How I converted my bike to a trekking/comfort bike

[Waspy]

So, this is the second summer with my Woosh conversion and it has been faultless. I did take the precaution of not leaving the bike out in my cold, damp, miserable shed over the winter.
So anyway, I've not been too happy about the uncomfortable riding position on my old mountain bike.
Too much weight on my wrists, too much strain on my neck.
Here is what I did about it, I now have a much more comfy bike for the towpath style riding I do.

Incidentally, in other recent improvements, I replaced the chainring.

 

[saneagle]

Good stuff. I'd have replaced those crappy cable brakes with hydraulic ones. You can get used ones on Ebay for about £30 - £40 that will transform your braking . It's the best bang-for-buck improvenet you can make to any bike.

 

[Jerry Atric]

So, this is the second summer with my Woosh conversion and it has been faultless. I did take the precaution of not leaving the bike out in my cold, damp, miserable shed over the winter.
So anyway, I've not been too happy about the uncomfortable riding position on my old mountain bike.
Too much weight on my wrists, too much strain on my neck.
Here is what I did about it, I now have a much more comfy bike for the towpath style riding I do.

Incidentally, in other recent improvements, I replaced the chainring.

Looks great! Where did you buy the bars from ? Could do with some for my wifes bike to take the weight off her painful hands.

 

[Raboa]

Planet X do handlebars of that nature:

Bike Handlebars | On-One, Planet X, Selcof Bars & More | Planet X Bikes

Correct handlebars selection affects not only your riding comfort but also has a direct impact on your bike's handling characteristics. The bars you choose need to be comfortable, but they should work well with the rest of your steering system- stem, forks and to a lesser extent, your frame. For...

www.planetx.co.uk

Suspension stems work as well, Rockshox sell oil for the forks, go into a motorbike / car shop and ask for the same weight, it's cheaper

 

[Waspy]

Good stuff. I'd have replaced those crappy cable brakes with hydraulic ones. You can get used ones on Ebay for about £30 - £40 that will transform your braking . It's the best bang-for-buck improvenet you can make to any bike.

Yes mate, I have come to the same conclusion. Mechanicals are OK but no better performance than V-brakes really and they need constant fiddling and adjustment. I need to make that upgrade one day, I'm just gonna need extra long hoses to fit my high front end on the bike. Onwards!

 

[Waspy]

Looks great! Where did you buy the bars from ? Could do with some for my wifes bike to take the weight off her painful hands.

Mate, these handlebars have totally transformed the seating position and comfort, it's like night and day. A lot of your weight is transferred off your hands and wrists and more onto your backside, hence the comfort seat. Totally non-trendy in the mountain bike world but I love it for pottering around forests, country parks etc.

I got the handlebars for 15 quid from here: Brand-X

 

[Waspy]

Suspension stems work as well, Rockshox sell oil for the forks, go into a motorbike / car shop and ask for the same weight, it's cheaper

Good to know, thanks.

 

[Waspy]

So, fitted a longer front brake cable (a bit too long really tbh, overcompensated LOL)

Been out for a ride this afternoon, loving it.

The front end looks stupidly high, but when I'm on the bike it really works, very comfortable.

The Woosh motor gives 15.5mph but with a bit of vigorous pedalling I was getting 17/18mph, with the new chainring I am getting 19/20mph, happy days. I only do this in short bursts mind, I'm mostly happy to bimble along at 12mph.

 

[Raboa]

Here's the oil I bought.

I have Rockshox Gold forks, you need two allen keys and snap ring pilers to service them. One of the bolts is inside the leg so I bought a long Allen key bit (that fits inside screwdriver handles, drills, ratchet etc).

 

[Jaxter]

Well i have the big arse comfort seat i also have the suntour suspension seatpost but had to swap it out for a regular as it made my seating position too high, i think i will definitely be swapping over to them handlebars at some point as i dont appreciate the hunched over position i am riding in at the moment , for relaxed pootling comfort is king.
Just out of curiosity what is recommended psi for your tyres as i came off my bike 2 weeks ago i was travelling slowly and it was an innocuous turn onto a flattened kerb next thing i know im on the floor leg mangled in the handlebars, big graze on one arm bruised legs and ribs and smashed my phone the bike wasnt damaged so i consider myself lucky, i dont really know what happened but suspect one of my wheels slipped out, i think this as the tyres schwalbe marathon plus seemed fine with a pinch test but when i googled recommended psi it said between 60 and 110 my front tyre was at 15 and back at 22 hence my conclusion, and why i ask.

 

[Raboa]

I run my tyres 55psi, 10psi below max pressure (26" x 1.75, marathon plus).

 

[Jaxter]

I run my tyres 55psi, 10psi below max pressure (26" x 1.75, marathon plus).

I got mine at 60 psi now, but im riding really cautiously, as it was such an innocuous manouvre at low speed when i went over its got me paranoid, im sure with time and no further mishaps my confidence will return.

 

[Az.]

The front end looks stupidly high

Yes, you lost a lot of WOW factor there, but who cares? After all it is better to have comfortable bike and ride on it rather than have sexy bike in a shed.

On other hand you gained a lot on better fork and chainring.

It is surprising how many people go to bike shop and end up with aggressive geometry MTB while all they need is a leisure step thru bike for casual riding. After that they end up with pain in neck, sore bottom and just keep their precious bike in shed.

