I have an old dept. store bought 10 speed mountain bike that is no longer being used. I'm wondering if it's possible to take the wheels and shifter and adapt them to my cruiser to make it a 10 speed. Is there anything I should look out for when doing this? I'm guessing it's just a matter of switching the wheels, bolting on the derallieurs (sp?), and putting on the chain and shifter. Is that it? Or is this there some type of sizing issue I need to know about?
Question for the experts out there....
- Thread starter Qwestrock
- Start date
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Mouth-Breather
as long as they have the same size wheels (26" im guessin), you got it, probly the hardest part will be puttin the rear wheel on tho, nothin to hard , just annoying really cuz your original rear wheel is most likely not as wide as the wheel hub your puttin in it now. also make sure what your gonna do bout brakes, puttin on the rear shouldnt be a problem, just make sure you got a way to mount the front brake too.
sounds like you got it pretty well under control... in some of my projects i need to shim under some brackets to get the front derailer tight... all i can say is try it worst case you put it back like it was... check my post in the gallery "60's murray super deluxe" got it as a bare frame pretty sure it was a single speed or a three speed... but i ratted it as a ten speed... i love doing things that should not be done...
mike
p.s. one more thing you will probley need to spread the the rear stays to accept the new rear hub with the freewheel....
mike
p.s. one more thing you will probley need to spread the the rear stays to accept the new rear hub with the freewheel....
Well as a French speaking individual and a direct descendant of those pesky Normans who invaded the shores of England, I will still write it as a "derailleur" in English. But I do say derailer when speaking it in English, try to figure that one out! 
So I started this little project of mine, and already there's bumps in the road.
For starters, I swapped the wheels on my cruiser for those on the MTB. Then I took the front and rear brakes off the MTB and threw them on the cruiser. The front brake works fine, but the rear brake is giving me trouble. I think the problem lies with the brake cable. On the MTB, the cable was routed from the lever to the downtube where it was held in place by a small part welded to the frame. From this "holder" the cable continues down the tube, but without any plastic covering it. Just the exposed steel cable. It continues til it gets to another of the welded parts further down the downtube. From here the cable is again wrapped by the usual plastic covering and feeds right into the brake. Well, once I took all this apart from the MTB, I no longer had the welded metal holders on my cruiser frame to keep the cable in place. I used some plastic ties to secure the cable to the frame, but it's no where near strong enough to hold the cable in place when I pull the lever. Do I need to get another cable that's completey wrapped in the plastic coating from the lever to the brake? Does this matter?
Problem 2: After installing the 2 MTB wheels on the bike, I decided to put my old cruiser's chain on to ride for a while. I routed the chain through the sprocket that most closely resembled the one on my old coaster wheel. It seemed fine, until I road the bike. There's a popping sound as I turn the pedals. Upon closer inpection, it seems like the chain is a bit off when going around the chainring. Is there a specific chainring to rear wheel combination that I need to be aware? Do I have to use the chainring from the MTB to go along with the rear wheel from the MTB? Also, it seems like the chain is real close to the real wheel. Once I install the deraillers (sp???? ....whatever!), it seems like shifting to the larger sprockets would cause the chain to rub against the wheel. Have I reached a roadblock that will prevent this conversion, or is this an easy fix?
Have I typed enough? I'm new to the bike game, so excuse my newbie-ness as I ask what may be easy questions.
Thanks fellars.
Rick from Chicago.
For starters, I swapped the wheels on my cruiser for those on the MTB. Then I took the front and rear brakes off the MTB and threw them on the cruiser. The front brake works fine, but the rear brake is giving me trouble. I think the problem lies with the brake cable. On the MTB, the cable was routed from the lever to the downtube where it was held in place by a small part welded to the frame. From this "holder" the cable continues down the tube, but without any plastic covering it. Just the exposed steel cable. It continues til it gets to another of the welded parts further down the downtube. From here the cable is again wrapped by the usual plastic covering and feeds right into the brake. Well, once I took all this apart from the MTB, I no longer had the welded metal holders on my cruiser frame to keep the cable in place. I used some plastic ties to secure the cable to the frame, but it's no where near strong enough to hold the cable in place when I pull the lever. Do I need to get another cable that's completey wrapped in the plastic coating from the lever to the brake? Does this matter?
Problem 2: After installing the 2 MTB wheels on the bike, I decided to put my old cruiser's chain on to ride for a while. I routed the chain through the sprocket that most closely resembled the one on my old coaster wheel. It seemed fine, until I road the bike. There's a popping sound as I turn the pedals. Upon closer inpection, it seems like the chain is a bit off when going around the chainring. Is there a specific chainring to rear wheel combination that I need to be aware? Do I have to use the chainring from the MTB to go along with the rear wheel from the MTB? Also, it seems like the chain is real close to the real wheel. Once I install the deraillers (sp???? ....whatever!), it seems like shifting to the larger sprockets would cause the chain to rub against the wheel. Have I reached a roadblock that will prevent this conversion, or is this an easy fix?
