Gravel Bike

[zo_19]

Hello. Is it okay for me to convert my MTB to a gravel bike. I was thinking of changing the cockpit and the drivetrain, only retaining my frame (aluminum).

 

[BikeGremlin]

Hello. Is it okay for me to convert my MTB to a gravel bike. I was thinking of changing the cockpit and the drivetrain, only retaining my frame (aluminum).

Hi,

It's your bike - anything that you like is good.
Anything that you like and is safe and works correctly is awesome!

Converting to drop bars has it's challenges in terms of finding the matching shifters and brake levers, as well as in terms of getting the desired riding position (the bars' height and distance from the saddle).

Relja

 

[zo_19]

I was reluctant because I dont know if my frame will be okay as a gravel bike. Im thinking of replacing my fork with a rigid one first before thinking about the drop bar change since I think i will be changing my crank, hubs, and cassette along with my shifters and brake.

Thank you for the reply!

 

[BikeGremlin]

I was reluctant because I dont know if my frame will be okay as a gravel bike. Im thinking of replacing my fork with a rigid one first before thinking about the drop bar change since I think i will be changing my crank, hubs, and cassette along with my shifters and brake.

Thank you for the reply!

There is no rule prohibiting the use of a suspension fork with drop bars.

Having said that, I prefer rigid forks for their simplicity (lighter and maintenance-free).

When a suspension fork is swapped with a rigid fork, it is important to get a longer ("suspension-corrected") rigid fork (the link explains it in detail and shows how the fork's length affects the frame's geometry).

P.S.
I've converted a hybrid bicycle to drop bars for my "gravel bike":

Relja