 

[pedalfettal]

Planet X do handlebars of that nature:

Bike Handlebars | On-One, Planet X, Selcof Bars & More | Planet X Bikes

Correct handlebars selection affects not only your riding comfort but also has a direct impact on your bike's handling characteristics. The bars you choose need to be comfortable, but they should work well with the rest of your steering system- stem, forks and to a lesser extent, your frame. For...

www.planetx.co.uk

This video is quite illuminating:

Jones H Bar Video

For me the bit starting around 0:40 is the best - being able to stand on the pedals and using the swept-back bars like wheel-barrow handles. Also the bit where he talks about having fun - like when he was a kid.

I like the concept so much that I've these:

Planet X - Geoff handlebar

and these very light-weight ones for my folder:

Amazon - Swept back handlebars

 

[saneagle]

For me the bit starting around 0:40 is the best - being able to stand on the pedals and using the swept-back bars like wheel-barrow handles. Also the bit where he talks about having fun - like when he was a kid.

Good point, but when using Dutch style swept back bars you don't have to stand up on the pedals. The advantage with those bars is that you can pull up with your hands to push hrder on the pedals so you can pedal with more force than your weight.

 

[jimriley]

I found that fitting similar handlebars to yours was the best thing too, already had an adjustable rake Headstock. The handlebars were from Amazon, "stuttgarter" .

 

[Waspy]

Well i have the big arse comfort seat i also have the suntour suspension seatpost but had to swap it out for a regular as it made my seating position too high, i think i will definitely be swapping over to them handlebars at some point as i dont appreciate the hunched over position i am riding in at the moment , for relaxed pootling comfort is king.
Just out of curiosity what is recommended psi for your tyres as i came off my bike 2 weeks ago i was travelling slowly and it was an innocuous turn onto a flattened kerb next thing i know im on the floor leg mangled in the handlebars, big graze on one arm bruised legs and ribs and smashed my phone the bike wasnt damaged so i consider myself lucky, i dont really know what happened but suspect one of my wheels slipped out, i think this as the tyres schwalbe marathon plus seemed fine with a pinch test but when i googled recommended psi it said between 60 and 110 my front tyre was at 15 and back at 22 hence my conclusion, and why i ask.

Sorry Jaxter, I missed this question.

It says on my tyres, "Inflate to 40-60 PSI".

But I run mine at 25-30 PSI for a bit more comfort, without adverse effects.

If your tyres recommend 60-100 PSI and yours are as low as 15-22 then that could well explain your mishap.

60-100 PSI sounds more like hybrid bike pressures or possibly road bike, you did not say what type of bike you have.

If your suspension seatpost makes your saddle too high, you might need a smaller frame (LOL, that's easy to say!)

I hope you get better soon mate.

 

[Jaxter]

Sorry Jaxter, I missed this question.

It says on my tyres, "Inflate to 40-60 PSI".

But I run mine at 25-30 PSI for a bit more comfort, without adverse effects.

If your tyres recommend 60-100 PSI and yours are as low as 15-22 then that could well explain your mishap.

60-100 PSI sounds more like hybrid bike pressures or possibly road bike, you did not say what type of bike you have.

If your suspension seatpost makes your saddle too high, you might need a smaller frame (LOL, that's easy to say!)

I hope you get better soon mate.

Hi mate the bikes a mountain bike an old Carerra Vengeance, i went for the big frame in order to be able to fit the battery comfortably, after my mishap i am taking no chances and keeping those tyres on the upper scale of whats recommended, i have been riding my fiido d4s since the fall but with just over 2 weeks of recovery under my belt im feeling ready to get back on the Carerra.
I think i am going to ultimately end up with a step thru with an upright seating position and front suspension something with good torque for the son of a gun hill i have to tackle daily, im 53 next month and for example after working all day today i really was so tired swinging my leg over the bike was a chore, annd unfortunately i wont be getting younger

 

[Waspy]

Hi mate the bikes a mountain bike an old Carerra Vengeance, i went for the big frame in order to be able to fit the battery comfortably, after my mishap i am taking no chances and keeping those tyres on the upper scale of whats recommended, i have been riding my fiido d4s since the fall but with just over 2 weeks of recovery under my belt im feeling ready to get back on the Carerra.
I think i am going to ultimately end up with a step thru with an upright seating position and front suspension something with good torque for the son of a gun hill i have to tackle daily, im 53 next month and for example after working all day today i really was so tired swinging my leg over the bike was a chore, annd unfortunately i wont be getting younger

I hear you Jaxter, I am in my sixties and I hate to say it but I think if I was to buy a ready-made e-bike now it would be either a Woosh Santana or a Wisper 705. I never thought I'd consider a step-thru (with possibly a shopping basket up front LOL) but I spent a fair bit trying to convert a mountain bike into a comfort bike, and let's face it, I'll never be going near any mountains. At my age that crossbar is just a hindrance really. One other option is I could look out for a used Trek womens frame from the same era on eBay and swap all the bits from my bike onto that. That's another thing I never thought I'd say, riding a womens bike, but at the end of the day who cares? No one even notices, I'd just be another old fart on a bike LOL.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

I hear you Jaxter, I am in my sixties and I hate to say it but I think if I was to buy a ready-made e-bike now it would be either a Woosh Santana or a Wisper 705. I never thought I'd consider a step-thru (with possibly a shopping basket up front LOL) but I spent a fair bit trying to convert a mountain bike into a comfort bike, and let's face it, I'll never be going near any mountains. At my age that crossbar is just a hindrance really. One other option is I could look out for a used Trek womens frame from the same era on eBay and swap all the bits from my bike onto that. That's another thing I never thought I'd say, riding a womens bike, but at the end of the day who cares? No one even notices, I'd just be another old fart on a bike LOL.

Just a thought...



All the best, David