Have I typed enough? I'm new to the bike game, so excuse my newbie-ness as I ask what may be easy questions.
Thanks fellars.
Rick from Chicago.
Rick,
Problem #1 You need to buy a new brake cable housing, to run from the brake lever/handle all the way to the brake. ziptie it along the way. You can buy it bulk from your LBS(local bike shop) and make sure to get the 2 metal ends(ferules?). This can be cut to fit with a good pair of wire cutters. Once cut use a small nail/awl to clean out the inside of the cut.
Problem #2 you will need to match the chain and gears. Your rear wheel will not work with your cruiser chain or front chainwheel/sprocket. Did you change the front sprocket also or is it the original? A current pic may help identify specifics of where go next.
Problem #1 You need to buy a new brake cable housing, to run from the brake lever/handle all the way to the brake. ziptie it along the way. You can buy it bulk from your LBS(local bike shop) and make sure to get the 2 metal ends(ferules?). This can be cut to fit with a good pair of wire cutters. Once cut use a small nail/awl to clean out the inside of the cut.
Problem #2 you will need to match the chain and gears. Your rear wheel will not work with your cruiser chain or front chainwheel/sprocket. Did you change the front sprocket also or is it the original? A current pic may help identify specifics of where go next.
That shines alot of light on this. I'll be buying the new cables tomorrow. While I'm at it, I'll need to buy new cable for changing gears I suppose. They're the same type of cables as the brakes.
As for the front sprocket, no I didn't change it. I was using the same cruiser sprocket. I threw the chain on without changing it because I was eager to ride the bike with the free wheel/brake setup. The MTB front sprocket is actually 2 sprockets, which I suppose makes sense since it's a 10 speed. Is this what addresses my perceived issue of the chain appearing to be too close to the rear wheel? Meaning, as I shift, does the chain move to the appropriate sprocket to keep it away from the wheel?
Man, I'm having digital camera issues, otherwise I'd post pics of what I've done thus far and make it easier when asking for help.
Rick
As for the front sprocket, no I didn't change it. I was using the same cruiser sprocket. I threw the chain on without changing it because I was eager to ride the bike with the free wheel/brake setup. The MTB front sprocket is actually 2 sprockets, which I suppose makes sense since it's a 10 speed. Is this what addresses my perceived issue of the chain appearing to be too close to the rear wheel? Meaning, as I shift, does the chain move to the appropriate sprocket to keep it away from the wheel?
Man, I'm having digital camera issues, otherwise I'd post pics of what I've done thus far and make it easier when asking for help.
Rick
you don't have to buy new cables just the housings. (as long as the cables are in good shape.)
Chain issue- use the mtb chain and wheel and change the front sprocket to match the chain size 3/32". Depending on the setup this could be hard to do , especially with the one piece crank that the cruiser probably has. somebody else will know specifics of this change over.
Pics help alot. Take a pic with your cellphone or your friend , then email to yourself and post on photobucket inorder to post here. OR PM me for an email address and I will post for you.
EDIT/Added- Brake cables and housings are different than shift cables and housings
Chain issue- use the mtb chain and wheel and change the front sprocket to match the chain size 3/32". Depending on the setup this could be hard to do , especially with the one piece crank that the cruiser probably has. somebody else will know specifics of this change over.
Pics help alot. Take a pic with your cellphone or your friend , then email to yourself and post on photobucket inorder to post here. OR PM me for an email address and I will post for you.
EDIT/Added- Brake cables and housings are different than shift cables and housings
OK, so I've got the sprocket situation fixed up. Thanks for the tips. I'll be getting the cables setup in the next day or so.
Now for my next question. Can someone point me to someplace where I can see how to setup the deraillers/shifters. I've got the rear derailler bolted on, but I'm not sure about the front one. How high on the tube should it be bolted on? Also, how is the chain put back on? I failed to make note of this before I took it apart. Finally, are there any tips/tricks to the cables for the shifters?
Slowly, but surely, I'll get there.
Now for my next question. Can someone point me to someplace where I can see how to setup the deraillers/shifters. I've got the rear derailler bolted on, but I'm not sure about the front one. How high on the tube should it be bolted on? Also, how is the chain put back on? I failed to make note of this before I took it apart. Finally, are there any tips/tricks to the cables for the shifters?
Slowly, but surely, I'll get there.
Rick,
Xdorrox's blog has some help about adjusting the derailers.
http://howtofixbikes.blogspot.com/2006/ ... lleur.html
http://howtofixbikes.blogspot.com/2006/ ... lleur.html
As for the front placement? Good question.
try here; http://www.parktool.com/repair/byregion.asp?catid=53
Xdorrox's blog has some help about adjusting the derailers.
http://howtofixbikes.blogspot.com/2006/ ... lleur.html
http://howtofixbikes.blogspot.com/2006/ ... lleur.html
As for the front placement? Good question.
try here; http://www.parktool.com/repair/byregion.asp?catid=53
