more stable and shreddable. It slackened the head angle, dropped the BB, and gave me more clearance in back when jumping. If I had a full suspension bike that had a flip chip for mixed wheel I would try it there also, but I don't so I will wait until I have the right frame and suspension setup.

Greg Heil Colorado // 2008
Aug 11, 2024

I think the most significant conversion I’ve done was geared -> singlespeed, which I just realized isn’t covered in the survey… oops. That said, I didn’t last all that long on the singlespeed train 😆

Jonathan Rill Missouri // 2015
Aug 16, 2024

I converted my 1987 Fischer Hoo Koo E Koo into a commuter bike. 1.5 inch road tires, fenders, lights, kick stand, rear rack and rearview mirrors and I'm styling!

akaRupert Illinois // 2024
Aug 12, 2024

Increased front travel and added an angle increasing headset to give an old Trek top fuel 69er more modern geometry, also added a dropper post and a 1x 11spd group set. It's now a totally different bike than it started as

Greg Heil Colorado // 2008
Aug 12, 2024

Oh, what about turning an old mountain bike into a commuter? I'm sure plenty have done that, but of course it's not really being used for mountain biking at that point...

GarageEngineer California // 2024
Aug 12, 2024

Quite a few years ago I swapped the swing arm on my Cannondale SuperV900 for a Jekyl swingarm so I could fit a longer better shock, it also increased the travel. Replaced the headshock forks for a more modern air fork to match the rear travel. I also upgraded all the components to SRAM X9 and gave it Hayes hydraulic brakes. Why did I do all this? Sentimental value, and I like to tinker.

During the pandemic it was near impossible to get bikes and my kids had outgrown theirs. I got a Scott Spark Jr 24" from Ebay and removed all the old components. Then I milled a new shock linkage and modified the shock mounting bracket to allow a longer air shock to be added. I didn't want to get the custom short cane creek shock like others did. I then swapped all the components from my daughters existing bike and added a new Rockshox fork.

I then decided to upgrade the fork on my sons 20" bike with an air fork that I managed to order before they were sold out. When it arrived I realized it was disc brake only and I'd need a disc compatible front wheel to use it, good luck finding one of those at that time. So I bought a new hub, spokes and rim, and made the wheel myself.

My descent into madness continued after a trip to Mammoth when my son complained that he didn't have a full suspension bike like his big sister. It turns out 20" wheeled full suspension bikes are hard to come by at the best of times. I managed to find a full suspension crappy Mongoose on craigslist that had an aluminum front triangle that I thought could make a nice upgrade project. I discovered the headtube was just large enough to fit the steerer of the fork but not a new headset. At this point a sane person would have given up, fortunately that's not me. I bored the top and bottom of the head tube out to accept a new headset, then milled two collars and epoxied them in place to strengthen the headtube where I had bored it out. I was now filled with confidence and decided to work on the rear triangle. I couldn't find a suitable donor rear triangle, so I did as any sane person would and spent each evening for a couple of weeks designing, calculating sizes and making mockups of a new rear triangle. Tubing was also impossible to come by so I cut up his sisters old frame, milled dropouts, pivots and all other needed parts, and welded up my creation (I also used the oven to do some heat treating/aging when everyone was sleeping). Another custom wheel, drivetrain, shock, etc etc later I had somehow created an awesome full suspension bike, just like every 6 year old needs. I'm still shocked at how well it turned out, it rides great and has handled multiple Mammoth and Big Bear trips.

Doug Kandel New Jersey // 2024
Aug 12, 2024

Converted a 1998 Trek Vrx 400 into an electric trail bike. Cut frame to accommodate Bafang Bbshd added hydraulic brakes, 3x9 to 1x9 and added a 150 mm air fork. Short wheel base and tight rear suspension makes it super agile for the tech sections

0 reply

Kennyb8 British Columbia // 2024
Aug 12, 2024

Converted my 2012 trek fuel ex8 into an electric with cyc x1 gen 4 pro mid drive

Converted my 2012 trek fuel ex8 into electric using cyc x1 pro gen 4 mid drive

MXLord327 Maine // 2022
Aug 19, 2024

During Covid I took an old Mongoose Ledge 3.1 and threw away every component on it except the frame and replaced them all with decent parts. Turned a junk Walmart bike into a rideable trail bike. Then 3 months later got bitten by the downhill bug, sold it and bought a new enduro bike!

Chris Salisbury Texas // 2019
Aug 12, 2024

I converted my Kona Steel Hard tail to a fixed gear. First I used a cog that matched the 6 bolt brake pattern. Then I laced up a Paul Fixed WORD. Not a lot of Mountain Bikes sporting NJS parts out there!

dhrace2000 New Hampshire // 2024
Aug 12, 2024

I had a K2 Proflex Animal that I had someone change/weld the rear shock mount position for travel. Put a Hanabrink long travel fork on a Specialized FSR and had a KHS that I bought used from someone who had made rear linkage plates that changed the rear travel.

AssegaiRear California // 2024
Aug 12, 2024

Let's see:
Forked up Norco Optic to 150.
Put Cascade link on the rear of the Optic to increase rear travel to 130.
Put a 27.5 rear wheel on my Trek Rail just the other day (actually not sure about the flip chip's orientation right now, but I've used it)
Put a Trek 1120 rigid fork on my Santa Cruz Chameleon, and built wheels with i40 rims, 29x3.0 front and 29x2.5 rear.
Converted my Trek Checkpoint from drop bar to flat bar with a Curve Remlaw, Redshift suspension stem, Hope RX4+ flatmount 4-pot brakes, SLX levers, and GX Eagle drivetrain.

Sean Ardley California // 2021
Aug 12, 2024

Turned a carbon hardtail into a coaster brake mountain cruiser using nought but a found beach cruiser wheel. Two crashes (=one ride) later i put the front disc brake back on.

bikefoole 2017
Sep 20, 2024

V4 nomad. Cascade Components rocker with an increase of stroke length of 5mm makes for 190mm rear travel and they recommended 180 fork. Nomad is my DH bike. It was good stock, changes made it a whole new bike.

Dr Sweets Georgia // 2016
Aug 12, 2024

Yes. Nearly all of the above. I am pretty sure I have over-forked nearly every mountain bike I've owned dating back to first getting a Z1 (putting it later on my single speed which at once often made me the rider that had in the most travel and the least gears on group rides) '97. I've had frames modded with S&S couplers, I've repainted more than half a dozen frames including carbon ones and a few myself. I've even more recently completely tore down, repainted, permanently altered the geometry and rebuilt an e-bike. I suggest that only for true masochists. 🤘🤣

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